Our notable alumni
Our alumni include business leaders, outstanding scientists and health professionals, academics, engineers, technologists, politicians, peacemakers and well-known media figures. Below is just a selection of some Braduates that have gone on to achieve great things.
Academia
Tom Brown (BSc Chemistry 1975, PhD Polymer Science 1979) is Professor of Nucleic Acid Chemistry at Oxford University and is an outgoing President of the Chemistry Biology Interface Division of the Royal Colege of Chemistry (RSC). He has published over 360 research papers and patents and has received several awards including the RSC Josef Loschmidt prize.
Chris Caple (PhD Archaeology 1986) is a Senior Lecturer at Durham University, who specialises in the conservation of artefacts. He has worked as a conservator at York Castle Museum and in 1988 was appointed as Director of Durham University's Artefact Conservation Postgraduate Programme. He has authored two books on archaeology.
Hassan Farhangi (MSc Electrical and Electronic Engineering 1978) is Director of the Smart Microgrid Applied Research Team (SMART) at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), Burnaby, Canada, and Adjunct Professor at the School of Engineering Science at Simon Fraser University. He helped design and develop Canada's first smart microgrid on the BCIT campus.
Dame Janet Valerie Finch DBE DL (PhD Sociology 1975) is a sociologist and academic and educational administrator. She was Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Social Relations at Keele University and currently holds an honorary position at the Morgan Centre for the Study of Relationships and Personal Life at the University of Manchester.
Anthony Finkelstein (BEng Manufacturing Systems Engineering 1981) is a software engineer and was appointed as Chief Scientific Adviser for UK National Security in 2015. His research is based at The Alan Turing Institute and he holds a Chair in Software Systems Engineering at University College London. He has held various roles advising on national security and was awarded a CBE in 2016 for his services to computer science and engineering.
David Ford (MSc Management Studies 1972) is an organizational theorist, Emeritus Professor at the University of Bath School of Management, and co-founder of the International Marketing and Purchasing Group (IMP Group) in the mid-1970s.
Chris Gaffney (BTECH Archaeological Sciences 1984, PhD Physics 1990) is an archaeological geophysicist and currently Head of the School of Archaeological and Forensic Sciences at the University of Bradford. He is the Editor of the Journal of Archaeological Prospection and Chairman of the International Society for Archaeological Prospection.
Jeff Hearn (PhD Social Sciences 1986) is a sociologist and academic best known for his research in gender studies, organisation and management studies, social policy, and sociology. He is currently an Emeritus Professor at the Hanken School of Economics in Helsinki, Finland, and Professor of Sociology at Huddersfield University.
John Panaretos (PhD Mathematics 1977) is is an educator and statistician. He was Professor of Probability and Statistics at the Athens University of Economics and Business. He was Deputy Minister of Education, Lifelong Learning and Religious Affairs (2009 to 2011) and was appointed by the Prime Minister to be in charge of the Open Government project.
Shahina Pardhan (BSc Optometry 1984) is a world-leading expert in vision and eye research. She has published extensively on the impact of low vision on gait and on hearing; diabetic retinopathy; visual short-term memory. She is Director of the Vision and Eye Research Unit at the Anglia Ruskin University School of Medicine and was the first woman to be appointed Professor of Optometry in the UK.
Jane Elizabeth Parker (BSc Applied Biology 1983) is a scientist who researches the immune responses of plants at the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research. She is listed on Thomson Reuter's list of the annual ISI Web of Knowledge most highly cited scientists for 2015 and was elected a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization in 2016.
Susan Price CBE (MBA 1990) is an academic and former Vice-Chancellor of Leeds Beckett University. She also served as Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of East London. She was appointed CBE in 2016 for services to higher education.
Janek Ratnatunga (MBA 1980, PhD 1987) is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Certified Management Accountants, Australia, and an Adjunct Professor of Accounting at Swinburne University, Melbourne, Australia.
