Chair of Court Election 2025 - Andrew Kerr

I am thrilled and honoured to be on the ballot for the Chair of the University of Dundee Court. It feels like my particular set of skills and experience are an excellent fit for the needs of this great University at this time, and I hope you will consider me as the Chair that can lead the University to a sustainable, bright future and have a clear plan in place to deliver what is needed to emerge from the current difficulties, stronger than before.

Difficult decisions will have to be made to enable that future to be realised but I intend, if chosen, to work together with the people of this University, both professionals and students to ensure that their voice is strong in delivery of our mutual future and that this approach will be based on honesty, transparency and clarity of direction backed by clear communication especially listening to the people involved and valuing the need for inclusion, diversity and equalities.

I have been a public servant for 42 years, latterly as the Chief Executive of the City of Edinburgh Council for 9 years and of three other major English Local Authorities. I am currently a board member for the NSPCC UK, Sports Scotland, and I am the independent Chair reporting to Parliament on the process for deciding Election Boundaries in Scotland. So, I have a current and detailed knowledge of how to lead large organisations especially through transformation in times of crisis. I have done so by creating a sense of purpose and collaborating with the people working there to develop solutions.

I have led an organisational development process ( Birmingham Best ) which won national awards, I took North Tyneside Council from being officially the worst Local Authority in England to one of the best in four years, I have managed to make savings of more than £400m in the last ten years and I am currently involved in the delivery of a brand new transformation for the NSPCC.

This experience has meant that I have been chosen to Chair the UK National Leisure Organisation, The Society of Local Authority CEOs in Scotland, I was gold command in Edinburgh on the Death of the Queen, and I led Edinburgh through COVID. All of this means that I would be able to represent the University at the highest levels in Government and its constituent bodies, hold them to account during this recovery, to work with business to promote the University and to work closely with the City Of Dundee.

I place great value in universities role in the development any place and the City Deal I led achieved £600m government funding for Edinburgh University. I worked with Newcastle University, on research into Social Capital in Communities and have worked closely with universities in every job I have had.

To summarise - I think I am a great fit for the needs of the University, I have considerable senior management and board experience and have the right skills to be able to work with everyone in the University, its students and its partners to bring us to a better, more sustainable future.

I would love to be part of that team!