Board of Governors and Committees
Board of Governors
The University governing body is appointed under the provisions of the Education Reform Act 1988. It is collectively responsible for overseeing the University activities, determining its future direction, and fostering an environment in which its mission is achieved and the potential of all learners is maximised.
Nick Sale
Chair
Appointed as an Independent member of the Board of Governors in September 2018, Nick became Deputy Chair of the Board of Governors and Pro-Chancellor in September 2020, before being appointed as Chair in September 2021. An experienced business leader and company director who worked as a chief operating officer in the automotive industry until early in 2018, Nick has a successful track record working throughout the world in Professional Services for both IT and Engineering Companies. More recently Nick has worked as an advisor and Non-Executive Director to both UK and International Technology Companies and is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology.
Nick is also Chair of the Governance and Nominations Committee and a member of the People Committee, Strategy, Finance and Resources Committee, Remuneration Committee and the Research Committee.
Helen Nixseaman
Deputy Chair
Currently in their first term as Deputy Chair and second term as a Governor, Helen was appointed in September 2017. Prior to this Helen was an external co-opted member. Helen is a Chartered Accountant with expertise in risk management and internal controls, with a career that has included being a risk assurance partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Helen has an MA in Natural Sciences and an MSc in Biochemical Engineering.
Helen is also a member of the Governance and Nominations Committee, Strategy, Finance and Resources Committee, People Committee, Remuneration Committee and the Education Committee.
Anand Shukla
Independent Governor
Anand is Chief Executive of the Henry Smith Charity, one of the UK’s largest grant giving foundations. His extensive leadership experience at executive and non-executive level spans the civil society, public and higher education sectors.
He was the Chief Executive of Brightside between 2015 and 2020 – a mentoring charity that works with 10,000 young people from disadvantaged backgrounds every year. Previously, he led Daycare Trust and Family and Childcare Trust which advocate for high-quality universal childcare and support for families across the UK.
Anand was the chair of the governing body of his children’s primary school and has also served as a Non-Executive Director at the Social Investment Business. He is currently a Trustee at the Richard Thornton Foundation.
Anand’s leadership skills were recognised when he became a Clore Social Leadership Fellow in 2012, and when he was awarded a scholarship by the Harvard Business School Alumni Club of London in 2018 to study strategy at Harvard Business School.
He grew up in Walsall in the West Midlands and studied French and History at Keble College, Oxford. In his early career, he worked in private sector publishing for Reed Elsevier, Butterworths and Lexis- Nexis. He has also worked for the children’s charity Barnardo’s. Anand is also a Non-Executive Director of CU Social Enterprise CIC.
Professor John Latham CBE
Executive Member (Vice-Chancellor)
John is Vice-Chancellor and CEO of the Coventry University Group.
He is a double graduate of the University and has a background in information technology and telecommunications. Previously he worked for a number of private sector organisations including JHP Group, Jaguar Cars and BT (which - included a period as a sponsored Research Fellow). In 2015, John was awarded an Honorary Lifetime Fellowship of the British Computer Society for his services to the IT industry. John remains active in the IT space, currently as an advisor to TechnologyOne an Australian based software provider and also Chair of the Universities UK/JISC Software Negotiations & Strategy Group.
John has throughout his career held high-profile roles at regional, national and European levels promoting innovation, technology and economic development. Including spending periods of time working in in France, Spain, Portugal and Germany and being a long-term advisor to the European Commission.
Additionally, John has held several Ministerial appointments in the UK and overseas. Currently he is a Non-Executive Board Member for the Department of Business and Trade in the UK, a Non-Executive Director for Qualification Wales an arms-length body of the Welsh Government, a Non-Executive Director for the NHS England Workforce Training and Education Committee. An Advisory Panel Member for the Home Team Academy of Singapore and most recently he was appointed as an Independent Panel Member on the Advisory Assessment Panel for the Recruitment of members to NHS Bodies.
Additionally, John is a Director of the University Alliance mission group of universities, and a Member for the Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) for the Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care System.
Finally, John is an Extraordinary Professor in the area of enterprise and entrepreneurship at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, where in 2019 he additionally received an Honorary Doctorate for his services to UK Higher Education. In the same year he was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours with a CBE for his Services to Higher Education.
Richard Thomas
Independent member of the Board of Governors
Richard spent the early years of his career as an engineer and manager in the manufacturing industry before moving into Higher Education. He has worked with a number of UK Higher Education providers, in roles ranging from lecturer to Assistant Vice-Chancellor. Throughout his career, he has been heavily involved in teaching and curriculum development across a broad range of STEM related programmes. In addition, he has been involved in leading numerous applied research and knowledge exchange projects with a wide range of industrial partners.
