We are pleased to announce the appointment of Kirsty Shaw as our Chief Operating Officer.
The Chief Operating Officer plays a pivotal role in the delivery of the University Strategy and is responsible for key corporate functions across Campus Infrastructure, Campus Services, Digital, Library services, Sports operations, and Sustainability.
Kirsty Shaw joins the University from Homes England, where she is Chief Operating Officer, with responsibility for enabling the delivery of £30bn of national housing and regeneration programmes. Previously, Kirsty was Chief Operating Officer for the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and had responsibility for corporate services, transformational change, customer services, and regulatory delivery.
Professor Phil Taylor, Vice-Chancellor and President, said:
I’m delighted that Kirsty Shaw will be joining us at a particularly exciting time for the University. We have bold ambitions for the coming years, and Kirsty’s experience and strong business acumen will support us to navigate the challenges ahead and to seize strategic opportunities. The panel was really impressed with the breadth and depth of Kirsty’s leadership experience across operational areas, including digital modernisation, strategic change, data and analytics. We look forward to welcoming her to Bath.
Kirsty Shaw said:
I am really excited to be joining the University of Bath. Bath has big ambitions, and I am looking forward to playing my part in turning that ambition into reality on the ground. I am confident that my varied experience of leading large, complex operations will stand me in good stead for the challenge ahead.
Sharon Flood, Chair of Council, said:
I was very pleased to join the recruitment panel appointing to this significant role in the University’s senior team. I have no doubt Kirsty’s extensive leadership experience will be an invaluable addition to both the Executive Board and the wider University.
Following her MBA at the University of Exeter, Kirsty held a number of leadership and consultancy roles across environmental, finance, food, and agricultural sectors. She was a Director in Natural England and the Animal & Plant Health Agency, before taking up her first Chief Operating Officer role at the CQC.
Kirsty will join the University of Bath in the late summer of 2026.