External Associates

Dr Olalekan Adisa is an international scholar with academic training across Nigeria, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. With over sixteen years of teaching and research experience, his expertise spans Public Policy, Business Strategy, New Public Management, Project Management, Governance, and Sustainable Development. He currently serves as the Programme Director for International Project Management and Employability Lead at York St John University. In addition to his institutional role, he serves as an External Examiner in the UK, Nigeria, Namibia, and South Africa, supporting academic quality assurance across diverse higher education systems. His work reflects a strong commitment to global learning, academic excellence, and impactful scholarship.

Dr Miguel Angel Cestona is Professor of Managerial Economics at the Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain and is a Visiting Fellow Kobe University, Japan, and Denmark’s Copenhagen Business School. His research interests are in the fields of corporate governance, comparative institutional analysis and the theory of the firm.

Prof. Victor Chang is a Professor of Data Science & Information Systems, School of Computing and Digital Technologies, Teesside University and a Visiting Researcher at the University of Southampton, UK. He is an Editor-in-Chief of IJOCI & OJBD journals, former Editor of FGCS, Editor of Information Fusion and Associate Editor of TII, and founding Conference Chair of IoTBDS, COMPLEXIS, FEMIB and IIoTBDSC. He was involved in different projects worth more than £13 million in Europe and Asia and has published 3

Professor Peter Cochrane OBE. With over 40 years of hands on management, technology and operational experience, Peter has had board level responsibility in BT, becoming Head of Research and then CTO. He reported direct to the main board and was responsible for developments that would support future IP, eCommerce, eRetail, eLogistics and many other new businesses. He was appointed as the UK’s first Prof for the Public Understanding of Science & Technology @ Bristol in 1998. Peter has received notable recognition with the Queen’s Award for Innovation & Export in 1990 and an OBE in 1999.

Dr Kelechi Ekuma holds a PhD in Development Policy and Management from the University of Manchester, UK where he currently lectures Management, Governance and Development at the University’s prestigious Global Development Institute (GDI). He is a development policy and strategy expert specializing in innovation policy, sustainable public sector transformation, education planning, and digital skills development. His current research interest explores the implications of the emerging fourth industrial revolution, especially artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning on the future of work and skills development in developing and transitioning contexts. Dr Ekuma is also a serial social entrepreneur and has founded several successful start-ups.

Dr Koorosh Gharebhaghi holds BC(Eng), MEng, PhD and an MEd. His research interests include system engineering within different fields such as transportation, manufacturing and so on. Koorosh is currently an academic at RMIT, Australia, and consults as a professional engineer and senior technical advisor on mega and large infrastructure projects in both the public and private sectors.

Professor Hamid Jahankhani. Hamid is Professor of Information Security and Cyber Criminology at Queen Mary University, London. His principal research area is in the field of cyber security, information security and digital forensics. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Electronic Security and Digital Forensics. Hamid has edited and contributed to over 15 books.

Dr Kleanthis Katsaros has published in numerous international peer-reviewed academic journals, while his research interests lay in the field of Change Management, Emotions and Leadership.

Dr Filipe Morais holds a doctorate in management from the Henley Business School, University of Reading after studying his MBA at the University of Northampton specialising in corporate governance and strategic management. He is Programme Director for the MSc in Management for Future Leaders, Senior Leaders Master’s Degree Apprenticeship (SLMDA). He has substantial experience in Corporate Governance including all aspects relating to boards of directors. His experience and close ties to industry make his research both academically sound and highly relevant. His research interests range from corporate governance and all aspects of board of directors, CEO and Chairs leadership, strategic and change management, and stewardship.

Dr M. May Seitanidi (FRSA) is Reader in Strategy at the University of Kent and a Visiting Professor at LUISS Business School, Rome, Italy. She has been working in the area of Cross-Sector Collaboration for over 20 years, has published three books, several papers and co-edited two special issues for the Journal of Business Ethics. Dr Seitanidi’s research area is concerned with social partnerships between business and non-profit organisations.

