His area of special responsibility will be research and enterprise - a role currently undertaken by Professor Malcolm Anderson, whose term of office as Pro Vice-Chancellor comes to an end next year.

Professor Orpen gained his BSc from the University of Cape Town and his PhD from Cambridge University. He joined the University of Bristol in 1979 as a Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry. He was promoted to Reader in 1990 and became Professor of Structural Chemistry in 1994. He was made Head of the School of Chemistry in 2001 and Dean of Science in 2006.

Professor Orpen has been awarded a number of prestigious prizes by the Royal Society of Chemistry in the course of his distinguished research career.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Eric Thomas, said: "Guy has a formidable track record both as an academic and as a leader at department and faculty level. I have no doubt he will build on Malcolm Anderson's tremendous success in the role of Pro Vice-Chancellor."

Professor Orpen said: "I am honoured to have been selected to serve in this role and look forward to working for and with the University's talented research community."