University Management

As a first contact point for comment and assistance on University or student matters, contact Maria Cobden, Communications Manager and spokesperson for Victoria University of Wellington:

Phone +64 4 463 5539, or maria.cobden@vuw.ac.nz.

Following are the names and contact details for the Victoria University management team.  Click on the link under each name to download a publication-standard head and shoulder picture (jpeg 300 dpi).  A short open resume is also available.

Professor Pat Walsh
Vice-Chancellor
Phone: +64 4 463 5301 | open resume | download picture

Professor Penny Boumelha
Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Phone: +64 4 463 5093 | open resume | download picture

Professor Neil Quigley
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)
Phone: +64 4 463 5083 | open resume | download picture

Andrew Simpson
Chief Operating Officer
Phone: +64 4 463 5585 | open resume | download picture

Professor Piri Sciascia
Pro Vice-Chancellor Māori and Toiahurei
Phone: +64 4 463 5303 | open resume | download picture

Professor David Bibby
Pro Vice-Chancellor of Science, Architecture & Design
Phone: +64 4 463 5509 | open resume | download picture

Professor Deborah Willis
Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Humanities & Social Sciences
Pro Vice-Chancellor with responsibility for Equity Issues
Phone: +64 4 463 5340 | open resume | download picture

Professor Dugald Scott
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Dean of Education
Phone: +64 4 463 9700 | open resume | download picture

Professor Bob Buckle
Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Commerce & Administration
Phone: +64 4 463 5822 | open resume| download picture

Professor Tony Smith
Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Law
Phone: +64 4 463 6696 | open resume|

Professor Roberto Rabel
Pro Vice-Chancellor (International)
Phone: +64 4 463 6796 | open resume | download picture

Annemarie de Castro
Director, Human Resources
Phone: +64 4 463 5813 | open resume | download picture  

Professor Pat Walsh
Vice-Chancellor

Professor Walsh took up the position of Vice-Chancellor in January 2005. He joined Victoria as a member of the Industrial Relations Centre in 1981, and in 1997 and became Head of the School of Business & Public Management (now the Victoria Management School). In January 2003, he was appointed Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the Faculty of Commerce & Administration, picking up the role of Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) in March 2003. Professor Walsh completed a BA and MA (First Class Honours) at the University of Canterbury, and received his PhD from the University of Minnesota. He is widely published in leading academic journals and is co-author of The Dynamics of New Zealand Industrial Relations, Public Management: the New Zealand Model and World Famous in New Zealand  « back
 

Professor Penny Boumelha
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)

Professor Penny Boumelha is Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at the Victoria University of Wellington, having served previously as Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost at the University of Adelaide (1999–2005). She holds an M.A. and a D.Phil. in English from the University of Oxford, and has published widely on nineteenth-century fiction (especially Thomas Hardy), on ideologies of gender and race, and on literary genres, as well as on issues in tertiary education and university management. She was elected a Fellow of the Academy of the Humanities in Australia in 1997. She was named in the 1996 Campus Review Independent Teaching Survey as one of Australia’s most respected teachers of English, and has been a member of national bodies including the Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee’s Standing Committee on Education and Students. Professor Boumelha has served as an accredited quality auditor of universities in both the New Zealand and the Australian agencies. In 2003 she was awarded a Centenary Medal by the Commonwealth Government of Australia for services to Australian society and the humanities in English language and literature. « back

Professor Neil Quigley
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)