Dr Olatokunbo Shoyemi holds a PhD in Management and Business Studies from the University of Southampton and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. His teaching and research focus on sustainable business practices, corporate governance, risk management, financial crime prevention, and ethical decision making, with particular attention to emerging and transitional economies. Alongside his academic roles, he has contributed to policy focused research with Public Policy Southampton and Southampton City Council. He also brings over a decade of senior industry experience in insurance, regulatory compliance, and enterprise risk management, providing a strong bridge between academic insight, policy engagement, and professional practice.

Prof. Liz Varga, FCABE, FARPI, FHEA, PhD, MBA, BA Hons is a complex systems expert with a research focus on infrastructure (energy, transport, water, waste and telecoms), cities and buildings. She is a professor at UCL in the engineering faculty working with government, national system operators and service providers to improve sustainable innovation and resilience of socio-technical systems via adoption of digital technologies and automation. She has published more than 60 journal articles and is a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers.

Dr David Wren is a senior lecturer within Sheffield Business School (SBS) at Sheffield Hallam University. His PhD in 2016 was on “Cultures of performance and reward in UK employee-owned businesses” comparing how different ownership types (direct, trust and worker cooperative) impact the organisational culture. He has published and reviewed articles on employee ownership and worked with Mondragon University in Spain. He assists with hosting the Employee Ownership Association’s (EOA) Northern region gatherings for a year. David helped to create the FairShares Institute at SBS, looking at multi-stakeholder forms of social enterprise. His research area is organisational behaviour in employee ownership.

Sarah Canning is a Solicitor specialising in Dispute Resolution handling litigation and mediation cases for clients based across the UK and overseas. She is a dual Accredited Mediator having gained the qualifications from the School of Psychology & Psychotherapy, Regents University, London and the Centre of Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR). Sarah is also qualified as an NLP Master Practitioner. She chairs the Institute of Directors (IoD) Leicestershire and South East Midlands branch.

Debra Charles. A dyslexic entrepreneur, futurologist, public speaker and policy influencer, Debra is one of the UK’s top SME Business leaders, Debra is founder and CEO of Novacroft, a 300-strong team of specialists in smart technology and customer care. Novacroft designed the concessionary Oyster card system. Today 32m people use Novacroft’s products and services. In 2019 Debra was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Cranfield University for her work in integrating people, processes and technology. Debra is a trustee of the Northamptonshire Community Foundation, and a member of Cranfield’s Advisory Board.

Rob Colmer is a corporate affairs and sustainability leader with experience working on high profile societal, commercial and environmental issues with multinational companies and industry groups.  He leads Shell’s global sustainability communications team.  Rob is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and Vice-Chairman of the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), the world’s largest professional PR body representing more than 35,000 PR professionals in 70 countries worldwide.

Simon Derrick is a sustainability and ESG specialist with over fifteen years’ experience in the food industry, most recently as Global Head of Sustainability for the prepared fruit manufacturer, Blue Skies. Simon has led projects in Africa, South America and Europe to measure social and environmental impacts and engage with stakeholders to implement programmes to support communities and reduce emissions, waste and plastics consumption. Simon holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Development from the University of Middlesex and is a member of the Institute for Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (ISRC).

Graham Goss s a Chartered Accountant, born and educated in Northampton who started an accountancy practice from scratch in 1988, building this up into the Midland practice of Haines Watts, retiring from that business in 2014. He still runs a small boutique style accounting practice. Graham has always involved himself in the wider community being a founder member of Northampton Becket Rotary Club and he was the longest serving board member of NEP (Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership). He has served as local chair of the Federation of Small Businesses and is also currently involved as a treasurer trustee of several charities and a special needs school.

Dominic Hopkins DL, Joint Head of the Northampton office of award winning law firm HCR Hewitsons and a Dispute Resolution partner at the firm, Dominic is a specialist in commercial, financial services, corporate, banking fraud and insolvency litigation. Since moving to Hewitsons now with over 30 years of commercial litigation experience under his belt, he heads what is independently recognised as one of the leading litigation teams outside of London. A Legal 500 ‘Hall of Fame’ lawyer, Dominic holds two of Northamptonshire’s constitutional offices, as Deputy Lieutenant for Northamptonshire and Under Sheriff of Northamptonshire. He is also Honorary Solicitor of the Northamptonshire Association of Youth Clubs, one of the county’s leading charities, and currently sits on the board of SEMLEP, the SE Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership.

