Latest news with #SueGray
Powys County Times
6 hours ago
- Business
- Powys County Times
Former top civil servant Sue Gray appointed to Queen's University Senate
Former top civil servant Baroness Sue Gray has been appointed to serve on Queen's University Senate. Dr Feargal McCormack was also announced as a pro-chancellor at the Belfast university, while Anna Beggan and Lyle Watters have been appointed as lay members of the senate. Baroness Gray, a former chief of staff to the UK Prime Minister and permanent secretary at the Stormont Department of Finance, also worked as chief of staff to then leader of the opposition Sir Keir Starmer in 2023. She currently serves as chairwoman of Consello, UK. Exciting news! We have made four new appointments to our Senate, the governing body that helps shape the strategic direction of the university. Baroness Sue Gray and Dr Feargal McCormack have been announced as Pro-Chancellors. They'll play a key role in guiding the University's… — Queen's University Belfast 🎓 (@QUBelfast) July 29, 2025 'Queen's holds a special place in the heart of Northern Ireland and plays a vital role on the national and international stage,' she said. 'I feel deeply committed to supporting its mission of excellence in education, research and civic engagement and hope my experience in public service will contribute to its strong governance and uphold the values that has made Queen's such an important institution for generations past, and those yet to come.' Dr McCormack is currently senior partner at AAB Group and a former president of Chartered Accountants Ireland. He has also been appointed as pro-chancellor and will serve as the deputy chairman of Senate and chairman of the Senate planning, finance and resources committee. Ms Beggan, a former partner at Tughans Solicitors with extensive experience in employment law, while Mr Watters is a former senior executive at Ford Motor Company with almost four decades of international leadership. The appointments take effect from August 1 2025 and last four years, following an extensive selection process involving students, staff, alumni and independent assessors, and are non-remunerated. Dr Len O'Hagan, pro-chancellor and chairman of Senate, said they are 'outstanding appointments that will strengthen the governance and strategic direction of Queen's'. Professor Sir Ian Greer, president and vice-chancellor, added: 'Effective governance is essential to the success and integrity of global university. 'With these appointments, Queen's gains individuals of exceptional distinction and experience who share a deep commitment to public service and the advancement of higher education. 'I look forward to working with our new Pro-Chancellors and Lay Members of Senate, as we deliver our ambitious Strategy 2030.'
The Independent
7 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Former top civil servant Sue Gray appointed to Queen's University Senate
Former top civil servant Baroness Sue Gray has been appointed to serve on Queen's University Senate. Dr Feargal McCormack was also announced as a pro-chancellor at the Belfast university, while Anna Beggan and Lyle Watters have been appointed as lay members of the senate. Baroness Gray, a former chief of staff to the UK Prime Minister and permanent secretary at the Stormont Department of Finance, also worked as chief of staff to then leader of the opposition Sir Keir Starmer in 2023. She currently serves as chairwoman of Consello, UK. 'Queen's holds a special place in the heart of Northern Ireland and plays a vital role on the national and international stage,' she said. 'I feel deeply committed to supporting its mission of excellence in education, research and civic engagement and hope my experience in public service will contribute to its strong governance and uphold the values that has made Queen's such an important institution for generations past, and those yet to come.' Dr McCormack is currently senior partner at AAB Group and a former president of Chartered Accountants Ireland. He has also been appointed as pro-chancellor and will serve as the deputy chairman of Senate and chairman of the Senate planning, finance and resources committee. Ms Beggan, a former partner at Tughans Solicitors with extensive experience in employment law, while Mr Watters is a former senior executive at Ford Motor Company with almost four decades of international leadership. The appointments take effect from August 1 2025 and last four years, following an extensive selection process involving students, staff, alumni and independent assessors, and are non-remunerated. Dr Len O'Hagan, pro-chancellor and chairman of Senate, said they are 'outstanding appointments that will strengthen the governance and strategic direction of Queen's'. Professor Sir Ian Greer, president and vice-chancellor, added: 'Effective governance is essential to the success and integrity of global university. 'With these appointments, Queen's gains individuals of exceptional distinction and experience who share a deep commitment to public service and the advancement of higher education. 'I look forward to working with our new Pro-Chancellors and Lay Members of Senate, as we deliver our ambitious Strategy 2030.'
