Dr Keith Johnson, who has been an advisor/consultant to the European Commission and other EU institutions for over 20 years, has been appointed as Vice Principal (External Development) at Southampton Institute.
His role will be to take responsibility for all aspects of the institution's external relations and for the management and development of knowledge transfer and community engagement initiatives in particular.
Dr Johnson joined the Institute in June 2004 as Associate Dean (External Development) in the Faculty of Media, Arts and Society, taking responsibility for the external development work of the faculty. He was subsequently appointed in August 2004 as Acting Dean of the Faculty before taking up his new post as Vice Principal (External Development).
Dr Johnson comments:
"Southampton Institute's award of university status opens up a whole new chapter in its development and offers the opportunity for the institution to build upon its recognised strengths as a key strategic actor in the region's future economic development and growth.
"I look forward to working in very close partnership with business, community and voluntary organisations across the City and in playing our full part in national, regional and local government initiatives advancing the needs of an increasingly knowledge-based society."
Prior to joining the Institute, Dr Johnson was the Chief Executive and Managing Director of the Charlemagne Group, a group of specialist European business, public affairs and communications consulting companies, of which he was a joint founder in 1992. He was appointed in 1997 as Advisor to the Head of the UK Representation of the European Commission on matters relating to business and public information in the UK. Under his direction, the Charlemagne Group acted as Sole Managing Agents for the European Commission in the UK from 1997-2003.
He has also acted as European advisor to a wide range of UK and European companies as well as to government departments, chambers of commerce and other public and private sector organisations both in the UK and other EU member states.
A leading member of the business community in the south-east, he was until late 2003 Chairman of two SRB5 economic regeneration partnerships in Sussex and also Chair of the county-wide East Sussex Economic Partnership. He remains Chairman of the Mid-Sussex independent radio station Bright 106.4FM.
Dr Johnson's academic experience includes Director and Dean of Enterprise (1985-1990) at University of Central England (UCE) and until late 1996, Dr Johnson was Pro Vice-Chancellor at the University of Brighton with responsibility for external and commercial relations. He received his doctorate from the University of Cambridge having previously undertaken postgraduate research at the University of Southampton.
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