08:50

Registration and refreshments

09:40

Welcome

Flora Hamilton, Chief Executive, Chartered ABS

Professor Robert MacIntosh, Faculty Pro Vice Chancellor - Business and Law, Northumbria University; Chair, Chartered ABS

10:00

Keynote Address

Kevin Hollinrake MP,  Minister for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business

10:20

Keynote Fireside Chat

Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith CBE

In conversation with Michael Hayman MBE, Co-Founder, Seven Hills; Chair, Small Business Charter Management Board

10:40

Keynote Address

Susan Lapworth, Chief Executive, Office for Students

11:00

Break

Breakout Sessions

11:40 - 12:40

How generative AI can change business & management education

This session explores how generative AI is shaping business and management education. We will discuss how AI is influencing student habits, teaching practice and assessment; and will discuss the responsible and ethical use of AI by both educators and students.

Leila Guerra
Associate Provost (Digital Lifelong Learning) & Vice-Dean (Education), Imperial College Business School 

Professor Iis Tussyadiah
Professor of Intelligent Systems in Service, Head of School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, University of Surrey 

Professor Seun Kolade
Professor of Entrepreneurship & Digital Transformation, Sheffield Business School,  Sheffield Hallam University

Chair: Andy Phippen
Professor of IT Ethics and Digital Rights, Bournemouth University 

Changing the perception of business schools

This session reflects on how UK business schools are perceived by key stakeholders including students, parent universities, research funders, the business world and government. This will be followed by a discussion about which perceptions need to be challenged and how.

Professor Julian Birkinshaw
Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, London Business School 

Yangos Hadjiyannis
CEO, Cyprus Business School 

Professor Eleanor Shaw
Head of Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow 

Chair: Professor Rachel Ashworth, Dean, Cardiff Business School

Business schools and small business: working together for mutual benefit

This session shines a spotlight onto the ways in which Small Business Charter schools are helping SMEs to scale and innovate, and nurture student enterprise and entrepreneurship. We will also explore how these activities create a virtuous circle that feed into other business school activities and priorities.

Gurdeep Chima
Centre Manager, Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME) 

Shabbir Mookhtiar
CEO & Co-Founder, Flavers (Formerly: Cook My Grub) 

Emelia Quist 
Head of Policy Research, Federation of Small Businesses 

Professor Mike Maddock
Managing Director, Performance Engineered Solutions (PES) Ltd.,Visiting Professor to The University of Sheffield; SBC Board Member

Chair: Professor Tim Vorley OBE FAcSS
Pro Vice-Chancellor & Dean,  Oxford Brookes Business School

Forging successful and impactful interdisciplinary research

This session explores practical ways in which interdisciplinary collaborators can work together effectively; sources of funding for interdisciplinary research; the way in which interdisciplinary research is likely to be judged by REF 2028 and how interdisciplinary research can have a real-world impact.

Alex Lewis 
Director of Research, British Academy 

Dr Catriona Firth
Associate Director for Research Environment, Research England 

Chair: Professor Cathy Cassell
Executive Dean, Faculty of Business, Durham University Business School 

Additional speaker(s) to be announced

Securing academic talent in a competitive market 

This session explores the practicalities of recruiting academic staff from the UK and overseas and the importance of making the school an attractive environment for incoming staff.  

Professor Hannah Holmes
Dean of Business School and Deputy PVC, Faculty of Business and Law, Manchester Metropolitan University 

Professor Dominic Elliot
Executive Dean, Dublin City University (DCU) Business School 

Dr Bob Gammie
Dean, York St John Business School 

Chair: Professor Marian Garcia
Dean, Kent Business School 

Regulating the flow of international students

This session explores how the new visa rules around international student dependents are impacting the recruitment of international students. We will explore whether some source markets/student profiles are more impacted than others, and the impact on different programmes. This will be followed by a discussion about the policy position that the Chartered ABS should be taking on this issue in the months ahead.

Nick Hillman  
Director, HEPI 

Jamie Arrowsmith
Director, UUKi 

Professor Vishanth Weerakkody
Associate PVC, Global Engagement & Partnerships, University of Bradford 

Chair: Liz Warren
Faculty Head of International, Manchester Metropolitan University

Additional speaker to be announced.

12:40

Lunch

13:50

Welcome back

Flora Hamilton, Chief Executive, Chartered ABS

Professor Robert MacIntosh, Faculty Pro Vice Chancellor - Business and Law, Northumbria University; Chair, Chartered ABS

14:00

Keynote Fireside Chat

Sir Nigel Wilson, Group Chief Executive, Legal & General

In conversation with Flora Hamilton, Chief Executive, Chartered ABS

14:30

Plenary Panel Discussion

Making sustainability part of the business school heartbeat

In this session, a high-level panel of speakers will reflect on the interconnectedness of the challenges and solutions associated with the sustainability agenda. Drawing on expertise from academia and business we will explore how business school leaders can embed sustainability into their institutions in a holistic way so that schools create climate-competent leaders.

John Goodwin, Executive Chair, Learning Economy Foundation; Board Member, PRME 

Professor Andrew Hoffman, Holcim (US) Professor of Sustainable Enterprise, Ross School of Business/School for Environment & Sustainability, University of Michigan 

The Rt Hon Chris Skidmore OBE MP, Chair, Net Zero Review; formerly Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation 

Jean Oelwang, Founding CEO, Virgin Unite

15:30

Break

Breakout Sessions

16:00 - 17:00

Twenty Sixth Deans’ Meeting 

This meeting is solely for Deans from Chartered ABS member business schools. It is an opportunity for frank and free-flowing discussion on topics of common interest. All discussion is under the Chatham House Rule.

Chair: Professor Robert MacIntosh 
Pro Vice Chancellor, Faculty of Business and Law, Northumbria University; Chair, Chartered ABS

What does a sustainable business school look like?

This session will build on the earlier panel discussion and drill-down into detail about how business schools can make tangible progress on realising the widespread goals of embedding sustainability into schools’ teaching, research and institutional operations.

Professor Olga Tregaskis
Head, Norwich Business School 

Lisa Thomas
Professor of Strategy, KEDGE Business School 

Professor Antonius Raghubansie
Pro Vice-Chancellor (International), Keele Business School

Chair: Professor Kamil Omoteso
Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean, College of Business, Law and Social Sciences, University of Derby

Additional speakers to be announced

Retaining and developing staff

This session considers the practical ways in which business school leaders can create supportive and developmental environments for academic and professional services staff. Particular attention will be paid to managing staff wellbeing and offering visible and viable pathways to promotion.

Trevor Worth MBA TEP
Managing Director and Founder, Portcullis Legal

Professor Deborah Lock 
Deputy Dean, Birmingham City Business School

Dr Emily Beaumont
Academic Subject Leader, Gloucestershire Business School; President, Enterprise Educators UK 

Chair: Professor Toby Watson
Deputy Executive Dean, Durham University Business School 

Additional speaker to be announced

Where next for transnational education?

This session explores the value and impact that UK institutions are deriving from their TNE activity. We will reflect on the current and future opportunities and challenges associated with TNE partnerships.

Janet Ilieva
Founder and Director, Education Insight 

Professor Nigel Healey
Professor of International Higher Education and Vice-President Global and Community Relations, University of Limerick 

Joana Westphal
Head of Transnational Education, Universities UK 

Chair: Vangelis Tsiligkiris
Associate Professor, Nottingham Business School 

Business schools as engines of social mobility

This session will look at how business schools can support learners from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds through developing new entry points to HE, utilising new modes of learning and creating new routes into employment.

Louise Banahene MBE
Director of Educational Engagement, University of Leeds 

Dr Yvonne Moogan
Director of University of Hull Business School 

Professor Sankar Sivarajah
Dean of School of Management, University of Bradford

Professor Vish Maheshwari
Associate Dean Academic, Student Experience, Salford Business School  

Chair: Mark Clark
Senior lecturer & Lead for Education and students in Management, University of Sussex Business School

Student engagement: The dual role of physical and online environments

This session will explore how business schools, and parent universities, are responding to student requests for both physical and online environments. We will consider how the requirements differ between different types of student, and how students other activities (eg work/childcare) influence their needs.

