The function of the International Advisory Board is to provide independent, external and commercially orientated advice to the University of Edinburgh Business School.

The principal point of contact between the School and the Advisory Board is via the Dean and the Dean’s Executive Assistant.

Members of the Executive Team have a standing invitation to meetings of the Advisory Board, in order to ensure tight linkage between the School's external members and the Team running the School on a daily basis.

External members

  • Chinelo Anohu-Amazu
    Head of the Africa Investment Forum (AIF), immediate past Director General and CEO of National Pension Commission (PenCom), Nigeria
  • Simon Bray
    Director, Transformation, Santander
  • John D. Campbell OBE, FRSA (Chair)
    Principal at Currburn Advisory and Chair of the Advisory Board, Carnegie Fund Services SA and fundeye.com
  • Melanie A. Czarra
    Non-Executive Director at Daiwa Capital Markets Europe
  • Sandip Ghose
    Numerous board level positions in the Indian financial services industry including Public Interest Director, India International Depository IFSC Ltd
  • Annie Liu
    Mid-Market Analyst at EDF (UK)
    Alumna of the University of Edinburgh Business School (Class of 2024)
  • Liz McAreavey
    Chief Executive, Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce
  • Christopher Montgomery
    Senior Vice President, Business Development, Cooley LLP
    Alumnus of the Business School
  • Joanne O'Callaghan
    Financial services lawyer, former Head of Global Services Legal, State Street, Boston
  • David Plekenpol
    Chairman of the European and American Regions for AAC Technologies, Shenzhen
  • Philip Rycroft, Director, Philip Rycroft Consultancy Ltd. Former Permanent Secretary, Department for Exiting the European Union
  • Isobel Sharp CBE
    Non-Executive Director/member at IMI plc, Balanced Commercial Property Trust Ltd and Baillie Gifford & Co
    Alumna of the University of Edinburgh
  • John Waddell
    Chairman of Forrit and Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
    Alumnus of the School of Law
  • Christine Watts
    A Communications specialist, former Director of Communications, Waitrose

Functions of the Advisory Board

To advise and assist the Dean and School Executive on areas such as:

  1. Developing the School goals of leadership in research and leadership in learning through deepening corporate engagement for industry related research and to enhance the student experience.
  2. Developing a presence within networks of practice, nationally and internationally.
  3. New ideas and developments, acting as a sounding board and constructively challenging assumptions and the operating routines of the School where appropriate.
  4. Actively promoting the School's research, programmes and student body across a wide range of networks.

The Board meets twice a year with individual members engaged in School activities between meetings. The board's composition aims to be diverse in terms of gender, geographic spread and industry sector/type representation to reflect the breadth of the Business School's teaching and research themes.