UEL announces key leadership appointments

Professor Verity Brown will officially begin her tenure on 11 March. As pro vice-chancellor for impact and innovation, she will work to increase the economic, social and cultural impact of UEL's research, enterprise and community engagement activities.

Professor Brown comes to UEL from the University of St Andrews in Scotland, where she is a professor of behavioural neuroscience. From 2014-2016, Professor Brown was vice principal (enterprise and engagement) at St Andrews, where her work included leading the University's enterprise strategy and guiding strategic development of externally-facing assets of the St Andrews' estate.

Professor Brown also served as provost of St Andrews' St Leonard's College from 2013-2014 and was head of its School of Psychology and Neuroscience from 2000-2006 and 2011-2013.  She chaired the University's equality, diversity and inclusion forum, and led work on its Equality Challenge Unit charter marks.

Professor Brown has been a vising professor at Queen Mary University of London since 2008. She has a doctorate in behavioural neuroscience from the University of Cambridge and an MBA from the Open University.

Professor Brown said, "I am delighted to be joining the University of East London. I share its values of civic engagement and an aspiration to change the lives of individuals for the better, and I am excited about working with staff and students to harness the institution's enormous creative potential. We will innovate to add value to our local communities and continuously strive to reach beyond the expected."

Dr Paul Marshall has 25 years of experience in transformational leadership and strategic policy development and implementation in the higher education sector in the UK and internationally. 

He is currently group director, business development, at the University Partnerships Programme (UPP), the UK's leading provider of campus infrastructure, student accommodation and specialist residential services. In that role, Dr Marshall is responsible for devising and executing the strategy for UPP's business development and sectoral partnership objectives.

His previous roles include chief executive of the Association of Business Schools, the representative body for the UK's business schools and independent management colleges, and executive director of the 1994 Group, a mission grouping of UK universities.

He has a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Sussex. 

As UEL's pro vice-chancellor for careers and enterprise, Dr Marshall will lead on strategic objectives to address industry and community skills gaps, with a particular emphasis on diversity and inclusion. He will join UEL on 1 May.

Dr Marshall said, "I am excited to be joining the University of East London at this moment in its history. I've long been impressed with the University's commitment to diversity and innovation, and I look forward to working with Professor Broderick and other University staff to make the most of the opportunities that lie ahead."

The University of East London has 18,000 plus students which represent 134 nationalities. With London campuses in Stratford and Docklands, it is at the heart of the industrial and creative shift east, and a powerful global gateway.