Former Chief Executive of Nottingham Building Society, David Marlow, has taken on the role of Chair of Governors for the college.David has already spent two years with the Board, serving as Chair Designate. He formally took up role as Chair this August and will preside over the first full Board meeting this October.
As Chair of the Board, David takes on responsibility for the strategic direction of Nottingham College, working closely with the college’s senior leadership team to deliver education and training services to more than 30,000 young people and adults every year.
David has a long-standing career in the financial services sector, serving for 16 years as a Board Director and Chief Executive of Nottingham Building Society, as well as a member of The Bank of England East Midlands Business Panel. More recently he has taken up board and non-exec Director roles across the financial services sector and in 2024 became Chief Executive at Age Partnership, a successful UK-wide financial planning firm.
David’s work with the college began in 2023 when he was selected as Chair Designate. Since then, he has contributed to the governance of the college across many areas but with a particular focus on helping shape the college’s financial performance, delivering year on year growth and overseeing a multi-million-pound investment into sector-leading college facilities.
Reflecting on his appointment, David Marlow said:
“It’s a privilege to take on the role of Chair at such a pivotal time for Nottingham College. I’ve seen first-hand the impact the college has on its students, staff and our employer partners across the region – this really is an institution which supports our people and our local industry. I’m passionate about Nottingham and want to continue to play my part in supporting the city to thrive and its economy to grow. I believe that this college plays a vital role in delivering training and skills that can unlock the potential of our communities, connecting people to skilled jobs and attracting new investment into our city and region. I look forward to working with the board and leadership team, and across our regional partnership network, to build on already strong foundations and to help steer the college through its next exciting chapter.”
Principal and CEO Janet Smith added:
David’s appointment marks a new era for the college. His leadership experience, combined with his commercial and financial insight, make him ideally placed to guide us through the next steps on our journey to becoming a truly extraordinary college. Over the next few months we will be looking towards our college strategy for 2026 onwards, and David will be instrumental in these decisions of how we educate and train the next generation of talent, while meeting the needs of employers and our wider community. We are delighted to welcome him as Chair.”
David follows in the footsteps of Carole Thorogood BEM, who led the board through three major mergers, culminating in the formation of Nottingham College in 2017. Under her leadership, the college secured significant investment, opened landmark facilities including the £58m City Hub and the home of Nottingham College’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision at The Gateway at Basford campus. During Carole’s tenure, Nottingham College achieved both a ‘Good’ Ofsted rating overall and an ‘Outstanding’ grade for its Apprenticeship residential provision."
