Cross recognised by university as ‘distinguished friend’
Jenny Cross, CEO of Leicester-based marketing agency Cross Productions, has been selected a pro-chancellor of De Montfort University Leicester (DMU).
Vice-chancellor, professor Katie Normington wrote to Cross just before Christmas inviting her to become a pro-chancellor after she was voted through an open nomination process by DMU staff who described her as a “distinguished friend of the university”.
Cross will act as an ambassador and advocate for DMU, supporting its work, particularly in the business community championing entrepreneurship. She takes on the role with immediate effect joining 14 other pro-chancellors at DMU.
DMU’s pro-chancellors are invited to preside over graduation ceremonies. They are the member of the platform party to whom graduands “doff their cap” as they cross the stage.
Cross graduated from DMU herself with a PGCert in Professional Coaching and has since embedded a coaching culture at Cross Productions. She became an entrepreneur in residence at DMU in 2018 and has gone on to develop a training role working on the university’s flagship Crucible start-up incubation programme supporting graduates and alumni with marketing masterclasses and business mentoring.
In 2020, she joined the Business Advisory Board of DMU’s Leicester Castle Business School, advocating for the university in the business community. She is also a guest lecturer on DMU’s marketing degree course and keynote speaker on DMU’s MBA programmes.
As well as founding Cross Productions, she is also the founder of the Amira Forum supporting female entrepreneurship, working with Dr Glynis Wright MBE and Leanne Bonner-Cooke.
Cross said: “This is a big deal for me and my team at Cross Productions and I’ve been so excited to share that I’m now a DMU pro-chancellor.
“I am DMU through and through having graduated there myself from the professional coaching course, which has been instrumental to the success of Cross Productions. We love supporting the university, especially the Leicestershire Top 200 Businesses list they produced, which we publish in our publication Niche Magazine.
“I’m really keen to explore other areas of the university, acting in an official ambassadorial capacity.”
Pro-vice chancellor at DMU, Katie Normington, said: “Jenny’s work with our business school and as a mentor for dozens of start-ups through our Crucible programme has been inspiring and we are delighted that she will become our newest pro-chancellor.
“Our pro-chancellors serve as ambassadors for the university and play a crucial role in helping DMU connect to the communities we serve in Leicester and the region. Jenny is warmly welcomed into a group of distinguished friends we are proud to call our pro-chancellors.”
