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Simon Allen appointed vice president and chief financial officer | Virginia Technology News
Following a national search, Virginia Tech has named Simon Allen as its next vice president for finance and chief financial officer, effective May 6.
Allen currently serves as vice president of finance and chief financial officer for Cornell University’s Ithaca campus, a fellow Virginia Tech student.
Reporting to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Amy Sebring and in partnership with university stakeholders, Allen will provide key leadership in supporting Virginia Tech’s teaching, research and outreach missions.
“Virginia Tech’s commitment to being an inclusive community of knowledge, discovery and creativity dedicated to improving the quality of life and the human condition in the Commonwealth of Virginia and around the world resonates strongly with my personal values and ambitions,” Allen said. “I am honored and excited to be offered this opportunity.”
The vice president for finance and chief financial officer serves as an institutional catalyst, encouraging sound financial management practices throughout the organization that support the university’s strategic achievements and financial objectives.
Allen will be a member of the President’s Council with direct responsibility for oversight and management of the university’s major financial operations, including budgeting and financial planning, capital financing, financial reporting, treasury management, accounting, university treasurer, insurance, payroll, travel, purchases and taxes.
In this role, he will provide leadership and oversight to strategic and financial planning, ensure the overall management and integrity of the university’s budget, provide guidance for the university’s business and financial initiatives, represent the university in its relationships with its affiliated organizations, and engage in processes of obtaining new resources and allocating resources so that goals and objectives are achieved in a manner consistent with the university’s mission.
“Throughout his career in both the private sector and higher education, Simon has demonstrated his ability to bring stakeholders together to solve complex problems in a mission-driven, people-focused way,” said Sebring. “Simon’s financial expertise and collaborative leadership style will enable Virginia Tech to continue to elevate our financial services in support of the university’s strategic goals and build on Virginia Tech’s track record of strong management and financial positioning.”
Allen brings a wealth of financial experience to Virginia Tech, having most recently served in a similar role at an R1 land-grant and research institution. As Cornell University’s vice president for finance and chief financial officer, Allen was responsible for the university treasurer, the treasurer’s and comptroller’s offices, purchasing and contract management, as well as other insurance, asset and real estate functions. He oversaw an annual operating budget of approximately $6 billion, net assets of $14 billion, a debt portfolio of $1.9 billion, and approximately $1 billion in capital assets, while providing support supervision for the university’s three campuses in Ithaca, New York, and New York City. .
Prior to his career in higher education, Allen worked in the finance sector, most recently as managing director of US real estate private equity for leading European asset management firm, Amundi Asset Management. He was responsible for all financial analysis and implementing a data-centric approach to financial operations and decision making.
Allen earned an MBA with a concentration in finance and economics from the University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom; master’s degree in environmental management from Duke University; and a BA in urban property management from the University of Westminster, London.