Professor Rama Thirunamachandran OBE DL
Professor Rama Thirunamachandran joined ذكذكتسئµ as an independent governor in May 2026 and is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee.
Rama has senior leadership and management experience in a number of UK universities as well as in the Civil Service. He was Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Canterbury Christ Church University between 2013 and 2026. During this time, the university's income grew from £110m to £350m. He was also Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Keele University (2008-2013); and Director of Research, Innovation and Skills at the Higher Education Funding Council for England (2001-2008).
Rama is an academic geographer who was educated at the University of Cambridge. He has also held roles at King's College London, the University of Bristol, and Royal Holloway University of London.
He has held a number of non-executive roles including as Chair of the Higher Education Academy, Chair of the MillionPlus Group, a Director and Trustee of Universities UK, and a NED at the Medway Maritime NHS Foundation Trust. He is currently Chair of CVCP Properties PLC and the Treasurer at St Matthews Church, Surbiton.
He was awarded an OBE in 2023 in recognition of his services to higher education and appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Kent in 2020.