Ollie Kasper-Hope announced on his LinkedIn that he will be the new interim CEO of the Aberdeen University Students’ Association.
Current CEO Fiona Heinonen is reportedly absent from her current repsonsibilites.
Currently director of a higher education and student union consultancy firm based in Leeds, Kasper-Hope has previously worked for student mental health charity ‘Student Minds’ and is a former trustee of Chester Students’ Union.
His consultancy firm ‘Alkhemy’ provides cover for interim positions amongst other things, with their website stating that he can work onsite, hybrid, or remotely.
In his LinkedIn post, he described his role as keeping the students union “steady and leave it on firm footing.”
The Students’ Union is yet to publicly announce Heinonen’s absence.
The newcomer in the SU building
Nottingham Trent Graduate Ollie Kasper-Hope set up Alkhemy Group Limited in 2021.
The consultancy firm supports higher education institutions and student unions by giving staff and officer training, democracy support, and covering interim positions.
The company’s social media has described Kasper-Hope as a “safe pair of hands” and a “generalist with an edge.”
He stepped down as CEO of Alkhemy last month but remains as Director of Development and Delivery.
Heinonen’s legacy so far
Heinonen was officially announced as AUSA’s CEO last November in a post on the Association’s social media pages. She noted her excitement to join the charity during its 25th year.
The Gaudie was previously asked to remove Heinonen’s name from its initial coverage of her appointment last October. AUSA had requested that an official announcement be made before The Gaudie could report on it.
In her time at the Union, she has overseen the 25th anniversary celebrations, which included a celebratory ceilidh that was subsequently cancelled after a poor uptake in tickets. She also oversaw the appointment of the current all-women sabbatical officer team.
During her tenure, AUSA introduced a policy that would prevent The Gaudie from reporting on incidents that would bring the Students’ Union into “disrepute”.
A graduate of North East Scotland College, Heinonen had previously worked with a number of charities in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. She still currently leads Impakti, a consultancy business providing services for charities and companies.