Charlotte Roberts (PhD 1988) is a bioarchaeologist and palaeopathologist, whose research focuses on health and the evolution of infectious disease in humans. She is Professor of Archaeology at Durham University. She was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 2014 and President of the British Association of Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology in 2015.
Alan Smithers (MSc in Education 1973) is an educationalist and Professor of Education. He is Director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at the University of Buckingham. He has held numerous Professorships and Chairs and was elected as one of the first three fellows of the Society for Research in Higher Education in 1986.
Julian Thomas (BTEC Archaeological Sciences 1981) is an archaeologist who has published works on the Neolithic and Bronze Age prehistory of Britain and north-west Europe. He has twice served as Vice President of the Royal Anthropological Institute and is Professor of Archaeology at the University of Manchester.
Sadegh Zibakalam (MSc Chemical Engineering 1974, PhD Peace Studies 1990) is an academic, author and political pundit. He is Professor of Political Science at the University of Tehran and appears frequently on international news outlets including the BBC and Al Jazeera. He has authored bestsellers and prominent books on Iranian contemporary politics.
Arts and media
Abdullah Alsa'afin (PhD Peace Studies 1996) is a veteran print and broadcast journalist who has previously worked for the BBC, Al Jazeera, Alhurra, and Al Arab TV. He currently works as a media trainer and consultant.
Alex Brummer (MBA 1972) is an economics commentator, working as a journalist, editor, and author. He is the City Editor of the Daily Mail and was previously Financial Editor of The Guardian.
Andrew Critchlow, (BA International Relations and Security Studies 1999) is a business journalist, currently employed as the business news editor at the Telegraph Media Group.
Martin Fletcher (BA Modern Languages (1970) is an author and former NBC News reporter. He has won numerous awards for his work in TV journalism including five Emmies for his coverage of Kosovo, another for Rwanda, and three for his reporting from Israel.
John Hegley (BSc Social Sciences 1976) is a performance poet, comedian, musician and songwriter. He began his comedy career in 1980 and has gone on to appear on television and featured on radio. He has also written numerous books.
Tori Lacey (BSc Biomedical Sciences 1995) is a weather forecaster who works for BBC Weather mainly on Radio Five Live.
Xanthe Mallett (BSc Archaeological Sciences 2002) is a forensic anthropologist, criminologist and television presenter. She has featured in television programmes in the UK, Australia and the US including as a forensic anthropologist on the BBC2 series History Cold Case; presenting the Australian crime show, Wanted; and co-hosting Coast Australia. She is a Senior Lecturer in Forensic Criminology at the University of Newcastle in Australia.
Jon McGregor (BA Media Technology and Production 1998) is an award-winning British novelist and short story writer. A number of his novels have been longlisted for several awards including the Booker Prize for his first novel in 2002, and again in 2006 and 2017. In 2012, his third novel was awarded the International Dublin Literary Award.
Pratibha Parmar (BA Interdisciplinary Human Studies 1977) is a filmmaker and producer. She is known internationally for her political and documentary film work as well as her activism within the global feminism and lesbian rights movements.
Nick Powell (BA Modern Languages, German and Russian 1981) is an experienced news broadcaster. He is currently Sports Editor at Sky News, where he has worked since 1996. He previously worked for Pennine Radio (Pulse Radio) as Breakfast News Presenter and as a Producer and Presenter at Yorkshire Television (ITV Yorkshire). He is a double Royal Television Society (RTS) award-winner.
Martin Roberts (BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering 1985) is a television presenter, journalist, author, and property investor who currently presents the BBC1 property auction series, Homes Under the Hammer. He has also appeared on BBC Radio, ITV, CNN and SKY TV. His journalism roles have included being a reporter on ITV’s top travel programme, Wish You Were Here?, and Travel Editor of Woman Magazine.
