New Deputy President (Administration and Finance)
Mr Wilton will oversee the University’s administrative policies and functions
Mr John Wilton has been appointed Deputy President (Administration and Finance) at NUS from 16 July 2018. In this role, he oversees the University’s administrative policies and functions in the areas of finance, human resources, legal affairs, information technology, health and wellness, as well as privacy, risk and compliance. Mr Wilton also assists the President in the University’s transformational efforts in the area of Organisational Excellence.
Speaking of the appointment, NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye said, “We are delighted to have John join us as our new Deputy President (Administration and Finance) at NUS. John brings with him a wealth of experience in areas ranging from higher education to finance and risk management that will no doubt prove to be of immense value to the University on its continued journey of excellence.”
Mr Wilton has extensive experience in both the public and private sector. He was Senior Advisor to McKinsey & Company in San Francisco, US, in its higher education practice from March 2016 to June 2018, and Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), from January 2011 to February 2016. During his time at UC Berkeley, Mr Wilton implemented several reforms and programmes to promote the financial stability of the university, and to generate new revenue. He was also active on the boards of several UC Berkeley institutions, including the Goldman School of Public Policy, the Berkeley Endowment Management Company and the Center for Executive Education.
Prior to his work in higher education, Mr Wilton worked for five years at Farallon Capital Management, LLC, a US-based hedge fund, as a Managing Director.
A veteran economist at the World Bank from 1983 to 2006, Mr Wilton worked in the Bank’s operations in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe, as well as in the Economic Research and Treasury departments. Appointed Vice President for Strategy, Finance and Risk and Chief Financial Officer in 2004, Mr Wilton was responsible for defining the Bank’s overall business strategy, overseeing its financial policies and risk management functions, and ensuring that the administrative budget was consistent with the Bank's financial outlook and its strategic priorities.
Mr Wilton holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in economics and statistics from the University of Sussex in the UK. He had been working on his doctoral degree in economics at the University of Cambridge when he left to join the World Bank.
Said Mr Wilton, “I am thrilled to join NUS, which stands among the leading universities in the world. I look forward to working with colleagues to strengthen the University’s administration and finance, and to working with Eng Chye in NUS’ journey towards organisational excellence.”
