Our structure and organisation

Rod Bristow joined us on 1 October 2024 as the new Chair of Council, succeeding John Hinchcliffe, who served as our interim Chair since May 2023.

In his role as Chair, Rod brings a wealth of experience and expertise from the education sector, having held senior executive roles at FTSE100 global learning company Pearson PLC between 1992 and 2021, including four years as President. He is also a Visiting Professor at University College London Institute of Education. 
 
Rod currently chairs the Academic Advisory Board for Kortext, a UK based e-learning provider. He is an experienced non-executive, having been a member of the Confederation of British Industry President's Committee and a Fellow for the Royal Society for the Arts.

Sabina Adam - Executive assistant

Email

s.adam3@bradford.ac.uk

Phone

+44 (0) 1274 234371

Professor Gillian Murray became Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bradford in July 2026.

Professor Murray has built her career at the intersection of higher education, industry and economic development. She studied Chemistry, Industrial Technology and Economics at the University of York before completing a work-based PhD in Chemical Engineering between UMIST and EA Technology, developing innovative sustainable technologies. After beginning her career in research, development and manufacturing, she moved into higher education and innovation leadership.

Before joining Bradford, Professor Murray spent nine years as Deputy Principal (Enterprise and Business) at Heriot-Watt University, where she led enterprise, innovation and business engagement activity, helping to double research and knowledge exchange income. Earlier in her career, she co-founded and directed the Virtual Engineering Centre at the University of Liverpool, pioneering collaborative approaches to innovation, digital technologies and economic growth.

A passionate advocate for partnerships, Professor Murray has spent her career bringing together universities, businesses, government and communities to create opportunity, drive innovation and support regional growth.

In the community

Professor Murray has played a leading role in regional economic development initiatives, including the Liverpool City Region and Northern Powerhouse agendas. She founded the LCR 4.0 programme, which helped more than 600 small and medium-sized enterprises adopt digital technologies and informed the development of the UK Government's Made Smarter programme. She also contributed to the creation of one of the UK's first University Enterprise Zones.

A strong advocate for work-based learning, skills development and widening participation, she believes universities have a vital role to play in creating opportunity for individuals, businesses and communities.

Contact

Senior Executive Services Support Manager, Executive Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor: Helen Hague

Email: h.l.hague@bradford.ac.uk

Telephone: 01274 233012

Sherif is a ‘life’-scientist with over 25 years’ experience in the higher education sector, focusing on research, innovation, translation and commercialisation.

He is trained as a pharmacist followed by a PhD in genomic medicine from the University of Sussex, then post-doctoral training at St Jude Hospital in the US. Working with the Nobel Laureate Zewail in Caltech, Sherif established and directed one of the first medical genomics research centres in the MENA region. In 2018, Sherif co-founded the Healthy Lifespan Institute at the University of Sheffield. Sherif moved to the University of Bradford in 2020 as the Director of the Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, then Associate Dean of Research, and then took up the PVC role in 2024.

Sherif is responsible for the leadership and management of the University of Bradford Research and Innovation ecosystem. Sherif has significant experience of working in higher education here in the UK and in the MENA region, championing the quality of research and innovation, student experience, engagement with the government and private sectors.

Sherif’s core technical background is in genomic medicine with a broader economic focus through working with senior executives and stakeholders. He is a Wellcome Trust Investigator, a Fellow of the Lister Institute of Preventative Medicine and sits on UKRI and Wellcome Trust funding panels. His work in biology and medicine is published in journals such as Nature, Cell and Science. He is an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and his work has been recognised by AstraZeneca (UK), Caltech (USA), Awards of Excellence in Medical Sciences from the Shoman Foundation (Jordon) and the Wellcome Trust (UK).

Sherif is committed to value-led leadership, whereby building trust, equality, diversity and inclusion are the at the cornerstone of strategic developments to unlock the potential of people from all backgrounds.

