Email: jenny.willott@stmarys.ac.uk
Biography
As Director of Enterprise and Innovation, Jenny is responsible for St Mary’s commercial and philanthropic income and knowledge exchange activities. The teams within Enterprise and Innovation include Conferences and Events, Short Courses and CPD, Development, Enterprise and The Exchange arts venue.
Jenny joined St Mary’s University in 2016, first working with the former Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Enterprise to establish the Enterprise and Innovation department, and becoming the first Director of the department in 2017.
Prior to joining St Mary’s, Jenny was a Member of Parliament for ten years, serving in a number of positions in both Opposition and in Government, including as Consumer Affairs Minister, Women and Equalities Minister and a Government Whip. She left Parliament in 2015 and alongside her role at St Mary’s, she is a school governor, a Non-Executive Director on the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, and she chairs the Civil Aviation Authority’s Consumer Panel. Prior to entering Parliament, she worked in the voluntary sector, including as Chief Executive of Victim Support South Wales and Head of Advocacy for UNICEF UK. She was made a member of the Privy Council in 2014 and was awarded an OBE for political service in 2018.