Tom Lowe
Senior Lecturer in Higher Education, University of Portsmouth; Chair, RAISE Committee 

Ayesha Owusu-Barnaby
Senior Lecturer, Marketing, Programme Leader UG Business Management, Hertfordshire Business School, CABS Apprenticeships Committee Member

Professor Leanne de Main, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor Education (Transformation), Deputy Dean, Faculty of Business and Law, De Montfort University 

Dr Shampa Roy-Mukherjee
Vice Dean, Associate Professor & Director of Impact & Innovation,  University of East London 

Chair: David Meech Mazumdar
Department Manager - Strategic Planning & Development, Department of Management, London School of Economics and Political Science 

17:00

End of Day One

17:20

Annual General Meeting (AGM)

19:00

Drinks Reception & Gala Dinner – Drapers‘ Hall

The evening commences at 19:00 with a Drinks Reception and Dinner will be served at 20:00.

Dinner Speaker

Lord Bilimoria CBE, DL, Founder, Cobra Beer; Fellow, Chartered ABS

08:50

Registration and refreshments

09:20

Welcome

Flora Hamilton, Chief Executive, Chartered ABS

Professor Robert MacIntosh, Faculty Pro Vice Chancellor - Business and Law, Northumbria University; Chair, Chartered ABS

09:40

Keynote Address

Yael Selfin, Chief Economist, KPMG in the UK

10:10

Keynote Address

Professor Michael Mainelli, Executive Chairman, Z/Yen Group

10:40

Break

Breakout Sessions

11:20 - 12:20

Building trust in the workplace

A masterclass about how business school leaders can foster trust in their teams.

Professor Veronica Hope-Hailey
Dean, University of Bristol Business School 

Future proofing the business school

This session will consider how business schools can enhance their financial sustainability and long-term growth prospects by tackling the twin challenges of income pressures, and increased inflation-driven liabilities.

Professor Zoe Radnor
Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean, College of Business and Social Sciences, Aston University 

Mark Corver
Managing Director – Data and Analytics, dataHE 

Chair: Professor Baback Yazdani
Professor of Product Development, Executive Dean, Nottingham Business School 

Additional speakers to be announced.

The lived experience of international students

This session will consider the experience that international students are receiving from living and studying in the UK. We will explore the ways in which this experience can be enhanced and practical steps for improving persistent challenges, such as the integration between international and domestic students.

Hazel Gant
Head of the School of Strategy, Marketing and Innovation at the University of Portsmouth 

Dr Liz Gee
Dean: Fashion Business School. London College of Fashion

Professor Steven McGuire
Dean of Business School, University of Sussex 

Professor Steven Rhoden
Dean of School of Business, University of Central Lancashire  

Diana Catana
Student Ambassador, UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) 

Chair: Dr Scott Bambrick
Director, Keele Business School

Creating future-fit and purposeful leaders

This session reflects on the skills, knowledge and behaviours that businesses of all sizes/sectors are looking for in employees and the ways in which business schools can create future-fit and purposeful business leaders through their undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education.

Catherine Faherty
Assistant Professor of Enterprise, DCU Business School 

Jonathan Geldart
Director General, Institute of Directors 

Ronan Gruenbaum
Global Director of Undergraduate Learning & Development, Professor of Practice,  Hult International Business School 

Chair: Dr Phil Considine
Director of Executive Development, Strathclyde Business School 

Additional speaker to be announced.

Roundtable Discussions

This session is an opportunity for participants to have in-depth discussion on a range of specific, nuanced issues with a small number of colleagues in a roundtable. The list of roundtable topics will be open for selection nearer the date of the event.

The session will be divided into two, 30-minute sections, allowing each delegate to join 2 discussions.

Click here to view the Roundtable Discussions

Nurturing inclusive leadership

This session explores the practical ways in which business school leaders and managers can embrace the principles of inclusive leadership in their own management practice, and nurture others in their teams to be inclusive leaders.

Funke Abimbola MBE 
Associate Client Partner, Organisational Strategy, EMEA, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion consulting, Korn Ferry 

Raj Tulsiani
Founder and CEO, Green Park

Lorraine Kelly
Director of Organisational Development & Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (OD & EDI), King's College London

Chair: Dr Deirdre Anderson
Director, Gender, Leadership and Inclusion Research Centre (GLIC), Cranfield School of Management  

Additional speakers to be announced.

12:20

Lunch

13:40

Final remarks

Flora Hamilton, Chief Executive, Chartered ABS

Professor Robert MacIntosh, Faculty Pro Vice Chancellor - Business and Law, Northumbria University; Chair, Chartered ABS

14:00

Plenary panel discussion

Thriving in an age of disruption

In this closing session a high-level panel of experts will bring together the threads of this year’s conference to explore how individually, and collectively, business schools and their parent universities can tackle the seismic issues facing the sector; and about how business schools can help create a sustainable future for society in the UK and internationally.

Professor Nicola Dandridge, Professor of Practice in HE Policy, University of Bristol; former Chief Executive, Office for Students 

Professor Sir Steve West CBE, Vice-Chancellor, President and Chief Executive Officer, University of the West of England; former President, Universities UK 

Morten Enggaard Rasmussen, Executive Vice-President, People, Sustainability and Brand, Novozymes

Chair to be announced

15:00

Roundtable 4:

Exploring the justificatn of the case for cutting first year students' fees.

Facilitated by:

Mark Clark, Senior lecturer & Lead for Education and students in Management, University of Sussex Business School

Close of conference

The 4-day week and flexible work practices in Business Schools: how do we make it work?

This roundtable discussion will address some of the key challenges associated with flexible working and four-day week practices in business schools and wider HE context in general. It will cover such aspects as staff retention, productivity, work from anywhere, organisational bonding, team building and organisational citizenship as well as how these

Facilitated by:

Dr Rushana Khusainova, SFHEA, Lecturer in Marketing, Programme Director MSc Strategy, Change and Leadership, University of Bristol Business School

Paving the way to Learning and Teaching success: Creating L&T promotion pathways

It is often stated that there is less promotional pathways and development opportunities that support academic staff on the teaching and/or practitioners’ pathways within many institutions. Comments such as “we are not treated the same “or there is “an expectation that we have the same outputs as research staff” are often heard. So, what are the realities of this and despite many institutions having pathways for research, teaching and practitioners, why do many believe there is still a problem.

Facilitated by:

Andrea Ward, Deputy Dean, Derby Business School

Dr Alison Truelove, Associate Professor in Critical Practice, University of Exeter Business School

Becoming a Dean: gaining promotion to senior leadership positions

Details to be announced

Facilitated by:

Professor Toni Hilton, Dean, Brighton Business School

Developing succession plans for future business school leaders

Details to be announced

Facilitated by:

Dr Keith Schofield, Deputy Dean: International, Aston University

Professor Funke Abimbola MBE 
Associate Client Partner, Organisational Strategy, EMEA, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion consulting, Korn Ferry 

Professor Funke Abimbola is a London-based partner at a global organisational consultancy. She focuses on delivering diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) solutions to clients across the EMEA region,

Her professional experience spans over 20 years with a first career as a corporate lawyer in the UK and subsequent careers in C-suite leadership roles within global pharmaceutical companies alongside providing DEI expertise. For many years, she worked as a senior leader for Roche, the world’s largest biotech company, serving in a range of different roles including the role of General Counsel and Head of Financial Compliance.

Immediately prior to her current role, she ran her own DEI consultancy during the pandemic, developing an impressive global client list over a 2-year period amongst which were several FTSE and NASDAQ-listed companies.

Funke’s expertise and leadership encompasses a wide range of sectors ranging from biotech, pharmaceuticals, healthcare & life sciences, technology, not-for-profit and manufacturing to professional services, education, financial services, retail and media.

She believes in integrating DEI into all aspects of leadership, leveraging the impact of inclusive leadership. The impact of her inclusive leadership and DEI work has been recognised by the UK’s Prime Minister and the Financial Times.

She was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the Queen’s 2017 birthday honours list for services to diversity and young people.

The University of Hertfordshire and the University of Kent have both awarded her honorary doctorates to recognise the impact of her leadership and her alma mater, Newcastle University, appointed her as Professor of Practice for her DEI efforts, impact and contributions.

She has extensive non-executive director experience and has served on the board of a fully listed company. A Nigerian-born naturalised Brit, Funke has dual Nigerian and British citizenship. She speaks Yoruba (a Nigerian language) fluently and is a regular commentator on BBC TV and radio.

