Professor Tony Downes to become Provost and Chief Executive Officer of University of Reading Malaysia

Monday, 22 October 2012

Professor Tony Downes

Professor Tony Downes has been appointed Provost and Chief Executive Officer of University of Reading Malaysia (UoRM), with immediate effect.

Tony has been involved in the project to establish the University's Malaysian campus from the outset. He will oversee the recruitment of staff in Malaysia this autumn, the construction of the new campus starting next year and the recruitment, admission and progress of the first cohort of students.

Speaking on his appointment, Tony said: "Having played a major role in the process of selecting Educity as the location of our first overseas campus, and more recently led the project as Chair of the Malaysia Project Board, I am excited to be charged with delivering the new University of Reading Malaysia campus and for welcoming our first students in 2015.

"My visit to the region in November will be my seventh in total but my first as Provost. It will coincide with the recruitment of new staff for UoRM, including a Head of Student Recruitment, and will be followed in early 2013 by ground-breaking on the site of the new campus."

Concurrent with his new role, Tony will remain as the University's Deputy Vice-Chancellor until the end of his current term of office in July 2014. He will continue to be based in the UK, but will be spending increasing amounts of time in South East Asia before moving out there permanently in time to oversee the opening of the new campus.

Vice-Chancellor, Sir David Bell, said: "Tony's appointment as Provost and Chief Executive Officer caps a busy year for the University's involvement in Malaysia. The University's Council has given its approval to the development agreement with the Iskandar Investment Berhad for the new campus and the company through which the University will operate under Malaysian law has now been established. On my recent visit, I saw at first-hand the excellent teaching facilities we have opened in Johor Bahru, as well as the site for the branch campus. 

"Peter Osborne, Chief Operating Officer for UoRM, and Trevor Hawkins, Project Manager Malaysia, have now re-located to Malaysia to develop our presence on the ground and to oversee the development of the new campus. Tony's appointment will ensure that UoRM has the leadership required to translate Reading values and brand into a world-class campus and student experience in Asia."

Tony Downes will host the next Malaysia termly staff talk on Monday 26 November to ensure colleagues remain up to date with the development of UoRM.