Spotlight on Peter Easterbrook

This week the spotlight is on Peter Easterbrook, Finance Manager, UCL Division of Surgery and Interventional Science.

What is your role and what does it involve?

My role is Finance Manager in the UCL Division of Surgery and Interventional Science

Essentially, the role entails the daily management of financial operations and processes within the division, monitoring of income and spend and providing relevant financial information to aid strategic decision making and facilitate academic teaching and research.

The role is interesting in terms of its broad remit across three campuses and involves cross liaison with the divisional academics and administrators, the school and faculty, and with UCL Finance & Business Affairs.

How long have you been at UCL and what was your previous role?

I have been here for 8 months now and feel that I'm learning new things every day. The role differs from my previous role at Manchester University as a consolidation accountant in two respects. Firstly, I have much more of a direct impact on the management and strategy of a specific division rather than having an overview of the university and, secondly, I am more directly engaged in the support of UCL's teaching and research.

What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of?

I am most proud of increasing the communication between the Finance team and the rest of the division and the increased mutual support that comes with it.

My experience has been that in large, complex, devolved institutions like UCL, members of staff can feel isolated, working on their specific challenges. However, universities have always thrived on collaboration and the pooling of knowledge and skillsets.

Tell us about a project you are working on now which is top of your to-do list?

Budgets! Probably don't need to say any more!

What is your favourite album, film and novel?

Album: Radiohead - OK Computer

Film: The Godfather

Novel: Notes from the Underground by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

What is your favourite joke (pre-watershed)?

One armed butlers. They can take it, but they can't dish it out. (Tim Vine)

Who would be your dream dinner guests?

Fyodor Dostoyevsky (if he spoke in English), Vaclav Havel (if he spoke in English), Spiderman or Batman (not both).

Does it matter that my choices are dead or fictional?

What advice would you give your younger self?

Watch more cartoons.

What would it surprise people to know about you?

People tend to be surprised that I act, write and direct plays in my spare time.

What is your favourite place?

Edinburgh during the Fringe Festival.