She is the proud mother of a 20-year-old son who is a future software engineer studying Computer Science at university. Together, they host a podcast series called The Power of Privilege and Allyship podcast, showcasing exceptional role models who have used their privilege to maximise the impact of their allyship to transform lives. Over the 6 seasons of the podcast, Funke and her son have amassed a global podcast following across almost 1,300 cities, all 7 continents and 85 countries, interviewing over 100 inspiring leaders. Ranked and listed on all major podcast platforms including Apple, Spotify and Google, the podcast now also has over 10,000 downloads and an estimated 90,000+ listens.

Jamie Arrowsmith
Director, UUKi

Jamie was appointed Director of Universities UK International (UUKi) in November 2022. Prior to taking on this role, Jamie led Universities UK’s research and innovation policy programme (2014-2017) before becoming Assistant Director for Policy Engagement at UUKi (2017-2022).  Before joining Universities UK in 2010, Jamie was a research associate and ESRC research fellow at Manchester Metropolitan University’s Education and Social Research Institute.

Dr Scott Bambrick
Director of Keele Business School, Keele University

Dr Bambrick was appointed as Director of Keele Business School (KBS) in 2022. The School was awarded the Small Business Charter in 2022 and engages with over 500 local businesses. The School is located in a combined teaching and business space, where students can study and socialise alongside a range of innovative companies, with a curriculum focus on employability and excellent research and consultancy project opportunities.

Prior to joining KBS, Scott held senior leadership positions at Manchester Metropolitan University Business School, where he also gained his PhD. Before entering academia, Scott spent over a decade as a Senior Construction Project Manager and almost 10-years in the British Armed Forces.

Scott's research focus is in the areas of supply chain management and sports organisation management. Scott is also an active member of the Chartered Association of Business Schools’ International Committee, as well as a being a member of the Chartered Association of Project Management.

Scott is a supporter of the Armed Forces Covenant and works with organisations to help them engage with ex-military personnel, as well as finding pathways for ex-service men and women into higher education. Scott is passionate about local societal impact through sports volunteering, and is Non-Executive Director and Chairman of National League rugby team, Sale FC Rugby.

Louise Banahene
Director of Educational Engagement, University of Leeds.

Louise Banahene is Director of Educational Engagement at the University of Leeds.  She provides leadership on the University’s access and student success strategy including outreach, contextual admissions and changes to structures and process to close gaps in continuation and degree awarding gaps. In 2017 she was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to higher education and holds Principal Fellowship with the HEA.

She is also the strategic lead for the Go Higher West Yorkshire partnership – a collaboration between thirteen higher education providers across the region working together to develop higher level skills provision, outreach to widen access/target under-represented groups (including Uni Connect) and new programme development. Her external roles include trustee of the Tutor Trust and board member for a UKRI/OfS advisory group focused on widening access to PGR study.

Dr Emily Beaumont
Academic Subject Leader: Strategy, Leadership, Enterprise and Management, Gloucestershire Business School; President, Enterprise Educators UK 

Dr Emily Beaumont is an Associate Professor of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship at the University of Gloucestershire who has dedicated her teaching, research and practice to enterprise and entrepreneurship education.  Emily is a former President and current Director of Enterprise Educators UK (EEUK), a membership organisation that enables excellence in enterprise and entrepreneurship education by connecting and supporting enterprise and entrepreneurship educators across the UK.  Emily is also an active member of the AGCAS (Association of Graduate Careers and Advisory Services) Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Task Group, Director of ISBE (Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship), and Co-Chair of the Research in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Education Special Interest Group, a collaboration between EEUK and ISBE.

Professor Julian Birkinshaw 
Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, London Business School

Julian Birkinshaw is the Vice Dean and Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the London Business School.  He is a Fellow of the British Academy, the Strategic Management Society and the (American) Academy of Management.

He has degrees from the Richard Ivey School of Business in Canada, and the University of Durham in the UK. He was awarded Honorary Doctorates by the Stockholm School of Economics in 2009 and Copenhagen Business School in 2018.

Professor Birkinshaw is a recognised thought-leader on the impact of digital technology on the strategy and organsation of established companies. He is the author of fifteen books, including Mindtools for Managers (2018), Fast/Forward (2017), Becoming a Better Boss (2013), and Reinventing Management (2010), as well as over one hundred articles. His article How Incumbents Survive and Thrive won the Harvard Business Review best-paper award in 2022.

Professor Birkinshaw is frequently ranked as one of the “Thinkers 50” top thought leaders in the field of Management, and is quoted in international media outlets such as CNN, BBC, The Economist, the Wall Street Journal and The Times. He is a regular keynote speaker and a consultant to large companies around the world.

Professor Birkinshaw speaks on the challenges of corporate reinvention and renewal in today’s fast-changing world, foucsing in particular on digital transformation, strategic agility, and the changing nature of leadership in a post-pandemic world.

Professor Cathy Cassell
Executive Dean, Faculty of Business, Durham University Business School 

Cathy became Executive Dean of Durham University Business School in September 2022, having previously worked at Birmingham Business School at the University of Birmingham.

Previous roles include Deputy Director of Alliance Manchester Business School and Deputy Executive Dean of Leeds University Business School. Cathy has built an esteemed track record of leadership at senior levels in Business Schools.

An internationally renowned researcher in the field of organisational psychology with a particular interest in the areas of diversity, inclusion and organisational change.

Diana Catana
Student Ambassador, UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA)

Diana came into the UK in 2016 as a Romanian international student and is currently doing a PhD in Physics at King's College London. After working for the past 4 years as a Resident Advisor for International Students House (ISH) and receiving the Resident of the Year Award for her efforts, she wants to upscale her efforts to help current international students make the most of their time in the UK. She currently holds a grant from UKCISA to conduct research on student belonging in partnership with University of Nottingham and ISH. By becoming a student ambassador for UKCISA, she wants to contribute to policymaking affecting the integration of international students within the UK’s job market, as well as maintaining a diverse community by influencing post-Brexit policy agreements with the EU. In her spare time, she dedicates her time teaching or working on projects looking at raising intercultural awareness and digital literacy in her home country.

Gurdeep Chima 
Centre Manager, Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME) 

Gurdeep Chima is the Centre Manager of the Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME) at Aston University. Gurdeep has been at CREME since September 2020 and supports the Centre to achieve its mission of ‘making diversity and enterprise everyone’s business’ through stakeholder engagement, leading, and delivering events and collaborating with practitioner partners on innovative business support interventions. In 2022 Gurdeep won the award for the Future Face of Education and Public Sector, she serves as a board member for Punch Records, the UK’s leading Music and Arts agency committed to working with Black Music, Arts and Culture.

Mark Clark  
Senior lecturer & Lead for Education and students in Management, University of Sussex Business School 

Mark is a Senior Lecturer in Management and Course Director of the BSc Business and Management Studies degree at the University of Sussex Business School (USBS).

Formerly the Director of Teaching and Learning for the Foundation Year and Management Lead for Education and Students, Mark uses his experience as a teacher to inform scholarship focusing on social mobility and race equity.

In 2020-21, he led a co-produced research project with USBS students to better understand the complex institutional factors related to awarding gaps. The findings informed USBS’s Race equity plan which aims to create a more inclusive culture and reduce awarding gaps. This remains a key focus of his work.

His current research offers a quantitative longitudinal study (2015-2021) of the degree outcomes of over 700 foundation year business students. It demonstrates that the foundation year progressively narrows and ultimately eliminates awarding gaps, and that students who have taken a foundation year achieve better final degree results than those from similar widening participation backgrounds who entered without a foundation year.

Mark Corver
Managing Director,Data and Analytics, dataHE 

Mark is Managing Director of dataHE, a business dedicated to helping universities use data better. Prior to founding dataHE in 2017, Mark served at UCAS, including as Director of Analysis and Research, and was previously at the Higher Education Funding Council for England. He has been at the centre of data and higher education in this period developing core approaches for access, progression, forecasting and optimising university decisions.

Professor Nicola Dandridge, Professor of Practice in HE Policy, University of Bristol; former Chief Executive, Office for Students 

Nicola is professor of practice in higher education policy at the University of Bristol, researching issues relating to the experience of students, regulation and governance.

Previously she was chief executive of the Office for Students, the regulator for higher education in England. Before that she led Universities UK, the representative body for the UK’s universities, and first joined the higher education sector in 2006 as chief executive of the Equality Challenge Unit, established to promote equality and diversity for staff and students in the higher education sector.

