Details of Directors
UNIPOL STUDENT HOMES BOARD MEMBERS
Leeds Metropolitan University
to be confirmed
Mr David Arblaster - Director of Services to Students
In my role as Director of Services to Students at Leeds Metropolitan University I have responsibility for student welfare including the counselling, healthcare, disability, careers, student employment and financial advice services. Prior to my current post I have been a senior lecturer and head of a teaching department in a further education college. I have served as a management information services manager and have worked for local education authorities in the East Midlands. I have had a variety of roles on the governing bodies of primary schools and further education colleges. My qualifications include a Masters degree in Business Administration. I am ordained as a Deacon for the Catholic Diocese of Leeds.
Mr David Collett- Head of Campus and Residential Services
For the past seven years I have worked for Leeds Metropolitan University as Head of Campus and Residential Services. In this role I have strategic responsibilities for a series of services which include, Residential Accommodation, Security, Portering and Cleaning, Food Services, Mail Services, Business Development and Conferencing, and Merchandise.
Prior to my current role I have held Senior General Manager positions with Jarvis Hotels, Stakis and Hilton Hotels including running my own Restaurant and Brassiere business.
The University of Leeds
Dr Andrew Brooks - Head of Academic Appeals and Regulation
After a PhD and post-doctoral work in Physical Chemistry at the University of Leicester, Andrew took up a position in the Faculty of Technology and Construction at the now De Montfort University, later being promoted to Faculty Officer. Andrew became Assistant registrar at Leeds in 1979, later becoming senior Assistant Registrar. Following this Andrew was Head of Central Student Administration before taking his current position in 2001, dealing with academic legal matters.
Andrew has been Secretary to the Military, Air Force and Naval Education Committee and a leading member of the Leeds Defence Studies Dining Club since the 1980s. From 1989 to 1996 he was the Secretary to the Council of Military Education Committees of the Universities of the UK.
On joining the Board of Unipol in February 1996 he accepted the Deputy Chairman’s post, which he continues to hold. In 2007 he became Honorary Treasurer on the understanding that the finances would be made transparent to a layman and that this perspective would be reported to the Board
Andrew is the University’s representative Governor, Deputy Chairman and Chairman-elect of the Board of Governors of Rishworth School where he was a pupil.
Previously an executive member of Selby Conservative Association Andrew currently is Chairman of the York Outer Constituency Conservative Association.
Professor Stephen Scott - Pro-Vice-Chancellor
Steve Scott has served on the Unipol Board since May 2006 and is currently Chair of the Board. He previously held the role of Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Staff & Students at the University of Leeds in which role his strategic responsibilities included Residential Services (including student accommodation) and Sport.
He is now Head of the School of Physics & Astronomy at the University and is also Professor of Mathematical Chemistry.
Mr Ian Robertson- Head of Residential and Commercial Services
Ian is Head of Residential Accommodation at the University of Leeds where he leads a team managing fourteen large residential sites & a number of smaller properties that accommodate circa 7,000 students. Prior to being appointed to this post, Ian worked for 7 years as Assistant to the Director of Residential and Commercial Services (Residences) at the University.
He is a member of the Institute of Hospitality and before joining the University of Leeds, he worked in the hotel industry as a Banqueting Manager and a Food & Beverage Manager with Marriott Hotels, then as a Hotel General Manager with Millennium & Copthorne Hotels.
Ian is a member of the Committee of Management for the National Code of Standards for Larger Student Developments and a board member of Mary Morris International Residence Ltd.
Leeds University Union
Mr Ben Fisher- Community Officer
Ben is the community officer at Leeds University Union (LUU), an elected position that involves representing students in the local community on issues such as crime, housing, safety and wider community engagement. He has recently graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in English and Philosophy, and has a keen interest in local community volunteering that was fostered through his involvement with student volunteering groups.
Miss Harriet Rankin- Welfare Officer
Harriet is the Welfare Officer at Leeds University Union (LUU), an elected sabbatical position responsible for ensuring the positive well-being, safety, and health of students. She is a recent Psychology graduate from the University of Leeds, and has been involved with various welfare projects such as mental health campaigns and volunteering with student listening and support services.
