Matt Atkinson

Responsibilities

Matt joined the University of Nottingham as Interim Chief Financial Officer in February 2025, having previously held the post at the Univesity of Middlesex from 2024. 

Matt is an independent adviser, and a specialist in corporate finance, financial governance, asset realisation, debt advisory and restructuring in the education sector.  

He uses his banking, advisory and government leadership experience to help with the challenges and opportunities organisations face regarding governance, transactions, merger integration, refinancing, restructuring and forecasting.  

Profile

Matt spent six years as a civil servant as the Finance Director and Director of Provider Market Oversight in the ESFA a £62bn arms-length body to the Department for Education.  

The directorate included expert audit, finance, counter fraud and investigation skills, underpinned by robust analysis to set frameworks for and ensure the agency’s funding is spent for the purposes intended by Parliament.   

He is currently based in London and holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) (Environmental Studies) degree from the University of York.