Laurence is Principal and CEO of South Devon College which includes University Centre South Devon (UCSD). As well as being a member of the Statutory Board of SWBC he is also Co- Chair of EAUC, The Alliance for Sustainability Leadership In Education, a national membership body for UK Universities and Colleges; a member of Torbay Place Leadership Board; a member of the Heart of the South West LEP’s Skills Advisory Panel; and Statutory Member of a Multi-Academy Trust in Paignton.
Beginning his working life in Banking & Finance, Laurence has significant experience in that sector, including as an underwriter of corporate lending to a range of large SMEs and mid-corporates. As an Area Retail Manager he left the world of banking in 2002 to begin his new career.
He first joined South Devon College as Vice Principal in 2010 and successfully led professional services at the College, including Business Development, Employer Engagement, Estates & Facilities, Finance, Human Resources, IT, Data & Systems, Commercial Services and Catering & Retail. Laurence has been instrumental in growing and diversifying College income including successful partnership working and project development to secure bids which have also included in excess of £30m of new capital grants. Laurence was instrumental in the College successfully securing achievement of Investors in People Platinum in 2017 and its reaccreditation in 2020. South Devon College is a general further education college supporting 10,000 students a year from entry level through to honours degrees and works with over 1,200 businesses and employers.
The College is itself the third largest employer in South Devon with 700 staff and contributing in excess of £35m to the local economy every year.
Laurence was appointed as Principal and CEO of South Devon College in September 2019 and believes education and lifelong learning is transformational and the keystone for a successful and sustainable economy, business and individual prosperity and social mobility.
Organisation: South Devon College