Executive Board members to leave the University

Two senior colleagues who have help to guide Reading through recent challenges have decided to leave the University.

Samantha Foley, Chief Financial Officer, will leave the University of Reading on 31 December 2022 to pursue a range of other interests.

Paul Inman, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International), is to retire on 25 November after a long and varied career.

Samantha Foley

After almost six years at the University, Sam is moving into a more portfolio-based career to allow her to pursue a wider range of interests, including education and government policy, and music.

Sam has been Chief Financial Officer at Reading since January 2017, and during that time has driven the University’s commercial activities in particular, while ensuring that it has been well placed to financially deal with a range of issues and opportunities.

She has been the University’s representative on many business organisations, both in Reading and more widely, and been a passionate advocate for the positive influence the University can have regionally and internationally.

Professor Robert Van de Noort, Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert van der Noort said: “I would like to thank Sam for all her work during more than five years as our Chief Financial Officer. She has made a significant contribution to the transparency of our finances and to achieving long-term financial stability for our University, not least in the face of a global pandemic.

“Sam took a leading role in our response to the financial implications of COVID-19, including our agreement with the UCU and Staff Forum on critical cost savings that helped avoid the compulsory redundancies seen elsewhere in the sector.

“Sam has also overseen the hugely successful expansion of commercial opportunities around Shinfield and the Thames Valley Science Park, including our partnership with the Natural History Museum.

“Perhaps most importantly, she has helped bring a little bit of Hollywood to Reading through our relationship with Shinfield Studios.

“All of this work, and more, will be important in our future success.”

We wish Sam the very best in her new roles.

Paul Inman

Paul was appointed to the role of Pro-Vice-Chancellor in May 2020 and led on the University’s global engagement strategy and raising its international profile and reputation.

He worked diligently to increase international student recruitment and establish global partnerships, both of which are crucial to the University’s ongoing success but had been heavily impacted by the global pandemic.

During his time at Reading, Paul engaged closely with colleagues on the University’s international campuses and forged new opportunities for partnerships and recruitment in emerging international markets.

Paul was part of the largest ever delegation of UK university leaders to India in June 2022. There, he held talks with the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru to discuss strengthening partnership work on climate science.

Professor Robert Van de Noort, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading, said: “Paul joined the University in the midst of a global pandemic, which added an extra layer of complexity to his international engagement brief.

“As lockdown restrictions began to ease and international flight resumed, he was tasked with bringing international student numbers back to pre-pandemic levels. Despite the less-than-ideal circumstances, he has succeeded in doing this, helping put the University on a much surer footing.”

“We thank Paul for all his global engagement work at Reading, his leadership on our local community relations, and his work as UEB Race Champion. We wish him all the very best in his retirement.”