Leena will be the most senior representative of the university group in the region and will lead the hub’s opening and the development of new collaborations.
The India Hub, which will open towards the end of this year, will be the sixth in Coventry University Group’s network of Global Hubs, joining those in Brussels, Dubai, Africa, China and Singapore.
The global hubs act as Coventry University Group’s embassies, serving key regions and developing collaborative relationships that further its work as an economic development organisation for governments and public and private sector organisations.
India is a key market for the Group, which already recruits thousands of Indian students every year to its campuses in Coventry and London.
India’s large and skilled talent pool, young population and thriving research sector make the country ideal for the Group’s collaborative working approach.
Leena has extensive experience in facilitating bilateral and multilateral higher education, science and innovation collaborations, and was previously Senior Advisor at the Office of Science and Innovation based at Embassy of Sweden in New Delhi.
Leena brings with her a wealth of experience from her time working for the Australian Government as Senior Advisor to the Australian Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, where she successfully managed the Australia India Strategic Research Fund.
She has also worked extensively with the UK science and innovation community and in her role as Senior Advisor to the UK Science and Innovation Network for the British High Commission, Leena led on various innovation projects including the launch of India-UK Industrial research and development programme.
Additionally, in her tenure as Head- Newton fund at British Council India, she established the Newton-Bhabha PhD placements and Newton-Bhabha Researcher Links Workshops.
Leena said: “I feel privileged to take on this role at such an exciting time for UK-India bilateral relationship.
“The India Hub will pioneer strategic collaborations between Indian higher education institutes and Coventry University Group, leading to academic and research excellence that will be highly beneficial for both countries.
“I am delighted to have been appointed as the Regional Managing Director, and immensely proud to lead the India Hub forward from office launch to delivering joint projects centred around the university's mission of creating better futures.”
Coventry University Group Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Latham CBE, said:
"We are delighted to welcome Leena as our Regional Managing Director of the India Hub.
Her years of experience, knowledge, talent and extensive network of private and public sector contacts will help us develop deeper relationships with organisations in India, working collaboratively on research, education and innovation."
Coventry University Group’s India Hub will not only establish partnerships in research, education and enterprise and innovation services but it will also house the existing admissions team, which is currently based in Delhi.
Find out more about the work of the global hubs here.