Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) is delighted to announce that its Vice-Chancellor and CEO, Lisa Mann, has been elected as the new co-Vice-Chair of the GuildHE Board.
Lisa will officially begin her term on 9 July 2026, succeeding Professor Simone Wonnacott, Vice-Chancellor of Leeds Arts University. The appointment comes at a pivotal moment for the higher education sector as institutions across the UK navigate complex financial pressures, policy reforms, and evolving student expectations.
GuildHE is one of the UK’s three formal representative bodies for higher education, championing diversity and innovation across around 70 member institutions, with a particular focus on creative and specialist leadership.
“I am delighted to have been appointed to the Board of GuildHE and to take on the role of co-Vice-Chair," says Lisa. "I look forward to supporting its work at a particularly important time for the sector. I am especially keen to contribute perspectives as a specialist creative higher education provider, helping to ensure that innovation, inclusion, creativity, entrepreneurial thinking, and regional impact remain central to the future of higher education policy and practice.”
Lisa brings a wealth of leadership experience to the national role, spanning higher education, consultancy, and entrepreneurship across both the public and private sectors.
Joining her on the board is Olivier Robert-Murphy, CEO and Vice-Chancellor of BIMM University, who joins as an elected member from 24 September.
Professor Ken Sloan, Chair of GuildHE and Vice-Chancellor of Harper Adams University, welcomed the appointments, saying, “Lisa and Olivier will bring a tremendous breadth of leadership expertise across creative and specialist higher education, alongside significant industry experience, that will strengthen our work during a challenging period for the sector.”
Dr Brooke Storer-Church, CEO of GuildHE, adds, “We are delighted to welcome Lisa and Olivier to our Board and look forward to working together over the next three years to secure a thriving, distinctive higher education sector. We deeply value their leadership and expertise in innovative entrepreneurship because creativity is essential in our work at this crucial juncture for the sector.”
