Leadership team

Richard joined the Unite board on 1 December 2020 and became Chair on 1 April 2021.

Skills and experience

Richard has more than 30 years of plc board experience, including as Chief Executive of Chrysalis Group plc and as a Non-Executive Director of Virgin Mobile Holdings (UK) plc. His Chairmanships have included Wireless Group plc, Creston plc and Crown Place VCT plc.

External appointments

• Future plc (Chair)
• JP Morgan Mid Cap Investment Trust plc

Committee membership

• Nomination Committee (Chair)

Nicky joined Unite Students in September 2022.

Skills and experience

Nicky trained as a chartered accountant and brings a wealth of consumer experience having been the Chief Executive of Hobbs and Finance Director of Marks & Spencer’s Food Division. Nicky also has extensive listed company Board experience.

External appointments

• WH Smith Plc (Non-Executive Director)
• Redrow Plc (Senior Independent Director)

Committee membership

• Remuneration Committee (Chair)
• Audit and Risk Committee
• Nomination Committee

Joe became Chief Executive in January 2024. He brings extensive knowledge and experience of the property sector, with a focus on residential and operational businesses. He also brings financial and strategic management skills to the Board.

Joe was previously Unite Group’s Chief Financial Officer and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers. He joined Unite Students in 2002 and has held a variety of roles, including Investment Director and Corporate Finance Director.

Mike joined Unite Group in 2019 and became Chief Financial Officer on 1 January 2024 after working as the group’s Investment Director.

Skills and experience

Mike has a wealth of financial experience, having started his career working in corporate finance across a range of sectors. Prior to joining Unite Group, Mike spent 10 years as a research analyst covering real estate companies in the UK and on the Continent, most recently at Exane BNP Paribas.

Dame Shirley Pearce DBE joined Unite in 2019.

Skills and experience

Shirley has extensive experience in higher education, health and policing, and was previously Vice Chancellor of Loughborough University. She was appointed by the Secretary of State for Education as the independent reviewer in 2019. She was appointed CBE in 2005 for services to education in the NHS and, in 2014, appointed DBE for services to higher education.

External appointments

• Higher Education Quality Assurance Panel for the Ministry of Education in Singapore
• Royal Anniversary Trust (Trustee)
• HCA (Advisory Board member)
• London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (Trustee)

Committee membership

• Sustainability Committee (Chair)
• Remuneration Committee
• Nomination Committee
• Health and Safety Committee

Ilaria joined Unite Students in 2018 and is also our Designated Non-Executive Director for Workforce Engagement.

Skills and experience

Ilaria brings 30 years of experience in real estate, including asset management, investment and lending. Previously she was CEO of GE Capital UK and led GE Capital Real Estate UK.

External appointments

• Frasers Property UK (CEO)

Committee membership

• Audit and Risk Committee
• Nomination Committee
• Health and Safety Committee
• Sustainability Committee

Professor Sir Steve Smith joined Unite in April 2020.

Skills and experience

Steve brings with him a wealth of experience in the higher education sector and was previously Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Exeter. He led on higher education for the Prime Minister’s National Council of Excellence in Education and was knighted in 2011 for services to higher education locally and nationally.

External Appointments

• Liveable Exeter Place Board (Chair)
• Fulbright Programme (Trustee) 

Committee membership

• Health and Safety Committee (Chair)
• Audit and Risk Committee
• Nomination Committee
• Remuneration Committee

Ross joined Unite in 2017.

Skills and experience

Ross brings wide experience in finance, technology and compliance from Stagecoach.

External appointments

• Bytes Technology Group plc (Non-Executive Director)
• Tracsis plc (Non-Executive Director)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (Business Policy Panel Member)

Committee membership

• Audit and Risk Committee (Chair)
• Nomination Committee
• Remuneration Committee
• Sustainability Committee

Angela joined Unite Students in August 2023.

Skills and experience

Angela brings extensive experience of the commercial television industry focused on younger audiences. Angela has held senior executive roles at ITV and is currently Director of Unscripted UK television. In addition, she has Non-Executive Director experience having sat on the Boards of BusinessLDN and ITN.

External appointments

ITV (Director of Unscripted, UK)

Committee membership

• Health and Safety Committee
• Nomination Committee

Thomas joined Unite in 2019 following the acquisition of Liberty Living.

Skills and experience

Thomas brings wide-ranging real estate experience. He leads Canada Pension Plan Investment Board’s UK real estate business and its entry into student housing, life sciences and the built-to-rent sector. Previously, he was a Vice President in the real estate investment banking team at Macquarie bank and focused on mergers and acquisitions.

External appointments

• Canada Pension Plan Investment Board

Committee membership

• Nomination Committee

Chris was appointed Company Secretary and Group Legal Director in 2013, following General Counsel roles at GE, MTV Networks and other multinationals.

Skills and experience
Chris uses his general counsel and corporate/commercial legal experience to combine corporate and risk governance with our business activity. He was previously an M&A/corporate and commercial lawyer at Clifford Chance and Baker McKenzie.

External appointments

• The West of England Friends Housing Society (Board Trustee)