Madeleine Atkins

Madeleine Atkins took the reigns of HEFCE just over a year ago and her tenure has seen a whirlwind of activity inside the funding council and amongst those that depend on it. In a few short months, she has reshaped her role and the role of HEFCE under difficult external circumstances. Impatient for the politicians to agree on legislation, Atkins is shaking up the sector, cutting programmes and kicking the organisation in to shape to lead the sector’s new world order as the indisputable ‘lead regulator’. With a diminished funding role, her tenure represents a critical moment for the Council and her approach demonstrates impressive leadership and tenacity – even as the bodies mount up. With billions yet to come out of BIS in the next parliament and with everything the sector holds dear still at risk, Madeleine Atkins will play a critical role in the spending negotiations to come. If she follows through in the months ahead, then her ‘go hard or go home’ approach might be proved to be just what the sector needed.