Paul Lindley installed as Chancellor

Graduates and guests were treated to a special graduation ceremony on Wednesday 21 July when Lord William Waldegrave, the eight Chancellor of the University of Reading, formally installed his successor, Paul Lindley.

At a ceremony also attended by our seventh Chancellor, Sir John Madejski, both Lord Waldegrave and the Vice-Chancellor Robert Van de Noort paid tribute to the new Chancellor’s work as both an entrepreneur and social activist. Robert commented:

“Paul Lindley believes business can be a transformational force for good, a powerful tool to tackle the challenges facing people and the planet, and a vital key to building an economy that works better for everyone.

“Paul founded Ella’s Kitchen after he promised his then-baby daughter Ella, and her brother Paddy, that he would only make healthy, tasty and fun food which was packed full of the best ingredients. Paul developed Ella’s kitchen in close collaboration with the University of Reading, drawing on academic expertise from Department for Food and Nutritional Sciences and the Henley Business School. In recent years, the University has worked with Paul on the ‘Just Imagine If’ concept, an international social enterprise and innovation competition to drive social, economic and environmental change in the world through helping small ideas become big realities.”

Robert Van de Noort also took the opportunity to thank Lord Waldegrave for his nearly ten years of service as the University’s Chancellor. He noted Lord Waldegrave’s distinguished career in both public and private service :

“As our Chancellor you have honoured us with your presence at many Congregations for the awarding of degrees, Courts and Chancellor Award ceremonies. Your generosity and sense of humour has endeared you to many audiences. Personally, I want to thank you for your wise council, especially when dealing with some of your successors in government who have not always shared your commitment to higher education and science to the same high standards.

“We very much hope that your relationship with the University is not coming to an end today and the Council of the University of Reading, recognising your outstanding services to the University, awards you the title ‘Chancellor Emeritus’ upon retirement as our eighth Chancellor.”

Paul shares with us his reflections on his first experience of presiding over a University graduation and his belied in the power of education, and our graduates, to build a better world in the Graduation reflections by Chancellor Paul Lindley.