Richard served on the PVC International Advisory Group for Universities Wales and is a former Visiting Professor at Wuhan University of Technology.
He has been heavily involved in STEM outreach activities and, during his time in the North of England, worked closely with the National Science and Media Museum on the Yorkshire Games Festival and with a number of cultural organisations, reflecting the diversity of the region. Alongside his academic career, Richard also worked as a music journalist for many years.
He has been a member of the Council of Guild HE and the project board of the Teaching Excellence Framework, and is currently a governor at Wrexham Glyndwr University, a member of the Board of Trustees at the National Museum of Wales, and a non-executive director at Careers Wales. He is passionate about the power of education to transform the lives of individuals and the strong role that universities can play in the social and economic wellbeing of the UK.
Richard is also a Chair of the Education Committee.
Adekemi Adebajo
Independent member of the Board of Governors
Adekemi works at Legal and General Investment Management (LGIM) as a Transactions Director where she has the overall responsibility for the coordination of LGIM’s activities associated with on-boarding of New Pension Risk Transfer (PRT) business. She is also responsible for projects associated with improving the current on-boarding process for PRT transactions. Adekemi joined LGIM in January 2015 from Capita Employee Benefits where she was Head of Asset Transfers and was responsible for building and managing a specialist asset transfer team.
Prior to that, she worked at KPMG and Willis Towers Watson as an investment consultant managing transitions on behalf of clients as well as researching transition managers and custodians. She also worked as a transition manager at the Royal Bank of Scotland. Adekemi graduated from the University of Lagos, Nigeria and holds a BA (Ed) in English. She also obtained an MBA from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria and holds the Investment Administration Qualification (IAQ) and Investment Management Certificate (IMC).
Adekemi is a member of the LGIM Culture Club, which seeks to ensure that that LGIM is a diverse and inclusive workplace. She co-chairs the Attract workstream, which partners with schools and charities to provide students from diverse backgrounds an opportunity to experience what it like to work in Investment Management and also leads the LGIM Prayer Group, collaborating with colleagues to run the Annual Carol Service.
Adekemi is also a member of the Global Committee and Governance and Nominations Committee
Attila Emecz
Independent member of the Board of Governors
Attila (Atti) is Senior Director, Custom Solutions at Elsevier where he works particularly, although not exclusively, with governments and research funders in developing analytical solutions to help in research strategy, research delivery and national assessments. Prior to joining Elsevier, Atti worked at the University of Surrey from 2014 to 2019 in various roles including as Vice-Provost, Research and Innovation and as Director of Research Strategy. He introduced the first formal Research and Impact Strategy at the University.
Atti remains a visiting professor at the University. During his time at Surrey, Atti was also Executive Secretary for the ERA Foundation whose objectives included encouraging young people into engineering careers and on promoting the contribution that engineering and manufacturing make to society. Between 1990 and 2014, Atti worked for the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council the largest funder of UK university research. He was an Executive Director from 2003. On behalf of all UK Research Councils, Atti led the work on improving the efficiency of peer review and on encouraging impact to be delivered from the research and training the Council's support.
He was responsible for developing three Corporate Strategies, for the introduction of a number of schemes for accelerating impact and for leading the evaluation team responsible for assessing the effectiveness of EPSRC policies, including for impact.
Atti is also a Chair of the Research Committee.
Ian Davidson
Independent member of the Board of Governors
Ian is a Chartered Accountant with more than 25 years’ experience in the industry and most recently was chairman of the GSH Group Plc, an international facilities and energy management group with operations across the UK, Europe, North America and India. They have held board-level positions in several companies in a diverse range of sectors, including engineering, automotive, pharmaceuticals and retailing. Ian has a broad background of working internationally.
Ian has particular expertise in the financing and restructuring of businesses with a distinct emphasis on mergers, acquisitions and disposals.
Ian is also a member of the Audit and Risk Committee.
Anne Obey OBE
Independent member of the Board of Governors
Appointed as an Independent member of the Board of Governors in September 2020, Anne is a Chartered Accountant with over 30 years’ experience. Anne is a non-executive director of Western Provident Association and chairs the board of Centre for Sustainable Energy, a charity working to change the way we think and act about energy.
Anne’s executive career included 15 years in leadership positions at Nationwide Building Society, including as Director of Financial Reporting and as Chief Internal Auditor, following a career in the audit practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers specialising in retail financial services. Anne has extensive experience of finance, risk management and internal controls. In 2019 Anne was awarded an OBE for services to financial reporting and sustainable energy.
