THE PANEL CHAIRS
|
ANDY PRITCHARD
Managing Director & Co-Founder at FindAUniversity Andy started FindAUniversity with co-founder Andy Holliday way back when the internet was a shoebox in Bill Gate’s garage. In 20 years they have built one of the UK’s most respected HE Media brands. In 2020 they joined forces with Keystone Education Group, where the Andys continue to head up the FindAUniversity team. Andy is also a technology investor with interests including UniTasterDays.com and ethical advertising platform WeAreTheGoodNet.com. |
|
DEE REID
Director of External Relations at Leeds Beckett University Dee Reid joined Leeds Beckett University as Director of External Relations in September 2017 where she leads internal and external communication, public affairs, alumni, events and partnerships, brand, creative and digital services. She has over 20 years’ experience in strategic communications, working in senior roles in local government, education, the NHS and the private sector. Before joining Leeds Beckett, she was Head of Communications and Marketing at Leeds City Council, leading communications for the UK’s third largest city and prior to that, Head of Communications for Education Leeds, providing support for the city’s 265 schools. |
|
HELEN LITVAK
Director of Brand & Marketing at King's College London Helen Litvak is an experienced high achieving senior Director with a demonstrated history of working in the technology and telecommunications industry, joining King’s from Microsoft in 2017. Leading teams of over 70 across many b2b and b2c organisations, Helen’s core capabilities are developing and leading on all marketing strategies including brand, product, acquisition & retention, digital, and CRM. Strongly focused on results and high performance she is a professional with a Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing. |
THE JUDGES
aILIE FERRARI, University of Bradford
|
A CIM Chartered Fellow with extensive experience of brand & digital engagement strategy, Ailie Ferrari is Associate Director, Advertising, Marketing & Student Insight at University of Bradford. Passionate about excellence in marketing, Ailie was awarded CIM Education Ambassador of the Year in 2020. With her teams at University of Glasgow, GCU and the University of Dundee, Ailie has also won Team of the Year awards from Heist, CIM and THE, two CASE Grand Gold Circle of Excellence Awards and CIPR Gold Awards for Best Use of Social Media and Best Website. Having been a Scottish College Marketing Awards judge for over 10 years, Ailie is excited about reviewing the entries to the 2022 Heist Awards.
|
ANDREW HARGREAVES, DATA HE
|
Andrew is the Co-Founder of dataHE; an experienced Executive Director with expertise in customer behaviour and data driven marketing.
With a 10 year career in strategic consulting, Andrew has helped many leadership teams and their organisations improve business performance. His work has included highly regulated markets, consumer protection, and regulatory development. Previously Andrew was at UCAS holding several roles, including Director of Marketing and Customer, and Director of UCAS Media during the formative years of the ‘HE Market’ as both data and marketing rose in importance. Andrew is passionate about the HE sector in the UK, an advocate for the role it can play in strengthening our society and global reputation. He thinks HE is under-utilised as a force for good, a true national asset with much more to give if allowed. He believes universities need and want help in bringing the power of their rich data to life, and that we need a zeitgeist in the way data is shared, used and managed. |
ANGELINA BINGLEY, UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA
|
Angelina Bingley is Director of Admissions, Recruitment and Marketing at UEA. Responsible for setting the strategic vision for all aspects of the student recruitment journey – from initial point of contact through to enrolment – and enhancing the profile and reputation of UEA across the globe. Angelina’s background is in marketing and communications and she worked for many years as a consultant in the private sector for FTSE 100 companies before moving into Higher Education. She has been at UEA since 2013. Angelina is also Vice-Chair of the Universities Marketing Forum.
|
Camilla King, IDP connect
|
Camilla King is the Director of Client Partnerships, UK Domestic, at IDP Connect. As a member of the IDP Connect Senior Leadership Team and co-chair of IDP Connect’s Domestic Client Advisory Panel, Camilla oversees and leads on all UK home client partnerships, helping universities to attract high-quality best-matched students through a suite of student-centred digital solutions. Her team builds strategic and trusted relationships with UK universities, colleges, private providers, and online providers to ensure the delivery of successful outcomes for clients.
|
CHARLOTTE MACKAY, ARTS UNIVERSITY BOURNEMOUTH
|
Charlotte MacKay joined Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) as the Senior Digital Communications Officer in 2019. She’s responsible for overseeing the digital team, leading on website development, content, social media and digital advertising.
