JS Group is delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Michael Thorne as a Strategic Advisor to the Board. In this role, Professor Thorne will advise on business strategy and Higher Education policy and practice.
Professor Michael Thorne recently retired as Vice Chancellor of Anglia Ruskin University having been a Vice Chancellor for almost 15 years. He began his university career as a lecturer at University College London followed by a decade at Cardiff University. After five years as Pro Vice Chancellor at Sunderland University and then Vice Principal at Napier University in Edinburgh he became Vice Chancellor of the University of East London. He has a first class honours degree in Pure Mathematics and a PhD in Computational Group Theory.
He is the author, co-author and editor of a large number of books and academic papers, and has contributed to many television and radio programmes as well as being in high demand as a speaker. He has held a variety of public appointments across Whitehall, including chairing the government’s Advisory Committee on Libraries and membership of the NHS Chief Executive’s Advisory Group on Innovation. He chaired the Parliamentary Skills Commission’s enquiry into Information, Advice and Guidance and was until his retirement a member of the Board of the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education. He is a Trustee of the Sir John Cass Foundation in the City of London. In his spare time he conducts Wagner operas and other large scale musical works. He is a Freeman of the City of London and a member of the Musicians’ Livery Company.
Commenting on this appointment, Peter Gray, Chairman and CEO of JS Group, said:
We are delighted that Professor Thorne will be advising us going forward. He has a wealth of experience and expertise in the Higher Education sector that will help shape our strategy and the services we develop for universities and for students. He is also a most experienced manager and leader and will contribute significantly to the further development of our business.
