* Surrey University has appointed David Sharkey as its new director of finance. He previously worked for Marks and Spencer and most recently held a variety of senior group finance positions. He succeeds Tony Knapp, who retired in March.
* Portsmouth University has appointed the actor Sheila Hancock as its chancellor. She will succeed Lord Palumbo of Walbrook, who became chancellor when the university was inaugurated in 1992 and has completed three five-year terms.
* De Montfort University has appointed two new deans. Adrian Hopgood , currently dean of computing and informatics at Nottingham Trent University, will take the position of dean at De Montfort's faculty of computing sciences and engineering. Heidi Macpherson , currently professor of American literature at the University of Central Lancashire, will take up the role of dean of De Montfort's faculty of humanities.
* The Royal Northern College of Music has appointed Graham Scott as the new head of the school of keyboard studies. An alumnus of the RNCM, he will take up his post at the beginning of September, joining from the Chicago College of Performing Arts, where he was head of the piano department. Ralph Kirshbaum has been appointed to the newly created post of international chair in cello.
* The University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, has appointed Richard Moremon , head of marketing strategy and planning at BBC Wales, as its new director of marketing and communications. He has been a board director at S4C International and advertising agency Ogilvy and Mather.