Loughborough University Chief to join Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust
The Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Robert Allison CBE, the recently retired Vice Chancellor and President of Loughborough University, to its Board of Trustees. Professor Allison will officially take up the post at the Trust’s next Board meeting on 25 November 2021.
Having accelerated Loughborough University from an average national league table position of 27 to the top 10 in just eight years, Professor Allison is an expert in leadership, vision setting, commercial acumen and delivering transformational change.
As senior ambassador of a leading, research-intensive university, Professor Allison has established partnerships with higher education institutions around the world. He oversaw a period of significant expansion, including the opening of Loughborough University London on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, a project that has returned a surplus of 12% on operating costs and met Council approved targets two years ahead of plan. During his time at the University there has been significant expansion of the Science and Enterprise Park on the Loughborough site, including its designation by Government as an Enterprise Zone and with it significant investment. He and his colleagues secured two Government funded national centres: National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine and National Centre for Aerothermal and Combustion Technology. They worked in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence, National Health Service and The Black Stork Charity, to secure Loughborough as the lead university partner with the Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre, Stanford Hall.
Professor Allison was awarded a CBE earlier this year for services to Higher Education, and supporting young people’s talent, equality and achievement and holds the Council for Advancement and Support Education (CASE) Leadership Award, for outstanding leadership.
Alongside his role at Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, Professor Allison holds a number of external appointments including Chair of Trustees, St Philip’s Centre, Leicester, Trustee of the Oval Multi Academy Learning Trust and Honorary Canon Professor at Leicester Cathedral. He is a member of several speciality advisory groups in UK higher education, such as the national Advisory Committee on Degree Awarding Powers.
Professor Allison said: “Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, like Loughborough University, is a forward-thinking organisation and I am honoured to be joining the Trustees, in particular to support the Trust’s role in education.”
“I enjoy supporting leadership teams through constructive challenge and I look forward to working closely with fellow Trustees, the Chief Executive and others to develop and deliver its strategy. I recognise the importance of bringing an external perspective and will use my experience to help the Trust implement its ambitious plans.”
Sir Trevor Soar, Chairman of the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, said: “I am very pleased to welcome Professor Allison as a Trustee of Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust. As a charity with “learning” as one of its core objectives, Bob will bring a wealth of experience and expertise from the education sector to our Board and I look forward to working with him.”
Professor Allison will replace Murray Hallam on retirement, Murray has served on the Board of Trustees since 2013 and has contributed significant expertise during his tenure.
