Chief People Officer
Aisla Nicholls assumed the new role of Chief People Officer at Royal Holloway in May 2026, having served as interim Human Resources (HR) Director since July 2025.
Aisla is an experienced HR leader who brings deep expertise in leading people strategy and transformation within complex, values-driven environments. Prior to joining Royal Holloway, she provided specialist consultancy to Birmingham City Council, and in the course of her career she has held senior roles across higher education, local government, and the wider public sector, including as Director of People at Arden University and HR Director at the University of Wolverhampton.
As a leader in Higher Education she has sought to enable colleagues to collaborate and perform at the highest levels, in academic and professional services roles, and to derive pride and satisfaction from this performance. She brings a deeply values-led approach aligned with the ambitions laid out in our strategy, RH2030s, and the ability to drive sustainable, transformative change.
