Category: 2020 Speaker

Professor Vishanth Weerakkody is Associate Dean of International and Enterprise at the Faculty of Management, Law and Social Sciences and Chair of Bradford Business and Social Enterprise Board. He was formally Dean of Faculty and is a Professor of Digital Governance in the School of Management at the University of Bradford. Before moving to the University of Bradford, he held various senior management roles at Brunel Business School.

His current research and teaching are multidisciplinary and centred around public sector policy implementation, process transformation through digital technologies, social innovation and the implementation, diffusion, and adoption of disruptive technologies in society. Focusing on the evolving role of technology, Prof Weerakkody closely follows and critiques digital-enabled service transformation efforts in government that fail to deliver public value and meet citizens’ expectations. He was called to the House of Commons in 2018 as a scientific expert to provide evidence on UK’s digital transformation efforts in public administration. His passion for solving societal problems through research and innovation has allowed him to attract over £25 million of R&D funding over the last few years from the EU, ESRC, Qatar Foundation, British Council and UK Local Government.

As a research-active academic, Prof Weerakkody continues to publish in the Chartered Association of Business Schools 3* and 4* journals. Prior to joining academia, Prof Weerakkody worked in several multinational organisations including BAT Industries and IBM.

Paul is a Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Practice and Director of Bradford-Renduchintala Enterprise Ecosystem (BREE) in the University of Bradford School of Management. Paul leads the University of Bradford Accelerated Entrepreneurship Programme, which provides opportunities for students, researchers, staff and community members to establish and grow successful business and social enterprises. Paul also directs the UK-China Healthtech Open Innovation programme, which has secured over £11m for collaborative research and innovation between UK/EU and Chinese academics, clinicians and companies.Paul is also a co-founder and CEO of CrystecPharma, a University of Bradford technology spin-out company focused on improving the performance of medicines, working with industry clients world-wide as well as developing its own portfolio of differentiated pharmaceutical products. The company has operations, joint ventures and strategic partnerships spanning the UK, Europe, Switzerland, China and the US. Paul has broad technical and business experience from the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, where he held engineering, research, product development and commercial roles to executive level. He also has experience of establishing and running NGOs and spent three years as a Director of a UN refugee health programme in Tanzania. He has been involved in establishing, growing and exiting several business, has run his own dynamic strategy consulting company, has held executive advisory and board roles in companies, trade associations and NGOs, and was appointed by the UK government as the National Focal Point for Health and Innovation with China. Paul speaks four languages (and is learning Chinese), holds an MBA, professional membership of the Institute of Marketing, is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Amir M. Sharif joined Bradford in August 2017 and is currently Associate Dean (International & Accreditations) and Professor of Circular Economy. A previous Head of Brunel Business School (Brunel University London), he has held numerous leadership roles. Amir continues to research and teach in the areas of food security, circular economy, operations / supply chain management, leadership, decision-making and humanitarian logistics (and was also an AI researcher early in his academic career). Amir is regularly called upon by international research funding bodies including: UKRI (EPSRC and ESRC), EU, the national research foundations of China, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Qatar and Switzerland as well as the British Council and British Academy. He is a Board member for the Network Universities / Higher Education advisory group for the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, is a Member of the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships Programme, has previously served as Governor for Glyn School, in Epsom, Surrey and most recently has become a board member of the Stronger Communities Partnership Board for Bradford Municipal District Council. Amir is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, the Chartered Institute for Logistics and Transport, the Institute of Leadership and Management and is a Member of the Chartered Management Institute.

Peter Scharff is the former president of TU Ilmenau, Germany since 2004 and is currently a Professor of Chemistry. Before he was the Director of Physical Institute and Head of the Department of Chemistry. Peter received his Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry from the Technical University Clausthal, Germany and his Habilitation (venia legendi) in Inorganic Chemistry from the same institution. Before joining the TU Ilmenau in 1998, he served as a Visiting Professor at Nicolas Copernicus University, Torun, Poland. His research interests consist of preparative carbon chemistry and electrochemistry. He has published nearly 300 papers in international journals. He is member of head of German Exchange Service (DAAD) and fellow of the Academy of Useful Sciences in Erfurt. Peter was awarded several Dres h.c., as well as several Prof. h.c. He was awarded honorary member of senate of TU Ilmenau in 2021.

Prof Scharff is the former Chair of the World Technology Network (2020-2023).

