Finance Division
Finance Division general enquiries number: 01865 (6)16131
Email: List of contact email addresses
Website: www.admin.ox.ac.uk/finance
Postal address: Finance Division, University of Oxford, 23-38 Hythe Bridge Street, Oxford, OX1 2ET
Director of Finance: Mr Giles Kerr
PA to the Director of Finance: Ms Dee Stepney
Deputy Director of Finance: Mr Rob Williams
PA to Deputy Director of Finance: Miss Ailsa Fowler
The Finance Division provides advice and information on financial matters affecting all University departments, divisions and subsidiary companies. The Division comprises a range of financial operations: accounting services (including payroll, payments and tax), financial assurance services, financial planning and analysis, financial reporting and systems, pensions, procurement, research accounts, and treasury.
The Director of Finance, Giles Kerr, reports to the Vice-Chancellor and works closely with the Pro-Vice-Chancellors (Planning and Resources) and (Development and External Relations) on strategic matters and interacts with a wide range of other officers on financial issues, including those at Oxford University Press and ISIS Innovation. He advises Council and other relevant University bodies on financial strategy; prepares the University’s financial statements, its operating plans and forecasts; and has oversight of the capital planning process and treasury management.
He is supported in his role by the Deputy Director of Finance, Rob Williams.
Profile of the Director of Finance
Giles Kerr graduated from the University of York in 1980 with a degree in economics. He began his career training as a chartered accountant with Arthur Andersen, becoming a national partner in 1989. In 1990, he joined Amersham International plc – then one of the Government’s early privatisations, specialising in the civil applications of radioactivity - as Group Financial Controller. He subsequently held the posts of: International Controller; Director of Corporate Development and Company Secretary; and Group Finance Director. During his 15 years with Amersham, which saw the company increase sales from c£300m to £1.65bn, he took a particular interest in establishing joint ventures and in intellectual property management and was involved in engineering strategic mergers and acquisitions. He took up his post as Director of Finance at the University in January 2005.
He is a Fellow of Keble College.