Nicola originally qualified as a solicitor in both England and Scotland, specialising in industrial relations and equality law.

She is deputy chair of the Council for At Risk Academics, and a member of the boards of the University of Glasgow and of Trinity Laban Conservatoire for Music and Dance.

Professor Leanne de Main, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor Education (Transformation), Deputy Dean, Faculty of Business and Law, De Montfort University 

Leanne is an experienced senior leader in Higher Education, currently as Associate PVC Education at De Montfort University, leading the universities transition to block teaching and a related QAA collaborative enhancement project with four other universities. Leanne is also Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law. She is a Principal Fellow with Advance HE (PFHEA), holds the CMBE with the Chartered Association of Business Schools, is an Advance HE Aurora Mentor and an Associate Member of the Association of Learning Technology (ALT).

Leanne is a member of the European Federation of Management Development (EFMD) peer review team supporting Business Schools globally in achieving EFMD accreditation. She was a member of the Academic Advisory Group leading the latest review of QAA Business and Management benchmark statements. Leanne’s research centres on higher education policy, innovative pedagogy, and assessment and feedback.

Dr Catherine Faherty 
Assistant Professor of Enterprise, DCU Business School

Dr. Catherine Faherty is an Assistant Professor of Enterprise at Dublin City University Business School and Co-Founder and Associate Director of the DCU National Centre for Family Business. Catherine joined DCU as a faculty member in 2020 from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, USA, where she was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Kellogg Center for Family Enterprises. She earned her PhD from DCU in 2018, where she was a recipient of the prestigious Irish Research Council Postgraduate Scholarship. At DCU, Catherine teaches and mentors next-generation members preparing to assume leadership positions in their family businesses. In 2023, she and her colleagues won the Small Business Charter Excellence Award for their exemplary support for student enterprise and entrepreneurship through the Learning Innovation for Enterprise (LIFE) module.

Dr Catriona Firth
Associate Director for Research Environment, Research England

Catriona leads the Research Culture and Environment team at Research England, providing strategic leadership of RE’s work aimed at supporting a thriving, dynamic and inclusive environment for research within English universities. This includes policies relating to: responsible research assessment, research careers, equality, diversity and inclusion, open research, and research integrity.

Catriona previously worked as Head of REF 2021 Policy. Prior to joining RE, she worked in a number of UK universities in academic and research professional roles.

Hazel Gant
Head of the School of Strategy, Marketing and Innovation at the University of Portsmouth 

Hazel Gant is Head of the School of Strategy, Marketing and Innovation at the University of Portsmouth. She has a keen interest in supporting and improving the student experience of students from all backgrounds including international students. Hazel is a member of the University Global Experience Committee as well as the university wide EDI Steering Group, she has also led several strategically important projects such as introducing enhanced induction for international students, the development and introduction of a new Faculty EDI Committee, forming part of the new university wide EDI governance structure within the university and, additionally, in response to year on year rises in cases of academic misconduct within the international student cohort launched and Chaired an Academic Integrity Working Group. The group successfully bought together stakeholders from across the Faculty, from both professional and Faculty, to collaborative find solutions to an increasingly resource intensive issue that was having a serious impact on progression statistics and the student experience.

Professor Marian Garcia
Dean, Kent Business School 

Professor Marian Garcia is Dean of Kent Business School, University of Kent and Professor of Marketing and Innovation. Marian is also Director of Kent Business School Open Innovation Network and works with businesses and public sector on customer-driven business model innovation. She is internationally known for her research on open innovation management and product development by businesses working collaboratively with customers.

Jonathan Geldart
Director General, Institute of Directors 

Jonathan was appointed Director General of the Institute of Directors in October 2019. Prior to this he spent 30 years working in the professional services sector, most recently at Grant Thornton International Ltd responsible for the organisation’s interest in China and previously as a global board member responsible for the brand. Jonathan has a long-standing connection with the IoD, as Chair of IoD Yorkshire and North East region prior to his appointment as Director General. He is the author of three books on China and in addition to being a Fellow of the IoD he is also a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. He studied Geography and Archaeology at St. Andrews University specialising in underwater archaeology. Outside of work, his interests include hill walking and fell running. He was the navigator in a rally team for 20 years, is a qualified UK Mountain Leader has walked unsupported to the North Pole as well as completed expeditions in Norway, the Canadian Arctic and the Everest region.

John Goodwin
Executive Chair, Learning Economy Foundation; Board Member, PRME

John Goodwin is the Executive Chairman of the Learning Economy Foundation (LEF), a non-profit organization that is focused on shaping the next iteration of the world wide web to be able to effectively address the persistent inequities that exist around the globe in education and employment. He is also the Chairman of the i5 Project, an initiative led by the UN Global Compact Principles of Responsible Management in Education (PRME) to help responsible leaders of tomorrow have greater positive impact on society and the planet. Until September 2021, John Goodwin was the CEO of the LEGO Foundation – an organization dedicated to helping children around the globe develop and acquire the skills needed to thrive in today’s world. During his +4 years as CEO, John oversaw the significant increase in the global impact of the LEGO Foundation, with the scale of activities increasing more than threefold. Mr. Goodwin holds a 1St class degree in Mathematical Engineering from the University of Loughborough and is a Fellow of the Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Ronan Gruenbaum
Global Director of Undergraduate Learning & Development, Professor of Practice,  Hult International Business School 

Ronan Gruenbaum is Global Director of Undergraduate Learning and Development for Hult International Business School, responsible for developing and building the Bachelor of Business Administration program to ensure a consistently high quality and holistic learning experience for all students that best prepares them for the world of work or further study. Prior to this, Ronan was Dean of the London Undergraduate campus for six years, joining Hult in 2011 on the postgraduate campus as a full-time professor of marketing and technology and later as Associate Dean. Ronan joined Hult after a career specializing in digital marketing, social technologies, online learning and e-communications; publishing a book on “Making Social Technologies Work: Leveraging the Power and Managing Perils of Social Technologies in Business” (2015) and a chapter on the "Future of Education" (2009) with Palgrave Macmillan. Ronan also lived and worked in Barcelona for 12 years.

Leila Guerra
Associate Provost (Digital Lifelong Learning) & Vice-Dean (Education), Imperial College Business School

Leila is Associate Provost (Digital Lifelong Learning) at Imperial College London and Vice
Dean (Education) at Imperial’s Business School.
She leads on the development of the College’s lifelong learning strategy as well as
overseeing the Business School's post- and undergraduate programmes and setting the
educational strategy & vision of the portfolio. She manages the programme teams,
Marketing, Recruitment and Admissions, the award -winning iDEA Lab (Innovation, Digital
Education and Analytics), and Careers services for over 3000 students.
Her primary focus is attracting top students to Imperial College Business School’s cutting edge programme and lifelong learning portfolio, driving an outstanding student experience,
developing further innovative teaching pedagogies and platforms, and enabling success for
all graduates.

She is part of the Business School's Advisory and Management Board. She is also a
member of various international, educational boards. Leila has a wealth of experience in business education. Prior to joining Imperial College Business School, she was Assistant Dean of Postgraduate Programmes at Lee Kong Chian School of Business in Singapore, and Executive Director of Early Careers Programmes at the London Business School.

Yangos Hadjiyannis
CEO, Cyprus Business School 

Yangos Hadjiyannis earned an LL.B. with a First-Class Honours from the University of Nottingham. He then moved to the University of Cambridge (Trinity Hall) where he earned a Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies and the next year, an LL.M. in International Law with a First Class Honours. He moved back to Cyprus in 2007 where he has successfully completed the Cyprus Bar Examinations and became a member of the Cyprus Bar Association. In May 2022 he completed successfully the highly exclusive Executive Education program “Authentic Leadership” at Harvard University. In July 2022, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration by the University of West London.

From 2008 to 2019, he was the Deputy Director-General of CIM-Cyprus Business School, in charge for business development and strategy. Since 2020 he is the Chief Executive Officer.

He is a Non-Executive Director at KEDIPES (Cyprus Asset Management Company). He is also a member of the Board of Directors of CIPA (Invest Cyprus) and Chairman of the Promotion Committee. Moreover, he is a member of the Cyprus Advertising Control Agency and member of the Executive Committee of the Cyprus Employers & Industrialists Federation (OEB).

Yangos Hadjiyannis is an advisor to many companies on issues of strategy and management.