Anne is also Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee.
Karen Martin
Independent member of the Board of Governors
Karen is in her first term of office as an Independent member of the Board of Governors and member of the People Committee and Remuneration Committee. Karen’s background has been in the NHS where she has worked for 38 years. Karen has extensive experience as an Executive Board Director in different NHS organisations, including Deputy Chief Executive Officer, and a wealth of experience in transformation, Human Resources/workforce, organisational development, leadership, communications, corporate affairs and change management. Her career has spanned a range of health organisations including health authority and both acute and mental health services and has always held responsibility for education, learning and development within these different organisations.
Karen has previously been a school governor and a Trustee at Foxford School academy and is a qualified Executive Coach.
Karen is also Chair of the People Committee and Remuneration Committee.
Peter Reynolds
Independent member of the Board of Governors
Peter, first appointed to the Board of Governors as an Independent member of the Board of Governors in September 2020, is a marketing and sales specialist with over 30 years’ experience in consumer goods and professional services in national and international leadership roles. He was previously a board governor of Instructus (a charity that supports apprenticeships and other workplace learning) and Chair of The Institute of Paralegals.
Peter’s international know-how comes from 15 years living and working overseas. Based in Bangkok for seven years, he worked across the whole of Asia helping companies create and implement growth strategies. On moving to Switzerland, he led the EMEA sales function for a large US consultancy.
Peter is active in his local community, being a committee member of drama and folk music groups.
Peter is also a member of Strategy, Finance and Resources Committee and he is the Chair of the Global Committee.
Nicolas Taylor
Independent member of the Board of Governors
Appointed to the Board of Governors in September 2020, Nicolas is an International Business Lawyer, Board Adviser and Legal and Compliance Specialist, expert in guiding the development and delivery of critical business and legal strategies for high-growth businesses to drive sustainability and risk awareness.
Nicolas currently serves as Head of Legal to Realty Income, Europe, having previously held the roles of General Counsel for JLL in EMEA, Legal Director for Dell Computer in Europe and Latin America, and practised as a solicitor in the City of London. They have a proven track record leading and integrating a broad range of acquisitions to expand into emerging territories and enable core market transformations. Nicolas has extensive experience of negotiating and delivering international projects and investments and building strong cross-cultural senior stakeholder relationships to board and government level.
Nicolas holds an LL.B. with French Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science and the University of Strasbourg and can speak six languages including English, French and Spanish.
Nicolas is also a member of the Audit and Risk Committee.
Dr David Secher
Independent member of the Board of Governors
Dr David Secher is an independent consultant in the areas of research commercialisation, intellectual property and technology transfer, in the UK and internationally. Assignments include work in Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Japan, South America, Africa, and Europe. He is based in Cambridge University, where he is a Life Fellow of Gonville & Caius College.
In 2002, together with Lita Nelsen of MIT, he founded Praxis (now PraxisAuril), the leading UK knowledge exchange organisation. He served as chairman or as a director until 2014 and is now Patron. For his contributions to “creating environments that favour enterprise, specialising in the practical aspects of commercialising the results of academic research”, he was awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion in 2007.
Previous roles include Senior Bursar, Gonville & Caius College; CEO of the N8 Research Partnership; Director of Research Services, Cambridge University; Director of Drug Development, Cancer Research Campaign; Director of Monoclonal Therapeutics, Celltech Ltd.; and Tenured Group Leader, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology. As a consultant, he has advised universities, governments and individuals on commercialisation of intellectual property, as well as acting as a non-executive director of technology and investment companies. He is a director of Crossword Cybersecurity plc.
Secher graduated from the Cambridge University (Churchill College) with first class honours in biochemistry. His PhD work at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology was with César Milstein (Nobel Prize-winner for discovery of monoclonal antibodies). Together with Derek Burke, Secher made and patented the first monoclonal antibody to human interferon.
David is also Chair of the Enterprise and Innovation Committee and a member of the Strategy, Finance and Resources Committee and Research Committee.
Kerry McGreavy
Staff Governor
Kerry was appointed as Staff Governor in September 2022. Having joined Coventry University in 2011 as an Employment Personal Tutor based within the Faculty of Business and Law, in 2018 she moved into a role managing the apprenticeship team, and is now the Head of Apprenticeships within CU Apprenticeships (Better Futures).
In 2013 Kerry, as a mature student, joined the first cohort of part time learners to study through the newly formed Coventry University College (later becoming the CU Group), achieving her BA in Management and Leadership in 2017.
