Aston University has appointed esteemed Lioncroft Wholesale chief executive Dr Jason Wouhra OBE as its new Chancellor, thus becoming the first Chancellor of Asian heritage.
Dr Wouhra, who was awarded an honorary doctorate for his contribution to entrepreneurship and business development by the Birmingham-based university in 2014, is the fifth Chancellor to be appointed to Aston University since its inception. Not only is he the first Chancellor of Asian heritage to stand, but he is also the youngest.
“Taking on this role is both a privilege and an honour,” Dr Wouhra said. “My connection with Aston University runs deep and I have long respected its commitment to delivering a truly outstanding education while creating and nurturing a community rich in diversity, heart and soul for its students, people, businesses and the wider local area.
“Aston’s core values of inclusivity, entrepreneurialism and transformation align perfectly with my own and I am looking forward to working alongside its dedicated, talented staff and students to help propel the university towards its 2030 strategic goals of becoming a leading university of science, technology and enterprise.
“As Chancellor, I will endeavour to champion and support the university to achieve its mission and vision, while living its values, and build on its formidable legacy for the future.”
Over the past 15 years, Dr Wouhra has taken on a number of prominent positions including non-executive director of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, and in 2013, he became the youngest and first BAME chairman of the Institute of Directors in the West Midlands.
He has also held past and present chairmanships of the West Midlands India Partnership, Library of Birmingham Advisory Board, Asian Chamber of Commerce, Birmingham Child Poverty Commission, Aston University Development Board and was vice chair of the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership and board member of European Structural and Investment Fund.
Dr Wouhra was awarded an OBE by Her Majesty the Queen in 2017 for services to business and international trade.
Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Professor Aleks Subic, said, “Dr Jason Wouhra has been a strong supporter of the University for many years.
“He has a deep personal commitment to the role that education can play in opening opportunities for young people of all backgrounds and an understanding of the wider contribution universities make to the economy and society as a whole.
“As an accomplished entrepreneur and business leader of Asian heritage, he has demonstrated what inclusive growth success looks like in Birmingham and the Midlands. I know he will be an outstanding ambassador for Aston University in his role as Chancellor.”
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