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Former top civil servant Sue Gray appointed to Queen's University Senate
Former top civil servant Baroness Sue Gray has been appointed to serve on Queen's University Senate. Dr Feargal McCormack was also announced as a pro-chancellor at the Belfast university, while Anna Beggan and Lyle Watters have been appointed as lay members of the senate. Baroness Gray, a former chief of staff to the UK Prime Minister and permanent secretary at the Stormont Department of Finance, also worked as chief of staff to then leader of the opposition Sir Keir Starmer in 2023. She currently serves as chairwoman of Consello, UK. 'Queen's holds a special place in the heart of Northern Ireland and plays a vital role on the national and international stage,' she said. 'I feel deeply committed to supporting its mission of excellence in education, research and civic engagement and hope my experience in public service will contribute to its strong governance and uphold the values that has made Queen's such an important institution for generations past, and those yet to come.' Dr McCormack is currently senior partner at AAB Group and a former president of Chartered Accountants Ireland. He has also been appointed as pro-chancellor and will serve as the deputy chairman of Senate and chairman of the Senate planning, finance and resources committee. Ms Beggan, a former partner at Tughans Solicitors with extensive experience in employment law, while Mr Watters is a former senior executive at Ford Motor Company with almost four decades of international leadership. The appointments take effect from August 1 2025 and last four years, following an extensive selection process involving students, staff, alumni and independent assessors, and are non-remunerated. Dr Len O'Hagan, pro-chancellor and chairman of Senate, said they are 'outstanding appointments that will strengthen the governance and strategic direction of Queen's'. Professor Sir Ian Greer, president and vice-chancellor, added: 'Effective governance is essential to the success and integrity of global university. 'With these appointments, Queen's gains individuals of exceptional distinction and experience who share a deep commitment to public service and the advancement of higher education. 'I look forward to working with our new Pro-Chancellors and Lay Members of Senate, as we deliver our ambitious Strategy 2030.'
BBC News
12 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Sue Gray appointed to governing body of Queen's University
Sir Keir Starmer's former chief of staff Sue Gray has been appointed to the governing body of Queen's University Gray quit as the prime minister's chief of staff in October 2024 after rows over her pay and has now been named as one of four new members of the senate at Queen's University of Belfast (QUB), a role that comes without a senate is the university's governing body, responsible for the oversight of strategy, finances and performance. Ms Gray has been appointed a pro-chancellor at QUB, so will attend ceremonies like graduations to becoming the prime minister's chief of staff, Ms Gray had worked in government in Northern was once described as "the most powerful civil servant you've never heard of" when she had a job in the Cabinet Office. Ms Gray was also the so-called Partygate critical report into lockdown gatherings in Downing Street contributed to the resignation of Boris Johnson as prime Conservative MPs expressed anger when Ms Gray subsequently took up a high-profile role with the Labour Party in after resigning as the prime minister's chief of staff, Ms Gray subsequently decided not to become the government's envoy to the nations and was appointed to the House of Lords at the end of leaving Downing Street she has also chaired the board of a business and investment consultancy, and has now been announced as one of four new members of the QUB university's vice-chancellor Prof Ian Greer said the pro-chancellors at the university played "a crucial role in upholding the highest standards of accountability and leadership."Former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton has been the chancellor of QUB since is a mainly ceremonial role, though the university has faced opposition from some staff and students over Ms Clinton's stance on the conflict in Gaza.
BBC News
17-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Starmer's chief of staff is top paid special adviser
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's chief of staff is the highest paid special adviser, government figures McSweeney is paid between £155,000 and £159,999, the Cabinet Office said in a senior government staffers, known as spads, are in the next highest band and are paid between £145,000 and £149, Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, No 10's director of strategic communications James Lyons, and John Van Reenan, the chancellor's top economic adviser, are among those in the second-highest pay bracket. Last year, the BBC reported that Sir Keir's former chief of staff, Sue Gray, had a higher salary than the £166,786 the prime minister had been left her role, saying she "risked becoming a distraction", and was replaced by McSweeney, who was previously chief adviser to the prime minister and masterminded Labour's general election details of Gray's salary were leaked to the BBC, as the former senior civil servant was embroiled in internal rows in the early months of the Labour special advisers in the team were angry about being asked to take pay cuts. Overall, the pay bill for spads in 2024/25 was £ included £3.1m in severance costs, partly covering outgoing advisers from the previous Conservative of 31 March this year, there were 130 special advisers working for the over £76,000 are declared in bands of £5, was the only person in the £155,000 to £159,999 a veteran diplomat, was appointed as a special adviser last year, breaking with convention to take up the national security adviser role, which is usually held by a civil servant.
