North West business figures join University Academy 92
Two non-executive directors have joined the board of the new Manchester-based University Academy 92 (UA92).
The group chief executive of Vimto manufacturer Nichols, Marnie Millard, and former PwC partner, Greg Wilson, have both been appointed to the UA92 board, a partnership between Lancaster University and the Class of 92 which launches this September
UA92 offers undergraduate degrees in business, media, sports, psychology and computing, with an emphasis on career and life skills.
A focus on personal traits such as resilience, emotional intelligence, leadership and financial literacy underpin academic study and, unusually, each student is assigned a personal development coach.
With industry partners including Microsoft and KPMG, UA92 courses are designed for students to study intensively for their degree, while pursuing relevant work, hobbies and real-life experience.
UA92 principal and chief executive, Prof Craig Gaskell, said: “We are excited to welcome Marnie Millard and Greg Wilson to the board of UA92.
“Their appointment will provide the university and our students with invaluable industry perspectives and a wealth of experience of delivering excellence.
“Industry collaboration is at the heart of everything we do and engagement with leaders who have such a wealth of experience is crucial to our mission of providing top-quality higher education that equips our graduates with the skills and knowledge to excel in both work and life.”
Marnie Millard is group chief executive for Nichols, home of worldwide drink brand Vimto which has a retail value of £86m and is represented in 85 countries.
She was awarded an OBE in 2018 in recognition of her contribution to international trade and business in the North West.
Greg Wilson is a financial audit director at the National Audit Office and has 26 years of leadership experience at PwC.
He spent several years focusing on the delivery of assurance services to colleges and universities at PwC, and for a period led the firm’s National Higher Education Assurance business.
UA92 is a new concept in higher education, a partnership between Lancaster University and the Class of 92’s former footballers Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes and Phil Neville.
The university offers a range of undergraduate courses with the first students due to begin their studies in September this year.
