Teesside University has appointed Doug Richard (pictured) as its new chancellor. He is set to take over from Lord Sawyer of Darlington in early 2015. The latter has held the position since 2005.
Richard will also be working with a new vice-chancellor at the university, as the current position holder Graham Henderson announced his retirement for August 2015.
Doug Richard came to prominence in the UK as an investor on the first two series of BBC’s Dragon’s Den. Among his accolades is a Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion and the National Council on Graduate Employment’s award for Enterprise Educator of the Year.
Richard has considerable expertise in entrepreneurship and commercialisation. He founded the School for Startups, of which he is currently the chair. It has accelerated 30,000 companies since 2007. He has also led two independent reviews for the UK government, the 2008 Small Business and Government report, commissioned by the Shadow Cabinet, and the 2012 Richard Review of Apprenticeships, commissioned by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
He holds a juris doctor from University of California, Los Angeles and an honorary degree from Essex University.
Doug Richard said: “Teesside is a business facing university with a real focus on innovation, commercialisation and entrepreneurship. The progress it has made in recent years and the continual investment in new facilities and buildings make it an exciting proposition for students and business partners. I am both excited and honoured to become the next chancellor of this institution and hope to use my experience and expertise to build on the fantastic work that has gone before me and guide the university through its next exciting chapter. I would also like to extend my thanks to outgoing chancellor Lord Sawyer of Darlington, as well as the board of governors, for their recommendation and the support they have given me so far.”
