Black Country LEP chair appointed Pro-Chancellor for The University of Wolverhampton
A LEADING Black Country industrialist has been appointed as a Pro-Chancellor for The University of Wolverhampton.
Stewart Towe, managing director of Hadley Industries and chairman of the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership, has been appointed to support the university as an ambassador to business and industry.
He was appointed to the university’s Board of Governors in 2008 and served for six years until July this year.
His new role involves representing the university at external events on a local, national and global scale.
Joining him as Pro-Chancellor is Michael Elliott, currently the chief executive of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra until January 2015 when he will take up a new role as the chief executive of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. He will represent the university in the arts.
Their expertise can be drawn upon by the Board of Governors when appropriate, and they can deputise for the Chancellor, the Rt Hon Lord Paul of Marylebone PC, in his absence.
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Geoff Layer, said: “We are delighted to appoint Michael and Stewart to this important role at the University. As longstanding supporters of the institution, they are already great ambassadors for the university’s mission and values. We look forward to working closely with them as the university moves forward.”
Towe initially trained as an accountant before moving into industry in 1976. He was appointed to the main board of the Hadley Group in 1978, taking responsibility for the commercial and financial development of the business. He completed the buy-out of the business from the Hadley family in April 2006.
In June 2007, he was appointed as Business in the Community’s regional ambassador for the West Midlands. In 2008 he was awarded a CBE in recognition of his services to industry in the West Midlands.
He has chaired Business in the Community (West Midlands Region) since October 2009. He has chaired the Black Country LEP since December 2010. He was nominated High Sheriff of the West Midlands in 2012 and is also a patron of The Prince’s Trust.
From 2001 to 2008 Elliott was the chief executive of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and in 2006 acted as associate cultural director of the Liverpool Culture Company, assisting with the planning of the cultural programme for Liverpool’s year as the European Capital of Culture. From 2008 until 2011 he was the director of culture at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.
He has been a governor at the University of Wolverhampton since 1997 and has been the Chair of the Board of Governors since 2010.
