New Principal announced

Posted 17 February 2009

The Board of Governors of Harper Adams University College has announced that Dr David Llewellyn will succeed Professor Wynne Jones, OBE, as Principal from September 2009.

Dr Llewellyn, currently Director of Corporate Affairs at Harper Adams, was chosen after an exhaustive recruitment and selection process, which attracted substantial interest from a significant number of high calibre individuals in both the public and private sectors.

Alison Blackburn, Chair of the Board of Governors, said: “I am delighted that David Llewellyn will lead the University College during its next phase of development. David has exceptional leadership qualities and a deep understanding of the strategic issues facing both the higher education and land-based sectors. I am certain that, with David at the head of the institution, Harper Adams will continue to grow from strength to strength.’

Dr Llewellyn said: ‘I am honoured to have been asked to succeed Professor Wynne Jones, whose leadership of the institution has meant that Harper Adams now has an enviable position within the higher education and rural sectors as a centre of academic excellence. We have ambitious plans for the continued development of the University College, so that we can deepen our existing links with the land-based industries and enhance our reputation for high quality teaching and an outstanding student experience. Working with our staff, students and key stakeholders, I am confident that we can make major policy contributions to some of the most important issues facing global society, including food production and climate change.”

David joined Harper Adams in August 1998 as the Director of Corporate Affairs and Clerk to the Governors. In his current role he has helped implement a wide range of projects and developments across administrative and academic areas of the University College; worked as a consultant on higher education strategic planning in an agricultural institution in Brazil; and has undertaken research on UK higher education governance with the support of the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education.