Loughborough alumni appointed as Deputy Lieutenants of Leicestershire

Four of the seven newly appointed Deputy Lieutenants of Leicestershire are alumni of Loughborough University.

The Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Mike Kapur OBE, made the appointments at a special virtual ceremony on Friday 18th February. The Deputy Lieutenants have been commissioned in honour of their service to the local community.

The Lord-Lieutenant is the official representative of Her Majesty The Queen in Leicester and Leicestershire. Deputy Lieutenants undertake a range of duties and engagements including representing the Lord-Lieutenant and participating in citizenship ceremonies, attending remembrance services and parades, and helping to assess local organisations nominated for awards and honours.

The Loughborough-linked Deputy Lieutenants of Leicestershire are:

Professor Robert Allison CBE – Loughborough University’s eighth Vice-Chancellor and President, in post from 2012 to 2021. During his tenure at Loughborough, the University rose into the top ten in every national newspaper league table and was named University of the Year five times. He oversaw a period of significant expansion at the institution, with the establishment of the University’s London campus and the development of the Science and Enterprise Park on the Loughborough site.

Professor Ivan Browne – the director of public health for Leicester City Council, who was awarded an honorary degree from Loughborough in 2021 (pictured) in recognition of his outstanding contribution throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Ivan has been in the public service for over 30 years, within both local authorities and the NHS, and has been awarded the President’s Medal for services to public health. He is a keen advocate for the development of supportive and equitable learning environments for young people from black and underserved communities. Ivan is also passionate about exploring and implementing innovative ways to tackle the significant levels of health inequality that are prevalent within multi-cultural urban environments like Leicester.

Penny Coates – a Loughborough alumna and former member of Loughborough University Council – has worked on various schemes with royal backing, becoming a Queen’s Guide and gold Duke of Edinburgh award holder, before later leading Princes’ Trust visits for the region. Penny was also managing director at East Midlands Airport and managed all four airports in the Manchester Airports Group. Penny currently holds many voluntary roles, including chair of the East Midlands Freeport Bid, and trustee of the National Space Centre and the Heart of the National Forest.

Mike Sandys – the director of public health for Leicestershire and Rutland county councils, who was awarded an honorary degree from Loughborough in 2021 in recognition of his outstanding contribution throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Mike has 30 years’ experience of public health, serving communities in the East Midlands and the North West of England and as a national council member on the Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH) for the East Midlands. Mike is an ad-hoc member of the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence Committees, a Trustee of Active Partnerships and vice-chair of the local active partnership (known as Active Together) for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. 

Pictured: Professor Robert Allison CBE and Professor Ivan Browne