Royal Holloway has appointed Aisla Nicholls as its new Chief People Officer (CPO). Aisla will formally take up the role on 1 May 2026, following her successful tenure as Interim Human Resources Director since July 2025.

The Chief People Officer role is a new position for Royal Holloway, reflecting the University’s commitment to strengthening its strategic focus on people and culture, with the Chief People Officer now joining Royal Holloway’s Senior Leadership Team.

Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Julie Sanders said: “I’m thrilled to appoint Aisla into this exciting new role, which places our people right at the centre of what we do and brings so much opportunity for our whole University community. Following a period of interim service in which Aisla has brought leadership, vision and immense good humour to the team, her experience and expertise really shone through in what was a competitive recruitment process. I have no doubt she will make brilliant contributions to Royal Holloway as she transitions to this new role and the exciting opportunities it presents.”  

Aisla Nicholls said: “I’ve always been passionate about creating conditions where people can thrive and be the best version of themselves at work. As we continue to evolve how we work at Royal Holloway, I see so many opportunities to support and empower our brilliant colleagues. I’m really looking forward to working even more closely with teams across the University in this new role and to bringing our strategic ambitions to life through our people.”