Phill McGowan

Background

About Phill McGowan

I’m an experienced academic leader and former entrepreneur with a unique blend of commercial insight and educational expertise. Currently Head of the School of Applied Management at the University of Westminster, I lead a thriving academic community of over 1,500 students and 60+ staff, overseeing a £14 million portfolio and driving strategy, growth, and performance across programmes. My leadership journey spans transformative roles at the Universities of Westminster and Portsmouth, where I’ve restructured teams, improved student outcomes, increased financial sustainability, and led institutional improvements in TEF, NSS, and Ofsted outcomes. Before academia, I spent 25 years founding and scaling technology companies in the training and customer experience sectors—successfully exiting multiple ventures. This entrepreneurial background shaped my strategic thinking, innovation mindset, and ability to drive change in complex environments. I hold a PhD focused on effectuation in small firm buyer-seller relationships and have published in leading journals on sales failure, strategic marketing, and student engagement. I’m also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Certified Management and Business Educator. Passionate about academic innovation, employability, and bridging the gap between theory and practice. Open to collaboration, research, and consultancy in sales transformation, leadership development, and higher education strategy.