University Officers

Professor David Gann CBE, CEng, FICE, FCGI took up the post of Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Development and External Affairs) on 2 November 2020. He is Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Said Business School and Chairman of the UK Atomic Energy Authority. He was previously Vice-President (Development and Innovation) at Imperial College London. David studied engineering and project management at Reading University and is a chartered civil engineer. He has an MSc in Science Policy and a PhD in Industrial Economics, both from Sussex University. His research explores why and how innovation happens, the ways it continually transforms the world we live in, and how it can be managed. He has authored eight books and numerous academic articles on innovation and entrepreneurship. He advises technology companies on innovation strategy and is a non-executive director of Directa Plus plc, a graphene company, and VenCap International plc, a venture fund-of-funds. David was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2010 Queen's Birthday Honours for services to engineering and received the 2014 Tjalling C. Koopmans Asset Award for extraordinary contributions to the economic sciences. He was awarded the Imperial College Medal in 2019 for his leadership in developing the White City Campus. David is a member of the London Symphony Orchestra’s advisory council and a supporter of Glyndebourne Opera.

As Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Development and External Affairs) he will be responsible for public affairs, development and alumni relations, and international strategy.

Professor Martin Williams took up the role of Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) on January 1 2018. Professor Williams received his BSc and PhD degrees from Bristol University and later worked as a structural design engineer. He moved to the University of Oxford in 1989, based in the Engineering Science Department and at New College, where he is the David Clarke Fellow in Engineering. He is a Fellow both of the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Structural Engineers. He served on the Council of the University of Oxford for four years, and as Senior Proctor from 2009-2010. He has chaired the Committee for the Proctors Office since 2015.  He was previously Associate Head (Education) of the Division of Mathematical Physical and Life Sciences and was Deputy Head of the Department of Engineering Science. At New College he was Sub-Warden from 2007-8 and Senior Tutor from 1995-99.

As Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education), Professor Williams is responsible for the University’s strategy and policies for teaching, learning, student support and admissions.

Professor Anne Trefethen is Pro-Vice-Chancellor (People & Digital) and a Fellow of St Cross College.

She became Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the Academic Services and University Collections in January 2015, and from 1 September 2018 became Pro-Vice-Chancellor for People and GLAM, as chair of the Personnel Committee and with responsibility for overseeing the University’s gardens, libraries and museums.

Professor Trefethen was appointed the University’s first Chief Information Officer in March 2012, prior to which she served as Director of the Oxford e-Research Centre. Before coming to Oxford in 2005, she was a Director of the UK e-Science Core Programme and prior to that worked at NAG (Numerical Algorithms Group) in both management and technical roles. She has spent ten years in the US at Thinking Machines Corp and at the Theory Centre, Cornell University, in leadership roles.

Dr David Prout took up the post of Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Resources) in September 2017. He has had a distinguished career in central and local government, most recently (2013-17) as Director General for the £50 billion High Speed 2 programme. Prior to that he was Director General for Local Government at the Department for Communities and Local Government, where he was responsible for all aspects of local government policy and funding, for the Fire Service, and for tackling extremism. He has also served as, among other roles, Executive Director for Housing, Planning and Regeneration at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (2007-2009); Director for Local Government Policy in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (2004-2007) and Private and Principal Private Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister (1999-2004).

As Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Resources), Dr Prout is responsible for institutional and strategic planning, and resource allocation.