Pembroke appoints new Bursar

The College is delighted to announce the appointment of Jen Ashby as the new Bursar. Jen will join us on Monday 23rd February 2026 from the Department of Business and Trade.

Jen brings to Pembroke over twenty years of senior leadership experience across central and local government, with a strong record of leading large multidisciplinary teams, managing substantial budgets, and delivering major strategic policy and operational programmes in complex environments.

Commenting on her appointment, Jen said: “Pembroke is a really special place and I was struck by the friendly, dedicated and collaborative community of staff, students and fellows I met during the selection process. I’m honoured to be joining the team and I look forward to engaging with all members of the College to build on our strengths and prepare us for the future.”

During her time in the civil service, Jen has led areas of public policy such as the government commemorations of the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act, reform of the adoption system, housing strategy and the Housing and Planning Act 2016. Since the 2016 referendum she has played a key role in setting up and running UK trade policy, including implementing the UK’s first global tariff at the moment of EU Exit, and leading the team which negotiated the ground-breaking UK-India free trade agreement signed earlier this year.

The Master said, “I am delighted with the appointment. Jen is a distinguished senior civil servant whose collaborative and people-centred leadership is an excellent benefit to us as a close and friendly community of staff and students. She will be a great addition to our team and we very much look forward to working with her.”