THE University of the West Indies (The UWI) has announced the appointment of Christine Randle as the new director of the UWI Press. Randle’s appointment became effective in January.

Randle comes to the press with a vast amount of industry experience in publishing, having successfully run a family business, putting it on sound financial footing and building on the name and reputation of the company in Jamaica, regionally and internationally. She launched the company on a path to further growth in a period of little development, and leveraged the use of innovative publishing models, partnerships, and collaborations. The UWI Press will benefit from her extensive experience and network as managing director and publisher at the company for the past 15 years.

A qualified attorney-at-law, she earned her bachelor of laws in 1993 at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She was then admitted to the Bar of England and Wales at Gray’s Inn in 1994 and the Bar of Jamaica in 1995.

As the new director of the UWI Press, Randle has oversight of its strategic and operational arm, and reports directly to Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles through the press’ advisory board. She is responsible for operationalising the vision of the board, which is to ensure that the press becomes an independently financially viable and sustainable arm of The UWI, while maintaining its high-quality standards of cutting-edge academic publishing.

“Ms Randle’s extensive experience and her tenacious management will bring the transformational leadership that the press needs at this point in time,” said chairman of the advisory board of the UWI Press Professor Densil A Williams.

“I am especially pleased that she is the first Caribbean national to hold the post of director of the press in its 30th anniversary year. I know she will leverage her experience and comprehensive knowledge in her new role in service to The UWI.”