The third chief executive in the last year to take the helm of the University of Law (ULaw) has now left his post, despite only being appointed in May this year.
Stelios Platis (pictured) was the fourth chief executive of ULaw since 2014, when long term leader Nigel Savage retired, and third since ULaw was bought by Global University Systems (GUS) in June 2015.
Platis’ replacement will be professor Andrea Nollent, formerly vice-chancellor of ULaw. She was appointed to the post of provost in May 2014 and has previously been Dean of Nottingham Law School at Nottingham Trent University.
Former chief executive Platis, an economist and lecturer by background, will take on a new role within ULaw developing international operations related to parent company GUS.
A spokesperson for ULaw said: ‘Following the successful restructuring of the university executive, the board of GUS group has asked Dr Stelios Platis to undertake a new assignment specifically focused on the strategic development of GUS international operations.’
Platis took over the position from David Johnston, who departed in June 2016, who had only taken up the role in August 2015 after John Latham stepped down after a year and a half in the job.
Savage told Legal Business: ‘All these CEO departures suggest to me a breakdown in governance. It must raise issues about the expectations of the owners of the business and the role and judgement of the non-executives who made these appointments.’
Previously a charity, aside from an unsettling series of departures at chief executive level in a short period of time, ULaw has lost also several clients, the most high-profile being Magic Circle firms Clifford Chance and Allen & Overy.
georgiana.tudor@legalease.co.uk
Read more on Legal Education in the comment piece: ‘Time to move on – Savage argues legal education is falling behind the realities of the profession’