Jonathan Ray

Jonathan Ray is a senior communications leader with a journalism background and both private sector and in-house experience at global institutions.  Past positions include Head of Communications at Oxford University and Senior Advisor (Communications) in the Office of the Founding President of the $20b endowed King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. He also led media and public relations for Nottingham University in the UK and at pioneering Nottingham campuses in China and Malaysia. Most recently, he worked for Chelgate Ltd.'s private reputation management practice in London. Jonathan joined the BBC after graduating and spent fifteen years as a television reporter, anchor, and programme editor. He returned to OIST in 2025 after service in the same role in 2019 which ended early due to the global pandemic. Jonathan retained his deep commitment to the success of OIST and its scientists, and is delighted to be back in Okinawa and Japan.