Kate Bedford - Executive Assistant

Email

k.j.bedford@bradford.ac.uk

Phone

01274 233231

Uduak Archibong is the Pro Vice Chancellor [Equality, Diversity and Inclusion], directs the Centre for Inclusion and Diversity and provides strategic oversight for equality, diversity and inclusion [EDI] across the institution. She obtained a BSc (First Class) from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria in 1990, a PhD from Hull University in 1995 and promoted to Professor of Diversity with a cross-disciplinary and institutional portfolio in 2004. She is a Fellow of the West African College of Nursing and a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing.

Recognised as a foremost authority with a sustained, distinguished presence in the field of diversity management, she is currently leading in setting agenda to drive research, learning and knowledge exchange activities internationally and has published extensively on inclusion and diversity.  Informed by over 30 years’ experience of working in the health and higher education sectors, her academic and professional work has major impacts locally, nationally and globally. Key among these impacts is that the body of her research work has provided the evidence base for, and a robust understanding of, the development and application of cultural solutions and diversity interventions in public, private and third sector organisations.

She is at the forefront of transforming organisational culture for sustainable diversity and inclusion approaches. Her research has provided a unique international definition of positive action and application for representational and participative diversity. She led to completion a major multi-million European Commission funded gender equality research project, GENOVATE, across 7 European Universities and led the EDI elements of a multi-million European Horizon 2020 project, RRING, in collaboration with 20 international partners.  Her research projects - Disrupting the disproportional disciplinary proceedings in the UK NHS and Cracking the concrete ceiling for the advancement of UK BME Academic staff have made a major contribution to shaping the agenda on race equality, and informed global debates on systemic racism and other forms of structural inequality.

A multi-award winner, Uduak has been honoured as one of the top 100 Nigerians in the UK to receive a Centenary Award, one of the top 50 Inspirational Women in Healthcare in the UK, a Distinguished Nurse Leader in 21^st century in Nigeria, and one of the 70 most outstanding Nigerians in the UK Health Sector. She featured in Northern Power Women Power List, 2019 and Phenomenal Women - Portraits of UK Black Women Professors in 2020. She was listed in the Black WHO'S WHO in the Millennium. 

She was listed in the New Year Honours list 2015 and was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her contributions to higher education and equality.

Register of interests

1. Occasional consultancy for NHS and other organisations
2. Affiong Etuk Foundation for Inclusive Health, registered with Corporate Affairs Commission in Nigeria
3. Royal College of Nursing
4. West African College of Nursing
5. American Academy of Nursing
6. University and College Union
7. National Athena Swan Governance Committee
8. Bradford City Wide Equalities Group
9. Chartered Management Institute
10. The Cellar Trust
11. European Commission

Executive Board Register of Interests 2025/26 (PDF, 115KB).

Contact

Email

U.E.Archibong@bradford.ac.uk

Phone

01274 233816

Kellie Barnes - Executive Assistant

Email

k.a.young1@bradford.ac.uk

Phone

(+44) 1274 236448

Professor Gwendolen Bradshaw is Interim Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Student Experience at the University of Bradford.

A registered nurse and midwife, Professor Bradshaw previously served as Dean of the Faculty of Health Studies, where she led teaching, research and scholarship activities with a particular focus on service user involvement in student learning and assessment. Her academic and professional contributions to midwifery and nursing education have been recognised nationally through roles in programme accreditation, external examining, doctoral assessment and peer review. She has published and presented extensively on issues relating to healthcare education, policy and professional practice.

Professor Bradshaw has played a significant role in shaping nursing and midwifery education policy across the UK for more than two decades. She has contributed to a range of national initiatives for the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), including the development of education frameworks, midwifery standards and post-registration programme requirements. Her leadership experience extends across university governance, learning and teaching enhancement, and widening participation. Throughout her career, she has developed extensive expertise in higher education quality assurance, undertaking numerous institutional reviews and audits for the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) across a diverse range of UK and international institutions.

