Enter the Boardroom with Nurole 153. Phil Walker CBE: University boards: lessons in stakeholder management, ethical decision-making and data points
Dec 17, 2025
Phil Walker CBE, the Chair of Council at the University of Roehampton and former COO at Capgemini, shares insights from his diverse career. He discusses the complexities of university governance versus corporate structures, emphasizing the need for boards to balance multiple stakeholders. Phil highlights the importance of data-driven decision-making with his 'dashboard' heuristic and shares vital lessons learned during the COVID crisis. He advocates for a more informal and human approach to board interactions and addresses the university's ethical stance on fossil fuels.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
A Career Returned To Education
- Phil Walker describes moving from teaching to a 30-year private sector career before returning to higher education governance late in his career.
- He joined University of Roehampton after meeting the vice-chancellor and seeing students who reminded him of his own background.
Universities Juggle More Stakeholders
- University governance is more complex than corporate boards because it must balance multiple stakeholders: students, government, regulators and academics.
- Historical legacy and collegiate structures add further complexity to decision-making.
Run A Pre-Flight Dashboard
- Do pre-flight checks for institutions: identify a small dashboard of key indicators before you start and plan for turbulence.
- Keep those four or five data points front of mind so governance can be delegated and leaders focus on mission-critical work.
