Who we are
Our leadership
The OfS leadership team is responsible for delivering our objectives and business plan.
Susan Lapworth is Chief Executive.
Susan is responsible for delivering the strategy set by the board, and ensuring that the OfS operates efficiently and effectively.
She is an executive member of the OfS board.
Directors
Arif Ahmed is Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom.
Arif oversees our free speech functions under the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023. He is an executive member of the OfS board.
Jean Arnold is Interim Director of Quality and Access.
Jean oversees our work to help drive improvement of quality, reliable standards and positive outcomes for students (our B conditions of registration) and consumer protection. As interim director, she is responsible for our work on the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, and collaborates with institutions to oversee equality of opportunity.
Josh Fleming is Director of Strategy and Delivery.
Josh is responsible for strategy, evaluation, stakeholder engagement, communications, and ensuring the organisation delivers on its strategic aims. He is also responsible for our data, foresight and analysis activities.
Lydia Mboneka is the Deputy Finance Director.
Lydia oversees the finance function of the OfS, including procurement and payroll.
Philippa Pickford is Director of Regulation.
Philippa leads on our approach to regulation, including the development, implementation and continuous improvement of our approach to regulatory decisions, interventions and enforcement.
Nolan Smith is Director of Resources and Finance.
Nolan oversees a range of OfS corporate services, including human resources, governance, finance and IT.
David Smy is Deputy Director of Enabling Regulation.
David oversees our work on issues that affect overall provider effectiveness and ability to deliver for students, in particular financial sustainability and provider governance.
Sarah Stoney is General Counsel.
Sarah leads and oversees the provision of legal services to the OfS.
Senior colleagues
Daniel Adamson is Head of Interventions.
Dan is responsible, together with the Head of Enforcement, for leading our interventions and enforcement activity.
Jamie Black is Head of Monitoring.
Jamie is responsible for our approach to monitoring conditions of registration and continuously improving the efficiency of our regulatory work.
Suzanne Carrie is Head of Student Equality and Welfare.
Suzanne is responsible for regulatory activity related to equality of opportunity and also works with other senior staff to develop the OfS approach to student insight, input and information.
William Dent is Head of Financial Sustainability.
Will leads on monitoring financial sustainability across the sector, including how individual providers manage financial risks to secure good financial health and protect the interests of students.
Peter Hill is Head of Enforcement.
Peter is responsible, together with the Head of Interventions, for leading our interventions and enforcement activity.
Nicholas Holland is Head of Quality and Standards.
Nick leads on OfS requirements relating to course quality, academic support and resources, and academic standards.
Sophie McIvor is Head of Communications.
Sophie is responsible for OfS communications and engagement activity, including media relations, public affairs, publishing and internal communications.
Matt Roberts is Chief Data Officer.
Matt is responsible for data operations at the OfS, leading the data team, developing insight and creating a modern data platform to support all regulation activity.
Graeme Rosenberg is Head of Student Outcomes.
Graeme is responsible for the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), our work to promote positive student outcomes, and quality assessments for providers applying to be registered with the OfS.
Rowena Rowley is Head of Provider Governance.
Rowena leads on OfS requirements relating to management and governance including our approach to protecting public funding. She also oversees the work we do to monitor providers’ compliance with the Prevent duty.
Julie Tam is Head of Pathways and Funding.
Julie leads on pathways and skills policy, including implementation of the lifelong learning entitlement, and is responsible for managing and distributing OfS recurrent and capital funding to providers.
06 January 2026 - Directors' register of interests updated
17 December 2025 - Added profiles for Lydia Mboneka and Sarah Stoney.
10 December 2025 - Directors' register of interests updated.
10 November 2025 - John Blake has left his role as the Office for Students' Director for Fair Access and Participation. The directors' register of interests has been updated.
08 October 2025 - Details updated for Matt Roberts.
18 April 2024 - Updated senior staff list to remove Jack Smith
23 November 2023 - Details updated for Arif Ahmed. Details added for Paul Huffer, Head of Legal.
29 August 2023 - Details added for Arif Ahmed, Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom.
27 July 2023 - Updated team membership and register of interests.
05 July 2023 - Updated team membership and register of interests.
05 May 2023 - Updated to reflect changes to some of the OfS's directorates and to include senior regulatory staff.
14 February 2023 - Directors' register of interests updated
06 February 2023 - Richard Puttock has left the OfS
22 September 2022 - Updated register of interests
02 September 2022 - Page updated to reflect the appointment of Susan Lapworth as chief executive.
01 May 2022 - Changes related to Nicola Dandridge leaving.
01 January 2022 - Updated with details of new Director for Fair Access and Participation.
10 September 2021 - OfS directors' register of interests updated
05 August 2021 - Directors' register of interest updated
01 September 2020 - Changes to job titles for Susan Lapworth and Nolan Smith
01 January 2020 - Updated directors' responsibilities and register of interest
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