She continues to contribute nationally through a number of advisory and strategic roles, including membership of the NMC Midwifery Strategic Advisory Group, the NMC Advanced Practice Steering Group and the UK Network of Professors of Midwifery and Maternal and Newborn Health. Most recently, she served on the Expert Advisory Group for the Northern Ireland Maternity Services Review, reflecting her ongoing influence in healthcare education, professional regulation and student experience.

Jodie leads the institution’s financial strategy and oversees all aspects of finance, planning, and procurement. She plays a key role in shaping long‑term institutional priorities and ensuring the financial sustainability that underpins teaching, research, and the student experience.

Jodie joined the University of Bradford in November 2008 as a Finance Business Partner and quickly progressed to Associate Director, providing senior leadership across the organisation. Over her many years at the University, she has built deep knowledge of the institution and the wider higher‑education sector, earning trust through her strong track record in financial stewardship and her ability to drive transformation. She also contributes to sector‑wide development through her involvement in national groups, including BUFDG, helping to shape best practice in financial governance and leadership. Jodie brings extensive expertise in financial planning, organisational change, and long‑term sustainability. Prior to joining the University, she held roles at BUPA and private limited companies where she was involved major initiatives such as capital investment programmes, mergers/acquisitions

A qualified ACCA accountant, Jodie also holds a Finance degree and an MBA. She has a particular interest in higher‑education funding policy, long‑term financial planning, and the use of data‑driven decision‑making to strengthen institutional resilience.

Susan Shergill

Email

s.shergill@bradford.ac.uk

An image, biography and contact details for Rachel Adams will be added soon.

An image, biography and contact details for Hannah Burchell will be added soon.

Rob is a muscle physiologist who obtained his BSc and PhD at the University of Leeds. After four years of postdoctoral research at the University of St Andrews he started as a lecturer at Coventry University. His teaching was focused on biomechanics and muscle physiology. He undertook various leadership roles at Coventry including Dean of Faculty, overseeing substantial growth in programmes and student numbers, Deputy Dean and Associate Dean (Research).

Rob is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), a chartered scientist (CSci) and an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (FRSB). Rob was the Society for Experimental Biology lead for Biomechanics. His main research focus is to utilise physiological techniques, such as the work loop technique, to better understand the effects of temperature, obesity, ageing or drugs on muscle performance.

Rob is also the Executive Board advocate for Wellbeing and Mental Health.

Register of interests

1. Heads of University Biosciences (HUBS) Executive Committee
2. Royal Society of Biology
3. Royal Society of Biology’s Diversity and Inclusion Network
4. Society for Experimental Biology
5. Physiological Society
6. Chartered Scientist

Executive Board Register of Interests 2025/26 (PDF, 115KB).

Contact details

• r.james8@bradford.ac.uk

Kate Bedford
Executive Assistant

• k.j.bedford@bradford.ac.uk
• +44 (0) 1274 233231

Dr William Martin has been at the University of Bradford for 15 years. William is an organic chemist who obtained his BSc and PhD at the University of Nottingham. After postdoctoral research at the Technical University of Berlin and Oregon State University, he spent a short period in the pharmaceutical industry synthesing small molecules for drug discovery. He returned to academia in 2009 as a lecturer in Chemistry at the University of Bradford, and quickly became programme lead for the chemistry programme.

One of his biggest successes was launching degree apprenticeships in chemistry, and being part of the Trailblazer group that progressed the chemistry apprenticeship agenda nationally. William was also co-chair of the University’s branch of the University and College Union (UCU) for several years.

Register of interests

1. Royal Society of Chemistry
2. Higher Education Academy

Executive Board Register of Interests 2025/26 (PDF, 115KB).

Contact

Email

w.martin@bradford.ac.uk

Susan Shergill – Executive Assistant

Email

s.shergill@bradford.ac.uk

Phone

01274 236408