Former Minister Joins Cardiff University

Former Welsh Government Minister, Leighton Andrews, is taking up a new role at Cardiff University to strengthen its position at the forefront of research into public service leadership and innovation. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In his post as Professor of Practice in Public Service Leadership and Innovation at Cardiff Business School, Leighton will take a leadership role in academic and engagement activities around public service leadership and innovation. He will contribute to the School’s public service leadership and innovation teaching and executive education. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Speaking about his appointment, Leighton said: “I am pleased to be joining the talented team at Cardiff University and I look forward to contributing to research and teaching across a variety of academic subjects, drawing on my previous experience and prior research. There is considerable scope to expand teaching and research in the fields of public service leadership, innovation, devolution governance and policy studies.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A member of the National Assembly from 2003-2016, Leighton held roles including Deputy Minister for Social Justice and Public Service Delivery, Deputy Minister for Regeneration, Minister for Children, Education and Lifelong Learning, Minister for Education and Skills and Minister for Public Service. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

During his career, he has also worked as head of public affairs for the BBC in London, responsible for the BBC’s relationships with Westminster and Brussels, and as a lecturer at the University’s School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies, where he has been an honorary professor since 2004. He also ran several businesses in the fields of public relations and corporate social responsibility, as well as setting up his own business which he sold in 1999. He has published two books, Ministering to Education (Parthian, 2014) and Wales Says Yes (Seren, 1999). He has also contributed peer-reviewed articles and chapters to academic journals and books. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Professor Martin Kitchener, Head of Cardiff Business School said: “Leighton joins Cardiff Business School with a wealth of experience and real-life expertise around governance in Wales, policy and public service development. His appointment will help strengthen our already talented faculty and we look forward to welcoming him to the University.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Leighton will take up his post at the University in September 2016 for a period of three years. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cardiff Business School is widely regarded as one of the leading business and management schools in the UK. The School is committed to improving social and economic conditions by addressing grand challenges in novel, inter-disciplinary ways, and is the world’s first business school to put this ethos of public value at the heart of its operations. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​