Published on 09 October 2023
Professor Jon Timmis, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Commercial) at the University of Sunderland, has been appointed as the next Vice-Chancellor at Aberystwyth University.
Professor Timmis will take up his new post on 1 January 2024.
Sir David Bell, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Sunderland, said: “While I am very sorry to lose Jon from Sunderland, as he has been a great colleague since joining us in 2019, he will be leading an equally prestigious university in another part of the country. That reflects very well on Jon personally and demonstrates too that we are an institution that provides excellent professional development opportunities to those who come to work here.”
The process of appointing a permanent replacement for Professor Timmis as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Commercial) is now underway.
Chief Operations Officer at the University, Kirsten Black, will act as Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Commercial) between 1 January 2024 and her retirement in May 2024. She will cover Professor Timmis's responsibilities, including executive lead for the University of Sunderland in London.
As a result, from 1 January 2024, Andrea Walters will be redesignated as Chief Operating Officer, although she will continue to hold her current responsibilities as University Secretary. Ben Dale’s remit as Chief Financial Officer will be expanded from January to encompass Estates and Facilities and Technical Services.