Liam Sloan

Liam was appointed as Principal and Chief Executive of the College on 1 January 2025, bringing over 25 years of experience in educational leadership, driven by a deep passion for fostering positive change. His journey in education began as a Business Lecturer at Doncaster College & University Centre, where he laid the groundwork for a distinguished career dedicated to enhancing student outcomes and institutional success. Through strategic leadership and collaboration, Liam has built a reputation for delivering outstanding results at all levels of the education sector.

Originally from Dumfries, Scotland, Liam has held senior leadership positions both in the UK and internationally. Most recently, he served as Provost at Federation University Australia, where he spearheaded transformative projects aimed at improving student experiences and strengthening community engagement. Prior to this, he played a pivotal role in the success of institutions such as Barnsley College, New College Nottingham, and Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology in New Zealand, where his strategic vision contributed to institutional growth and enhanced learner achievements.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Liam has demonstrated exceptional dedication and discipline in his personal pursuits. He has represented Scotland in badminton and England in dressage, exemplifying his commitment to excellence both within and outside the education sector.

Liam shares an ambitious vision and an unwavering commitment to transforming lives through education. His energy, expertise, and innovative approach promise to be a driving force in the College’s continued success.

He is a member of the Resources Committee, Standards and Quality Committee and Search and Governance Committee.

https://www.boltoncollege.ac.uk/welcoming-liam-sloan-as-bolton-colleges-new-principal-and-ceo/

Previous Principals/CEOs

Bill Webster

The portrait image is from the Times Educational Supplement's website.

Bill was appointed, as the permanent Principal of the College with effect from 13^th February 2019, having acted as Interim Principal from 1st December 2017 to 12^th February 2019.

Bill is a qualified marketer with over twenty five years’ senior management experience in the education and business sectors. Bill was previously the Assistant Vice Chancellor (Development) and Deputy to the Vice Chancellor at the University of Bolton. This role is a senior post holder appointment with responsibility for institutional advancement, business development and enterprise, student recruitment and student employability business. He was previously a Company Director of an education and training consultancy and Director of Community Partnership Solutions, a business focussed on developing corporate social responsibility strategies for industry. This included a consultancy role as CEO of the Backstage Academy Ltd, a private training provider in the live events industry.

Prior experience as the Deputy Principal at one of the largest FE Colleges in the country (annual turnover circa £40m) including an extended period as the Acting Principal and accounting officer.

Prior to this, he lived and worked for seven years in Hong Kong in a senior role in the higher vocational education sector. This followed extensive experience lecturing in Asia and the Middle East. Before leaving the UK he worked as a Principal Lecturer at Leeds Metropolitan University in the Department of Hospitality and Tourism and was seconded to the University’s newly-formed Business Development Centre.