I feel privileged to have known and worked with Peter, who was founding Chair of the Arc Universities Group from 2018 until his retirement.
I will never forget his good humour, spark and creativity as we were each handed role playing tasks in a whole-day workshop, hosted in the swanky offices of PwC. Peter smiled wryly at his casting as a 'chain smoking single mother of three' - some light relief to a very long day. It was typical of Peter's generosity as well as being a masterly leadership move that he invested so much time at the very start of something.
He gave so much time, wisdom and experience to the Arc Universities Group in the early years. He was a great diplomatic, with the ability to broker between groups, institutions and politicians. As such, Peter was the consummate chair, with the ability to bust myths find the way forward and to dispel tensions. However tetchy people were at the start of a meeting, if Peter was in the room (or on Teams screen), then there was a sense of purposeful peace and accord by the end.
Peter started so many things off, but he didn't leave them until they were in a position of strength and could go forth. I remember his last meeting and the feeling afterwards that all would be well. Although it was on Teams, there was the feeling that he had been piped as leaving the deck and that his last act as chair was to secure a strong successor (Alistair Fitt) and then leave everyone to it.
I learned hugely from Peter, who was a deeply civilised and cultured person who was always available and interested ('how's the family' as the opener) in people. Everyone who worked with Peter learned hugely from his personal style, authority and humanity. I am writing this with different emotions: at once a deep sense of sadness (particularly for his lovely family, for whom this early loss must have been unfathomable), but an even deeper sense of gratitude that I had the opportunity to get to know Peter and to have worked alongside. He has left us all with a sense of purpose and an accord and I know that he has left the world in a better state and has touched the lives of so many.
Thank you
Alistair (Lomax) - Arc Universities Group