Before AUB, Charlotte worked as an Account Manager for a digital agency, across national and global brands. In 2021, Charlotte won gold at the Heist Awards for CIMH&FE Rising Star of the Year, silver for Marketing Team of the Year and bronze for Best Website. |
DAN BEYNON, SMRS
|
Dan has been working with UK and international universities for more than 20 years helping them navigate the ever-changing global Higher Education sector. Since 2013 he has led the education team at SMRS working with institutions to tackle their communication and branding challenges and delivering campaigns, research and consultancy projects. He is a passionate advocate of our universities, working closely with the Universities Marketing Forum and other sector bodies to support colleagues in Higher Education Marketing and Communications.
|
DAVE PENNEY, UCAS
|
Dave has worked in higher education marketing and communications roles at four universities (Oxford Brookes, Gloucestershire, Sussex and Nottingham Trent) and now leads the education marketing team at UCAS.
At UCAS he manages communications and reputation, the information, advice and guidance strategy for UCAS.com and UCAS Exhibitions and all B2B and B2C education marketing. |
FIONA BLAIR, UNIVERSITY OF READING
|
Fiona has worked in Higher Education marketing and communications for more than for 20 years. She began her career at the University of Surrey where, following a year as President of the Students’ Union, she spent eight years working in the Vice-Chancellor’s Office, managing a diverse portfolio of strategic projects and stakeholder engagement activities. Fiona joined the University of Reading in January 2009 as a senior member of the External Affairs team responsible for the institution’s corporate relations and events.
From August 2014 to August 2016 she was Deputy Head and subsequently Head of Engagement and External Relations, which included the management of UK student recruitment. During her time in the post she led the transformation of the University’s prospective student experience. In August 2016, continuing her career at Reading, Fiona was recruited to the post of Head of Marketing Operations which she undertook for just one year ahead of being appointed as the University’s Director of Marketing, Communication and Engagement in July 2017. |
JAMES SEYMOUR, UNIVERSITY OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE
|
James Seymour is Director of Communications, Marketing and Student Recruitment at the University of Gloucestershire. James has worked in University student recruitment and admissions for over 25 years including posts at Aston, Buckingham, Leeds, Northumbria and Sheffield Universities, before joining Gloucestershire in November 2019. The University has campuses in Cheltenham and Gloucester and has around 9,000 students. James is on the editorial and advisory group for the Complete University Guide. James is a high school governor and a recent member of the UCAS Qualifications and Marketing Heads Group, Cambridge Assessment HE stakeholder group and an active member of International ACAC – the global organisation representing admissions and recruitment to University. James has a Masters in Marketing from Aston Business School, Aston University.
Twitter: @JamesSeymourUni |
JIM TUDOR, FUTURE INDEX
|
Jim is the founder of Future Index®, a trends and strategy consultancy, specialising in Higher Education marketing. The team works with an exclusive membership network of universities, providing regular updates and benchmarks from across the world, as well as offering a bespoke service to institutions needing an injection of inspiration. Jim specialises in the full marketing spectrum, from product development to promotion, and his work has proved a catalyst for university visions, portfolio development, research storytelling, student recruitment campaigns, alumni engagement and much more. He has taken the Future Index® to over 40 campuses, from Monash in Melbourne to the University of Manchester in his home city, and has delivered keynotes at conferences in the UK, US, Sweden and the Netherlands. Jim is also a hands-on practitioner and is a founding director of Waterfall, a multiple-award winning creative agency in the sector. The agency’s portfolio includes the highly acclaimed ‘Snowflakes’ and ‘Thinking Without Borders’ work for UEA and the ground-breaking ‘Who Cares’ campaign from the University of Gloucestershire.
|
LEIGH RENGGER, SOLENT UNIVERSITY
|
Leigh Rengger is currently Chief Marketing Officer at Solent University, Southampton. Within this role, his key responsibilities are:-
Prior to joining Solent University, Leigh worked in the private sector for 25 years across many high profile companies such as the John Lewis Partnership, Sainsbury’s and the Boots Group, most recently as Group Customer Insight Director at the John Lewis Partnership. His roles have covered areas such as Loyalty Marketing (including launching myWaitrose), Data Insights, e-commerce, Buying and Supply chain. |
RAY ADDISON, UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN
|
Ray is an experienced Marketer with more than a decade of experience in Marketing Communications. He has spent the last three and a half years as a Marketing Manager at the University of Aberdeen for Schools of Business, Law, Education, LLMVC and DHPA.
He is responsible for the strategic marketing for Schools and driving student recruitment for their portfolios, including creative campaign development, and is also involved in wider committees and working groups across the university. Ray has previously been involved in two winning HEIST awards in the past few years for Best Postgraduate Student Recruitment Campaign and Best Use of Data and Insight. Ray's previous experience is as a Business Manager in a global marketing communications agency working with clients and colleagues across the world and is rooted in digital marketing and e-commerce with his original passion as a Web Developer. |
REBECCA LEVER, SWANSEA UNIVERSITY
|
Rebecca Lever is Associate Director of Marketing and UK Student Recruitment at Swansea University. She has 18 years’ experience in higher education, working at Swansea University for the past five years and the University of South Wales for the previous 13.
