New Registrar appointed at Warwick

Rachel Sandby-Thomas CB has just been appointed the University of Warwick’s next Registrar. She will begin her new role at the start of the 2016/17 academic year.

The roles of a university Registrar include student registration and enrolment, handling student records, and advising students, faculty and staff on academic matters.

At the moment, Rachel is shadow CEO of the Government’s Institute for Apprenticeships, and has previously worked in several Government departments.

Rachel started working in the Government service in 1993 after graduating from Cambridge University. She joined the Government Legal Services from the City and was a solicitor with Linklaters.

Rachel has also worked in the Bank for International Settlements with several different job titles such as Director General, Enterprise and Skills, and People and Communication.

It is a fabulous university and I am really looking forward to joining its ambitious and dynamic team.

Rachel Sandby-Thomas CB, new Registrar

Until recently, Rachel was the Director General for Skills, Deregulation and Local Growth. Some of her responsibilities included being in charge of improving vocational education and skills, local growth policy and English devolution, reducing regulatory burdens on business, and the provision of high-quality legal advice.

Aside from these, in 2012 Rachel was made a Companion of the Order of Bath, a British order of chivalry founded in 1725.

Rachel’s appointment as Registrar came after meetings held between the University’s Senate and Council on 26 May. Stuart Croft, Warwick’s Vice Chancellor, said Rachel “brings considerable experience of heading large teams with large budgets to the role of Registrar”.

He added: “much of that experience has been in the Department of Government responsible for higher education and skills.”

Rachel will be taking over from Ken Sloan, who Stuart Croft thanks for “the many roles he has held in Warwick’s Administration”, in addition to being Warwick’s Registrar.

Speaking about her new appointment as Registrar, Rachel has said: “I’m really delighted to be joining Warwick. It is a fabulous university and I am really looking forward to joining its ambitious and dynamic team.”