Biographies of the Members of the University Council

Neil Sachdev MBE

Neil Sachdev MBE is Chair of Council and Pro-Chancellor of the University of Warwick. He joined Council in 2016 and served as Treasurer and Chair of the Finance and General Purposes Committee from 2020 to 2025.

Neil has extensive leadership and governance experience across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. He is Chair of Natural Resources Wales and HM Land Registry, and serves as a Non-Executive Commissioner of the Forestry Commission and Board Member of Forestry England. He is also Chair of East West Railway Company, completing his term in September 2026.

Earlier in his career, Neil was Group Property Director at J Sainsbury’s, following 28 years with Tesco in senior leadership roles spanning operations, property and international growth. His wider board career has included listed companies, major infrastructure and property organisations, charities and public bodies.

Neil was awarded an MBE for his work on energy efficiency and sustainability and holds an MBA from the University of Stirling. As Chair of Council, he is focused on ensuring strong governance supports Warwick’s academic excellence, its students and staff, and the University’s contribution to society and the economy.

Alison Hatcher 

Alison Hatcher is Vice-Chair of the University Council and Pro-Chancellor. Alison began her first term of office as an independent member of the Council in August 2025 and became Vice-Chair in August 2026. Alison previously served on Investment Sub-Committee.

Alison is Chief Client Officer (CCO) at Vidett Limited. Before joining Vidett Ltd. in May 2025, Alison was an independent pensions consultant, professional trustee and Non-Executive Director (NED) of The Pensions Regulator (TPR). Alison previously had a long career with HSBC where she was CEO of HSBC Retirement Services Limited and Head of Global Pension Strategy Corporate Clients. Alison has been an advocate in the market to improve member value, having set up new pension structures and strategies, shaping policy and negotiating complex regulatory and commercial situations.

Alison is one of the founders of Women in Pensions, an industry group set up to support women and talent in the pensions industry. Her vast pensions experience also includes previously sitting on the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) Board.

Alison is also a NED of the Islington and Shoreditch Housing Association.

Outside of pensions and finance, Alison likes keeping healthy and active – whether that be through horse-riding or hitting the yoga mats. Fitness fact: she even used to own a workout studio!

Yewande Akinola MBE

Yewande Akinola is an independent member of the University Council. Yewande began her first term of office in February 2020 and her second term is due to end on 31 July 2027. Yewande is also a member of Honorary Degrees Committee and Warwick Business School Advisory Board and Chairs University Estate and Environment Committee.

Yewande is an award winning Chartered Design Engineer and Innovator, specialising in Design and Construction, Innovation and Manufacture of buildings and systems for the built environment. She has worked on projects in the U.K., Africa, the Middle East and in East Asia.

Yewande is also a TV presenter for Engineering Television programmes.

Yewande was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s 2020 New Year Honour’s list for services to Engineering Innovation and Diversity in STEM.

Junaid Bajwa

Junaid Bajwa is an independent member of the University Council. Junaid joined Council in May 2023 and this term is due to end in July 2027.

Junaid is also a Board member of one of the UK’s largest research hospitals (UCLH) and Board member of the MHRA (the UK’s regulator for medicines, and medical devices in the UK). He was previously the Global Lead for Strategic Alliances and Solutions for the Global Digital Centre of Excellence at Merck Sharp & Dohme, where he led a range of strategic initiatives to improve patient care, including establishment of internal partnerships across the enterprise and external partnerships across the health care ecosystem. He cofounded “VelocityHealth” as Europe’s first prevention focused digital-health accelerator, in partnership with Telefonica, and led his team to deliver the “NHS Testbed” in partnership with Verily Life Sciences (part of Alphabet), which the Health Service Journal recognized the “Best Pharmaceutical Partnership with the NHS” in 2018.

Previously, Junaid has worked across primary care, secondary care, and public health settings in addition to acting as a payer, and policy maker within the UK, where he specialized in informatics, digital transformation, and leadership. He has consulted for health care systems across the US, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Europe, in addition to being seconded by the NHS to work with IBM. Junaid completed his MBA at the Imperial College Business School in London and has studied health strategy and quality improvement at both Harvard and the Institute of Healthcare Improvement in Boston. Academically, he is a Clinical Associate Professor at UCL (University College London), an Associate Fellow at the Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI Center), and a Visiting Scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Adele Browne

Adele Browne is the Professional Services member of the University Council. She was elected by the Professional Service colleagues to serve as a member of the University Council for three years from August 2026 until July 2029.

Adele has worked in higher education student services for 25 years, starting at the University of Sussex where she managed study abroad exchanges and created the placement year programme for Sussex Business School. In 2013 she moved to De Montfort University to lead the institution’s portfolio of industry and clinical placements, and was later appointed Head of Careers, leading regional graduate retention projects with business and civic partners across Leicester.

