Samantha Waters joined QAHE in 2025 and was appointed as Chief Governance & Transformation Officer in February 2026. Samantha is a senior governance, legal, and transformation leader with demonstrable experience across higher education and the public sector. She brings deep expertise in governance‑led transformation, regulatory assurance, and delivering sustainable change in complex, highly regulated environments.
Before joining QAHE, Samantha was Chief Governance Officer & University Secretary at the University of Aberdeen, where she led multiple corporate functions, delivered governance efficiency reforms, and led a comprehensive compliance and risk strategy. Previously, she held senior leadership roles as Chief Operating Officer & University Secretary, leading major organisational transformation and in her earlier career, Samantha was Director of Legal and Compliance, advising on high‑profile regulatory matters and public inquiries.
When she is not watching F1, Samantha enjoys walking the dogs and playing golf very badly.