The Rev Canon Keith Lamdin has been appointed Sarum College Principal in a unanimous decision by the Board of Trustees. He will begin his post on 1 December 2008.

"Keith Lamdin brings a wealth of experience in education, leadership development and strategic planning to this role," comments Sarum College Board of Trustees Chairman Alec Knight. "We are confident that under his stewardship, Sarum College will go from strength to strength."

In his current role at the Church of England's Diocese of Oxford, Lamdin leads a 19-member team who offer training, consultancy and vocational discernment across a number of disciplines, including fund raising and giving, adult education and professional development.

"I look forward to working alongside the Sarum staff to guide the College into its next phase of development so that this excellent centre for learning can reach its full potential," Lamdin says.

During the past seven years, Lamdin has spearheaded a major leadership training initiative that operates in several UK regions. He has also been instrumental in developing a competency-based ministry training programme validated by Oxford Brookes University at foundation degree, honours and post-graduate levels. This programme is now used at Ripon College, Cuddesdon and in the Dioceses of Salisbury and Guildford.

Lamdin was appointed an honorary canon at Christ Church in 1997. This year he was also named honorary canon in Oxford's link diocese of Kimberley and Kuruman in South Africa, where he developed training initiatives to support clergy.