Lou Cordwell to lead University of Manchester’s new growth unit
The University of Manchester has appointed Lou Cordwell as the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of Unit M, its newly launched initiative to connect different parts of the the University with businesses around the region.
The chair of the Greater Manchester Business Board (formerly the LEP) has quickly earned the trust of new President and Vice Chancellor Duncan Ivison, who replaced Dame Nancy Rothwell in the summer.
Earlier this year she was appointed Professor of Innovation at the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research (MIOIR) at Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS), and as a Special Advisor to Ivison.
As CEO, she will lead Unit M’s mission to maximise the University’s impact for the benefit of the region’s economy and society.
She said: “The University is one of the region’s most important innovation assets and the Unit M ambition to help drive innovation-led growth will be a central theme of the University’s future strategy. I’m looking forward to working with colleagues across the University as well as local and global partners to deliver exciting new opportunities for our region.”
Julia Spurrett of Fieldfisher with Lou Cordwell and Michael Taylor
At a Businessdesk.com event earlier this year she charted her career working for WPP before founding the Manchester-based digital design studio magneticNorth (mN) and described how she has spent the past year jointly leading the University’s Regional Innovation Review to look at how the University can create a world-class inclusive innovation ecosystem in the region.
She said: “The University is one of the region’s most important innovation assets and the Unit M ambition to help drive innovation-led growth will be a central theme of the University’s future strategy. I’m looking forward to working with colleagues across the University as well as local and global partners to deliver exciting new opportunities for our region.”
Ivison said: “Her leadership and expertise will be instrumental in ensuring Unit M achieves its ambitious goals of driving inclusive growth and strengthening Manchester’s position on the global innovation stage.”
