20 University COOs and Higher Education Executives.

Last updated: August 2026.

University COOs and operations executives connect strategy with services, people, money, technology, buildings and the daily experience of students and staff. This August 2026 list brings together 20 current leaders from universities and higher education organisations across several regions.

The focus is the shape of the operating brief, from whole university portfolios to specialist medical, library and faculty roles. These leaders show how complex institutions turn priorities into reliable services and practical decisions.

Why university operations leadership matters.

Higher education institutions are small cities in their own right. Their operating leaders help connect academic purpose with the systems, services and choices that make everyday work possible.

The role is rarely just about keeping things running. It often brings together people, technology, property, finance, governance, risk, planning and the student experience, while making room for change.

University COOs and operations executives to know.

1. Geoff Chatas.

Senior Vice President for Operations and Chief Financial Officer.

Geoff Chatas joined Yale University as senior vice president for operations in November 2025. In this role, he oversees finance, human resources, facilities, hospitality, public safety, information technology and other administrative functions that support Yale's academic mission.

2. Stephanie Gumble.

Chief Operating Officer.

Stephanie Gumble is listed by Harvard University Information Technology as its chief operating officer. Previously at Harvard, Stephanie served as Associate Director of Policy and Projects for the Office of the President, leading university wide initiatives including sustainability and public service.

3. Chris Price.

Divisional Registrar and Chief Operating Officer.

The University of Oxford Medical Sciences Division lists Chris Price as Divisional Registrar and Chief Operating Officer. The Medical Sciences Division places the role alongside assurance, business partnerships, communications, data privacy, finance, human resources, information technology and strategic planning.

4. Alex Bush.

Chief Operating Officer.

Alex Bush joined the Bodleian Libraries in June 2026 as Chief Operating Officer. Before that, Alex was Head of Planning at the University of Oxford, where she led the Planning and Data Team across student number planning, services planning, resource allocation and strategic planning.

5. Matthew C. Comstock.

Executive Director for Administration and Chief Operating Officer.

Matthew C Comstock serves as the Executive Director for Administration and Chief Operating Officer of the University of Michigan Medical School. He is responsible for the planning, organisation and evaluation of administrative operations and oversees a multi billion dollar all funds operating portfolio supporting education, research and clinical care.

6. Patrick Retton.

Chief Operating Officer.

Patrick Retton is the Chief Operating Officer of Georgetown Law. Patrick has over 15 years of experience in nonprofit and higher education leadership and specialises in finance, operations, capital planning and human resources.

7. Patrick Hackett.

Registrar, Secretary and Chief Operating Officer.

Patrick Hackett leads the University of Manchester's professional services. He joined Manchester from the University of Liverpool, where he held senior roles including Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Vice Chancellor, and he is an architect by profession.

8. Lucinda Parr.

Chief Operating Officer and Registrar.

Lucinda Parr became Chief Operating Officer, Registrar and University Secretary at the University of Bristol in March 2019, and the role was revised to Chief Operating Officer and Registrar in May 2025. Lucinda worked at Goldsmiths, including as Director of Executive and Governance Services, before moving to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine as University Secretary and Registrar and Chief Compliance Officer.

9. Chris Hunt.

Chief Operating Officer.

Chris Hunt is Chief Operating Officer at the University of Nottingham and leads professional operational excellence and strategic performance. His remit includes professional services, commercial enterprises, campus operations, capital projects, digital infrastructure development, strategic planning and investment benefits.

10. Rob Sykes.

Chief Operating Officer.

The University of Sheffield lists Rob Sykes as Chief Operating Officer in its University Executive Board contact directory. His role sits alongside the university's chief financial officer and director of human resources in the senior executive structure.

11. Rachel Brealey.

Chief Operating Officer.

Rachel Brealey is Chief Operating Officer at the University of Leeds and a key member of the University Executive Group. She is responsible for university wide operations and service delivery across digital and information services, student education and experience, advancement, facilities and transformation.

12. Chris Twine.

Chief Operating Officer and University Secretary.

The University of Warwick lists Dr Chris Twine as Chief Operating Officer and University Secretary on its senior leadership team. The role is part of the university's senior leadership team and University Executive Board membership.

13. Katerina Kapobassis.

Vice President, Administration and Finance and Chief Operating Officer.

Katerina Kapobassis is Vice President, Administration and Finance and Chief Operating Officer at the University of Melbourne. The COO portfolio covers whole of university strategy planning and performance, operations planning, governance, transformation and resource allocation.

14. Andrew Flannery.

Chief Operating Officer.

The University of Queensland lists Andrew Flannery as Chief Operating Officer on its Senior Executive Team. The COO plans and manages professional services at UQ, overseeing human resources, finance, marketing and communication, technology, infrastructure and corporate functions.

15. Tobi Wilson.

Vice President, Operations and Chief Operating Officer.

Tobi Wilson is Vice President, Operations and Chief Operating Officer at UNSW Sydney, having commenced in August 2025. The Division of Operations includes Finance, UNSW IT, Estate Management, People and Culture, Enterprise Data and the Enterprise Portfolio Management Office.

16. Simon Kupec.

Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President.

Monash University appointed Simon Kupec as Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President following a competitive global recruitment process. Before the appointment, he led the Campus Community Division and held roles across community safety, student conduct operations, residential services, health, counselling, disability support and security.

17. Mark Gregory.

Chief Operating Officer and Registrar.

Mark Gregory is Chief Operating Officer and Registrar at the University of Auckland. He oversees the Enabling Environment and Operations portfolio, including finance, property, digital, legal and governance, strategic planning and student and scholarly services.

18. Ron Saporta.

Chief Operating Officer.

Ron Saporta is the Chief Operating Officer at the University of Toronto. He brings more than 20 years of experience in business operations, redevelopment and facilities across healthcare and higher education.

19. Glen Babington.

Chief Operating Officer and Vice President.

Glen Babington is UTS's Chief Operating Officer and Vice President. His portfolio brings together finance, marketing and communications, property, IT, human resources, legal, data analytics and insights, with responsibility for financial planning, infrastructure, digital transformation and service delivery.

20. Meredith Parry.

Chief Operating Officer.

Meredith Parry is Chief Operating Officer at the University of New England. Her portfolio includes estate and built environment, legal services, people and culture, residential systems, campuses and specialist university facilities.

What these leaders show us.

The operating brief changes with the institution. A medical sciences division needs strong links between research, clinical activity and professional services. A library, faculty or whole university needs a different balance of planning, service delivery and stewardship.

Across the list, the common thread is translation. These leaders turn broad priorities into decisions about people, resources, systems, places and the experience of the communities they serve.

How to use this list.

Use the profiles as prompts for better conversations about operating models, leadership scope and the work that sits between strategy and delivery. The useful question is not who looks most impressive, but what each brief teaches you about running a complex institution well.

Conclusion.

University operations leadership is consequential work. It shapes whether good ideas become reliable services, whether change can be carried through, and whether staff and students experience the institution as coherent.

The leaders here offer different examples of that work. Together, they show why strong operations are not background support, but part of the institution's ability to fulfil its purpose.

Related reading.

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A practical leadership conversation.

I help leadership teams turn complex conversations into practical alignment, clear priorities and stronger ways of working. If your university or higher education organisation is working through change, email jonno@consultclarity.org.

About the Author.

Jonno White is a leadership consultant, keynote speaker and Certified Working Genius Facilitator, and the author of Step Up or Step Out. He works with schools, organisations and leadership teams around the world.