International payment services firm CEL Transact has appointed former Vice chancellor and Chief Executive of London South Bank University, Professor Sir Deian Hopkin, as non-executive Chairman. 

Sir Deian’s career in higher education spans over forty years, in six universities, including  20 years in senior management.   He has been a government adviser on education and skills, has served on a number of national educational boards, and in 2009 conducted the independent review of the Student Loan Company;  subsequently the government appointed him as  interim chair of the Company until November 2010.  He was also Chairman of the UNIAID Foundation, the student finance charity, and continues in a number of roles in education policy and delivery.  In 2009 he was knighted for services to higher education and to skills in the UK.    

CEL believes his experience and knowledge make him an ideal fit for the company, which has been engaged in providing financial services in education for 16 years and which is now engaged in strategic development to provide a more  extensive service in higher education.  Overseas students are particularly important to universities, especially now,  and   CEL Transact believes that universities could potentially save more than £30 million in excess bank and credit card charges through changing the way they process payments from overseas students, whilst simultaneously reducing  the cost of transactions costs for individual students.

Sir Deian commented: “ Given that universities are facing growing and significant financial pressures  anything that can reduce unnecessary expenditure, both for institutions and their students, must be welcome.   I hope I can help the Company develop and grow its service and in the process assist the higher education sector at this difficult time.

Simon Read, Managing Director of CEL Transact, comments; “Sir Deian’s knowledge of the sector will be invaluable in helping the business to communicate this vital message.  We are thrilled at his enthusiasm for what CEL Transact can offer and his appointment is an important strategic step for the company.”

CEL Transact, which annually manages over £250 million in transactions in 28 different currencies across the world, works with language academies and universities in the UK, Europe and Asia.

Its Uni-Pay service enables universities to receive international payments from students through the local banking system, thereby removing the bank charges associated with international transactions.

ENDS

Notes to Editor

CEL Transact specialises in the delivery of transaction cost reduction solutions for UK and international customers via its proprietary technology platforms and global banking footprint.  It provides payment and collection services to over 3,500 customers from 130 countries, dealing in 28 different currencies and managing over £250 million in transactions every year.

For further press information, please contact Gemma Haddow, Smith & Smith PR, Tel: 0161 236 5560 or email: gemma.haddow@smithandsmithpr.co.uk.