Professor Neil Quigley was appointed as the University's first Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) in October 2005. In this new role, he manages the Office of Research & Postgraduate Studies, chairs the University Research Committee, and represents the University on the NZ Vice-Chancellors' Committee's Research Committee. Professor Quigley completed a BA and MA with First Class Honours from the University of Canterbury, and in 1986 received his PhD from the University of Toronto. He served as a Lecturer in Economics at Victoria from 1985 to 1990 before leaving to take up an appointment at the University of Western Ontario. He returned to Victoria in 1995 to take up the position of Professor of Monetary Economics and Financial Institutions. In February 1997 he was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Commerce & Administration. In February 2001, he was also appointed Pro Vice-Chancellor and line manager for the heads of University's Schools specialising in business, commerce and management. He also took responsibility for Victoria International and international issues. In January 2003 he relinquished his responsibilities relating to the Faculty of Commerce & Administration to focus on a new role as Pro Vice-Chancellor responsible for Victoria International and international issues. In 2004, the University's Foundation Studies Programme was added to his areas of responsibility. Professor Quigley continues to pursue an active research programme on issues relating to regulation, competition policy and industrial organisation in financial services, electricity, telecommunications and other sectors of the economy. He retains an affiliation as Research Associate at the Institute for Policy Analysis, University of Toronto, the C D Howe Institute in Toronto, and the Institute for the Study of Competition & Regulation at Victoria.  « back
 

Andrew Simpson
Chief Operating Officer
Andrew Simpson was appointed as Chief Operating Officer in May 2009. He has been involved in the management of universities since 1990. Most recently, he was Vice-Principal (Operations & Finance) at Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada from 2003 until 2008. Prior to that, he was the University of Waikato’s Chief Operating Officer (2001-2003), Director Finance & Resources (1999-2000) and Director Financial Services (1997-1998). He has also held positions at the former Central Institute of Technology in Wellington, the University of Otago and Ernst & Young.

As Chief Operating Officer, Mr Simpson leads strategic coordination across the University’s Central Service Units, ensuring high quality data analysis and reporting through better systems and reporting frameworks. He also leads the development and implementation of long-term resourcing strategies for the University.

Mr Simpson holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Otago and is a registered New Zealand Chartered Accountant.  « back
 

Professor Piri Sciascia
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Māori) and Toiahurei

Professor Piri Sciascia is of Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngai Tahu descent with strong affiliations to Ngāti Raukawa and Ngāti Rangitāne. The role of Te Toiahurei is to provide strategic advice to the Vice-Chancellor and the Senior Management Team to assist the University to meet its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi. As Toiahurei, Professor Sciascia leads Toihuarewa - a faculty equivalent academic forum where Māori academic interests are examined, debated and discussed. He also convenes and chairs Victoria's Treaty of Waitangi Advisory Committee (TOWAC) that has the goal of helping the University achieve its Treaty of Waitangi obligations. A graduate of Victoria and Otago Universities, Professor Sciascia became Victoria University's first Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Māori), Te Toiahurei in July 2000, and was appointed Pro Vice-Chancellor (Māori) in May 2003. He has a strong background in the arts, and administered the well-known Te Māori exhibition. In June 2001, he was formally recognised as a Tohunga Huarewa - one who has strived for and attained a pinnacle of excellence with regard to knowledge of Māori performing arts. Before joining the University, Professor Sciascia was an adviser to the Chief Executive of Te Puni Kōkiri. He has also been Assistant Director-General of the Department of Conservation, Assistant Director of the QEII Arts Council and Director of the Māori and South Pacific Arts Council. He holds a commemorative medal for service to the arts.  « back  

Professor David Bibby
Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Science, Architecture & Design

Professor David Bibby joined Victoria in April 2003 after a lengthy working relationship with staff and students. A graduate of the University of Loughborough, he subsequently received a PhD in 1970 and a DSc in 1995. Professor Bibby has many years' experience in the management of science. He has enjoyed a significant career in the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research where he became General Manager Science in the Chemistry Division, and subsequently in the Crown Research Institute, Industrial Research Ltd. He has served on a number of government advisory panels, and is currently a member of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Taskforce reporting to the Hon Paul Swain. He has also served on the management boards of various research centres and Institutes, most recently the Nanomaterials Research Centre at Massey University and Victoria's MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology. « back  

Professor Deborah Willis
Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Humanities & Social Sciences
Pro Vice-Chancellor with responsibility for Equity Issues

