David Eastwood remains high on the Power List this year although has fallen a bit thanks to some of the flashier risers on the scene, and having relinquished the Chair of the Russell Group in the last year. Although it should be noted that his successor at the Russell Group does not make it on this year’s top 50 – something that says more about Eastwood’s clout regardless of his formal roles. However, the old school HE heavyweight remains at the heart of the sector’s leadership and decision-making structure and so is one of the highest-ranking vice chancellors on this year’s list.
Much of Eastwood’s authority comes from his CV: Chief Executive of HEFCE, Vice Chancellor of the University of East Anglia and Chief Executive of the Arts and Humanities Research Council. He was also one of two vice chancellors on the Browne Review. More junior vice chancellors still look to take his lead, and the intentionally-designed leadership powerhouse of his senior team at Birmingham has seen him recently place protégés as new vice chancellors at Manchester Met, Nottingham Trent, the University of Sussex, Heriot Watt and Liverpool John Moores.