Marketing headhunters, tml Partners, are delighted to have partnered with the leadership team at the University of Lincoln to appoint their first Chief Marketing Officer
The University of Lincoln is an ambitious, internationally recognised post-1992, award-winning university, with over 20,000 students and a strong trajectory of institutional growth and reputation building. Among its recent recognitions, the University has been ranked a UK Top Ten Modern University in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025 and placed within the top 50 overall in the Guardian University Guide 2025.
As part of its long-term strategic plan to further strengthen global reputation, student recruitment and performance, the University sought to appoint a Chief Marketing Officer capable of leading a full transformation of its marketing, brand, and communications strategy.
The Challenge
This was a strategically critical leadership appointment at a pivotal moment for the University. The institution required a senior marketing leader able to operate at executive level, shape institutional brand strategy, and introduce modern, commercially focused, data-driven marketing approaches aligned to recruitment, revenue, and reputation objectives.
A central priority was identifying a leader who could help the University stand out in an increasingly competitive Higher Education landscape, developing a distinctive institutional narrative while modernising marketing capability across digital, brand, and performance channels. The successful candidate needed to unify fragmented activity across faculties and departments, bring best-in-class commercial marketing practices into a Higher Education environment, and establish a clear, compelling brand platform capable of resonating with prospective students, partners, researchers, and international audiences.
Given the niche nature of the requirement, combining C-suite commercial marketing experience with the ability to operate effectively within a complex, purpose-led academic environment, the University partnered with tml Partners to access a highly targeted senior marketing network and ensure comprehensive market coverage.
The Solution
Emma Calder, Head of the Consumer practice at tml Partners, led the search in close collaboration with the University’s senior leadership and talent teams. The project focused on translating the brief into a clearly defined leadership profile and mapping senior CMO-level talent across various sectors. The search prioritised leaders with proven experience delivering brand transformation, marketing modernisation, and measurable commercial impact.
Through a focused and insight-led search process, Emma delivered a tightly curated shortlist of senior marketing leaders aligned to the University’s strategic ambitions and cultural priorities. Ed Hughes quickly emerged as an exceptional fit. With an extensive track record as Chief Marketing Officer across multiple sectors at businesses such as Purplebricks, Zeekr Europe, Wattbike, and Comparethemarket, Ed brought deep expertise in brand transformation, performance marketing, customer journey optimisation, and marketing function modernisation.
His experience leading large-scale repositioning initiatives, driving acquisition campaigns, and integrating digital-first operating models strongly aligned with the University’s ambition to elevate its brand presence and marketing effectiveness. Emma supported both the University and Ed through a structured and collaborative interview and offer process, maintaining pace and alignment across all stakeholders to ensure a successful appointment. The appointment of Ed Hughes positions the University of Lincoln to accelerate its brand evolution, strengthen student recruitment performance, and build a more integrated, insight-driven marketing capability to support its long-term strategic growth ambitions.
About tml Partners: Specialist Headhunters for Marketing and Commercial Roles
tml Partners are specialists in Executive Search with access to a global network of commercial, marketing, communications, brand, product and digital leaders. Our team work with businesses ranging from fast-growth challenger brands to blue-chip organisations to develop their in-house teams.
As one of the world’s leading commercial and marketing recruitment businesses, we can support whether you’re seeking interim or permanent solutions. Our team has the expertise to support across various sectors and locations.
To learn how tml Partners can help you, please get in touch.
