Background
He is the son of Harry John Davies and Gladys Edna Davies (née Pratt). He was born in New Zealand and attended Mount Albert Grammar School in Auckland.
He is the son of Harry John Davies and Gladys Edna Davies (née Pratt). He was born in New Zealand and attended Mount Albert Grammar School in Auckland.
He later attended the University of Auckland when he obtained a Bachelor of Engineering in Aeronautical Engineering and Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Science. He then attended Street Catharine"s College, Cambridge obtaining an Master of Arts and Doctor of Science.
He is a former Vice-Chancellor of three universities: the University of Liverpool, the University of Glasgow and the University of London. Davies has taught metallurgy at the University of Auckland (1964-1966), the University of Cambridge (1966-1977) and the University of Sheffield (1978-1986) where he was Professor of Metallurgy. He has served as Chief Executive of the Universities Funding Council (UFC), and also of the Polytechnic and Colleges Funding Council (PCFC), and then of their successor, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).
He is also a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand.
He became an Honorary Fellow of Street Catharine"s College, Cambridge in 1989. Davies also served as the Chairman of Universities Superannuation Scheme (United States Ship), Limited.
He is currently the Emeritus Vice Chancellor of the University of London.
He is also the Chairman of the British University of Vietnam, the Foundation for Liver Research, and the New Zealand-United Kingdom Link Foundation, Governor of the University of Lincoln, the University of Hertfordshire, the University of Seychelles, Taylor"s University, the British Institute of Technology & East-Commerice, and the Public Interest Body of Pricewaterhouse Coopers.
Married Florence I. Martin 1959.