In recent years, he took up a research interest in Economics and Financial affairs and he has published various Articles with the local and international press. He is a commentator for the local media on financial affairs and as such he is regularly hosted on TV and radio.

Flora Hamilton
CEO, Chartered Association of Business Schools

Flora took up the position of CEO at the Chartered Association of Business Schools in May 2023. Prior to this, she was the Director of Financial Services at the CBI. Whilst there she was responsible for directing the CBI’s lobbying on issues related to financial services, including sustainable finance and for the development of guidance materials for small and mid-tier businesses. She also had the responsibility for the CBI’s overall relationship management with the key UK and global players in the financial services sector.

Prior to joining the CBI in 2014, Flora has worked for the ATM Industry Association, Public Relations Consultants Association and Association of Measurement & Evaluation of Communication. Her earlier career included working for The Profile Group, BBC Worldwide and Two-Ten Communications, a Press Association subsidiary.

Professor Andy Hoffman
Holcim (US) Professor of Sustainable Enterprise, Ross School of Business/School for Environment & Sustainability, University of Michigan

Andrew (Andy) Hoffman is the Holcim (US) Professor of Sustainable Enterprise at the University of Michigan; a position that holds joint appointments in the Stephen M. Ross School of Business and the School for Environment and Sustainability.  For the 2023-24 academic year, he is a visiting fellow with the Institute for the Study of Business in Global Society at the Harvard Business School.  In his work, Andy uses organizational, network and strategic analyses to assess the implications of environmental issues for business and society.  He has published over 100 articles/book chapters and 18 books; which have been translated into 6 languages; most recently The Engaged Scholar: Expanding the Impact of Academic Research in Today's World (Stanford University Press, 2021) and Management as a Calling: Leading Business, Serving Society (Stanford University Press, 2021). He earned his PhD in Management and Civil & Environmental Engineering at MIT. For more information, go to: http://www.andrewhoffman.net/

Kevin Hollinrake MP
Minister for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business

Kevin represents the constituency where he was born, brought up in and has lived in most of his life. He was elected to Parliament in May 2015, during which time he has been the Co-Chair of the APPG for Fair Business Banking, Co-Chair of APPG for Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire and a member of the Treasury Select Committee. Kevin was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business and Trade on 7 February 2023. He was previously Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy between 27 October 2022 and 7 February 2023. He has a business background, having been a founder partner of Hunters Estate Agents, which he helped to grow into one of the largest independent networks of sales and letting agents in the UK. Kevin is a strong advocate of the small and medium sized business sector and of the North, and has been campaigning hard for more investment in Northern roads, rail, digital networks, skills training and private sector investment, which he believes is key to growing the Yorkshire and wider UK economy.

Professor Hannah Holmes
Dean of Business School and Deputy PVC, Faculty of Business and Law, Manchester Metropolitan University 

Professor Hannah Holmes is Dean of Business School and Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor in Business and Law at Manchester Metropolitan University, leading one of the largest Faculties in the UK. The Business School is triple accredited (EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA), placing it within a global elite of institutions for business education and research. The School is proud to hold the Small Business Charter and is home to the ‘Centre for Enterprise’ through which over 2,500 SMEs have been supported through funded programmes focused on growth, net zero, and digital. The Business School is also the UK's sector leader for degree apprenticeships, working in partnership with a number of blue-chip employers. Hannah is passionate about helping drive and deliver change which makes a positive contribution to society, particularly amongst communities which face significant barriers.

Professor Veronica Hope-Hailey
Dean, University of Bristol Business School 

Veronica Hope Hailey is the inaugural Dean of the University of Bristol Business School. Veronica was previously based at the University of Bath where she was Dean and University Vice President for 7 years until 2020, when she became Emeritus Professor. Veronica is mainly known for her research on Trust and Trustworthy Leadership. She published two reports during COVID featuring over 100 interviews with CEOs, CFOs, CMOs and HRDs on their experience of leading through the first 2 years of the pandemic. These reports – “Responsible Business in Crisis – rebuilding cultures of trust” (2020; 2021) were preceded by three similar reports on the Trust in the wake of the financial crisis. All reports were published with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). For the last 30 years Veronica has worked all over the world to deliver leadership development at the most senior levels in the private, public and third sector and is currently in demand as a public speaker on the areas of trust, trustworthiness, and organisational change. Veronica is Associate Faculty at the Forward Institute and has held trustee/NED roles on several boards. Also, as a mother of five daughters, and having been a senior leader herself, Veronica can’t help but champion the cause of women and leadership.

Janet Ilieva
Founder and Director, Education Insight

Janet Ilieva is the founder and director of Education Insight, a research consultancy specialising in international higher education. Janet's research focuses on global student mobility, university partnerships, transnational education, national policies for global engagement and sustainable development.

Education Insight runs annually the Global Engagement Index (GEI), an open-access resource that captures the state of internationalism across UK higher education institutions.
Janet started her career as a university lecturer in economics before joining the British Council in 2004 to lead the department's work for international higher education. She joined the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) in May 2013 as head of the HEFCE Observatory. Janet regularly undertakes research in higher education engagement for government departments, international organisations and universities.

Professor Seun Kolade, PhD SFHEA CMBE
Professor of Entrepreneurship & Digital Transformation, Sheffield Business School, Sheffield Hallam University. 

Seun Kolade is a Professor of Entrepreneurship and Digital Transformation at Sheffield Business School, Sheffield Hallam University, United Kingdom. His research and teaching activities cover the broad areas of digital transformation, artificial intelligence, transformative entrepreneuring, social and spiritual capital, and SME strategies in turbulent environments. Professor Kolade is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), a Certified Management and Business Educator (CMBE), and a recognised agile leader, holding the industry-leading PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) certification. He is the author of more than 70 academic outputs, including journal articles, books, book chapters, and refereed conference papers. He has also led or contributed to a wide range of funded research projects, and has served as a consultant for various international organisations, including the British Council. He is Associate Editor of Technology Analysis and Strategic Management (ABS 2*) and the lead and co-editor of two recent books: The Palgrave Handbook of African Entrepreneurship (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022); and Digital Innovations for a Circular Plastic Economy in Africa (Routledge, 2023).

Susan Lapworth
Chief Executive, the Office for Students

Susan is Chief Executive of the Office for Students. Her appointment was confirmed by the
Secretary of State for Education in September 2022 as the OfS began to deliver its latest strategy, focusing on quality and standards and equality of opportunity. Focusing on reforms to quality and student outcomes, Susan has the student experience at the heart
of her vision for the organisation. She joined the Office for Students in 2018 and, as Director of Regulation, she was responsible for the development of its regulatory approach and the implementation of that approach for the effective regulation of universities and colleges. She led the teams that assess higher education providers seeking registration with the OfS, conduct ongoing monitoring and intervention for registered providers, and assess providers seeking authorisation to award their own degrees.

Before the creation of the Office for Students in 2018, Susan was the Director of Regulation and Assurance at the Higher Education Funding Council for England, one of the OfS's predecessor bodies.

Susan previously worked in a range of higher education institutions, including pre- and post-1992 universities, a conservatoire, and institutions with substantial distance learning provision. She was a member of a university executive team and her roles have included responsibility for the development of institutional strategy and policy, as well as for the design and operation of internal regulatory frameworks and services for students, teachers and researchers.

Alex Lewis 
Director of Research, British Academy

Alex Lewis joined the British Academy as Director of Research in February 2023. She leads the delivery of the Academy’s UK and international research portfolio, ensuring the effective distribution of over £50 million in research funding annually as well as overseeing the growth of the Academy’s Early Career Researcher Network. Previously she was the Director of Research Strategy at the University of Surrey, where her focus was on large strategic research initiatives, helping the university to secure funding and build partnerships. Here Alex was instrumental in supporting the creation of two pan-university Institutes in People-centred AI and Sustainability with the aim of forging successful and impactful interdisciplinary research to address some of the major challenges facing us today.

