Professor Robert MacIntosh appointed as Chair of the Chartered ABS

The Chartered ABS is delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Robert MacIntosh as its new Chair.

Robert has a multi-disciplinary background and is Head of School for Social Sciences at Heriot-Watt University, where he oversees 15,000 students and 300 staff at the university’s campuses in Edinburgh, Dubai, Malaysia, and online. He is also a Fellow both of the Institution of Engineering and Technology and of the Academy of Social Sciences.

On being informed of his successful appointment, Robert reported; "I am honoured to have been elected Chair of the Chartered Association of Business Schools. Business and management disciplines matter hugely to the health of the HE sector and the wider economy yet are also often misunderstood. The key challenges facing society in sustainability, social inclusion, innovation and well-being are at least as much organisational as they are technical. The research, education and knowledge exchange that happens in the member schools of the Chartered ABS is therefore vital to our future and I look forward to working with a range of stakeholders, funders, regulators and employers to ensure that business and management plays a full and prominent role in reshaping our economy to meet the challenges posed by technological, political and economic change."

The outgoing Chair, Professor Julia Clarke, has served as Chair of the Chartered ABS since late 2018 and is stepping down following a new appointment as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience) at the University of Wolverhampton.

"I am proud to have been the Chair of Council during what has been an extremely productive and busy year for the Chartered Association of Business Schools", said Julia. "A particular highlight has been the launch of the Certified Management & Business Educator scheme, and we now have CMBEs in the majority of UK business schools and beyond. I would like to thank Anne and the team and also my fellow members of Council for all their fantastic work during my tenure. I am delighted to be handing over to Robert, who will be an excellent Chair to steer Chartered ABS on the next stage of its journey."

Our congratulations and thanks to both Robert and Julia for their respective appointments. We wish Julia all the best and look forward to working with Robert on behalf of the UK's business schools in the years to come.