Pro Chancellors

The Pro Chancellors of the University are appointed by the Board of Governors. The Pro Chancellors support the Chancellor in acting as advocates for the University, helping to raise the University’s profile and advance its interests regionally, nationally and internationally.

The role of Pro Chancellor carries no remuneration or executive powers. The Vice-Chancellor is the academic leader and chief executive. The Vice-Chancellor is a full-time remunerated role.

Dr Gillian Camm

First appointed:  2016
Current term of office ends:  2025

Biography

Gillian started her working life in manufacturing and since then she has worked in many different settings, including financial services, technology, consulting, health, education and the public sector. Gillian has had over 30 years working at board level in a range of different types of organisations from the private sector PLC environment to a family owned company.

She was the Senior Independent Director at Wessex Water, a main board director at Clerical Medical Investment Group and a worldwide partner of the Hay Group.

She is a past Chair of the Board of Governors of UWE Bristol. She has been a member of or chaired all the key governance committees, including audit and risk, nominations and governance and remunerations.

Gillian is the co-author of the best-selling book, ‘Board Talk – 18 crucial conversations that count inside and outside the boardroom.’ She has published in the Financial Times and The Journal of General Management.

Professor Paul Olomolaiye

First appointed: 2023
Current term of office ends:2026

Biography

Until recently Paul Olomolaiye was the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Equalities and Civic Engagement at UWE Bristol. He holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from Loughborough University and gained his Professorship 25 years ago. He worked briefly on a World Bank Project on completion of his PhD before progressing to academia at the University of Wolverhampton where, as the Dean of Engineering and the Built Environment, he and his team achieved significant year on year business growth through an inspirational and value-driven leadership. 

He progressed to UWE Bristol as the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Environment and Technology where he led his team in building Student Experience and Research Platforms rated as outstanding at the Research Excellence Framework and National Student Surveys. 

Paul is industry focused in his drive, with a firm belief that whichever region he works in must prosper and be globally competitive. With ongoing research and active knowledge transfer initiatives, Paul has developed specific expertise in productivity and performance enhancement strategies to the benefit of several governments, agencies, charities, companies and institutions worldwide. 

Paul is an academic leader with significant leadership over more than 20 years in two UK universities, with commendation for quality improvement, business growth and reputational gains. His leadership has won several awards for innovation and student satisfaction, including seven Lord Stafford awards and awards through the Innovation Networks (I-Nets) in Advanced Engineering, Sustainable Health and Environment.

Paul is a Non-Exec Director for the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Trust. Paul regards his recent appointment as a Trustee of the Wallscourt Foundation and Pro Chancellor at UWE Bristol with focus on the sustainability as the best endorsement of his achievements and commitment to the staff and students of the institution that he loves so much.

The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of Bristol, Councillor Andrew Varney

First appointed: 2024
Current term of office ends: 2025

Biography

The current Lord Mayor of Bristol, Councillor Andrew Varney, was born and raised in Weston-super-Mare in 1968. His father was originally from Bristol and his mother was from Bath so he has a great affinity towards the West Country and has always enjoyed visiting its historic towns and cities and walking and cycling in the beautiful countryside.

In 1986 Councillor Varney left home to study for a degree in Geography at Plymouth Polytechnic and later a PGCE at Oxford University. Like many young people, he wanted to travel and see the world and so spent several years teaching overseas in Hong Kong and Japan.

Councillor Varney met his partner, Robbie, in 1998 and they spent ten years in Dublin before moving together to Bristol in 2008, settling first in Knowle and then Brislington.

Until recently Councillor Varney was teaching at an international school in Clifton. He likes working in international environments as he enjoys meeting people from all over the world and learning about different cultures. He also loves the fact that Bristol is such a great multicultural city and is looking forward to meeting as many people as possible and celebrating this city's wonderful diversity during his year as Lord Mayor.