Charles Stross (MSc Computing 1990) is a science fiction writer and the author of six Hugo-nominated novels and winner of 2005, 2010, and 2014 Hugo awards for best novella. He has won numerous other awards and been translated into at least 12 other languages.
Albert Tam (MBA 2004) is a science fiction writer. His notable works across genres have earned him many awards in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mainland China. He is best known for Humanoid Software series, which earned him the Nebula award (best SF/Fantasy novel) in China.
Matt Williams (BA Modern Languages, French and Spanish) is a radio presenter at BBC Radio.
Sadegh Zibakalam (MSc Chemical Engineering 1974, PhD Peace Studies 1990) is an academic, author and political pundit. He is Professor of Political Science at the University of Tehran and appears frequently on international news outlets including the BBC and Al Jazeera. He has authored bestsellers and prominent books on Iranian contemporary politics.
Business and technology
Melih Abdulhayoğlu (BEng Electronic Engineering 1998) is an internet technologist and entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of the Comodo Group, one of the worlds' largest internet security companies employing more than 1,000 staff and providing internet and website security for more than 85 million users worldwide.
Haryanto Adikoesoemo (BSc Business Studies 1983) is a businessman and art collector who founded Indonesia's first contemporary art museum. He is President of AKR Corporindo, a leading logistics and supply chain company, and was awarded the 2008 Indonesian Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young, Businessman of the Year 2012 by Forbes Indonesia magazine, and Best CEO 2012 by Corporate Governance Magazine Hong Kong.
Crawford Beveridge CBE (MSc Management Studies 1974) is a leading technology executive and a former Chief Executive, Vice President and Chairman of Sun Microsystems. He was made Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1995. He Chairs the Scottish Government's Council of Economic Advisers.
Bas Burger (MBA 1995) is an internationally recognised business executive known for his work in the global telecommunications industry. He is currently CEO, Global Services for BT and is a contributor to the World Economic Forum and is on the Committee for Economic Development.
Paul Donovan (MBA 1989) is an internationally experienced business leader and the former Chief Executive of Odeon UCI Cinemas Group, Europe's largest cinema operator, and Eircom Group, Ireland's largest telecommunications company. He is currently the Chief Operating Officer of the Children's Investment Fund Foundation and a Director of e-commerce company Upstream SA and Milton Keynes Dons Football Club.
Dr. Tobias Feakin (BSc Security Studies 1998, PhD International Politics and Security Studies 2005) is an international cyber-security expert who was appointed as Australia's first ambassador for cyber affairs in 2016. He was formerly the Director of National Security Programs at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) where he established the institute's International Cyber Policy Centre.
Kevin Gaskell (BEng Civil & Structural Engineering 1981, MBA 1982) is an experienced business executive and chairman. When Managing Director of Porsche GB, he turned a failing business into the UK's most profitable car company. After returning Lamborghini GB to profitability, he led BMW UK to a 500% increase in profitability. Later, as CEO of EurotaxGlass's Group in Switzerland, he led a €500 million sale of the company. He now acts as chairman to early-stage companies and is a co-founder at The Data Support Agency.
Keith Harris (BSc Business and Economics 1974) is an investment banker and financier with a 30-year career as a senior corporate finance and takeover advisor. He has advised on hundreds of debt and equity issues and complex cross-border transactions as a senior executive at leading global banks, as well as acting for noteworthy clients and high profile transactions. He is a former Chairman of the Football League and Director of Wembley National Stadium Ltd and is currently a Director at Everton Football Club.
Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim (MSc Electrical and Electronic Engineering 1977) is a mobile communications entrepreneur and billionaire. With a background in telecommunications, he founded Celtel in 1998 which operated in 14 African countries with over 24 million users. Upon selling Celtel, he founded the Mo Ibrahim Foundation to encourage better governance in Africa, as well as creating the Mo Ibrahim Index, to evaluate nations' performance.