Professor Deborah Lock
Deputy Dean, Birmingham City Business School 

Deborah is an experienced academic leader with more than 20 years’ leadership experience in higher education. She is currently Professor of Inclusivity & Innovation in Teaching, and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Business, Law, and Social Sciences at Birmingham City University. Previously she has been a Director of a Business School, College Director of Education, Executive Director of Enterprise, and Deputy Director of Research & Enterprise Support. She has a track record of successfully leading large distributed multidisciplinary teams in both academic and professional service contexts and achieving transformational change in both educational practice and culture. She is the past Chair of the CABS Executive Education Committee which, during her tenure, developed the Executive Education Leadership Programme. Her primary research focus is linked to the internationalisation of teaching practices. She is the co-editor of several books on this subject, and her latest work “Global Higher Education Practices In Times Of Crisis: Questions For Sustainability And Digitalization” is scheduled to be released in Spring 2024

Tom Lowe
Senior Lecturer in Higher Education, University of Portsmouth; Chair, RAISE Committee

Tom Lowe is a Senior Lecturer in Higher Education at the University of Portsmouth, where his research includes student engagement in development of education, embedding employability into the curriculum and supporting student belonging. Tom is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Chair of the RAISE Network - an international network of over 1,000 members researching student engagement. Prior to Portsmouth, Tom was the Head of Student Engagement and Employability at the University of Winchester where he led the University’s student development, internationalisation and extra-curricular opportunities, staffing and strategies relating to fostering student success. Tom has recently published a book titled "Advancing Student Engagement in Higher Education: Reflection, Critique and Challenge" with Routledge Education and has worked as an advisor across more than 30 universities internationally.

Professor Robert MacIntosh
Pro Vice Chancellor, Faculty of Business and Law, Northumbria University; Chair, Chartered ABS

Professor Robert MacIntosh trained as an engineer and is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, the Academy of Social Sciences and the British Academy of Management. He has published over 100 outputs including books on strategy, organisational change and research impact. His background reflects a long-standing interest in multidisciplinary research that makes a difference in the world. He is an advocate of the transformative power of universities both in their learning and teaching and in their research and knowledge exchange.

He has held leadership roles in business schools at Strathclyde, Glasgow and Heriot-Watt and is currently Pro Vice-Chancellor for Business and Law at Northumbria University. He is also Chair of the Chartered Association of Business Schools and sits on the Council of the British Academy of Management.

He has extensive experience working with, facilitating and researching strategy in a range of publicly traded firms, large public organisations and third sector organisations and has supervised a number of senior leaders from the US, Canada, Europe and the UK to doctoral completion.

He is an experienced boardroom practitioner having served on the board of the social care charity Turning Point Scotland (2013 to 2021, and chair from 2019-2021) and the board of Heriot-Watt University Malaysia (2014-2021). He publishes regularly on academic life in the Times Higher Education and on doctoral study through ThePhDBlog.com. His status as a shareholder in Aberdeen Football Club demonstrates his innate optimism.

Professor Michael Mainelli MStJ FCCA FCSI(Hon) FBCS
Chairman, Z/Yen Group

Michael is a qualified accountant, securities professional, computer specialist, and management consultant, educated at Harvard University and Trinity College Dublin with his PhD from LSE.  Originally a research scientist in aerospace (rocket science) and computing (architecture & cartography), he became a senior partner of accountants BDO Binder Hamlyn and a director of UK Ministry of Defence research. During a mergers & acquisitions spell in merchant banking with Deutsche Morgan Grenfell, he co-founded Z/Yen, the City of London’s leading think-tank, promoting societal advance through better finance and technology.  Z/Yen is renowned for its Global Financial, Green Finance, and Smart Centres indices.  Michael is a Fellow of Goodenough College, Honorary Fellow of King’s College London, Visiting Professor at UCL’s Bartlett School, and Alderman of the City of London for Broad Street.  He was Sheriff of the City of London 2019-2021.

David Meech Mazumdar
Department Manager (Strategic Planning & Development) London School of Economics and Political Science; Chair, Chartered ABS Professional Managers Committee

David Meech Mazumdar has worked in higher education management for 15 years in a number of roles. He has been working as Department Manager for Strategic Planning and Development at the London School of Economics since 2018 and has served on the Chartered ABS Professional Manager’s Committee since 2020, having recently been appointed as Chair.

David believes that the key ingredients to success across the business school sector are innovation, partnership and collaboration – working with each other and our academics to drive excellence and ensure we remain competitive and relevant in a world of change.

Shabbir Mookhtiar
CEO & Co-Founder, Flavers (Formerly: Cook My Grub) 

After spotting a gap in the market for authentic, home-cooked food that could easily be delivered to people’s homes through a simple mobile app., Shabbir launched Flavers(formerly Cook My Grub) with his co-founder Dinesh Patil, in 2020.

Currently, it is the leading UK marketplace to offer authentic, home-made world cuisines that cannot be found on the high street. At Flavers, Shabbir provides overall leadership and also leads the technology development and operations teams, as he continues his mission to democratise the food industry by providing software and marketing access to small home-based cooking businesses.

Prior to entering the food tech industry, Shabbir spent 15 years in the tech, logistics and media industries, leading technology teams at world-leading organisations including Sky, Cubic Transportation Systems and Dish Network, as well as Peacock TV, NBCUniversal’s latest video streaming service for the American market. Using his agile management style, Shabbir is a strong believer in developing nurturing environments that get the most out of individuals’ strengths. Through Flavers, Shabbir’s ambition is to help create a new segment in the food delivery market in the UK and globally.

Jean Oelwang
Founding CEO, Virgin Unite

Jean is a Collaborations Architect and the founding CEO of Virgin Unite. Over the last 19 years, she has worked with partners to lead the incubation and start-up of several global initiatives, including: The Elders, The B Team, The Carbon War Room, The Africa Donor Collective, Ocean Unite (now ORRAA), The Caribbean Climate Smart Accelerator, 100% Human at Work, and several others.

Jean spent seventeen years helping lead mobile phone companies in South Africa, Colombia, Bulgaria, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, and the US.  She was the joint CEO of Virgin Mobile in Australia prior to starting Virgin Unite.

She co-founded the not-for-profit Plus Wonder to spark more meaningful deep connections and collaborations in the world. She is the author of the new book, Partnering.

Professor Kamil Omoteso
Pro Vice-Chancellor/Dean, College of Business, Law and Social Science, University of Derby

In my role as the Dean of the College of Business, Law and Social Sciences, I provide executive leadership for the College. I’m also responsible for driving change, growth and sustainability across the College and its component Schools.

As a Pro Vice-Chancellor, I support University-wide initiatives, programmes and projects. I also help shape the University's policies and strategies. I am the Executive Lead on the University’s Access and Participation Plan as well as EDI.

I began my academic career in 2001 at Lagos State University, Nigeria, after six years of working in different accounting and auditing roles in both public and private sectors. Between 2003 and 2013, I held different academic positions including Principal Lecturer and the Director of Postgraduate Programmes in Accounting at De Montfort University, Leicester. Prior to joining the University of Derby, I was the Head of the School of Economics, Finance and Accounting at Coventry University, where I led a number of strategic initiatives.

I hold a professorial chair in Accounting and Governance and my research interests cover Corporate Reporting, Accountability and Governance. I sit on the Council of Chartered Association of Business School (Chartered ABS). I am also a member of the Management Committee of its Academic Journal Guide.

Ayesha Owusu-Barnaby
Senior Lecturer Marketing, Programme Leader, UG Business Management, Hertfordshire Business School

Ayesha Owusu-Barnaby is Senior Lecturer in marketing and programme leader for the Business Management pathways at the University of Hertfordshire.  Serving a diverse community, her university attracts students with a range of requirements influenced by factors such as commuting daily to campus and being forced to prioritise paid work over studies; challenging assumptions about how the day might be structured and how we define engagement. 

Ayesha is author of the Principles of Marketing Revel for Pearson; this ‘digital first’ resource is also aimed at meeting changing requirements.  Addressing teaching and learning it is the product of a desire to acknowledge student's media consumption habits; use of multi-screens and social media. 

Ayesha is a member of Chartered Associations of Business Schools apprenticeship committee and, the Data and Marketing Association (DMA) Talent Committee contributing to work which is developing meaningful guidance to help the marketing industry recognise and draw in talent from across the UK's diverse population. 

Andy Phippen
Professor of IT Ethics and Digital Rights, Bournemouth University 

Andy Phippen is a Professor of Online Harms at the Bournemouth University. Starting his career in an AI research lab in the 1990s, he has specialised in the use of ICTs in social and ethical contexts and the intersection with legislation for over 20 years, carrying out a large amount of grass roots research on issues such as attitudes toward privacy and data protection, internet safety and contemporary issues such as sexting, peer abuse and the impact of digital technology on wellbeing. He has presented written and oral evidence to parliamentary inquiries related to the use of ICTs in society, is widely published in the area and is a frequent media commentator on these issues.