Kerry developed an interest in coaching and mentoring during her early years as an Employment Personal Tutor, writing her dissertation on the topic while establishing a student mentoring scheme with the Government Economics Service. When the Coventry University Coaching and Mentoring Academy was formed in 2018 she joined the first cohort of internal staff to be trained as coach/mentors, and has continued to support colleagues though her involvement with the Academy ever since.
She also developed an interest in supporting the career ambitions of women, and has been part of both the Athena Swan Action Team and the Gender Leadership and Development Group. Kerry later joined the first cohort of staff members to undertake the Aurora programme, and has used these experience to further inform the support she offers colleagues through the Coaching and Mentoring Academy.
Kerry is also a member of the Education Committee.
Professor Deborah Lycett
Staff Governor
Professor Deborah Lycett RD PhD is Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research Skills & Education, and Director of Health & Community Wellbeing Research at Coventry University. She has a PhD in Behavioural Medicine.
She was previously Director of Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing, Director of the Centre for Intelligent Healthcare, Professor and theme lead for Behaviour and Implementation Science, and Professor in Religious Health Interventions and Dietetic Practice. Prof. Lycett has an international reputation for research using the biopsychosocial-spiritual model of health to improve the lives of those living with dietary and nutrition-related conditions. Her research explores whole-person approaches to chronic disease management.
Her research partnerships span the NHS, public health departments, commercial and private health providers, as well as the third sector. She is an Associate Non-executive Director on the board of Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust that seeks to champion the care of children, adults and the families of those living with poor mental health and eating disorders.
Professor Lycett served for several years on the Education Board of the British Dietetic Association (BDA) and was Chair of the BDA Quality Standards Committee. She sits on the Scientific Committee for the European Institute for Religion, Spirituality and Health. She is a Fellow of the Association of Higher Education and has taught in medical and health science faculties. She has 20 years of clinical experience as a dietitian having worked for many years in the NHS and also privately, running her own Nutrition and Dietetic Consultancy.
Deborah was elected as a Staff Governor in May 2024 and is also a member of the Education Committee.
Akhil Sha
Student Governor
Appointed as Student Governor in July 2023, Akhil is Your SU’s Welfare Officer and a trustee of the Coventry University Students' Union. His journey at the University began in May 2022 when he joined as a Master of Business Administration student, specialising in Artificial Intelligence.
Akhil has played a number of diverse roles within the University, previously serving both as an Educational Transformation Representative and as a mentor, providing invaluable support to fellow students. Before venturing into academia, Akhil previously worked as a marketing manager for a sports company and held a position as an Assistant Professor in Engineering.
Outside of University, Akhil is a martial arts enthusiast and is a Karate black belt instructor affiliated with the Karate Federation of India. Most notably, in March 2018, he achieved a Guinness World Record certificate for partaking in the organisation of a 5000 all-female assembly of Karate students, showcasing their commitment to women's empowerment.
Academically, Akhil holds a Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering and a Master's degree in Thermal Engineering, a testament to his passion for diverse fields.
Akhil is also involved in Coventry University’s Citizen scientist team project and is a member of the Education Committee.
Promise Owai
Student Governor
Promise Owai is a distinguished professional currently making significant strides in both the medical and academic fields. Appointed as a Coventry University Student Governor in June 2024, Owai also holds the position of Student Union Education Officer for the 2024/2025 academic session. His leadership journey at Coventry University includes serving as the School of Health and Care Part-Time Officer during the 2023/2024 academic session, where he played a crucial role in amplifying students' voices and gathering feedback to enhance their educational experience.
In addition to his governance roles, Owai has made a substantial impact through cultural advocacy. As the leader of the Nigerian Society at Coventry University, he successfully registered over 90 members and engaged more than 183 interested participants. This role has seen him actively promote culture, social, equality, diversity, and inclusiveness within the university community.
Owai’s academic pursuits are equally impressive. Enrolled in May 2023 for a master's degree in Global Healthcare Management at Coventry University, he has a special interest in healthcare policy, strategic planning and program management. This follows his extensive experience as a Resident Doctor in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital in Nigeria. His responsibilities there were wide-ranging, including the investigation and diagnosis of infectious diseases and managing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Owai holds an MBBCh degree in Medicine and Surgery from the prestigious University of Calabar, Nigeria, where he also served as the Student Union Speaker of Parliament. During his tenure, he reviewed and amended the Student Union Constitution, which remains in use today. His multifaceted contributions to both his home country and his current academic environment underscore his dedication to healthcare, education, and community service.
Promise is also a member of the Education Committee.
