Vasso Koutsos is Associate Director - International Marketing and Recruitment at the University of Auckland, where she provides strategic leadership across international student recruitment, market development, and global marketing initiatives. With more than 16 years’ experience across the New Zealand higher education sector, she has held senior leadership roles at the University of Auckland, Massey University, and the University of Waikato, contributing to institution-wide growth, diversification, and transformation.

Recognised as one of the Top 50 Voices in the PIE Leadership Digest (APAC) in 2024, Vasso is regarded as a leading voice in education marketing and internationalisation. Her work consistently focuses on aligning strategy, data, and creativity to deliver measurable outcomes - enhancing student experience, strengthening global engagement, and improving organisational performance.

Vasso has led complex, cross-functional initiatives including major marketing and communications programmes, international market repositioning, and innovation and entrepreneurship portfolios within higher education. She brings a strong governance lens, commercial acumen, and a commitment to inclusive, future-focused education. As a returning QS Reimagine Education Awards judge for the third consecutive year, she values initiatives that demonstrably improve learning outcomes, access, and impact at scale.