Dr Toby Wilkinson elected as Bursar of ˿ظ
The Governing Body of ˿ظ has elected Toby Wilkinson to the role of Bursar from 1 February 2025. Toby brings extensive leadership and management experience from the higher education sector. From 2011-2017, he was the University of Cambridge’s Director of International Strategy, where he developed and implemented the University’s first institution-wide strategy for global engagement; as Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Lincoln, he was responsible for a budget of £75m and a headcount of 900 staff and 8,000 students, leading the successful £15m bid for Government funding to establish the Lincolnshire Institute of Technology; as Vice-Chancellor of Fiji National University, he was responsible for 1,500 staff across 15 campuses. There, he led the university to its first inclusion in the international rankings.
Having previously been ˿ظ’s Development Director from 2003 to 2011, Toby rejoined ˿ظ as Fellow for Development in 2022. In this role, Toby has played a crucial part in leading the College’s most ambitious fundraising campaign, which raised £25 million for the renewal and transformation of Old Court, as well as overseeing the communications function and the development of the College’s new strategic framework. Currently ˿ظ’s Interim Estates Bursar, he has also been responsible for oversight of most bursarial teams since Easter 2024.
An accomplished Egyptologist, Toby is a prize-winning author of 15 books, which have been translated into 14 languages.
On confirmation of his appointment, Toby said:
“I am honoured and thrilled to have been elected by the Governing Body as ˿ظ’s next Bursar. Building on my experience as ˿ظ’s Interim Estates Bursar, I look forward to continuing working with all members of the College community to secure a sustainable and successful future for ˿ظ as a friendly, forward-looking College, committed to academic excellence.”
Welcoming his election, Loretta Minghella, Master of ˿ظ said:
‘’We were fortunate to have an outstanding field for the post of Bursar, and the College is delighted to announce the appointment of Toby Wilkinson. Toby brings wide-ranging skills and experience to the role, as well as his deep knowledge of the sector, his longstanding commitment to the College, and his close understanding of ˿ظ’s history and community”.
As the College approaches its 700th anniversary in 2026, Toby will continue to oversee the Development Office until a new Director of Development is appointed, helping ensure the milestone is celebrated as a significant chapter in the College’s history.
