The article chronicles Heather McLaughlin’s journey to becoming a successful dean, highlighting an unconventional career path rooted in flexibility, resilience, and external engagement. Initially pursuing a career in accounting, the author transitioned into academia by chance, gaining academic credibility through a master’s degree, PhD, and research in maritime economics. External roles, including advisory positions and leadership in industry and charitable organisations, broadened the author’s perspective and enhanced leadership skills. Reflecting on leadership challenges in higher education, the author emphasises empathy, emotional intelligence, and fostering collaboration. The piece concludes with advice on resilience, mentorship, and developing a broad identity to navigate modern university leadership.

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Introduction

How did I get here? It’s a question that still slightly baffles me as I think about my path to the deanery. Academia was certainly not part of my original plan. My parents were both teachers and had always strongly counselled against a career in education. As a child, I always planned to become a chartered accountant, primarily because I loved money, and wanted lots of it to fuel my shopping addiction. And, on graduating in economics from Lancaster, that’s exactly what I went on to do.

After qualifying, I had a short spell in industry as a financial analyst for IBM and then returned to the profession as a tax manager before my plans became slightly (but happily) derailed by the birth of my son. A year of reflection made me realise that I needed a career with more flexibility and, quite by chance, I saw an advert for a part-time lecturer in accounting at what was then City of London Polytechnic (which became London Guildhall University a year later as part of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992). I thought it would be a great ‘stop gap’ whilst I considered what I really wanted to do. The following year, I was offered a full-time job and my academic ‘stop gap’ morphed into a serious academic journey of more learning, more exams, developing a whole new area of expertise, and leadership.

Developing an Academic Identity

I have to admit that at the start I thought I was wholly qualified for this new career. After all, I was a Chartered Accountant with Big Firm experience. They were lucky to have me, weren’t they? Fortunately, I was quickly disavowed of that smug attitude by my Head of Department who pointed out that I was now in a different profession and needed to cover new bases. This meant studying for a master’s degree, and then a PhD alongside my teaching commitments. It was tough but, to this day, I am extremely grateful for that advice, without which I definitely wouldn’t have got as far as I did.

My choice of PhD, which focused on currency risk management in the shipping industry, would also set me on an unexpected research path. Coming from a very landlocked Stoke-on-Trent, my only connection with maritime was that it was the birthplace of Edward Smith, who so tragically captained the Titanic to its watery grave in 1912. But London Guildhall had a strong maritime economics centre with excellent supervisors and so it seemed like a good idea to leverage that know-how together with my finance expertise. My PhD thesis was followed by work on bond financing, and mergers and acquisitions. After that, I never managed to leave maritime. It‘s an industry that draws you in – mysterious and complex, it has all the ingredients of an intense thriller – money, power, relationships, risk, baffling acronyms. It’s quirky, but very traditional and very male-dominated. And yes, you had to put up with a good dose of misogyny, but you never had to queue for the ladies’ loo!

Throughout my career, my research work has maintained a strong focus on policy development at national, European and international levels in the areas of: finance; water freight; ports policy; E-maritime and labour. I am pleased to say that this area attracts many more women today.

The whole area of maritime economics is relatively new as an academic discipline. The first book on the subject was written by Svenson in 1958 but it wasn’t until the 1970s that the first academic journal dealing with maritime economics and business, ‘Maritime Policy and Management’ was launched by Taylor and Francis (part of the Informa Group). Now more than 50 years in production, I am proud to have been its editor-in-chief for 10 years from 2007 to 2017 and remain on the editorial board.

External Academic Profile and Networks

Research in this applied area of maritime transport afforded many opportunities to develop networks and collaborations and so create a much-needed external academic profile.

The Ports Industry, or more specifically the UK Ports Industry was also the focus of my work as Specialist Adviser to the House of Commons Transport Select Committee. You may be surprised to learn that the UK has more than 300 commercial ports around its 11,000 miles of coastline, and more than 50 of them are considered major ports dealing with more than a million tonnes of cargo a year. The UK is almost unique in the level of privatisation of its ports. Most worldwide ports are state-owned although they will usually operate along commercial lines. The Select Committee’s Inquiry highlighted the challenges for ports operating in the privatised model in terms of their dependency on government decisions for port and landside infrastructure development.

