Oriel’s new Development Director, Marco Zhang, was formally inducted into the College’s Governing Body on Wednesday 19th January.
Marco first came to Oxford from New Zealand to read for an MSc in Computer Science at St Hugh’s College.
Joining Balliol College during the preparatory stage for its 750th anniversary campaign, Marco worked with alumni to encourage broad-based support of college priorities, seeing over 25% of Old Members making a donation to Balliol each year. After a number of years working with an UK-based fundraising consultancy with in Australasia and Southern Africa, Marco returned to Oxford in 2014 to lead on Wadham College’s £50m ‘Access to Excellence’ campaign, before joining Oriel as Development Director in December 2021.
“I am really delighted to join Oriel at such an important point in the College’s history.”
Marco will lead the College’s Development and Alumni Engagement Team in the run-up to the celebration of Oriel’s 700th anniversary in 2026. Of his appointment, he said:
“I am really delighted to join Oriel at such an important point in the College’s history. Oriel is clearly at the forefront of teaching, research and debate, contributing so much to a better society. I am very much looking forward to working with the entire community to expand further on what we can offer, and set the foundations for another 700 years of continuous excellence.”