Dr.G. Ilavazhagan is Director – International Affairs and before this he was Director -Research, Hindustan University. He was formerly Outstanding Scientist & Director, Life Sciences in Defence Research & Development Organisation, Ministry Of Defence, Govt. of India. Dr. Ilavazhagan has more than forty years of experience in teaching, research, technical coordination and management. Dr. Ilavazhagan has six Indian patents, two US and two EPO patents for the processes of isolation of bioactive principles from Neem. Dr. Ilavazhagan has more than 85 publications in referreed International Journals. His interest in research is High Altitude Stress. He was involved in establishing the Centre for Research in Physiology in Kyrghystan and the DRDO-Bharathiyar Univ, Centre for Life Sciences in Bharathiar University Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Dr.Ilavazhagan also was involved in International Research Projects with erstwhile USSR, Kyrghystan Republic and US Airforce Research Centre in Dayton, USA.

Anne Graham is professor of biochemistry at University of Bradford and she leads the Faculty Research & Knowledge Transfer agenda. She was appointed to her current role in 2016 after completing the role of Director of Postgraduate Research for 5 years. In addition to her role as an active researcher into mechanisms of inflammation in cardiovascular disease, she is passionate about development and success of early career researchers (postgraduates and postdoctoral researchers). In 2018 Anne set up a Faculty Early Career Forum for networking between early career researchers and academics. She leads the institutional working group developing our action plan to demonstrate how we meet the obligations of the Researcher Development Concordat, after the institution became a signatory in spring 2020.

Dr. Abdulla Y. Al-Hawaj, the Founding President of Ahlia University, ranks in the top echelon of educational leaders in the Arabian Gulf. His incumbency in numerous managerial posts in prestigious organizations associated with educational development at a national level, combined with a plethora of academic accolades awarded to him by esteemed institutions, attests to Dr. Al-Hawaj’s being in the vanguard of higher educational reform in the Kingdom of Bahrain. In recognition of Dr. Al-Hawaj’s trail blazing contributions in the sphere of educational advancement in the Kingdom of Bahrain, he was appointed in the year 2000 — by royal decree – as a member of the Supreme Committee for the Kingdom National Charter, in which he serves as the coordinator of its Educational Committee. Dr. Al-Hawaj holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Applied Mathematics from the University of Manchester (UK) and a B.Sc. (Hon.) in Mathematics from the University of Kuwait.

Dr. Al-Hawaj launched his distinguished academic career at the University of Bahrain, in which he held the successive posts of Dean of Registration & Student Affairs, Chairman of the Department of Mathematics, and Chairman of the Department of Computer Science. He attained the rank of Professor of Mathematics at the University of Bahrain in 1993 and continued to serve the University of Bahrain in that capacity until 2005. Dr. Al-Hawaj’s profound contributions to the fields of Mathematics, Computer Sciences, and Education through numerous research papers, books, media debates, and public discussions are vast. His unstinting dynamism, paradigm-shattering innovation and superlative achievement in the academic and social arena have accorded him a number of prestigious awards and honorariums.

Dr. Al-Hawaj has extensive experience in leading large multi-dimensional institutions. His signature use of pragmatic and innovative thinking in solving complex educational and business issues stems from his strong managerial and educational background. He is widely acclaimed as a pioneering architect of the private university in the Arabian Gulf and a leading proponent of excellence in Higher Education in the whole of the Middle East. He is the Chairman of the Executive Office of The Association of Arab Private Institutions for Higher Education. In the year 2019, he was awarded the Doctor of Science honoris causa (DSc) from Brunel University London for his contribution to international education.

Having lived and worked in the Bradford City Region for ten years she is committed to positioning the University at the centre of the region’s social and economic regeneration by harnessing the University’s strengths in research, innovation, teaching and partnerships and creating a values-led culture that is inclusive and effective in enriching lives and benefitting society. As Vice-Chancellor, Professor Shirley Congdon is responsible for the University of Bradford’s leadership and management, including the development and delivery of its values and strategic ambitions. She is the University’s eighth Vice-Chancellor and the first women to hold the role. Originally qualifying as a Registered Nurse, Shirley’s professional and academic expertise lies within the area of health and social care, service modernisation and cultural change, research methods and evidence-based practice. She has an outstanding record in all aspects of university leadership, having worked within the field of higher education for 25 years and held senior roles in three different universities. Shirley is a passionate advocate for equality and diversity, social inclusion and widening participation in higher education – opening opportunities and unlocking potential for people of all backgrounds. She is a tireless ambassador for students and is committed to ensuring they receive the education, experience, and support they need to reach their potential and move into their chosen career or further study after graduating.

For 2024-25 Professor Congdon sits as WTUN Chair of the General Board until 31 July 2025.