My experience as a Specialist Adviser was made all the more memorable because I was working for the very enigmatic Gwyneth Dunwoody, MP for Crewe and Nantwich who chaired the Select Committee. She and I really hit it off, not just because as a ‘Stokie’ I knew her constituency well, but because she would always do her utmost to support women. Most of the committee hearings were followed by a ‘libation’ (usually champagne) in the Strangers Bar. Her generosity was legendary and she would always agree to come and speak at conferences and other events with her usual caveat – “if I am still alive!” Sadly, she is no more.

It was shortly after this inquiry that I helped establish and run an organisation to promote water freight transport in the UK called ‘Sea and Water’. The organisation brought together what was a very fragmented industry to act as a conduit between the industry and the Department for Transport. The work involved a tremendous amount of lobbying – a lot of meetings with MPs, including Theresa May (then shadow transport secretary who really does have a rather unnatural fascination with shoes, not just as foot apparel, but as ornaments and pictures adorning her office in the House of Commons), and John Prescott the then Deputy Prime Minister, who kindly gave the after-dinner speech at one of our conferences and wrote a foreword for one of our major publications.

At Sea and Water, we also carried out a tremendous amount of research in order to make a convincing case for water freight transport aimed at alleviating road congestion, and reducing environmental pollution. This proved to be an important springboard for a number of European projects promoting water freight transport across the region and also looked at improving information exchange, replacing paper-based with electronic communication as part of the broader digital agenda. It has the potential to significantly improve maritime transport performance, create greater transparency, and reduce the administrative burden.

However, it is the work I have done on seafarers and the labour market of which I am most proud. It all started with a major project for the International Labour Organisation back in 2002 – a global study into the living and working conditions of seafarers based on questionnaires completed by maritime administrations, shipowners, and seafaring unions worldwide. The work also involved a number of case studies of Denmark, Panama, China, The Philippines, and India which were absolutely fascinating. The research provided much needed information about the maritime labour force and the disparity of experience under different flag states. The resulting report informed tripartite meetings in Geneva and Singapore and formed the basis for a new umbrella convention – essentially a bill of rights for seafarers which was finally drafted in 2006.

This work was the first to properly capture and analyse the characteristics of this peculiar labour market and led to further publications on seafaring labour economics. ‘Maritime Economics and Business’, a book edited by Professor Costas Grammenos became one of the seminal texts for academic study in the maritime field and the chapter that I wrote with my colleague and friend James McConville on the ‘Economics of the Seafaring Labour Market’ was the first theoretical piece written on this topic.

I have been extremely lucky that my work with the industry has taken me around the world – to the temples of Kyoto, the Great Wall of China, and the Panama Canal. I have toured numerous shipyards, and ports. I have sipped warm Coca-Cola in an attic in Mumbai courtesy of the Indian ratings union, played golf on the oldest course in Japan, sung karaoke (very badly) in Kobe with the Japanese shipowners, and enjoyed Singapore Slings in the Long Bar at Raffles. My proudest achievement by far was the conferment of my personal chair (professorship). My Mum would have been over the moon but sadly she did not live long enough to see it, happily my Dad remains my biggest fan.

But what about academic leadership?

The truth is that leadership didn’t really enter my consciousness throughout many years in academia. I had been busy doing and enjoying such a variety of things including some significant leadership roles – as editor of a journal, as director of a government quango and as director of a small research centre but had not really seen myself in a university leadership role as a Head of School or dean. That changed with a move to the small business school at Canterbury Christ Church University where I felt that I needed to throw my hat into the leadership ring. Maybe it was due to the confidence that I had gained through a myriad of external opportunities, but I certainly saw a job that needed to be done and went for it.

