New Vice-President (Operations)

The University of Southampton has announced the appointment of its new Vice-President (Operations), Wendy Appleby.

Wendy, who is currently Registrar and Head of Student and Registry Services & Secretary to Council at University College London, will assume the responsibilities previously held by the role of Chief Operating Officer.

Wendy has worked in higher education administration for over 30 years, primarily in functions related to education administration, student support, academic and institutional governance. Before joining UCL in 2014, she spent eight years as Secretary to Council and Academic Registrar at Queen Mary University of London, and has worked in a further five higher education institutions in London.

Wendy will start at Southampton on 4 October 2021.

Professor Mark E. Smith, President and Vice-Chancellor, said: “There was an extremely competitive field for this role, and Wendy greatly impressed the selection panel with her extensive leadership experience in university administration, and her evident passion for helping Professional Services teams achieve excellence in their support for teaching, research and enterprise.

“Wendy will play a key role, along with our Senior Vice-President (Academic) Professor Phillip Wright, in ensuring we deliver our new University Strategy at pace, responding with greater agility to external opportunities and threats, and creating a more joined-up ‘One Southampton’ community and culture.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to express our deep gratitude to Richard Middleton, who joined us on an interim basis only a couple of weeks before the pandemic hit, and who kindly agreed to extend his time with us by a year to help provide vital operational leadership and continuity during a very challenging period.”

Wendy Appleby said: “I am absolutely delighted to be taking on this role at such an important moment for Southampton, as it charts an ambitious new strategy for the future. I look forward to joining a team of Professional Services colleagues who I know share my desire to provide the best possible support for Southampton’s academic mission.”