Professor Zoe Radnor
Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean, College of Business and Social Sciences, Aston University

Professor Zoe Radnor is the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean for the College of Business and Social Sciences at Aston University.  Previous to this Zoe has held the roles as Deputy Vice-Chancellor at The University of Law (ULaw) and, at City, University of London, where she was Vice-President for Strategy and Planning; Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Professor of Service Operations Management.  Before her role at City, Professor Radnor was the inaugural Dean of the University of Leicester School of Business. Prior to that she was the Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching) for Loughborough University in London leading on the curriculum design and learning environment for the new postgraduate campus.

Zoe’s research interest is in performance and process improvement and service management within public sector organisations.  She has led research projects for a number of Government and healthcare organisations, evaluating the use of ‘lean’ and associated techniques and continues to maintain a strong ongoing research profile.

She is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS) and of the British Academy of Management (FBAM).  She also sits on a number of boards including the Athena Swan Governance Committee for Advance HE, Southern Universities Management Systems (SUMS) and, the editorial boards for the International Journal of Production and Operations Management (IJOPM) and Public Money and Management.

Morten Enggaard Rasmussen
Executive Vice-President, People, Sustainability and Brand, Novozymes

Morten Enggaard Rasmussen is responsible for our people agenda, sustainability leadership and brand.
He joined Novozymes in April 2021 from his position as Vice President of People & Culture at Vestas, in charge of Asia Pacific and China, based in Singapore. He joined Vestas in 2008 and has a strong track record of building and developing high performing teams across North America, Europe, Africa and Asia with a particular focus on sustainable business.
Morten has proven to be capable of managing complex, international development projects and has operated as a trusted business partner across various functions and geographies. Morten is a Danish national and holds a Master of Science degree from the Aarhus School of Business.

Professor Steven Rhoden
Dean of School of Business, University of Central Lancashire 

Professor Steven Rhoden is Dean of the School of Business at the University of Central Lancashire. He is a Professor of Business Engagement, passionate about generating and growing opportunities between Higher Education and businesses that contribute significantly to students’ futures, business performance and have a positive impact on communities. Steven’s background is in tourism and he holds a PhD in Transport and Tourism. He is President of European Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education, the leading international learned association for tourism and hospitality education. He also serves on the UK’s Office for Students’ Quality Investigations Committee. Steven is a Certified Management and Business Educator, Senior Fellow of Advance HE, Member of the Institute of Travel and Tourism, and Member of the Institute of Place Management.

Professor Sankar Sivarajah
Dean of School of Management, University of Bradford

Sankar Sivarajah is a Professor of Technology Management and Circular Economy and the Dean of School of Management at University of Bradford.

His research and teaching is interdisciplinary in nature focusing on the use of emerging digital technology for the betterment of society, be it in a business or government context. He is the Deputy Editor of Journal of Enterprise Information Management and has published over 70 scientific articles in leading peer-reviewed journals and conferences. His research tackling societal challenges such as energy efficient digital currencies, consumer behaviour and reduction of waste has featured in reputable media publications such as The World Economic Forum, BBC Yorkshire and The Conversation.

To date, he has a successful track record as Principal and Co-investigator in over £3 million worth of Research and Innovation and consultancy projects funded by reputable funding bodies and commercial organisations. Some of the notable funders have been the European Commission (FP7, H2020, Marie Curie), Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), Innovate UK/DEFRA and British Council focusing on projects addressing business and societal challenges surrounding themes such as AI Innovation Strategy Development, Smart Cities and Sustainable Societies.

He is an elected governing Council Member of the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS) in the UK, Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and a member of the British Academy of Management (BAM).

The Rt Hon Chris Skidmore OBE MP
Chair, Net Zero Review; formerly Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation

The Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP has been the MP for Kingswood since 2010. He has served in five government departments between 2015 and 2020 including as Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation twice between 2018 and 2020. In 2019, he was also appointed Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth, attending Cabinet, during which time he signed the UK's commitment to Net Zero by 2050 into law, and helped secure the UK Presidency of COP26. Most recently, he served as the Chair of the Government’s Independent Net Zero Review, and published the 340 page ‘Mission Zero’ report in January 2023. He is currently Chair of the All Party Group on the Environment and is also a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Professor Lisa Thomas
Professor of Strategy, KEDGE Business School

Lisa Thomas, HDR, is Professor of Strategy at KEDGE Business School, France. She has extensive experience of teaching in Universities/ Business Schools in the UK and France, across all levels of management education.

Her research interests include strategy processes and practices in organizations with a focus on strategy implementation. She is also involved in research into the international competitive environment of management education institutions and future strategies of business schools. Her focus is on the role of value co-creation, multi-stakeholder engagement and sustainability. Her work features in the Academy of Management Learning & Education Journal, The British Journal of Management, International Journal of Human Resource Management. She has co-produced several book chapters and is co-author of `How to Develop a Sustainable Business School`, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2023.

Dr. Vangelis Tsiligkiris (SFHEA, FCMI)
Associate Professor, Nottingham Business School

Dr. Vangelis Tsiligkiris (SFHEA, FCMI) is an Associate Professor at Nottingham Business School and formerly served as the College Principal at a private Greek higher education college. He has extensive experience in developing and managing Transnational Education (TNE) partnerships throughout Europe. His research centres on TNE and Digital Education, delving into innovative models of international university education, assessing the value and societal impact of TNE, and examining the influence of advanced digital technologies on business education and graduate employability.

Vangelis has published in international academic journals and conducted consultancy projects for distinguished international organizations and governments. His expertise has been instrumental in shaping policies in countries including the UK, Greece, Malta, Georgia, Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Pakistan, Vietnam, India, and others. Furthermore, he has served as an internationalisation strategy consultant for four UK universities.

As the founder of the TNE Hub, Vangelis oversees an expansive international network of over 550 professionals from 20 countries. He co-founded the TNE IMPACT repository; the first open-access case study repository for capturing the UN SDGs-related impact of TNE. Among his notable project contributions is the Global Engagement Index, an alternative to traditional university rankings, focusing on the global engagement of UK institutions. He holds positions on advisory boards and committees of respected organizations like the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS), UK NARIC (ECCTIS), Jisc, and the EdTech business accelerator Supercharger.

Raj Tulsiani
CEO & Founder, Green Park

Raj Tulsiani is one of the UK’s leading figures in executive and interim search, workforce planning and diversification. He has over 20 years of experience moving the dial on leadership, talent and diversity and is the author of 'Diversity and Inclusion for Leaders: Making a Difference with the Diversity Headhunter.'

An industry pioneer in building diverse senior leadership teams and more equitable workplace cultures, Raj sits on and advises a number of boards and change agents across the public and private sectors on diversity and talent.

The founder and CEO of one of the recruitment industry’s few minority-owned businesses, Raj is a passionate advocate of the power of diversity as a source of competitive advantage and has helped set the benchmark for more inclusive, fair and ethical recruitment practices.

In 2020, Raj co-founded Race Equality Matters, a Community Interest Company with a mission to tackle race inequality in the workplace through collaborative, impact-driven solutions. This included the launch of the UK’s first Race Equality Week, now an annual UK-wide movement uniting thousands of organisations and individuals to practically address the barriers to achieving race equality.

Regarded as a champion for entrepreneurialism and diversity & inclusion within the UK, Raj has been recognised with a number of awards and accolades, including: Entrepreneur of the Year by both the MSDUK Awards and Recruitment International Awards; named in The EMpower 100 Ethnic Minority Executives List; winner of Recruitment Agenecy Leader of the Year; a Lifetime Diversity Achievement Award; and the Global Equality & Diversity Lord Noon Award.

Professor Iis Tussyadiah
Professor of Intelligent Systems in Service, Head of School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, University of Surrey 

Iis Tussyadiah is Professor of Intelligent Systems in Service, Head of School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, and Fellow of the Surrey Institute for People-Centred Artificial Intelligence at University of Surrey. Iis conducts research on digital transformation in the services sector, focusing on human-computer interaction, consumer behaviour, and management. She investigates the applications and implications of artificial intelligence and is an advocate of utilising technology to forge new pathways to a better future. Her current work covers human-AI teaming and the future of work, digital nudging, and the development of sociotechnical systems for sustainability transitions.

