Published: 16 July 2024
We are delighted to confirm the appointment of Professor Ian Jacobs as the inaugural Chair of Council for City St George’s, University of London. Professor Jacobs will take up his role following completion of the merger between St George’s and City, University of London on 1 August 2024.
The process to appoint a Chair for City St George’s, to take office for three years (renewable for a further three years) from the date of the merger, was initiated once the Transfer Agreement between City and St George’s was signed on 22nd February 2024.
The appointment process was jointly led by Adrienne Fresko, an independent member of City’s Council and Chair of City’s Corporate Governance & Nominations Committee (CGNC), and Gillian Norton, an independent member of St George’s Council and the current Chair of the linked NHS Trust. An appointment panel comprised an independent Chair, Sarah Turville, two members from City (Adrienne Fresko and Anant Prakash) and two members from St George’s Council (Gillian Norton and Josh Joshi). The panel was also attended by the President Designate of City St George’s, Professor Sir Anthony Finkelstein.
The decision to appoint Professor Ian Jacobs was unanimous.
Professor Jacobs has senior Higher Education experience in both the UK and Australia, as an academic and leader, as well as a medical background as a surgical oncologist and leader in the NHS. He is an experienced Chair and board member and a former Vice-Chancellor.
Between 2015 and 2022, Professor Jacobs served as President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, prior to which he was Vice-President at the University of Manchester. He joined Manchester from UCL, where from 2004 to 2011 he had roles as Executive Dean of Biomedical Sciences, Director of the Institute for Women’s Health and Director of the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre. Professor Jacobs is a Board member of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust where he is Chair of Addenbrooke’s Futures Committee and a Trustee of the Eve Appeal charity which he founded in 1985.
Commenting on his appointment, Professor Jacobs said:
“I am excited by the potential of the merger of two such outstanding and complementary organisations."
City St George’s provides unique opportunities to link excellence in medicine and health to strengths across the academic spectrum including business, law, science, engineering, policy, communication and the arts.
- Professor Ian Jacobs -
"My congratulations to everyone involved in making this visionary merger happen. I look forward to working with the President, Council members, staff, students and alumni to ensure that the full potential of City St George’s is delivered. It is an honour to take on this role.”
Professor Finkelstein said:
“I am very much looking forward to working in close partnership with Professor Jacobs to develop the potential of the combined institution.
"We have a vital mission and an engaging strategy to deliver in a challenging and uncertain environment, it will take the best of governance and executive leadership to do this!"
I know we both share a commitment to developing the creative and innovative opportunities that our new scale and shape present.
- Professor Sir Anthony Finkelstein -
As we prepare to welcome Professor Jacobs as our new Chair, following successful completion of the merger, the whole Council would like to take this opportunity, and on behalf of all staff and students of St George’s, to express our thanks and gratitude to St George’s current Chair of Council, Christine Swabey. Christine has been Chair of Council since 2021 and has worked tirelessly to support the University, most notably of course in having a leading role in merger negotiations. She has been instrumental in driving the vision for City St George’s and we are indebted to her for the energy, commitment, and time she has given.
Christine will lead us to the point of completion and hand over to Professor Jacobs from the date of merger, 1 August 2024. As agreed during the merger negotiations, six current independent members of St George’s Council will also transfer to become members of City St George’s Council with effect from 1 August 2024. These members are: Christine Swabey, Godfrey Allen, Jonathan Curtiss, Josh Joshi, Gillian Norton and Damian Reid.
We know you will all join us in warmly welcoming Professor Jacobs to City St George’s in due course.