Emilie Tapping, co-CEO of Oxford SU, announced her resignation last week, with a plan to leave in June after a year in post. Formerly CEO of Oxford Brookes Students’ Union, Tapping joined Oxford SU in June 2024 and oversaw a transformation period which produced a “flat structure” of four officer roles and a “conference of commons rooms” model.
In a LinkedIn post, Tapping said: “this project hasn’t always been popular, I guess change never is, but I am so proud of what we’ve achieved in such a short space of time and in an organisation once referred to as ‘like the supertanker stuck in the Suez Canal except it’s been 800 years and no-one ever leaves’.”
In March, Cherwell obtained SU budgetary documents for 2025-26 which revealed that Tapping, alongside her co-CEO Nikki Smith, were paid a combined salary of £187,827. The 2022-23 CEO position was previously held by one person with an unburdened salary range of £53,348-£61,818, according to job adverts. SU campaigns, such as Class Act, received £500 each.
Other difficult moments include the resignation of Dr Addi Haran, former SU President, citing “institutional malpractice” and “efforts to obstruct student engagement”.
Tapping also previously worked in the Arts Students’ Union and the LSESU, and will now join the National Union of Students (NUS) Charity as Deputy CEO.
While formally leaving in June, Cherwell understands that she will support the new officer team throughout July in their new roles.
In a statement, an SU spokesperson told Cherwell: “We are incredibly grateful to Emilie Tapping for the significant work she has put into her role at the SU over the past year.
Emilie originally joined Oxford SU for a fixed period to support Oxford SU’s Transformation programme. We wish her all the best as she moves on to her new role in July as Deputy CEO of the National Union of Students (NUS), where she will continue her important work of improving student representation at a nationwide level.
“Emilie has been working in tandem with the Sabbatical Officers, SU staff team, and the student Transformation Taskforce & Transformation Committee to support Oxford SU’s transition. Her work, which has included reviews of all aspects of the organisation, has laid the foundation for the next stages of a Transformed SU.
“Nikki Smith will remain as Oxford SU’s permanent CEO, working closely with the Sabbatical Officers to deliver on their priorities. She has worked in the higher education sector for more than ten years, has served alongside Emilie as co-CEO since January, and prior to this held the post of Interim CEO from Feb 2024.”