Adele joined Warwick in 2022 and is currently Director of Student Experience and Engagement, connecting teams across the University to shape a well-supported, engaging and distinctive experience for every Warwick student, alive to an ever-changing environment. In 2023 she founded the 800-strong Professional Services Excellence Network for staff colleagues to exchange expertise about the needs of our diverse student population and share their numerous professional skills with each other.

Adele is passionate about students making connections, accessing experiences and having a deeply rewarding journey at Warwick, whatever their course, age and aspirations. She holds a BA in Modern Languages and an MBA, and enjoys working out problems while she walks her dogs in the countryside.

Stef Calcraft

Stef Calcraft is an independent member of the University Council. Stef joined Council in August 2025 and is a member of Honorary Degrees Committee and Nominations Committee. Stef is also the Chair of the Warwick Business School Advisory Board.

Stef is best known as the co-founder of Mother, one of advertising’s most iconic and celebrated agencies. In 2023, Stef and his Mother co-founders were presented with the D&AD President's Award. An accolade given once a year to a “legend whose contribution to the industry has been nothing but inspirational”.

In 2012 Stef joined the Board of Blue Rubicon, as Independent Non-Executive Director to work with the founder Fraser Hardie, culminating in its successful sale to Global CEO Advisory Firm Teneo in 2015. Stef also worked as an adviser to Sir Ridley Scott which led to the launch of Ridley Scott Creative Group in 2017. Also in 2017, Stef was a silent founding shareholder of Uncovered Group, which has grown to become one of the UK’s most successful social-first creative companies and was acquired by LadBible Group in June 2026.

Stef became Executive Chairman of Dentsu International UK & Ireland in 2018 and most recently served as the Global CEO of Creative Futures at Essencemediacom, part of WPP Media, from 2019 to 2026. Stef’s responsibilities focussed on driving Creative Transformation across all major brands and markets for the biggest media buying group in the world. Stef began his career in marketing at Unilever.

Ollie Chapman

Ollie is the President of Warwick Students' Union and former Vice-President for Welfare and Campaigns and is a student member of the University Council for the 2026-27 academic year.

Ollie joined Warwick in 2022 as a Politics BA student and has been on a journey through student politics and activism since then. This journey has been characterised by a deeply held passion for achieving social justice, upholding human rights globally and fighting against division within our society.

His time with Warwick Students Union has centred around making the University experience more affordable, equitable and genuinely accessible to the widest array of students.

Professor Stuart Croft

Stuart became the Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Warwick in February 2016, moving from his previous role as the University’s Provost and prior to this as the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research (Arts and Social Sciences). Stuart has been part of Warwick’s community since 2007, when he joined the Politics and International Studies department as Professor of International Security.

Stuart chairs the Financial Plan Committee and is a member of the Finance and General Purposes Committee, Nominations Committee, Honorary Degrees Committee, University Estate and Environment Committee, University of Warwick Foundation and the Investment Sub-Committee.

Working with colleagues, Stuart is responsible for ensuring the University of Warwick delivers excellent education and research within the region, nationally and internationally. Stuart’s work is in the field of security studies for which he has previously held senior posts at the University of Birmingham, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the British International Studies Association.

James Furse OBE

James Furse is an independent member of the University Council and Chair of Audit and Risk Committee, having previously chaired Remuneration Committee. He began his first term of office in August 2021 and his second term is due to end on 31 July 2027.

James was awarded an OBE in the King's 2023 New Year's Honours list for his public service.

Raj Hacker

Raj Hacker is the Vice-President for Education of Warwick Students' Union and is a student member of the University Council for the 2026-27 academic year.

Kate Holden

Kate Holden is an independent member of the University Council. Kate began her first term of office in January 2024 and this term is due to end on 31st December 2026. Kate is also a member of the Audit & Risk Committee and Chairs the Remuneration Committee.

Kate is a Non-Executive Director and Board Advisor with expertise in business transformation in both the public and private sectors, and has a particular focus on digital service delivery in complex environments. She combines strategic, commercial and international experience with a strong understanding of technology, financial oversight, risk management, diversity and culture.

She currently works across a broad portfolio of organisations, including the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, The Leadership High and several tech start-ups. She consults and advises organisations facing strategic choices and responding to the challenges of today's digital disruptions to achieve scale, grow market share and deliver profitable results. She also enjoys mentoring - both in corporate and start up environments.

This follows 25+ years in senior executive roles with FTSE 100 businesses, multinationals and Tech Startups in the Media, Information Services and Education industries including managing Business Units at RELX PLC, Pearson PLC, Financial Times and McGraw-Hill Education.