That first Head of School role was by far the hardest role I have ever undertaken. In a small school, you simply don’t have the resources at your disposal and definitely have to lead by example, covering a number of portfolios in the process. It was stressful – I found that I never really stopped working (or at least thinking about work), colleagues were quite demanding and I felt that I was continually ‘treading water’. But my life changed when I started working with a coach. Although extremely sceptical about the benefits, I started keeping a diary and discussing some of the trickier situations that I faced in the role – managing up and down! This process made me realise that I was indeed starting to get somewhere and was making a significant contribution to the work of the school. But much more importantly, it made me think about the way in which I reacted to situations and helped me to avoid getting emotionally engaged. It wasn’t that I didn’t care, I just learned to depersonalise everything. The result was that I thought more clearly, felt much happier, and became a better leader.

I was in the role for 5 years and making the next move proved quite difficult. I was overlooked for an internal promotion to dean of the wider faculty, much to my disappointment and (frankly) astonishment and so had to look elsewhere. I managed to get shortlisted for a number of dean roles but the feedback was always that I would struggle to ‘scale up’ to a bigger school and even that I talked too much about what ‘we’ had achieved as a team rather than ‘I’. I still think that this latter point speaks much more about their leadership styles and cultures than my shortcomings. I certainly haven’t become more autocratic and don’t intend to!

Eventually, I was given a break by Coventry University. I was definitely on my game that day, having had lots of interview practice and an enormous amount of preparation. But the vibe in the interview was very different from what I had experienced before – there was humour as well as rigour and I felt that my face did fit. I remember at one point the Vice-Chancellor trying to intervene on my behalf when the engagement with one of the panel members became quite heated to which I replied “It’s fine, I’m enjoying the sparring!” I wonder whether that sealed the deal. I went from being head of a school of 2000 students to dean of a large faculty of 8000 students and was overjoyed. It was a different leadership challenge but was, in truth, far easier than leading the small school, as strong structures were in place and it was better resourced. I also felt that I could be more myself – whether that was because of the culture of the university or the region it was in, I am not sure – maybe both played a part.

The two and half years I spent there was a tremendous and enjoyable learning experience. There were some tough changes to make, notably a move to hotdesking for the faculty (this was pre-pandemic) but I had developed good communication channels, heard the various voices and found solutions. I knew that acceptance and (dare I say) ‘buy-in’ had been achieved when it was dropped as an agenda item on the monthly staff forum. I continued to work on my external profile, becoming a council member of the Chartered Association of Business Schools and engaging in research, accepting speaking engagements and attending to my own professional development. I was also lucky enough to do a course in design thinking, ‘Innovation by Design’ at INSEAD which was and continues to be extremely influential in my own strategic thinking and development.

It was the pull and definitely not the push factor that took me to De Montfort University where the role of dean also included a university-wide role as a Pro Vice-Chancellor where I am now in my 5th year. It has been a time of significant challenge because of the Covid pandemic which tested the resilience of individuals as well as organisations. Now the HE sector is facing a time of considerable change and challenge – an increasingly competitive market, falling student participation rates, financial sustainability, the digital revolution, increasing regulation, and greater public scrutiny. This calls for a level of creativity and courage like never before. At De Montfort I am proud of the move to block delivery of our courses, which received much positive student feedback. We have also shone a light on teaching excellence and staff development as a major driver of student satisfaction.

In my role as dean, my leadership style has been one that establishes the frameworks and structures which allow colleagues to create and innovate. I am described as an empathetic and empowering leader by both peers and direct reports. I have strived to create a strong community ethos through my investment in people and relationship building.

I have learned that to lead and manage in HE requires a balance of technical capability, business expertise, academic credibility and emotional intelligence. Leadership (for me) is not just about realising functional results and growing the bottom line, it is also a matter of co-creating and building sustainable stakeholder relationships. In my current and previous roles, I have led cultural and organisational change to modern agile ways of working, as well as the creation of more entrepreneurial and strategically aligned inter-faculty environments. These qualities are important as universities face the demands of new and different audiences.

Undoubtedly the hardest part of the job is dealing with people at all levels across the university – upwards as well as downwards. I am quite outspoken, but I pick my battles and causes carefully. I am good at reading the room and feel that this is time well spent if you are to be taken seriously. Every university has a different culture and wavelength and you need to adapt where necessary in order to survive and thrive.