Alan Keir (BSc Economic and Politics 1981) is a former Chief Executive of HSBC Bank plc. He is currently Non-Executive Director for HSBC and also on the boards of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Europe and Majid Al Futtaim, a leading shopping mall, communities, retail, and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
Bernard Mariette (MBA 1987) is a highly successful business leader and is currently the CEO and CBO of activewear company Coalision, whose brands include Lolë and Paradox. Previously, he was President of Quicksilver, GM of Timberland and Financial Controller at L'Oréal and Marks and Spencer.
Stella Okoli MON OON (BPharm 1969) is a pharmacist and entrepreneur. She is the founder and current CEO of Emzor Pharmaceutical, a leading pharmaceutical manufacturing company in Nigeria. She is a current member of the Economic Summit of Nigeria and the Health Matters Advisory Board of Nigeria.
Sir Tony O’Reilly (PhD Management 1980) is a former CEO of H.J.Heinz Company, successful businessman and international rugby union player. He also held an interest in the Independent News & Media Group, from 1973 to 2009.
John Platt (BEng Chemical Engineering 1989) is Chief Executive of Air BP, the oil company’s global aviation business. He has been with BP for almost 30 years serving in different capacities including as CEO of BP’s global Liquid Petroleum Gas business and CFO for the global Petrochemicals business.
Kate Swann (BSc Business Studies 1986) is a senior retail executive and one of the UK's most successful businesswomen. She is currently the CEO and Executive Director of SPP, following ten years as CEO of WH Smith. She was awarded an honorary degree from Bradford in 2007 and was appointed as Chancellor of the University in 2015.
Lawrence Tomlinson (BEng Mechanical Engineering) is a businessman and the Founder and Chairman of the LNT Group which employs 1,000 people across various business operations in elderly care, construction and IT.
Dr. Bernd Van Linder (MBA 2001) is the Chief Executive Officer of the Commercial Bank of Dubai (CBD). He built his career at ABN AMRO in the Netherlands later moving to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region before becoming CEO of the Saudi Hollandi Bank.
Paula Vennells (BA Modern Languages, French and Russian 1981) is Chief Executive of Post Office Limited. Prior to Post Office, she spent five years with Whitbread plc, latterly as Group Commercial Director. She began her career with Unilever and L’Oreal and has held directorships in sales and marketing with a number of major retailers, including Dixons Stores Group and Argos. She is also a Non-Executive Director of Morrisons plc.
Rob Wilmot (BSc Electronic Imaging and Media Communications 1994) is a technology entrepreneur, Chairman, CEO, NED, and Trustee. He was one of the founding executives of the internet provider, Freeserve. He is currently the CEO of online idea management platform Crowdicity and a Non-Executive Director of the Crown Commercial Service.
Madam Wang Yuan (MSc National Development and Project Planning 1988) is the first Chief Economist of the China Development Bank and was formerly the Economic Officer at the World Bank.
Engineering, health and science
David Behan CBE (BA Applied Social Studies 1978) was the Chief Executive of the Care Quality Commission between 2012 and 2018 and was formerly the Department of Health's Director General of Social Care, Local Government and Care Partnerships at the Department of Health. He was awarded a CBE in 2004 in recognition for his services to social care.
Paul Bennett (BPharm 1984) is the Chief Executive of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS). He was previously Chief Officer of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Pharmaceutical Committee, and also served as Professional Standards Director and Superintendent Pharmacist at Boots UK.
Tom Brown (BSc Chemistry 1975, PhD Polymer Science 1979) is Professor of Nucleic Acid Chemistry at Oxford University and is an outgoing President of the Chemistry-Biology Interface Division of the Royal Colege of Chemistry (RSC). He has published over 360 research papers and patents and has received several awards including the RSC Josef Loschmidt prize.
Kate Hall (BEng Civil and Structural Engineering 1995) is a leading civil engineer and currently the Design Director at High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd. She is a former Director of Arup where she led the Infrastructure Design Team for the London 2012 Olympic Park.
