Collette Roche, Manchester United’s CEO for new stadium development, has joined the board of University Academy 92 (UA92).
The move strengthens the board and comes weeks after the Premier League side agreed to provide teaching spaces for UA92 within Old Trafford stadium.
Before joining Manchester United, Roche held a range of executive and non-executive positions across FTSE-listed companies including Ford Motor Company, Siemens, United Utilities and Manchester Airport Group.
She joined Manchester United as chief operating officer in 2018, becoming the first woman to ever hold the position in the club’s history. She was named in Vogue’s 25 most influential women in 2018 and included in the FTSE 100 Women to Watch list in 2022.
The appointment comes as UA92 announced its annual statutory accounts for 2024/25, highlighting a year of strong growth, improving financial performance and continued success in widening access to higher education.
READ MORE: “In it together” – Top BBC boss on future of Doctor Who post-Disney withdrawal
Student numbers grew by 30% to 1,217, driving positive financial and operational performance across the institution.
Social mobility and student outcomes remain at the core of UA92’s mission. The institution continues to outperform the sector on widening participation, with 41% of UK students coming from lower-income areas, compared to a national average of 28%. Graduate outcomes are also strong, with 91% of graduates progressing into employment or further study, above the national sector average of 89%. Notably, 79% of graduates remain in the North West, strengthening the region’s talent pipeline.
UA92 also reported improving financial performance. Revenue increased by 26% to £14.8m, driven by strong growth in UK home student recruitment. The institution achieved its first positive EBITDA of £0.2m, representing a £1.1m year-on-year improvement and reflecting growth in revenue, and is on track this year for continued EBITDA and revenue growth.
Roche’s appointment further strengthens UA92’s ties with the business sector as part of its commitment to industry-led, accessible education. She will provide operational and strategic expertise to support UA92’s continued growth as a higher education provider.
Roche said: “UA92’s mission to widen access to higher education and develop industry-ready talent is something that I strongly support. Being part of the board provides an opportunity to contribute to an organisation that is making a real difference, and I am proud to be a part of that.”
Marnie Millard, chair of the board at UA92, added: “Collette brings a wealth of experience from some of the UK’s most influential organisations and her contribution will be hugely important as we continue to grow and ensure higher education is accessible to all.
“This is a pivotal moment for UA92 as it graduates from a start-up to a profitable institution.”
UA92 is a higher education institution co-founded by Gary Neville, the Class of ’92 and Lancaster University. UA92 takes a deliberately different approach to higher education, placing supportive, career-focused teaching at the centre of every degree.