Professor Deborah Willis was appointed as Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Humanities & Social Sciences in March 2004, having been Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Academic) since January 2002. Professor Willis has worked in the education field for more than 20 years. During that period she has been a Senior Lecturer in the School of Education specialising in curriculum, assessment and evaluation issues and the Director of the University Teaching Development Centre. Other activities include the provision of pre and in-service training to Cook Islands teachers and professional development to staff at the National University of Samoa. She recently led a team that carried out a comprehensive review of the Cook Islands education system. Her areas of research interest include student assessment and the relationship between teaching and research. « back  

Professor Dugald Scott
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Dean of Education

Professor Scott was appointed as Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Dean of the Faculty of Education in January 2005. Prior to this appointment, Professor Scott was the Chief Executive and Principal of the Wellington College of Education, which merged with the University on 1 January 2005. He had been College Principal since 1996 after a number of years as a teacher, policy analyst and lecturer. He has a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Educational Studies and a Master of Arts in education from Victoria and a Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching from the College. He has played an integral role in the development of the College’s latest initiatives including online learning and high intensity postgraduate courses. « back  

Professor Bob Buckle
Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Commerce & Administration

Professor Bob Buckle was appointed as Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the Faculty of Commerce and Administration commencing 1 February 2008.

Prior to taking up this position, Professor Buckle was a senior advisor with the New Zealand Treasury from 2000 to 2007 where he led work on macroeconomic policy priorities and the development of the Treasury's economic growth programme. He was also Chair, Economic Committee, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in 2007 and 2008.

Prior to joining the Treasury in 2000, Professor Buckle was Head of the School of Economics and Finance at Victoria University of Wellington. He was a full-time member of the academic staff at Victoria University from 1981 to 2000 and has been a visiting economist at several overseas universities, research institutes and international economic policy organisations. In 2003 he was awarded the NZIER/QANTAS award for contributions to New Zealand economics. Professor Buckle was appointed as a member of the Advisory Board of the Centre for Applied Macroeconomic Analysis (CAMA), Australian National University, Australia in May 2008. In 2009 he was appointed as Chair of the Government�s new Tax Policy Working Group.« back  

Professor Tony Smith
Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Law

Professor Tony Smith, LLM(Hons) Cant, LLD Camb Professor Smith was appointed Dean of Law and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Government Relations) in October 2006. Prior to joining Victoria, Professor Smith was Professor of Criminal and Public Laws at the University of Cambridge, and a Fellow of Gonville and Caius College. He has a Master of Laws with First Class Honours from Canterbury University, and was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court in 1979. He was called to the Bar in England in 1992, and is an Honorary Bencher of the Middle Temple.

In 1999 he was awarded a Doctor of Laws by Cambridge University on the basis of his published works.

He has previously served as Chairman of Cambridge’s Faculty of Law and Chairman of the Heads of the Association of University Law Schools. Professor Smith has published extensively in the areas of criminal justice and public law.
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Professor Roberto Rabel
Pro Vice-Chancellor (International)

Professor Roberto Rabel was appointed as the University's Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) in March 2006. In this role, he manages Victoria International and the University's Foundation Studies Programme. Professor Rabel is a Victoria alumnus, graduating in 1978 with a BA(Hons) in history and international politics. He was a Fulbright Scholar at Duke University in the United States, where he received an MA in 1980 and a PhD in American diplomatic history in 1984. Following a brief period spent at Canterbury University as a postdoctoral fellow, he moved to Otago University where he taught international history, served three times as the Director of the Otago Foreign Policy School, and most recently was the Director of Otago University's International Office. He is a recognised specialist in Vietnam War history and is a prolific writer and editor, with more than 35 history books or articles to his name. His most recent book is a political and diplomatic history of New Zealand's involvement in the Vietnam War. « back  

Annemarie de Castro
Director, Human Resources

Annemarie de Castro was appointed as Director, Human Resources, in June 2004, having previously been Director of Human Resources at Massey University in Palmerston North since 1997. She had also worked as a human resources adviser for Massey and with businesses in the private sector. As Director, Human Resources, Ms de Castro is responsible for providing advice on human resources, industrial relations and health and safety, and for the management of human resources information, including payroll. Ms de Castro has a BA in Psychology from Massey and is a Fellow of the Human Resources Institute of New Zealand.« back