Mr Kevin Pearson - Resources Director
Kevin joined Leeds University Union in February 2010 as their Resources Director. He is responsible for key elements of their central and corporate services including Finance, Human Resources, and IT. In addition to management of these areas, he has direct responsibilities for strategic financial planning, internal financial control systems, information and support to the Audit and Risk Committee and risk management across the organisation.
Kevin trained to be an accountant in the coal industry and is a fellow member of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants. He has spent the past 15 years or so working for regeneration companies such as Creative Sheffield and Renaissance South Yorkshire to bring much needed economic change to Yorkshire and the Humber. More recently, he has been successful in managing European Funding to secure investment in to the region and was The Director of Corporate Services for Business Link Yorkshire providing business support services in Yorkshire and the Humber.
Leeds Metropolitan Students' Union
Miss Jo Johnson- Associate President Community Wellbeing
Jo Johnson is the elected AP Community Wellbeing at Leeds Met Students’ Union. This role entails dealing with community and housing campaigns within the union, as well as welfare campaigns. Jo is on a year out from studying for a degree in Sport and Exercise Science and has a background in LGBT and anti-fascist campaigning. Before coming to Leeds in 2008 Jo worked as a Carer for the elderly in West Bromwich.
Jawanza Ipyana- Associate President Diversity
Jawanza was elected to the post of AP Diversity at Leeds Met SU for 2010/2011 and re-elected for the 2011/2012 academic year. Born and raised in Leeds, Jawanza originally studied at the University of Lincoln before transferring to study Architecture at Leeds Met; taking time out from the degree to carry out their current role in the Students Union. Throughout their time at Leeds Met Jawanza has been heavily involved in the LGBT movement before becoming active in other areas such as disabled liberation; holding various volunteer posts within the union in the years leading up to Jawanza’s election. Jawanza has, always held a keen interest in housing since a young age and considers the social and equality issues a key aspect to the successful implementation of housing, city planning and development.
Ms Nicky Goldthorpe- Chief Executive
Nicky started work at Leeds Met Students’ Union in May 2009. Prior to this she was General Manager at York St John for 3 years. Nicky has been involved in the student union movement since 1996 working at Birmingham Guild of Students and also for AMSU (the Association for Managers in Students’ Unions). Nicky has held national committee positions within AMSU and is currently a staff advisor on the national Ethical and Environmental Committee at NUS Services Ltd.
Bradford College
Mr Andy Welsh - Vice Principal for Corporate Services at Bradford College.
The College is one of the largest further education colleges in the country and the biggest HE provider outside of the university sector. As such it has a substantial accommodation need for its home and overseas students. Andy’s role also covers HR, estates, Student Services, IT, Libraries and Research and child protection.
With a background in local government and HR Andy has been involved in the education sector for over 15 years. He is currently a member of the Leeds University Union HR and Remuneration Committee. Andy has worked in social housing and been a Board Member of a Housing Association and maintains a keen interest in social housing issues. He has strong links with Leeds having moved to the city to study Chemistry at Leeds University in the 1980s completing his MBA there some twenty years later.
Independent Members
Mike Wilkinson is an Independent Director and Deputy Chair of the Board ( formerly the Chair ). He chairs the Nottingham Services Committee and also sits on the Staff Review and Remuneration Committee. Until 2001 Mike was University Secretary of Leeds Metropolitan University and he is a former Independent Assessor to the Student Loans Company and former Company Secretary of the Higher Education Academy. He is now a consultant.From 2002/2010 he chaired the Standards Committee of Leeds City Council and currently chairs the Standards Committee of the West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Authority.He is a Justice of the Peace, supplemental list.
Officers of Unipol Student Homes
Mr Martin Blakey Chief Executive
Ms Fiona Barry Financial Controller
Ms Liz Hodgen Deputy Chief Executive and Company Secretary
Mrs Geneve Smith Assistant Chief Executive - Housing Services
Ms Victoria Loverseed Development Manager
Mr Andrew Livesey Communications and IT Manager
Mr Jamie Woolley Accommodation Bureau Manager, Nottingham
Ms Nicola Brown Accommodation Bureaux Manager
All contactable at:
Unipol Student Homes
155/157 Woodhouse Lane
Leeds LS2 3ED