Tom Levitt is a writer and consultant on responsible and sustainable business and the author of ‘The Company Citizen: Good for Business, Planet, Nation and Community’ and ‘The Courage to Meddle: the Belief of Frances Perkins’. A former MP (1997-2010) and a serial charity chair, his clients have included major businesses, councils, social enterprises and others. He’s a co-founder of the award-winning anti-poverty social enterprise, Fair for You, and co-author of a Taskforce report on ‘Business Schools and the Public Good’ for the Chartered Association of Business Schools. Tom is an advisor to the Centre for Responsible Business at the University of Birmingham Business School and was recently a member of a BSI committee, creating the BS8950 standard on social value.

David Logan is a co-founder of The Corporate Citizenship Company, a specialist corporate responsibility consultancy. He has 40 years’ frontline experience in corporate responsibility issues for international companies. In the 1990s David was part of the team that founded LBG, a global standard for measuring corporate community investment. He was a Visiting Fellow in corporate responsibility at the Cranfield School of Management. Recently retired, David’s book about his work ‘Corporate Citizenship: The Role of Companies as Citizens of the Modern World’ was published in 2018, and his 2nd book, ‘Companies for Good’, was published in 2021.

Campbell McDonald is the Executive Director of the new charitable think tank Ownership at Work. He is also a member of the National Social Value Task Force, sits on the Cabinet Office’s Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Panel, and is the Chair of Trustees for international architecture firm Broadway Malyan. Campbell was the co-founder and MD of Baxendale Advisory, experts in social impact consultancy and employee ownership. Previously Campbell served for five years in the Cabinet Office, ultimately as Press Secretary to the Minister for the Cabinet Office. Campbell has an MA in Transnational Communications & Global Media from Goldsmiths College, University of London.

Mark Mulcahey, the current Chair of the University’s Board of Governors, is a strategy consultant, with 30 years’ experience for some of the world’s leading companies, and over 19 years in the telecommunications market with leading roles with Arthur D Little and Adventis. He has created and sold a series of successful service businesses. His international experience spans mobile media strategy and acquisitions as well as in the computer games industry, and has ten years’ experience supporting major regional and local government organisations. Mark serves on the Northamptonshire Scouts Association executive committee.

Connie Penn of Kilrush Consultancy is a locally based card payment expert, a hands-on practitioner specialising in all types of card processing including PCI DSS & card acceptance at Point of Interaction [POI]. Connie is fully conversant with banking practices in debit, credit & pre-pay payments for authorisation & settlement & in the newest technologies supporting payment at POIs.

James Roberts is a true mover and shaker, managing the Grosvenor Centre on behalf of owners Legal & General with a truly community-based approach to long term social impact. James serves on the board of the Northampton Town Centre BID (Business Improvement District) and he is actively engaged in the Northampton Forward project on whose board he also sits.

Guy Schanschieff MBE, DL is the Founder & Managing Director of Bambino Mio, the world’s most widely-used reusable nappy brand. Since launching in 1997, Guy has strived to not only develop and grow Bambino Mio but the entire reusable nappy industry by educating parents about the financial, environmental and health benefits of reusable nappies. Over 24 years later, with 60+ awards and distributing to over 50 countries, Bambino Mio has become a true ‘beacon’ in terms of proactive and strategic corporate responsibility and sustainability. In 2011 Guy was awarded an MBE for his services to business.

Peter Smith is a procurement advisor, practitioner and author, with a particular interest in sustainability and ESG issues.  He worked as a procurement director and consultant in the private and public sector and served as President of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply. He has been a Senior Adviser to the UK National Audit Office and a non-executive director for two large public sector organisations and a growing private sector firm. In recent years he has written three books, including “Bad Buying”, published by Penguin Business, and his most recent, “Procurement with Purpose – How organisations can change the way they spend money now to protect the planet and its people”.  He regularly publishes articles on his two websites and is identified as a “top 25 Thought Leader” in his sector.

David Apparicio is the founder of The Chrysalis Foundation, a social enterprise company. He was appointed an MBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours List 2019 for services to reducing reoffending. He has been a Magistrate since 2004, and is a Fellow of the RSA. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Training and Occupational Learning (FITOL) and a former Chair, of The British Institute of Learning & Development. Before setting up Chrysalis he was the Head of Learning & Development and HR for the Royal Mail Group.

