Christopher Payne has more than ten years’ leadership experience in UK Higher Education, during which time he has developed an advanced understanding of national policy developments and their particular application to the Buckingham context. With significant senior contacts across the sector, Chris is currently the University’s AHUA representative and regularly contributes to debate with sector commentators through his active LinkedIn profile.
Chris’ professional journey began in music. Trained at the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University and Conservatorium of Music, Monash University, Chris worked for over a decade as a freelance musician and music teacher, before progressing into senior management roles at specialist arts institutions including the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance and Ravensbourne University.
As a University leader, Chris has overseen governance, compliance, and institutional resilience at Board level and delivered transformation at scale while preserving organisational culture and reputation. Chris has established successful working relationships with the Office for Students, the Charity Commission and other regulators, and has worked closely with Trustees and Chairs, providing assurance, risk oversight, and policy advice. As a University administrator, Chris’ philosophy is that governance and management is best led by people and guided by process rather than the other way around, and that a healthy workplace culture is best fostered by means of an engagement and outcomes-driven, rather than rules-driven, approach.
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