Chris Oldham

Biography

I am the Chief Operating Officer at the University of Essex. I oversee the following Professional Services Sections: Marketing Student Recruitment and Admissions; Communications Advancement and Stakeholder Engagement; Estates; Digital Innovation and Technology Services; Library & Cultural Services; People and Culture; Research and Enterprise Office; Academic Section. I also oversee the Partnerships Team within the Office of the Vice Chancellor. I am also the University Executive Lead for the following subsidiary companies: University of Essex Campus Services Ltd. and University of Essex Knowledge Gateway Ltd. I commenced my current role in January 2026. I previously held the following roles at the University of Essex: Deputy Registrar (Infrastructure and Environments); Director of Estates and Campus Services; Director of Campus Services; Deputy Director - Campus Services. Prior to joining the University of Essex, I worked in the leisure and hospitality sector, holding a range of management and director roles in various locations across the UK.