Evan Vitale Consulting: Sir Eric Thomas partners with Graham-Pelton Consulting

Monday, September 7, 2015

Sir Eric Thomas partners with Graham-Pelton Consulting – Consultancy.uk

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7 September 2015 Consultancy.uk

Graham-Pelton Consulting has announced that Professor Sir Eric Thomas is partnering with the advisory firm to provide top-level strategic fundraising advice and support to University leaders around the globe.

With twelve offices in four countries (US, UK, Ireland and Spain), Graham-Pelton Consulting is an international fundraising and management consulting firm serving the non-profit sector.

Earlier this month Graham-Pelton boosted its UK team with Sir Eric Thomas, an experienced expert in the field of academic research, teaching, and fundraising. He is the author of the UK Government report ‘Increasing Voluntary Giving to Higher Education’ published in 2004. Known as the Thomas Report, it was received as a seminal document that established the vital need for fundraising for UK Higher Education. It also introduced the matched funding and pump priming programmes, which measurably increased gift solicitation effectiveness in the UK. Sir Eric served as Chair of the CASE Europe Board for four years and as a Trustee for seven years as the association broadened its depth and reach.

Most recently, Professor Sir Eric Thomas served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bristol, a position he held since September 2001. He was awarded a Knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2013 for services to higher education. Sir Eric previously presided at the most senior levels in the medical field, becoming Head of the School of Medicine at the University of Southampton in 1995 and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Biological Sciences in 1998. He was a consultant gynaecologist from 1987 to 2001.

Sir Eric Thomas - Graham-Pelton Consulting

From 2011 to 2013, Sir Eric was President of Universities UK, and in July 2013, was appointed as the new UK Education Champion by the Government as part of its strategy to promote the UK education sector internationally. Sir Eric also co-chairs the International Education Council alongside the Universities and Science Minister. He is a Trustee of IntoUniversity and a Lay Trustee of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. He was Chair of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) from 2003 to 2007.

Commenting on his new role, Sir Eric says: “With great interest I have watched Graham-Pelton’s arrival in Europe and ascension to a top consultancy offering comprehensive fundraising services. I am pleased to have the opportunity to play a prominent role in counselling clients in various countries with constituencies on multiple continents.”

Craig Leach, Graham-Pelton CEO, says he is “absolutely delighted” that Sir Eric has joined the firm’s ranks, adding “his groundbreaking research and outstanding fundraising accomplishments will be uniquely valued by our clients.”

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