Dr. Gill Hawksworth MBE (BPharm 1973, PhD Pharmaceutical Technology 1999) is a former President of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and Chair of the Panel of Fellows. She was awarded an MBE for services to pharmacy in 2002 and was conferred as an Honorary Doctor of Science of the University of Bradford in 2005 for her notable contributions to the Pharmacy profession. She was a Senior Lecturer at the University of Huddersfield where she remains as a Visiting Fellow. She received the RPS highest honour, the Charter Gold Medal, in 2010, and a Lifetime Achievement award in 2017.
Tori Lacey (BSc Biomedical Sciences 1995) is a weather forecaster who works for BBC Weather mainly on Radio Five Live.
Ailie MacAdam (BEng Chemical Engineering 1985) is one of the UK’s leading female railway engineers and currently Global Rail Sector Lead at Bechtel Corporation. She has been a project manager for impressive developments including the multi-billion pound Central Artery Highway/ Tunnel project in Boston, the £900m refurbishment of St Pancras station and, most recently, Crossrail.
Xanthe Mallett (BSc Archaeological Sciences 2002) is a forensic anthropologist, criminologist and television presenter. She has featured in television programmes in the UK, Australia and the US including as a forensic anthropologist on the BBC2 series History Cold Case; presenting the Australian crime show, Wanted; and co-hosting Coast Australia. She is a Senior Lecturer in Forensic Criminology at the University of Newcastle in Australia.
John McGagh (BEng Chemical Engineering 1980) is President of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE). He is a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining, a Member of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply, Adjunct Professor at the University of Queensland and Chairman of the Institution of Chemical Engineers in Australia.
Chris Morgan, (BSc Physiotherapy 2000) is a Senior First-Team Physio at Arsenal Football Club. He was previously Head of Physiotherapy at Liverpool Football Club and Head Physio at Crystal Palace Football Club.
Jon Platt (BEng Chemical Engineering 1989) is Chief Executive Officer of Air BP. He was appointed CEO of BP's global aviation business in September 2016 and, in almost 30 years with the company, has held a number of different roles including Commercial Vice-President for fuels, CEO of global liquid petroleum gas business and CFO for the global petrochemicals business.
Dr. Venkata (Murthy) Renduchintala, (BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering 1987; PhD Information Systems 1990; MBA 1991) is Group President of the Technology, Systems Architecture & Client Group and Chief Engineering Officer at Intel Corporation. He has substantial experience in the areas of System on Chip, mobile and IoT areas, and was previously Executive Vice-President of Qualcomm Technologies Inc.
Dana Skelley OBE (Executive MBA 2003) is the Director of Strategy and Operational Excellence at Skanska UK and a former Director of Asset Management at Transport for London. She is one of the most senior and widely-respected women in engineering in Britain and was the first woman ever to be named Surveyor/ICE Municipals 'Engineer of the Year'.
Albert Williamson-Taylor, (BEng Civil and Structural Engineering 1982; MSc Structural Engineering 1983) is Design Director and one of the founding members of AKT II. He has worked on projects all over the world including Zayed National Museum, Abu Dhabi, UAE, King's Cross Central, London, Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center, Baku, Azerbaijan and the UK Pavilion at Expo 2010, Shanghai, China.
Peace, politics and international development
Dr. Saleh bin Mohammad Al-Nabit (PhD in Development Economics) is the Qatari Minister of Development Planning and Statistics. He was previously the Secretary-General for the Qatari General Secretariat for Development Planning (GSDP) having also served as the Director of the Institutional Development at the GSDP.
Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin (MA International Politics and Security Studies 2010) is a Member of the Parliament of Ghana for the Effutu constituency, Central Region. He also serves on the committee of Defense and the Interior Finance Committee in Ghana Parliament.
Rinchinnyamyn Amarjargal (MSc Macroeconomic Policy and Planning 1995) is a former Prime Minister of Mongolia and a leading member of the Democratic Party. He contributed to the democratic movement in Mongolia as a founding member of the New Progress-Union and the National Progress-Party which he then helped to merge to form the National Democratic Party.
Yerlan Aukenov (MSc Public Policy and Programme Management (2007) is Deputy Akim (Mayor) of Almaty, Kazakhstan. He was appointed in August 2015 and is responsible for controlling the issues of industrial-innovative development, trade, and development of small and medium enterprises, tourism and natural resources.
Nick Baines (BA German and French 1980) is the Bishop of Leeds (since 2014) and a former Bishop of Bradford. He is an experienced broadcaster, regularly appearing on Pause for Thought on BBC Radio 2. He has also authored six books.
Mark Burns-Williamson OBE (BSc Social Sciences 1994) is the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner and was previously Chair of the West Yorkshire Police Authority. He was appointed an OBE in 2012 for services to the Community and Policing.
Chakufwa Chihana (MA Peace Studies 1984) was a human rights activist, pro-democracy advocate, trade unionist and politician. He was the second Vice-President in Malawi and is credited as the 'father of Malawian democracy'. He was awarded the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award in 1992.
Priscilla Elworthy (PhD in Peace Studies 1993) is a world-renowned peace-builder. She founded the Oxford Research Group NGO in 1982 to develop effective dialogue between nuclear weapons policy-makers worldwide, for which she was nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize. She also founded Peace Direct in 2003, a charity supporting local peace-builders in conflict areas and was awarded the Niwano Peace Prize. She is a member of the World Future Council.
Saeb Erekat (PhD Peace Studies 1984) is the former Chief of the PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organisation) Steering and Monitoring Committee and a Member of the Palestinian Parliament. He negotiated the Oslo Accords with Israel and has remained Chief Negotiator for the PLO since 1995.
Frederick Fung (BA Social Policy and Public Administration 1982) is a former member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong (1991 to 2016) and the former Chairman of the Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood (ADPL).
Mahdi Abdul Hadi (PhD Peace Studies 1984) is a political scientist, historian, columnist, author, founder and member of various Palestinian, Arab and international institutions as well as the head and founder of the Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs.
Dr. Demeke Mekonnen Hassen (MA Conflict Resolution 2003, Honorary Doctor of Education 2013) is the current Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia and previously served as a Minister of Education. He is also Chairman of the ANDM (Amhara National Democratic Movement) and Deputy Chair of EPRDF (Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front).
Clive Lewis (BSc in Social and Economic Studies 1993) is a British Member of Parliament (MP) and current Shadow Cabinet Minister (Minister for the Treasury). He has been the MP for Norwich South since 2015. Before entering politics, he was a BBC News TV reporter for more than a decade.
Riek Machar (PhD Mechanical Engineering 1984) is a South Sudanese politician who served as the inaugural Vice President of South Sudan. He is also the founder and leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO).
Ifem Onuora (BSc Social Sciences 1989) is a former professional footballer, manager and current equalities coach for the Professional Footballers Association.
Alfonse Owiny-Dollo (MA Conflict Resolution) is a lawyer and judge and the current Deputy Chief Justice of Uganda.
Ousman Sowe (MA International Politics and Security 2001) is the Director-General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) of Gambia. He has held numerous senior state roles including as Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, at the Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Winifred Ann Taylor, Baroness Taylor of Bolton (BSc Social Sciences 1969) is a former Minister for International Defence and Security (UK). She was the first woman to serve as Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Privy Council. She is currently Chair of Council at the University of Bradford.
Gavin Williamson (BSc Social Sciences 1997) is a British Member of Parliament (MP) and was appointed as Education Secretary in July 2019. He was elected as MP for South Staffordshire in 2010.
Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon (Project Planning and Development 1973) is an economist and politician and the former President of Mexico. He served as President of Mexico between 1994 to 2000. Since the end of his term as President, he has been a leading voice on globalization, especially its impact on relations between developed and developing nations.