Kate is also a freeman of the City of London and a member of the Worshipful Company of Marketors’ governing Board - a City Livery Company which promotes Marketing as a force for economic and social good.

Richard Hyde

Richard Hyde is an independent member of the University Council. Richard began his first term of office in May 2021 and his second term is due to end in 2027. Richard is also a member of University Estate and Environment Committee and is Chair of the Council Connect Programmes Sub-Group.

Richard is Chief Executive of a construction products company. He has combined the leadership of his business with non-executive public sector roles focused on housing, the built environment and regeneration. This has included a number of nationally significant and complex organisations. He has a degree in Economics and qualified as a Chartered Accountant.

Dame Bernadette Kelly

Bernadette Kelly is an independent member of the University Council. Bernadette joined Council in August 2025. 

Bernadette was most recently Permanent Secretary at the Department for Transport, starting in April 2017. Before that Bernadette was Director General, Rail Group in DfT from September 2015 and prior to that she was a Director General at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) from April 2010. 

Bernadette joined the Civil Service after graduating. She has spent most of her career working on public policy in relation to business and the economy. She has led work in government to reform the planning regime for major infrastructure; boost housing supply; establish the Competition and Markets Authority; strengthen utility regulation; reform corporate governance; and on industrial strategy and local growth and devolution. 

In addition to DfT and BIS, Bernadette has worked in the Department for Communities and Local Government, HM Treasury, the Cabinet Office and the Prime Minister’s Policy Unit; as well as on secondment to ICI plc. 

Bernadette was awarded a Damehood (DCB) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2022. Prior, Bernadette was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in 2010. 

Professor Andrew Lockett

Professor Andrew Lockett is one of the four academic members of staff who are nominated to represent the Senate on the University Council. Andrew’s current term of office on Council is due to end on 31 July 2029. 

Andy is Dean of Warwick Business School and Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship. His journey began with a first degree in economics and evolved, over his research career, into the sensibilities of an organisational sociologist. Spanning strategy, entrepreneurship, and organisational theory, his work reflects an academic jack of all trades (and, he'd admit, master of non), a range he now brings to leading the school across its Coventry and London campuses.

Professor Caroline Meyer

Professor Caroline Meyer is Provost at the University of Warwick where she supports the Vice-Chancellor in the academic leadership of the University.

Caroline was previously Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) where she was instrumental in supporting and maintaining Warwick's research excellence and pioneering the launch of the National Centre for Research Culture along with the new Warwick Research Spotlights. Prior to this, Caroline was Vice-Provost and Chair of the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine. Caroline has a PhD in Eating Disorders from the University of Southampton. She was Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at the University of Birmingham and then worked in the Department of Psychology at Warwick and Warwick Medical School.

Caroline returned to Warwick in 2014, having been a Reader and then Professor at Loughborough University. Her research is predominantly within two key areas eating disorders and workforce mental health and productivity. Her work involves many external partner organisations, including the NHS, industry partners and schools both nationally and internationally.

Professor Rachel Moseley

Professor Rachel Moseley is one of the four academic members of staff who are nominated to represent the Senate on the University Council. Rachel’s current term of office on Council is due to end on 31 July 2029.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis

Professor Sir Stephen Powis is an independent member of the University Council. Stephen joined Council in August 2026.

He is a nephrologist whose clinical specialty is kidney disease. He served as National Medical Director of NHS England from January 2018 to July 2025. In this role he led national programmes on cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, stroke, diabetes and prevention, and co-chaired the National Quality Board.

Professor Gavin Schwartz-Leeper

Prof. Gavin Schwartz-Leeper is Chair of the Academic Freedom Review Committee and therefore one of the four academic members of staff who are nominated to represent the Senate on the University Council. Gavin's term on Council began in January 2025.

Gavin is Professor in Liberal Arts in the School of Cross-faculty Studies, with an interest in transdisciplinary approaches to issues of perception, especially in relation to uses of the past. He previously served as Deputy Dean of Students (2023-2026) and has worked in many areas relating to student experience.

Wayne Snow

Wayne Snow is the Treasurer of the University and an independent member of the University Council. Prior to being appointed as Treasurer from August 2025, Wayne was also a member of the Audit and Risk Committee. Wayne now chairs the Finance and General Purposes Committee, the Investment Sub-Committee and is a member of the Nominations Committee, the Remuneration Committee and a trustee of the University of Warwick Foundation.

Wayne is currently a Senior Advisor at the Bank of England where he advises the bank on insurance policy and firm supervision.

Prior to joining the Bank Wayne was the Group Chief Risk Officer for the Liverpool Victoria and Phoenix Group insurance companies and is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries.

Wayne is also a Trustee and Audit Committee Chair for Queer Britain, the UK's first national LGBTQ+ museum.