LEADING academic John Yovich has emerged with a new commercial role in the student services sector following his departure from Murdoch University, where he was the state’s highest paid vice-chancellor until March.
Mr Yovich has joined Student Edge, a Subiaco-based business that offers discounts, jobs and online information to people studying at university and Tafe or undertaking apprenticeships.
It claims to have 350,000 members, about 200,000 of which are in Western Australia.
Student Edge was founded in 2003 by students Damien Langley, Jeremy Chetty, Craig Chetty and Simon Loader. The business has the Delroy family’s Marford Group of Companies as a financial backer, with both Trevor and Russell Delroy on its board.
Mr Yovich will become executive chairman, taking a part-time role with the business in a deal that includes an equity component.
Student Edge CEO Julian Sallabank said Mr Yovich’s high profile in the education sector was seen as an important addition to the business, which had started to expand its presence on the east coast about a year ago.
He said Mr Yovich would be a figurehead for the company and would be able to open doors in the eastern states where he was well known.
“He has a wealth of experience in education,” Mr Sallabank said.
“It is a ginormous coup.”
Mr Sallabank said Student Edge focused on three core areas: saving students money with special offers; providing jobs, internships and career opportunities; and education services, especially around personal and career development.
The group offers a range of opportunities for student-focused businesses such as a bank account co-branded with Bankwest as well as online advertising.
Mr Sallabank said the group was financially viable but its focus was to get its product mix right for the student market.
Mr Yovich was the state’s best-paid vice-chancellor for most if not all of the eight years he was at the helm of Murdoch, the smallest of WA’s public universities. In the past calendar year he again held the top spot with his $935,000 salary, which included undisclosed termination benefits, putting him close to the top paid CEOs in education.
In June, Murdoch University named political economist Richard Higgott as its new vice-chancellor and president, replacing acting vice-chancellor Gary Martin, who held the role on an interim basis since March.
Marford Group is a broad-based family business that includes Eclipse Resources, Eclipse Soils, and Wyadup Valley Farm, as well as significant investment in a variety of listed companies.
