Driving forward university’s mission to engage with industry

In the latest edition of Marketing Derby’s Innovate Magazine, we meet Marvin Cooke OBE, who after a distinguished career with Toyota has joined the University of Derby as professor of enterprise.

Marvin, who was recently made an OBE for services to automotive manufacturing in the New Year’s Honours list, joined the university in September after a 33-year career with Toyota Motor Europe.

During that time, he held various senior positions within the company, including running Toyota Motor Manufacturing’s operations in the UK, which included its Burnaston manufacturing plant.

His new role entails strengthening the university’s engagement with industry to encourage growth, improve employability and promote social mobility.

Explaining why he decided to take up the role following his retirement from Toyota last summer, Marvin told Innovate: “I always had it in mind that I wanted to retire from Toyota at a point where I still had energy and could continue to make a contribution, and this opportunity really struck a chord with me.

“This is a university which places great importance on industrial engagement and, as a civic university, it is a force for good within the city. Those are things that I personally value.

“And in the past, I’d had positive first-hand experiences working with either people from the university or with the university itself.

“That included when we at Toyota were looking for a partner to create a real-life living laboratory to test our mobility as a service application, Kinto, and the university was just so willing, welcoming and engaging.

“So, this is now a chance for me to contribute to the university’s efforts to foster an entrepreneurial spirit among students, to contribute to its learning and teaching strategies, to support its research teams and to encourage collaborations with academic, industrial and government entities.”

Marvin has joined the institution at an exciting time as the Cavendish Building housing the university’s new £70 million Derby Business School is nearing completion.

Marvin tells Innovate that its construction is not just an opportunity to further the university’s roles in promoting thought leadership, enabling innovation and nurturing talent but also a chance to help raise wider aspiration in the region.

He said: “I hope that having the business school in its new home will be a beacon of hope for young people, young entrepreneurs from all backgrounds, to embark upon or continue their professional development.

“It will make a significant contribution to the vision of a vibrant business district and support Derby’s ambitions and plans for growth and regeneration.”

To read the interview in full, visit https://heyzine.com/flip-book/09140571b9.html#page/23.