The chief executive and principal of rural college SRUC has quit with immediate effect – just 19 months after overseeing the merger of the four educational institutions that led to its creation.
The sudden departure of Professor Bob Webb was yesterday met with surprise by staff, who were told about it in an e-mail.
But senior sources within the agricultural community last night indicated discussions had been ongoing between him and the SRUC board for some weeks.
Deputy chief executive Janet Swadling has taken over as acting principal and chief executive. She will be assisted on educational matters by board members Professor Grahame Bullfield, a former Edinburgh University vice-principal, and Professor Seamus McDaid, a former principal of the University of West Scotland.
She will also be helped by SRUC vice-chairman Pat Machray, the ANM Group chief executive, on commercial and financial matters.
Prof Webb, 63, an animal scientist, joined the former Scottish Agricultural College in April 2012 as chief executive from Nottingham University, where he was pro-vice-chancellor for research in charge of 150 scientific staff and its faculty of engineering, which had an annual turnover of £70million.
He oversaw the birth of SRUC last October from the merger of SAC with rural colleges at Oatridge at Broxburn, Elmood at Cupar and Barony at Dumfries.
But there has been little by way of information on the impact the merger has had on SRUC’s finances. Chairman Lord Jamie Lindsay said last month at SRUC’s annual dinner the merger had hit its financial performance, but declined to say by how much, adding it would be wrong to solely judge the new organisation on profitability alone.
A statement from SRUC yesterday said Prof Webb had led a strong team to deliver a successful integration, developed a five-year strategic plan and achieved significant increases in research funding and in establishing the college as a national and international leader in the agricultural and rural sectors.
It said he acknowledged the considerable support provided by staff at all levels during the merger process and since.
He looked forward to seeing SRUC progress to achieving university college status.
Lord Lindsay thanked Prof Webb for what he had achieved, adding the board was grateful for his contribution to the college’s “strategic positioning and progress”.
He added that with a strong leadership team in place it was very much business as usual SRUC.
The college refused to comment beyond its statement.
It also declined to comment on whether Prof Webb left with a financial settlement or not.
Prof Webb could not be contacted.