Experts in education, culture and strategy join Goldsmiths’ Council

Goldsmiths has welcomed experts from the worlds of education, culture and strategic leadership as new independent members of Council, our governing body.

The five new members bring a wealth of skills and experience from sectors which are aligned with Goldsmiths to help further the University’s mission. They joined on 1 September 2025 on three-year terms, following an external recruitment process, to replace outgoing members whose terms on Council had concluded.

Council’s role is to act in the best interests of the University as a whole, ensuring it strategically delivers its mission to high standards with the necessary financial stability and sustainability.

Council also needs to make sure Goldsmiths meets the requirements and performance levels expected by sector regulator the Office for Students, and achieves the necessary support to deliver our world-class research.

New members and their responsibilities

Sophie Brendel

Sophie is the founder of Sophie Brendel Consulting, a global consultancy for arts, culture, media and heritage. Sophie specialises in strategy, brand, audience and impact, working with organisations including the National Trust, Somerset House, Royal Shakespeare Company and RADA. Over the past 25 years, Sophie has held senior leadership roles at the Reuters, the BBC, and most recently the V&A, where she was the Director of Audiences, Commercial & Digital until 2024. Sophie is also the Managing Director of Thornfalcon Winery & Press, and a Trustee and Board Advisor for organisations including Bristol Old Vic and Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration. Sophie is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee.  

Rose Dixon

Rose is Director of Strategy at Ark, a multi-academy trust and education charity. She started her career in academia with a PhD at Queen Mary, University of London and subsequently worked as a lecturer in the English department at King’s College London, before changing direction to become a strategy consultant at Bain & Company. She has spent the last decade working in a range of strategy roles in the charity sector, including six years as Head of Strategy at Cancer Research UK. Rose is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee.

Angela Mitten

Ang is a programme, project and property professional specialising in delivering estates master planning, infrastructure and facilities projects to support organisational change and transformation. She has over 25 years’ experience in property and facilities management across the public, private and voluntary/not-for-profit sectors in the UK and internationally. Ang is currently Director of the Science Transformation Programme at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, where she is leading a research infrastructure programme to enable Kew Science to achieve the ambitions of its Science Strategy. With extensive experience working in Higher Education, Ang is a Goldsmiths graduate having studied BA English. Ang is a member of the Finance and Resources Committee.

Liyun Ye

Liyun is Chief Financial Officer at the Design Museum, having joined this organisation in 2024. Prior to this she was Finance Director at Met Media group, a private equity-backed business that includes one of Europe’s leading film schools. Liyun started her career as a research scientist and has been a qualified Chartered Accountant for over a decade, with experience in audit and transaction services across Europe and the US. She is passionate about helping artistic organisations balance finance sustainability while focusing on their artistic and creative strategies. Liyun is also a non-executive director on the board of dance company Rambert. Liyun is a member of the Finance and Resources Committee.

Oliver Zeffman

Oliver is a conductor and cultural entrepreneur from London who has led concerts and recordings with the likes of the London Symphony Orchestra, LA Philharmonic, Philharmonia Orchestra and Academy of St Martin in the Fields. His projects include Classical Pride – a major celebration of LGBTQ+ composers and performers in classical music presented at venues from the Barbican to the Hollywood Bowl; a partnership with the podcast The Rest is History, presenting a series of sold-out concerts at the Royal Albert Hall exploring the lives of history's greatest composers; and Music x Museums, a concert series staged in leading museums including the V&A and British Library, filmed for Apple Music. Oliver is also a trustee of the Rio Cinema in East London. Oliver is a member of the Finance and Resources Committee.

Thanks go to outgoing members for their service to Goldsmiths. Council members who stepped down at the end of August are: Irene Adeyinka, Professor Moorad Choudhry, Professor Susan Dilly, Andrew Laurence, and Pam Raynor.

Tom Sleigh, Chair of Goldsmiths Council, said: “As we welcome new Council members to take Goldsmiths forward I would like to sincerely thank those stepping down for all their service to the University, during what has been a difficulties time for our sector. Their commitment and experience have proven invaluable as we have addressed and overcome challenges.

Additional appointments

Council

• Fiona McClaren for a second term on Council from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2028
• Philip Stoltzfus for an additional term on Council from 1 September 2025 to 28 February 2026

 Audit and Risk Committee

• Dr Clare McConnell as the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee for a three-year term, starting on 01 August 2025 to 31 August 2028
• Sophie Brendel as a member of the Audit and Risk Committee for a three-year term, from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2028
• Rose Dixon as a member of the Audit and Risk Committee for a three-year term, from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2028
• Vona Aghoghovbia-Ezichi as a new co-opted member to the Audit and Risk Committee for a three-year term, from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2028
• Re-appointment of Fiona McLaren as a member of the Audit and Risk Committee for a further three-year term, from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2028

Finance and Resources Committee

• Reappointment of Philip Stoltzfus as Chair of Finance and Resources Committee for an additional term from 1 September 2025 to 28 February 2026.
• Angela Mitten to the Finance and Resources Committee for a three-year term, from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2028
• Liyun Ye to the Finance and Resources Committee for a three-year term, from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2028

• Sue-Lin Heng to the Finance and Resources Committee as a new co-opted member for a three-year term, from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2028

Nominations and Governance Committee

• Tom Sleigh as Chair the Nominations and Governance Committee for one year, from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2026
• Clare McConnell as a member for a three-year term, from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2028
• Reappointment of Fiona McLaren as member for a three-year term, from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2028

Remuneration Committee

• Reappointment of Aaron Porter as member for a further term to 31 August 2026