Professor Tim Vorley OBE FAcSS
Pro Vice-Chancellor & Dean, Oxford Brookes Business School

Professor Tim Vorley is Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Oxford Brookes Business School, and leads on Entrepreneurship and Enterprise at Oxford Brookes University. He was recognised in the 2023 New Years Honours list and awarded an OBE for services to Enterprise, Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Tim has led a wide range of projects and initiatives in the UK and internationally focusing on entrepreneurship, enterprise and innovation funded by UKRI as well as projects on Community Business with Power to Change. Tim works extensively across government departments, and is also Vice Chair of the Small Business Charter, created by Lord Young to recognise business schools that play an effective role in supporting small businesses and student entrepreneurship.

Professor Liz Warren
Head of International Manchester Metropolitan University Business School

In 2022, Liz joined Manchester Metropolitan University in the Faculty of Business and Law executive team. As the Faculty Head of International, her primary responsibility is to develop excellence internationally, creating an international culture and experience for all. As a triple-accredited Business School and International Law School, MMU builds partnerships with other excellent Higher Education providers and businesses. We ensure our staff and students benefit from being part of an international community to achieve impact in education and research.

In addition to her role as Faculty Head of International, Liz works closely with colleagues in Accounting, Finance and Banking within the Business School. She continues to develop research within these specific areas of study and in the area of business education. Liz also holds Principal Fellowship with the HEA.

Liz helps early and mid-career academics build their confidence and careers to maximise their impact to achieve our transforming lives strategy. She has held several senior management roles in academia, and externally works with CABS, CIMA, and the EAA on various committees.

Professor Vishanth Weerakkody
Associate PVC, Global Engagement & Partnerships, University of Bradford

Vishanth Weerakkody is Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Global Engagement and Partnerships at University of Bradford and a Professor of Digital Governance. Since joining UoB in 2017, Vishanth has held multiple leadership positions in the Faculty of Management Law and Social Sciences including as Dean where he led the faculty through the covid-19 pandemic, as Associate Dean Planning and Resources where he managed the implementation of a transformative change programme in the School of Management, and as Associate Dean International and Enterprise where he led a growth agenda for Internationalisation through developing high-quality partnerships and mobility for the faculty across Europe, Asia, Middle East and Turkey. Although holding significant leadership responsibility, Vishanth maintains a healthy research track record and continues to publish in CABS 3/4* journals, led two impact case studies for REF2021 and continues to attract R&D funding. A passionate advocate of ‘responsible internationalisation’ in HE, Vishanth draws from several years of experience in multinational organisations such as BAT Industries and IBM to support the University of Bradford’s global engagement agenda.

Professor Sir Steve West CBE
Vice-Chancellor, President and Chief Executive Officer, University of the West of England; former President, Universities UK

Professor Sir Steve West CBE, DL is Vice-Chancellor, President and CEO of the University of the West of England, Bristol.

Professor Sir West is a Board Member of Universities UK.  He is Chair of the West of England Academic Health Science Network and Non- Executive Director for the Integrated Care Board for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG).  Professor Sir Steve West is also a Trustee for Bristol Zoo.

Professor Sir Steve West served as President of Universities UK (UUK) from 2021-2023.

Professor Sir West became Deputy Lieutenant for the county of Gloucestershire in 2012 and was awarded a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the New Year's Honours list 2017, for services to Higher Education.  He was made an Honorary Member of the Faculty of Public Health in 2021.

Professor Sir West was awarded a knighthood in the King’s Birthday Honours List 2023 for his major contributions to education, health, and business, underpinned by a profound commitment to transforming lives.

Joana Westphal
Head of Transnational Education, Universities UK International (UUKi)

Joana Westphal is Head of Transnational Education (TNE) at Universities UK International (UUKi). She works within UUKi's Policy and Engagement Team leading the TNE programme to support universities in building sustainable, scalable partnerships across the globe. Joana has worked in international higher education across different areas, including recruitment, research and TNE, with a particular focus on the Middle East and North Africa.

Sir Nigel Wilson
Group Chief Executive, Legal & General

Nigel joined Legal & General in 2009 and was appointed Group Chief Executive
in 2012. His management responsibilities cover the four divisions: LGC, LGRI,
LGIM and Retail. During his ten-year tenure as CEO L&G has delivered
compound annual growth in operating profit of over 10% and Return on Equity
over 20%.

Nigel was a recent member of Michael Gove’s “Levelling Up” committee and of
Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak’s “Build Back Better” Business Council. In 2021
Nigel chaired the Bank of England and FCA’s Climate Financial Risk Forum,
Innovation Working Group. He was also a member of the expert group advising
on the government’s Social Care Green Paper and the Life Sciences Industrial
Strategy Implementation Board.

In 2015-2016 Nigel was a member of the David Cameron’s Business Advisory
Group. In 2016-2017 he was Chairman of the Investment Association’s review
of Executive Pay and the government’s review of Mission Led Business. In
2017-2018 he was a member of the government’s Patient Capital Review
Industry Panel and a Commissioner in the Resolution Foundation’s
Intergenerational Commission.

Nigel’s professional awards include ‘Britain’s Admired Company’ and ‘Britain’s
Most Inspirational Leader’ in 2022, ‘Change Maker of the Year’ at the Seven Hills
Change Makers Summit (2019), ‘Most Admired Leader’ award at Britain's Most
Admired Companies Awards (2017), for Management Today and City AM’s
“Business Personality of the Year” (2014).
Qualifications include a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
where he was a Kennedy Scholar, and a recipient of the Alfred P Sloan research
scholarship. Nigel also worked at the National Bureau of Economic Research
(NBER).

Nigel has won numerous national masters Athletics Championships in 100m,
200m, 400m and 800m. He has five daughters.

Trevor Worth MBA TEP
CEO and Founder, Portcullis Legals

With over 35 years experience in the legal services profession after creating the
business as a 22 year old, Trevor specialises in Inheritance and Succession Planning,
bringing the expertise needed to protect clients, their families, and their business
interests.

He holds his Masters (MBA) from the University of Exeter and continues to guest lecture on innovation and entrepreneurship at several universities and he sits on the Advisory Board of the University of Essex Business School and Marjon University.

Trevor has also sat on the Advisory Panel of the Legal Services Board in London and was
elected as the President and first Fellow of The B.E.S.T. Foundation in 2022. He also
provides consultancy services to several law and financial services firms.
Trevor is qualified to the worldwide gold standard for Trust and Estate Practitioners with
full STEP qualifications and is seen as a legal innovator. He actively supports local
causes and charities in our community, in addition to investing in and mentoring young
entrepreneurs and disruptors. Voted “Industry Champion” by his peers across the UK in 2022 at the “Oscars” of the estate planning profession.

Trevor also built and developed a soccer coaching academy for young players from
1995 to 2008, partnering with sportswear brand Umbro whilst also working as a talemnt
scout for professional football clubs including Wolverhampton Wanderers, Blackburn
Rovers and Watford.

In January 2019 Trevor introduced the 4 Day Week to Portcullis and by increasing
salaries at the same time, became the first company in the world to do so. One
newspaper labelled him “The Best Boss in the World!.”

Married to Michele and living in Plymouth with their two young children keeps him very
busy when not at work!

Professor Baback Yazdani
Executive Dean, Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University

Baback Yazdani is a Professor of Product Development and Executive Dean of Nottingham Business School (NBS) at Nottingham Trent University. NBS is internationally recognised as one of the world’s leading business schools and leaders in personalisation of education, experiential learning, high impact research, sustainability, and connectivity to business.  Baback plays an active role in the development of business research and education. He is the Chair of the Board of Trustees of Academy of Business in Society (ABIS), Member of the Board of EFMD (European Foundation for Management Development), Council Member and past Treasurer of the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS). He is also a fellow of Chartered ABS, Fellow of Institute of Engineering and Technology and Principal Fellow of Higher Education Academy.

The Annual Conference Gala Dinner will take place on the evening of Monday 13 November.

The Dinner is an excellent opportunity for informal networking. Drinks are served from 7pm with service at 8pm. Dress code: Smart Business Casual

The year's Gala Dinner takes place at:

Drapers Hall,

8A/98D Throgmorton Ave,

London

EC2N 2DQ

Click here for directions 

This years’ conference takes place at:

etc.venues, County Hall
Belvedere Rd
London
SE1 7PB

Click for directions

Download the directions PDF

If you have any operational queries then please contact enquiries@charteredabs.org