Weymouth and Kingston Maurward College has announced the appointment of Chris Evans as its new Chair of Governors. 

Mr Evans's appointment comes at a pivotal time for the College following the merger between Weymouth College and Kingston Maurward College in August 2024.

With a distinguished career spanning financial services in the UK, Europe, and South-East Asia, Mr Evans has held roles as both Chief Executive and Chair across large corporates and smaller enterprises. His leadership and strategic insight will be instrumental in guiding Weymouth and Kingston Maurward College through an exciting period of growth and development.

Speaking on his appointment Mr Evans said: "This is a transformative opportunity for the newly merged College to innovate and expand options for learners and businesses alike. I am particularly inspired by Weymouth and Kingston Maurward College's potential to contribute meaningfully to the regional economy by bridging skills gaps and introducing businesses to highly trained and relevant talent.

"Agriculture has always been close to my heart and, as someone from a fourth-generation farming family, I am proud to be part of an institution that not only provides education and skills training across a very diverse range of sectors but that also supports the agricultural community that is so important to the Dorset economy." 

A seasoned expert in mergers and acquisitions, Mr Evans brings extensive experience in managing post-merger transitions and ensuring that the anticipated benefits are fully realised. He firmly believes that recognising and valuing the unique strengths of each partner in the merger is critical to achieving a cohesive and dynamic organisation.

Commenting further Mr Evans added: "As Chair, my focus will be on fostering respect, transparency, and robust dialogue at Board level to drive exceptional outcomes for the College. I am absolutely committed to working collaboratively with our new Principal and CEO, Kate Wills, to engage with our people, partners, businesses, and wider stakeholders to ensure the College continues to grow and provide the skills training needed across the region." 

Chris Evans replaces Steve Webb who was appointed Chair of Weymouth College in 2022 and who oversaw the merger discussions and process during 2024.