Gaining strength through a non-academic profile

Earlier, I mentioned the importance of external roles to strengthen your academic profile. But it is just as important to engage in external roles that strengthen your leadership profile. This has provided an incredibly valuable experience in my career. I have already discussed my directorship of Sea and Water which was an important catalyst in my research career, but also a significant leadership challenge in ensuring that voices are heard in representing an industry group, which was often very fragmented and disparate. I have also taken other opportunities to hone my leadership and boardroom skills outside of HE.

About 10 years ago I became Master of a City of London Livery – the Worshipful Company of World Traders. For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, I will explain. The livery companies had their origins in this country before 1066 and were similar to the fraternities and guilds that existed throughout Europe. Today, all livery companies are societies of professional and business people, who not only uphold their traditions but also have a strong commitment to charitable and educational causes. However, the modern companies have professions which directly contribute to the modern City of London (the ‘Square Mile’).

World Traders started its life as a guild in 1985 and was granted Livery status in January 2000. We have around 270 liverymen. Our motto is ‘commerce and honest friendship with all’, which is taken from the 1st inaugural address in 1801 of Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd President of the United States. Liverymen all have the Freedom of the City of London which gives you a number of rights – the right to drive sheep over London Bridge (which I actually did!); the right to a silken rope, if hanged; the right to carry a naked sword in public; and perhaps the most useful benefit (certainly as far I am concerned) is that if found by the City of London Police to be drunk and incapable, you will be bundled into a taxi and sent home, rather than thrown into a cell.

Being a Master of the Livery was indeed a privilege, but also a fantastic and challenging leadership experience, making numerous speeches in front of high-profile audiences, chairing the ‘Court’ meetings (the executive committee) and working on the organisation’s strategic development. My theme for the year was ethics, which inspired my choice of speakers and the topics of the educational events that took place. Highlights of the year were the Tacitus Lecture (thought to be the largest lecture in the City) which was delivered by Angela Knight, then Chief Executive of Energy UK who posed the question ‘Is energy just another power game?’ She highlighted the need for an open and honest debate with the people, led by the policymakers to ensure a proper understanding of the range of issues and their all-important economic implications. Energy plays a vital role in the economy and its continued recovery, but there are some tough choices to be made over the coming years to meet the demand as well as balance aspirations for the climate change agenda. Her comments are still valid today. I was also delighted to host Michel Barnier (now the French Prime Minister) who delivered his legacy speech as outgoing Vice President of the European Commission.

More recently I became Senior Non-Executive Director of Access Bank UK Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Access Bank Plc, a leading full-service commercial bank operating through a network of more than 700 branches and service outlets, spanning 3 continents, 17 markets and 52 million customers. The UK operation is involved in trade finance, commercial banking and asset management. It has branches in Dubai and Paris and has recently been authorised to operate in Hong Kong. The role requires a lot of strategic thinking as the bank expands into different countries. The regulatory systems are even more onerous than those of HE, which helps put a few things into perspective. I have really enjoyed the different pace of a private sector organisation and the board dynamic which has certainly honed my practical business skills.

I am also a trustee and member of the investment committee of Marshall’s Charity. John Marshall was a whitebaker who lived in Axe Yard, Southwark (now Newcomen Street) and died in 1631. The land and property which he left to his Trustees has grown in value over the centuries, and the charity is now able to distribute substantial grants each year to churches in five dioceses.

All these non-academic roles have brought other dimensions to my academic leadership and I often draw on these experiences in my role as dean and on the board of the university.

 And finally

What does it take to become a successful dean? As I reflect on my slightly unorthodox career, I would say that you need to develop a sound academic identity to ensure that you have credibility. You also need good mentors and champions – I have been very fortunate to have some great people in my corner, giving good advice and putting a few opportunities my way. Develop your resilience or ‘toughness’ so that you can cope with difficult conversations and situations. Know when to take a break, and know when what you have done is good enough. And finally, develop an identity beyond the sector. I think that this will be particularly important in the modern university environment with the challenges that lie ahead. We need leaders with a wide perspective, creativity and courage!