John Willan, a leading figure in the music industry, has been appointed as Visiting Professor at Anglia Ruskin University’s Lord Ashcroft International Business School.
Professor Willan, who has joined Anglia Ruskin for an initial period of three years, is a qualified chartered accountant. However, following a music degree from the University of Edinburgh and postgraduate study at the Royal Academy of Music in London, he joined EMI as a classical record producer.
He then became managing director of the London Philharmonic Orchestra before moving to the BBC to build a music business for its commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, which encompassed CD and DVD distribution, radio and TV arts sales, and music publishing.
Professor Willan left BBC Worldwide in 2000 to join Cambridge-based management agency Hazard Chase as chairman, a role he held until August last year.
For the past seven years he has been chairman of the International Artist Managers’ Association, the only worldwide association of classical music managements, and is also a governor of the Royal Academy of Music in London and chair of its audit committee.
Professor Willan said: “It is absolutely the right moment for me to share the experience, contacts and knowledge I have been lucky enough to amass so far, with those who aspire to excellence in their forthcoming careers, and I am excited at the prospect of being able to do so as part of the developing team at the Lord Ashcroft International Business School.”
Dr Rob Willis, Director of Research at the Lord Ashcroft International Business School, said: “It is envisaged that John will play an important role in helping the Lord Ashcroft International Business School focus its scholarship and research agenda. John’s knowledge and experience will be invaluable to us and we are very excited at the prospect of working with him.”
Anglia Ruskin University
Anglia Ruskin University is passionate about the advancement of knowledge and the education of students, and we pride ourselves on taking university education in imaginative new directions. Our key contribution is to the enhancement of social, cultural and economic well being. We have two main campuses, in Cambridge and Chelmsford, with around 30,000 students and 1,000 academic staff.
For more press information please contact:
Jon Green on t: 0845 196 4717, e: jon.green@anglia.ac.uk
Andrea Hilliard on t: 0845 196 4727, e: andrea.hilliard@anglia.ac.uk