Jon Dellandrea, who left Toronto to take up his post as pro vice chancellor (development and external affairs) in 2005, has taken a lengthy holiday amid suggestions that he will not return.
Oxford dons whisper that Dellandrea, who was hired by the university's controversial vice chancellor Dr John Hood, has fallen foul of Michael Moritz, the donor of £25 million to Christ Church College last month, one of the biggest gifts that any British university has received. Moritz, a 53-year-old Californian dotcom multi-millionaire who was educated at a comprehensive school in Cardiff, was recently appointed head of Oxford's North American fundraising campaign. It is claimed that he is reluctant to work with Dellandrea, an amiable bon vivant. The pro vice chancellor is alleged to have telephoned Moritz, only to be told that the tycoon found him "obtuse" and "uncooperative".
Dame Vivien Duffield, the heiress brought in to lead Oxford's British fundraising campaign, has not gone public with her views on the two men and, like, Moritz, she was unavailable for comment last week. Earlier this month, Dr Hood is said to have reluctantly asked Dellandrea not to return from his holiday. He apparently hasn't been back to his office since. The alleged dispute is a huge set-back for Dr Hood, who lured Dellandrea from Canada amid much fanfare three years ago. Not only did Dellandrea, who had raised £500 million for the University of Toronto, command a six-figure salary, but he is also said to have been allowed to live in a grace-and-favour house in Oxford and enjoyed the use of a chauffeured car. He built up what is reputedly the biggest university development office in the world, with more than 80 members of staff.
Moritz, an Oxford alumnus, said bluntly after he announced his donation that if Christ Church's money were better managed, it could make a lot more profit. The financier said he parted with his cash on condition that it was placed in a newly formed university-wide asset management fund: "I made it clear to Christ Church that despite all its best efforts, noble intentions and hard work, its money needed to be managed in a much-improved fashion," he said. An Oxford spokesman says of Dellandrea's rumoured departure: "It's the first I've heard of it. He is still in post, but is on holiday at the moment. He'll be back late next month."
He has been described as the "rock star" of university fundraising with an almost unparalleled record of bringing in the big gifts that vice-chancellors dream about, yet Jon Dellandrea has parted company with the University of Oxford amid rumours of tensions over strategy. His sudden departure, which will see him leave his post as pro vice-chancellor for development and external affairs this autumn, has prompted a flurry of speculation within the sector, and a warning that Oxford has lost a star man just weeks after announcing a £1.25 billion fundraising campaign.
Dr Dellandrea's departure also coincides with the university's launch of a new centrally managed investment fund, Oxford University Asset Management. The fund marks a change in the way the university and its colleges handle current endowments of more than £3 billion. Dr Dellandrea was recruited by John Hood, Oxford's vice-chancellor, in 2005 having proved his credentials heading a successful £500 million fundraising campaign at the University of Toronto. As head of Oxford's 80-strong development office, he led the university's campaign to raise £1.25 billion since it was launched in May.
However, rumours have been circulating about tensions over fundraising strategy between Dr Dellandrea and a major donor, Michael Moritz, who recently gave £25 million to his old college, Christ Church. Mr Moritz, a California-based venture capitalist, demonstrated the sway donors can have over Oxford affairs when he insisted that his old college move £100 million from its endowment into the OUAM when he handed over his cheque in June. There has been no comment on Dr Dellandrea's departure from Mr Moritz or Dr Dellandrea, and Oxford issued a short statement saying simply that he was leaving "to take up international consultancies".
A senior figure in university fundraising said Dr Dellandrea was a "guru" within university fundraising circles, and suggested that Oxford might struggle to appoint a replacement of the same calibre. "The sector is buzzing about this. If the rumours are true about outside influence, then I think Oxford would have a difficult time re-recruiting to that post. Jon is one of the best fundraisers in the world bar none, he is amazing. He's a likeable guy and he's very good at his job, he has a demonstrated track record and has done some very good things at Oxford. I think he has closed four £25 million gifts this year, that is unheard of - the guy is a total rock star, so you have to think there must be more to it than some disagreement with a donor. If not then, wow, Oxford has been really foolish."
john.gill@tsleducation.com.