Spotlight on Ray Harding

What is your role and what does it involve?

As Chief Operating Officer for UCL Qatar, my role has involved the setting up of our new campus - in terms of its infrastructure and staffing - basically from scratch.

While UCL Qatar's academic mission has been well known and explored for some time, after the signing of the contract with our partners in October 2010, I was the first to arrive in Qatar in April 2011. We had acquired some offices in the Georgetown University Building but had little else apart from plans.

After my arrival, recruitment of staff was organised, including the immigration process. Plans for the establishment of offices, teaching spaces and laboratories were signed off and an IT strategy was prepared.

We had to open a bank account and prepare budgets as well as liaise with our partners and stakeholders. Work is now underway to fit out further offices and the labs, and we expect to be fully up and running by the summer of 2012.

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

In a sense, I have been at UCL for many years because I am a mathematics graduate of UCL from the 70s (when we called it U.C. or 'the college').

I rejoined UCL in a management role after a career spent in multinational roles in South Africa, Zambia, Egypt and Nigeria.

I spent five years in the Estates and Facilities Division as Director of Administration, involving finance, student accommodation, the management of the catering contract and Data Protection and Freedom of Information responsibilities, before taking up the new position of Chief Operating Officer, UCL Qatar.

What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of?

My time at UCL has seen many changes and the initiatives in which I was personally involved. Those of which I am most proud are:

• The establishment of Monthly Management Reporting in 2006, whereby a variance analysis of performance against phased budget was produced and reviewed every month to aid the management of the Estates and Facilities function.
• The development of the Student Accommodation Strategy in 2009, focusing on the accommodation needs of all our students rather than the halls of residence.
• UCL Qatar being up and running as an operation within one year.

Outside UCL, I am proud of the commissioning of a new cement plant in Nigeria and the advancement of Zambian staff during my time on the Copperbelt.

What is your life like outside UCL?

I have lived in many countries and enjoy travelling, particularly around the Middle East. I am a keen sports supporter - especially rugby, where as an ex-player I support Saracens - and I am a connoisseur of French rugby and South African wine (and that's not the wrong way round). I also enjoy reading history and listening to classical music.

I have friends all over the world, a number of whom will, I hope, visit my new home in Doha, overlooking the Arabian Gulf.