New Chief Financial Officer appointed at Imperial College London

Photograph of Muir Sanderson

Mr Muir Sanderson named new CFO

Imperial College London News Release

For immediate release
Tuesday 9 August 2011

Imperial College London has today named Muir Sanderson as its new Chief Financial Officer, with effect from 1 November 2011.

Mr Sanderson will be responsible for defining and delivering the College's financial strategy, which includes investment management and fund development. Reporting to the Rector, he joins the College’s Council and its Management Board, the senior management committee, which is responsible for the vision and overall strategy for the College.

Rector Sir Keith O'Nions said: “These are challenging financial times for universities but I believe that in Muir we have someone with the requisite strategic vision and financial foresight, and with the stature and credibility to support the College in its pursuit and delivery of a financial strategy to enhance its excellence and reputation.”

Prior to his appointment at the College, Mr Sanderson spent more than 17 years at Booz & Company, a world-leading global management consulting firm, working across a range of industries, notably financial services, the public sector and consumer goods. He was elected partner in 2001, and UK Managing Partner in 2007. After graduating from the University of Cambridge in Natural Sciences, Muir worked in manufacturing engineering for the international automotive components company T&N PLC.

Speaking about his appointment, Mr Sanderson said: "I am delighted to be joining Imperial. It has an outstanding reputation for teaching and research and is leading the way with some exciting financial and strategic innovations which place it among the world’s best. I look forward to contributing to the continued success of this first-class institution.”

With a turnover of circa £694m (2009/10) and a substantial property portfolio, Imperial College London is a science-based institution that is consistently rated among the world’s top universities. In the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, over 70 per cent of College research activity was judged as world-leading or internationally excellent, the highest proportion of all UK multi-faculty universities. It was ranked 3rd in Europe and 9th in the world in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2010-11.

On Mr Sanderson’s appointment, Mr Andrew Murphy, who has served as Acting Chief Financial Officer since December 2010, will return to his role as Director of Finance. Prior to December 2010, the responsibilities were held by Dr Martin Knight who served the College for more than 18 years.

A biography of Mr Sanderson is provided in notes to editors and a photograph is available on request.

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Imperial College London
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Notes to Editors

About Mr Muir Sanderson

After graduating from Cambridge in Natural Sciences, Muir worked in manufacturing engineering for the international automotive components company T&N PLC before moving to what was then the strategy consultancy Booz Allen & Hamilton. He spent 17 years at Booz working across a range of industries, notably financial services, the public sector and consumer goods; he was elected partner in 2001.  He has held senior leadership roles within Booz being elected UK Managing Partner from 2007 – 2010, and serving as a key member of the team which created Booz & Company in 2008 as a world-leading global management consulting firm.

He will join the College as Chief Financial Officer from 1 November 2011.

About Imperial College London

Consistently rated amongst the world's best universities, Imperial College London is a science-based institution with a reputation for excellence in teaching and research that attracts 14,000 students and 6,000 staff of the highest international quality. Innovative research at the College explores the interface between science, medicine, engineering and business, delivering practical solutions that improve quality of life and the environment - underpinned by a dynamic enterprise culture.

Since its foundation in 1907, Imperial's contributions to society have included the discovery of penicillin, the development of holography and the foundations of fibre optics. This commitment to the application of research for the benefit of all continues today, with current focuses including interdisciplinary collaborations to improve global health, tackle climate change, develop sustainable sources of energy and address security challenges.

In 2007, Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust formed the UK's first Academic Health Science Centre. This unique partnership aims to improve the quality of life of patients and populations by taking new discoveries and translating them into new therapies as quickly as possible.

Website: www.imperial.ac.uk 

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