London Higher has appointed two sector leaders to its board, as it seeks to deepen the connection between its members and the key civic and economic partners across the capital.
Laura Citron OBE, Chief Executive of growth agency London & Partners and Growth Mission Lead for London, and Dame Caroline Clarke, NHS London Regional Director are joining the Board as co-opted trustees – to be renamed invited board members – the first from outside the sector to formally join the Board in the organisation’s 25-year history.
The Board is further strengthened by the appointment of Professor Julie Sanders, Vice Chancellor and Principal of Royal Holloway, University of London, as a full Board Member and Trustee following a recruitment process among members. Her appointment will be ratified at the organisation’s AGM in July.
Commenting on the appointments, Professor Shitij Kapur, President and Principal of King’s College London and Chair of London Higher, said:
“These appointments signal a step-change in how London’s higher education sector aligns with the capital’s economic and civic priorities. By bringing together leaders from across growth, health and academia, we are strengthening our ability to translate the sector’s world-class research, talent and innovation into tangible outcomes for London’s productivity, public services and communities.”
Laura Citron, Chief Executive of London & Partners said:
“London’s universities help make the capital one of the best cities in the world to do business – driving innovation, attracting investment and developing the talent that powers growth. I’m delighted to join London Higher’s board and strengthen the link between higher education and London’s growth ambitions, ensuring the sector continues to play a central role in the city’s global success.”
Dame Caroline Clarke, Regional Director for the NHS in London said:
“This is an important time for both the NHS and higher education in London, as we work together to tackle workforce challenges, improve population health and support innovation in care. Universities are key partners in training the staff we need, advancing research and supporting service improvement, and I look forward to strengthening that collaboration for the benefit of patients and communities across the capital.”
Professor Julie Sanders, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Royal Holloway, University of London commented:
“I’m delighted to be joining the Board of London Higher, and look forward to helping to build and champion the power of the sector working collectively for London’s future. Universities across London and beyond have amazing opportunities to make a difference, through outstanding and truly innovative learning opportunities, research, and strong community partnerships and we know we can achieve so much more by working together.”
Biographies
Laura Citron is Chief Executive of London & Partners, the growth agency for London. Laura leads the teams behind flagship brands including Visit London, Let’s Do London, Grow London, London Tech Week, MedCity London, and Opportunity London. Since Laura became CEO, London & Partners has created over 50,500 jobs and added £2.5bn to the London economy. Before joining London & Partners, Laura led the global Government & Public Sector Practice at WPP, the FTSE 100 global leader in marketing and communications. She advised governments around the world and trained future global leaders at the Blavatnik School of Government (Oxford) and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (Singapore).
Dame Caroline Clarke is Regional Director for the NHS in London, leading the capital’s health system and its transformation agenda. She previously served as Chief Executive of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust and has held a range of senior leadership roles across the NHS, including at NHS England and in provider organisations. She was awarded a Damehood for services to the NHS.
Professor Julie Sanders is Vice-Chancellor and Principal at Royal Holloway, University of London. She was previously at Newcastle University where she served as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost and Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Humanities and Social Sciences. Julie currently sits on the Advisory Board for the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), serves as Deputy Lieutenant for Surrey, and is a Trustee of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London.
