Leonie Fleming
News
Meet Leonie Fleming, ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s new Chair of the Board of Governors
Tuesday, 8 September, 2026For Leonie Fleming, becoming Chair of the Board of Governors at ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ felt like a natural next step in a relationship with the University which has developed over several years.
Leonie has taken the Chair role having served two years on the Board, bringing with her a background in law and financial services, as well as experience working with social enterprises.
Having lived in Bath for a number of years, Leonie has long been familiar with the University’s place in the city and its wider community. During her time as a governor, she has met staff and students in Bath and visited Bath Spa’s London campuses, experiences which have reinforced her enthusiasm for the opportunities the university strives to create:
“I find the work that the university does around increasing access and participation in higher education and really helping people develop their skills absolutely inspirational.”
Her professional career has given her considerable experience in assessing and developing strategy, but she is equally interested in how people contribute to that process:
“I’m a huge advocate of creating an environment where people’s diverse views are able to shape strategy.”
She said, adding that she has worked in many situations where organisations have needed to evolve and adapt their plans in response to changing circumstances.
A critical friend
Leonie describes the Chair’s role as being a “critical friend” to the Vice-Chancellor and her leadership team: providing support and challenge in equal measure:
“My role is to lead the Board of Governors in supporting the Vice-Chancellor and her leadership team.”
Leonie explained this involves supporting Bath Spa’s mission and strategy while also holding the leadership team to account for delivering financial sustainability and ensuring the university’s strategy continues to respond to the changing needs of its students and the wider institution:
“I’m really fortunate that the Board has a number of highly talented individuals on it.”
The Board brings together student and staff representatives alongside independent governors, whose professional experience and commercial expertise add different perspectives to the university’s leadership and decision-making processes.
This month, four new governors are also joining the Board, bringing what Leonie describes as a “hugely diverse range of talents”.
For her, that diversity of experience is an important part of effective governance, and of developing a strategy that reflects the needs and ambitions of the university community, the region, nationally and internationally.
Putting professional creativity into practice
One of the focus areas of BSU’s new Strategy 2035 that particularly interests Leonie is its focus on professional creativity.
Announced earlier this year, the strategy places professional creativity at the heart of the university’s future. For Leonie, it is an approach that closely reflects how she has approached her own career and learning:
“I’m a naturally very curious person. Throughout my career I’ve been very interested in learning and development and helping people to really make the most of their talents.”
She continued:
“It’s all about collaboration. It’s about free thinking and imagination, and it’s about exploring lots of different opportunities to innovate and find solutions to common problems.”
She believes that mindset is particularly valuable for students entering a world characterised by rapid and sometimes unpredictable change. Leonie sees professional creativity as giving them the tools to adapt as the future changes.
“By fostering professional creativity, we’re giving our students a toolkit to allow them to develop their confidence in dealing with these challenges, their resilience, and a lifelong approach to learning.”
That lifelong approach, she argues, will become increasingly important as the skills required by employers and society continue to evolve.
Looking beyond Bath
As she begins her term as Chair, Leonie is particularly excited about what BSU can contribute regionally, nationally and internationally.
The university is already working alongside other universities in the area to help develop the skills local businesses need to grow and thrive. Leonie sees significant potential to build on that work, strengthening the University’s contribution to the region’s economy and communities.
At the same time, BSU’s London campuses and partnerships across the UK and internationally are opening new possibilities in developing different pathways into higher education:
“We’re working to develop different pathways to learning and opportunities for flexible study for a very wide range of people to develop and enhance the skills they need to progress their careers.”
Alongside education and skills, she highlights the university’s contribution to entrepreneurship and culture, including the work of the Studio and Somer, as well as BSU’s involvement in cultural activity across the region and beyond.
As she takes on the role of Chair, Leonie’s ambition is not just to oversee the university’s strategy, but to help create the conditions in which it can continue to evolve.