She has lead on digital projects including web transformation, the Exploring Global Problems podcast series, social media campaigns and content strategies. Her current role includes UK UG and PG marketing and student recruitment. Rebecca’s teams have won many Heist Awards over the years, including Silver for Marketing Team of the Year for the last two years running. Rebecca is passionate about telling the stories of the students and academics and how they are trying to make the world a better place. |
SHELLEY MCCORMACK, NEW COLLEGE DURHAM
|
Starting her career in the private sector in manufacturing over 15 years ago, Shelley made the move into the education sector in 2014 - joining Durham University Students’ Union as Director of Marketing and Communications. In this role Shelley uncovered a passion for education and being able to change lives from the better. Shelley joined New College Durham as Head of Marketing and Student Recruitment in 2018. Working in a FE college with a high quality HE provision gives New College Durham the opportunity to make a genuine impact on the lives of their students. In her role, Shelley oversees all marketing activity including events, campaigns, digital channels, the student journey, communications and all marketing materials. At the 2020 Heist Awards, New College Durham was the proud winner of the Gold award for the Best Open Day Experience for our support services open day.
|
SIMONE DAVIES, UNIVERSITY OF KENT
|
Simone Davies is an innovative and creative marketing director with extensive experience across Higher and Further Education. She is currently Director of Marketing, Recruitment, Outreach and Admissions at the University of Kent, where her focus is on driving change through the ‘Tomorrow’s World’ marketing strategy with an emphasis on digital innovation and embracing the future. Prior to this she has delivered successful marketing and communications strategies at a number of institutions, including leading on mergers and rebranding projects and embedding culture change in large, complex organisations.
With a career spanning education, social housing, care, regeneration and recruitment, Simone has developed wide-ranging knowledge of both what customers want and how to market to them, with a collaborative approach to work that is always centred on clear, tangible and successful outcomes. |
SMITA CHOHAN, UNIVERSITY OF DERBY
|
Smita Chohan joined the University of Derby in July 2018 as the Head of Student Recruitment and is also currently the Interim Director of Marketing and Communications. Heading up a team which includes Admissions, Communications, Alumni Relations, Recruitment Events, Outreach and campaigns across all markets.
Having completed a Marketing degree from Manchester Metropolitan University, and a postgraduate qualification in Strategic Marketing, Smita has 17 years experience of higher education marketing in a variety of roles. Prior to joining the University of Derby, Smita was at De Montfort University where she played a key role in successful recruitment initiatives. Smita is passionate about an insight led approach, ensuring the student journey is at the heart of decision-making with innovation and creativity being key. Smita is also an active contributor to the University’s equality and diversity initiatives. |
TASH KYNDT, HAVAS EDUCATION
|
Tash loves fresh ideas and solutions and looking for what’s new. Her focus is to help clients to achieve against their strategic and business goals, while day-to-day managing the Havas Education team at an operational level. She likes to seek out new ways of working and to see how we can improve on what’s already available in market. Her background, with her father in the advertising business, always led Tash to want to work in this fast-paced industry.
Tash has worked media side and agency side, with over 23-years of experience in the talent communications industry, having worked supplier side for seven years, followed by 16-years in an agency; fifteen of which have been at Havas People and Havas Education. Tash has been an Account Manager, headed up the media department, and now leads the education marketing team. Her clients have always predominantly spanned the Higher Education sector; she's worked with universities such as the University of Portsmouth, UWL, University of Reading, Staffordshire University, and NTU to name but a few. Tash has also been involved globally with international clients including Canadian University Dubai; and has employer marketing experience across the Commercial and Public sectors (from entry-level roles through to experienced hire). |
TOM GREVESON, REVOLUTION VIEWING
|
In 2004, Tom founded Revolution Viewing (RV), a Technology and Visual Content business. Over the years, RV have had the pleasure of partnering with 110 universities, and Tom thoroughly enjoys working with his team and RV’s clients to understand their online recruitment and conversion needs. Self-admittedly, Tom has an almost unhealthy liking for numbers, asking ‘why’ and driving ROI.
Tom gets a buzz out of product innovation and helping clients to share and communicate all that is great about their institutions. Whether it’s Vepple (RV’s virtual experience software) or Personalised Videos and 360s, RV hope to change lives by partnering with universities to help prospective students to find their perfect university. Tom is immensely proud of his team and that they unite behind RV’s mission to Empower People to Make Life Changing Decisions! He has been a Heist judge on a number of occasions and is regularly bowled over by the innovation in the sector. |