Prince Caesar, Founder and CEO of BAK UP CIC, is a distinguished community leader, social entrepreneur, and equity advocate, whose work has significantly shaped the landscape of inclusive development and social justice in Northamptonshire and beyond. As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of BAK UP CIC, a trailblazing Community Interest Company, Prince has led pioneering initiatives that address the root causes of health inequalities, food insecurity, digital exclusion, and youth violence in underrepresented and marginalised communities.

Jane Deamer ILM BA Hons Dip YCD has over thirty years’ experience as both a consultant and in third sector senior leadership roles, including three years as a Trustee of Scott Bader Commonwealth Limited. Jane currently holds an Institute of Leadership & Management Level 7 Award in ‘Strategic Leadership’ along with a First Class BA Honours Degree in ‘Applied Social & Community Studies.’ Jane has led her own cross-sector business, JD Consultancy, since 2017 and has a number of voluntary roles including and Chair of the Faraway Children’s Charity and Director and Trustee of the Daylight Centre Fellowship.

Katie Fisher joined St Andrew’s Healthcare as Chief Executive Officer in June 2018. Her role prior was Chief Executive for West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, where she successfully led a transition programme to steer the organisation out of areas deemed to be inadequate by the CQC. Originally trained as a nurse, Katie has a long and distinguished record in improving the quality of care and enhancing patient experience. She established her career within the NHS, where she held a number of senior leadership and board positions.

Dominic Goble JP DL, is a former Magistrates’ Bench Chairman for Northamptonshire. He is an innovative reformer for youth justice and regularly collaborates with the MoJ, HMCTS, The Centre for Justice Innovation and the Sieff Foundation. His proactive problem-solving approach has been adopted nationally. He is a former Chartered professional of the CIPD, a former Fellow of the Institute of Fire Engineers and former managing director of an independent training company. He is a retired senior fire officer, sits on the board of The Judicial College and in 2020 was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Northamptonshire.

David Laing, Pro Chancellor of the University of Northampton, is a former Lord-Lieutenant of Northamptonshire. He has been County Chair of St John Ambulance in Hertfordshire and also Northamptonshire and is Patron of the Northamptonshire Community Foundation, President of St Andrew’s Hospital, and has also served as a trustee of the Youth Sports Trust, the National Hockey Foundation and the Northamptonshire Association of Youth Clubs. He chairs Corby’s ‘Adrenaline Alley’, Europe’s largest indoor skate park.

Victoria Miles DL, CEO Northamptonshire Community Foundation – Victoria has been NCF’s Chief Executive since 2007, overseeing substantial growth during this time. In 2018 Victoria was appointed Vice Chair of the national board of UK Community Foundations. She is also Vice Chair of The Royal & Derngate Theatres in Northampton, and is a Deputy Lieutenant of Northamptonshire since 2016.

Dr. Iyad Nasr is a career diplomat with expertise in the areas of humanitarian, development and peace building nexus, and international humanitarian law. He is an expert in the law of armed conflicts, and teaches in several universities in the MENA region. He has devoted thirty years to diplomatic, humanitarian and development work, previously serving as the head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) for the Middle East & North Africa, and now represents the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) in Syria where he leads on GBV (gender-based violence) and PSEA (prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse). Iyad holds a PhD in Educational Psychology and a degree in International Humanitarian Law. With his extensive experience Iyad is recognized for his deep understanding of the MENA region and its socio-political complexities, advising high level governmental and international bodies on humanitarian polices.

Russell Rolph is the current CEO of Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire, and has over 20 years’ experience ‘ in the voluntary or community sector, which includes time served with charities such as the RSPB, the RNIB and the Royal British Legion. Russell is an accredited Train the Trainer, and is also a Small Business Advisor by examination. Russell understands that closer working relationships between the Voluntary Sector and local business is essential if communities are to survive and thrive.

James Saunders Watson, the Lord-Lieutenant of Northamptonshire, has had a varied career, primarily in the asset management industry, latterly with JPMorgan Asset Management. He is a partner in Warhorse Partners, a brand marketing consultancy. Prior to his City career he served ten years in the Royal Navy. James, the owner of Northamptonshire’s historic Rockingham Castle, is a Board member of Historic Houses, a Trustee of the Country Land & Business Association Pension Fund, the Royal Navy Rugby Union and The Teamwork Trust.

Robin Burgess, CEO Northampton Hope Centre, and Chair, West Northants Social Enterprise Towns. Robin Burgess has worked in public sector roles for 40 years, including 30 years in leadership positions in the charity sector, plus senior roles in the NHS and civil service, including policy development and strategy advice at Cabinet level, specialising in public health. Robin has also served as an NCC commissioner and as a trustee on three national charities. As well as now running the Hope Centre, a high-profile homelessness charity, Robin chairs three key local partnerships: the Northants Food Poverty Alliance; the larger food issues steering group SFP; and WNSET, the social enterprise development body, in all these securing multiple accreditations and awards.

Clare Elsby. Elsby & Co is a well respected regional accountancy and tax practice with an emphasis on staff development and excellent customer service. Clare joined the Federation of Small Business (FSB) in 1993 and over the years has got more involved on a voluntary basis. In January 2019 she was elected as the Area Lead to represent FSB members in Northamptonshire, Rutland and Leicestershire and was proud to win the “Special Contribution” award at the Volunteer Awards in 2020 at a national ceremony. She was recently been appointed to the FSB’s English Policy Unit representing the East Midlands region, liaising with 45 local authorities and 46 members of Parliament.

Alison Holland, MD Brightwayz, and Chair, North Northants Social Enterprise Towns. Alison is the founder of Brightwayz social enterprise which promotes safe, active, sustainable everyday travel – walk to school schemes, cycle to work initiatives, public transport and safer street campaigns. With 17 years’ experience working with schools, businesses and local authorities across the UK, in 2018 was awarded the ‘Individual Contribution to Sustainable Travel’ by Modeshift, the UK local authority professional body for the sector. As a trustee of Accommodation Concern charity and social enterprise in Kettering, she is keen to see social enterprises play a bigger role, and  has set up the North Northants Social Enterprise Network to connect, support and promote social enterprises in the local area.

Phil Jones is a Senior Executive with a successful commercial background in the hospitality, hotel, leisure, and sport industry, having worked in a variety of contexts including PLC, Pan European, privately owned, members and Co-operative. He moved to Northamptonshire in 1998 to be the General Manager at Silverstone Racing Circuit and quickly increased the throughput of visitors coming to the circuit over and above F1 Grand Prix days. For a number of years Phil worked in Ireland running a number of hotels and golf courses and he also launched the ferry service between the Republic of Ireland and Wales. Recently he has launched IBOSS and The Start-Up Pack, helping new companies with their business planning.

Rachel Mallows MBE has 30 years’ experience in delivering training, coaching, mentoring, business support and career management skills. She has worked with Anglia Ruskin, the Open University and the NHS, as well as a number of large multi-nationals such as Microsoft. For over 12 years Rachel has supported the regional food & drink sector directing a range of support services such as a regional food co-operative, Made In Northamptonshire, and founding the Northamptonshire Food & Drink Awards, with Weetabix as the headline sponsor.  Rachel is a board member of SEMLEP, chair of a local foodbank charity and also a trustee of the Nenescape Landscape Partnership Scheme. In 2016 she was awarded the MBE and was made a Deputy Lieutenant for Northamptonshire.

Sunny Singh is Business Development & Membership Manager of Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce, a network of over 1,300 local businesses that employ one third of the entire county’s workforce. Sunny has 20 years’ experience in business development, sales, strategic partnerships and bids across a variety of sectors. He supports future leaders via Next Generation Chamber and organises the Northamptonshire Business Awards that recognise and celebrate the very best of Northamptonshire business.

Sally Wood is a Northampton-based Consultant Finance Director. After spending several years as Finance Director at HMV, Sally established her own business, Sally Wood Consultancy Limited, to provide Senior Finance leadership and consultancy services. Sally has a number of voluntary roles in the not for profit sector, including working with local charities, encouraging links between employers and education through her role as an Enterprise Advisor, and in Feb 2021 she was appointed Area Leader for the Federation of Small Businesses for Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland.