List of University of Kent people

A list of people related to the University of Kent.

Officers[]

Several positions did not technically exist prior to the formal incorporation of the University by approval of its Charter on 4 January 1965. However several were appointed beforehand as nominal "officer designates", performing the same duties. Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent was not formally installed as Chancellor until 30 March 1966.^[1]

Chancellors[]

• 1963-1968 Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent
• 1970-1990 Jo Grimond (later Baron Grimond) - see University of Kent at Canterbury Chancellor election, 1970
• 1990-1995 Sir Robert Horton
• 1996-2006 Sir Crispin Tickell
• 2006-2014 Sir Robert Worcester
• 2014- Gavin Esler

Vice-Chancellors[]

• 1963-1980 Geoffrey Templeman
• 1980-1994 David J.E. Ingram
• 1994-2001 Robin Sibson
• 2001-2007 Sir David Melville
• 2007-2017 Dame Julia Goodfellow
• 2017–present Karen Cox

Pro Chancellors[]

• 1960-1971 Wykeham Cornwallis, 2nd Baron Cornwallis
• 1971-1977 Sir Paul Chambers
• 1977-1984 Robin Leigh-Pemberton
• 1984-1993 Rt Rev David Say
• 1993-1999 John Knatchbull, 7th Baron Brabourne
• 1999-2005

Title changed to:

Chair of the Council[]

• 2005 - 2011
• 2011 - 2014 John Simmonds
• 2014–present Sir David Warren

Visitors[]

The Visitor of the university is the Archbishop of Canterbury ex officio. The following Archbishops have served:

• 1965-1974 Michael Ramsey (appointed Archbishop 1961)
• 1974-1980 Donald Coggan
• 1980-1991 Robert Runcie
• 1991-2002 George Carey
• 2002-2012 Rowan Williams
• 2013–present Justin Welby

Notable staff[]

• Dominic Abrams - Professor of Social Psychology & Vice President of the British Academy
• Harry Bloom - South African former political activist, author (deceased)
• Upamanyu Chatterjee - author
• Elizabeth Cowie - professor of film studies at the University of Kent^[2]
• Frank Furedi - founder and chairman of the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP), Professor of Sociology
• Robin Gill - Anglican priest and theologian
• Roy Goodman - freelance conductor, violinist and organist
• Matthew Goodwin - professor and researcher of British politics
• Abdulrazak Gurnah - writer
• Rosalyn Higgins - President of the International Court of Justice
• Michael J. L. Kirby - former Canadian Senator
• Bill MacMillan - Vice-Chancellor of the University of East Anglia
• Molly Mahood - literary scholar
• Murray Smith - philosopher and film theorist; Professor of Film at the University of Kent
• Hamish Swanston, the first Catholic to head a Department of Theology at a British university since the Reformation
• David Turner - computer scientist, designer of the Miranda programming language
• Sarah Turner - filmmaker, and Director of Research, School of Music and Fine Art^[3]
• Glenn White - astronomer
• John Zarnecki - space scientist and principal on the Huygens probe

Notable alumni[]

All Bachelors Degrees unless stated otherwise

Academia[]

• Anuwar Ali - (PhD) - economist; exponent of higher education; second Vice-Chancellor and President of Open University Malaysia
• Jo Fox - Director Institute of Historical Research University of London
• Adrian Franklin - Professor of Sociology at the University of Tasmania
• Colin Hughes (microbiologist) - Emeritus Professor of Microbiology University of Cambridge Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge
• Belinda Jack - Fellow and Tutor in French at Christ Church, Oxford at the University of Oxford
• Homa Katouzian - (PhD) - Professor of Iranian Studies at the University of Oxford
• Robert Lethbridge - Former Master of Fitzwilliam College at the University of Cambridge
• Anthony McClaran - Vice Chancellor St Mary's University, Twickenham.
• Ralph Townsend (MA) - former Headmaster of Winchester College
• Patrick Collinson - Notable Elizabethan historian; (PhD) - former Regius Professor of Modern History, University of Cambridge
• Rupert Wegerif - Professor of Education at the University of Cambridge Fellow of Hughes Hall
• John Witheridge - Chaplain to the Queen - Former Headmaster of Charterhouse School

Theatre film and entertainment[]

• Farah Zeynep Abdullah - Turkish actress and singer including film The Butterfly's Dream (2013 film)
• Heather Agyepong - Actor/performer, photographer, visual artist.
• Andrew Burt - actor - the original Jack Sugden in Emmerdale
• Paul J. Bradley - executive producer for Merchant Ivory Productions including the films of The Remains of the Day and A Room with a View
• Daragh Carville - Playwright and Screenwriter
• Jackie Clune - actor, singer, and comedian
• Alan Davies - comedian, actor, and author: work includes television QI , Bob and Rose and Jonathan Creek and book Just Ignore Him.
• Richard Denton (producer) - Producer and Director of Television documentaries including Comrades (TV series) and "Kingswood - a Comprehensive".
• Can Evrenol - Turkish Film director including Baskin (film)
• Lyn Gardner - theatre critic, children's writer and journalist, founding member of City Limits magazine, and who contributes reviews and articles to The Stage and was theatre critic at The Guardian for 23 years.
• Mark Gillis - actor, including for the Royal Shakespeare Company, writer / director including for the indie film "Sink".
• Jon Haynes - co-founder and co-Artistic Director of Ridiculusmus
• Stuart Hazeldine - Screenwriter and film director including The Shack
• Shawab Iqbal - Executive Director and Joint CEO Gate Theatre (London)
• Kim Ismay - actor including Royal Shakespeare Company and singer
• Bruce Langley - actor, known for playing the role of Technical Boy on American Gods.
• Rebecca Lenkiewicz - Playwright and screenwriter including Ida (film) Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards 2015
• Laura Lexx - comedian and writer
• Steve Royle - Comedian, entertainer, broadcaster, finalist Britain's Got Talent
• Megan Swann - Magician, President The Magic Circle (organisation) .
• Paul Telfer - actor NCIS and Days of Our Lives
• Ramon Tikaram - actor This Life and EastEnders
• Neal Purvis and Robert Wade - screenwriters of the film Let Him Have It and eight James Bond films including Casino Royale, Skyfall and No Time to Die
• Ariel Vromen - Israeli screenwriter and film director including The Iceman
• Tom Wilkinson OBE - actor, including The Full Monty and Academy Award nominee for In the Bedroom and Michael Clayton
• David Woods - co-founder and co-Artistic Director of Ridiculusmus

Literature[]

• Michael Baigent - (MA) - co-author of The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail
• Valerie Bloom - poet
• Debjani Chatterjee - poet
• Fred D'Aguiar - novelist, playwright, poet, and academic
• Abdulrazak Gurnah (MA) (PhD) - academic and novelist including Paradise (Gurnah novel) and 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature winner
• Jane Harper - author The Dry
• Sir Kazuo Ishiguro - novelist, Man Booker Prize winner for The Remains of the Day and 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature winner
• E. L. James - author Fifty Shades of Grey and film producer Fifty Shades of Grey (film)
• David Mitchell - novelist Ghostwritten (novel) Cloud Atlas and Utopia Avenue screenwriter The Matrix Resurrections
• Sarah Waters - novelist Fingersmith and Tipping the Velvet
• David Wingrove - Science Fiction writer
• Frederick Kambemba Yamusangie - novelist
• Musaemura Zimunya - Zimbabwean contemporary author

Media[]

• Rosie Boycott - Baroness Boycott - journalist, former editor of The Independent and Daily Express
• Janusz Bugajski - host of Bugajski Hour on several Balkan TV channels
• Ian Collins - radio presenter - BBC Kent
• Gavin Esler - former BBC Newsnight presenter and BBC North America Editor
• Shiulie Ghosh - former ITV news presenter
• Fi Glover - BBC Radio 4 presenter including The Listening Project
• Charlotte Green - BBC radio presenter, voted "Most Attractive Female Voice on National Radio"
• Dave Hill - Former writer for The Guardian now London Blogger and Journalist.
• Geoff Hill - Former Editor ITN
• David Horsey - (MA) - Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist
• Duncan Kennedy - BBC South of England Correspondent
• Phil Mackie - BBC Midlands Correspondent
• Mark Mardell - Presenter The World This Weekend BBC Radio 4 - former BBC North America and Europe Editor
• Alan McGuinness - Political Journalist Sky News
• Mike McCarthy - EVP, General Manager, CNN International. Responsible for the global network's entire output.
• Nick Piercey - BBC Local Radio presenter
• Matt Preston - Australian television presenter and food journalist
• Carolyn Quinn - BBC Radio 4 political presenter
• Paul Ross - journalist and presenter - Former presenter The Big Breakfast
• William Sitwell, former editor of Waitrose magazine now Telegraph columnist and Masterchef presenter
• Charlotte Smith (broadcaster) - Presenter Countryfile and Farming Today.
• Peter White (broadcaster) - BBC Radio 4 Presenter You and Yours and BBC Disability Affairs Correspondent
• Patrick Wright - journalist, academic and author

Music[]

• Humphrey Berney - Classical / Crossover singer formerly with Classic Brit Awards winners Blake (band) now soloist
• YolanDa Brown - saxophonist, composer, broadcaster, philanthropist; double MOBO "Best Jazz" winner
• Jon DaSilva - DJ and Record Producer - House and Dance music - pioneer at The Haçienda Manchester.
• Barbara Gaskin - singer - recorded No 1 hit single "It's my Party" with Dave Stewart
• Ellie Goulding - singer / songwriter (did not graduate) albums include Lights (Ellie Goulding album)
• Steve Hillage - guitarist (did not graduate)
• Lami Phillips - Nigerian singer / songwriter and actress
• Tiwa Savage - Nigerian singer / songwriter

Business[]

• Paul Bennett - Founder and Chairman The UK Holiday Group
• Sarah Bentley - Chief Executive Officer Thames Water
• Simon Bolton - Chief Executive Officer Group XP and Chairman Superunion. New York City based global design and branding Agencies.
• James Buckley-Thorp - Founder and Chief Executive Officer Bequest (company)
• Zameer Choudrey, Baron Choudrey - Chief Executive Bestway Group
• Stephen Dunbar-Johnson - President, International, New York Times
• Ian Durant - Chairman Greggs and DFS Furniture
• Paul Everitt - Chief Executive Officer ADS Group
• Wayne Garvie - President International Production at Sony Pictures Television
• Tristia Harrison - Chief Executive Officer TalkTalk Group
• Max Hole - former Chairman and Chief of Global Operations Universal Music
• Philip Knatchbull - Chief Executive Officer Curzon Cinemas
• Daniel Kemp - Chief Executive Officer Wugen Inc - Oncology Biotechnology.
• Sanjeev Kumar - Chief Executive Officer Prax Group. Prax owns the Lindsey Oil Refinery
• Chris Macdonald - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer McCann (company)
• Carolyn McCall - DBE - Chief Executive Officer ITV
• Greg Mullen - Chief Executive Officer Theragnostics
• Mike Newnham - Chief Executive Officer Saint-Gobain UK and Ireland.
• Dimitris Psillakis - Chief Executive Officer Mercedes-Benz USA
• Michael Shakesheff - Managing Director Casper Shipping
• Mark Smith - Chief Financial Officer Cummins
• Brett Warburton - Executive Director Warburtons
• Tim Whitley - Managing Director Research and Innovation at BT Group.
• Charles Wigoder - Executive Chairman Telecom Plus

Politics[]

• Abdullah Md Zin - (PhD) - minister in the Malaysian government
• Abbas Araghchi - (PhD) - Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iran. Lead negotiator for the nuclear technology / sanctions talks between Iran, the USA and Europe.
• Azizan Abdul Razak - Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) of the Malaysian state of Kedah
• Gareth Bacon - Conservative Member of Parliament for Orpington
• Steve Bassam, Baron Bassam of Brighton - (MA) - former Government Whip in the House of Lords
• Judith Blake, Baroness Blake of Leeds - former Labour Leader of Leeds City Council
• Wayne Caines - Minister of National Security Government of Bermuda
• Ronald D. Coleman - (Year abroad) -former United States Representative for Texas
• Baron Collins of Highbury - former Labour Party General Secretary
• Chris Davies - (MA) - former Liberal Democrat Member of the European Parliament for North West England; former leader of the Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament; former Member of Parliament for Littleborough and Saddleworth
• Mark Drakeford - First Minister of Wales
• Tamsin Dunwoody - former Labour Member of the National Assembly for Wales for Preseli Pembrokeshire; former minister in the Welsh Assembly Government
• Natalie Elphicke - Conservative Member of Parliament for Dover and Parliamentary Private Secretary at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
• Kishwer Falkner, Baroness Falkner of Margravine (MA) - Liberal Democrat peer
• Sheila Gilmore - former Labour Member of Parliament for Edinburgh East
• Stephen Gethins -(MA) - former SNP Member of Parliament for North East Fife
• Nikos Hardalias - Deputy Minister for Civil Protection in the Greek Government
• Kostis Hatzidakis - (MA) - Minister for the Environment and Energy in the Greek Government
• Dame Ann Hercus DCMG - (MA) - New Zealand politician and diplomat
• Jane Hutt - Minister for Social Justice - Senedd
• Kamarudin Jaffar - Member of Parliament of Malaysia for Bandar Tun Razak constituency and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Jean-Charles Larsonneur - Deputy representing La Republique En Marche! for Finistère in the French National Assembly
• David Lepper - former Labour Member of Parliament for Brighton Pavilion
• Mastura Mohd Yazid - Member of Parliament for Kuala Kangsar district and Deputy Minister in the Malaysian Government
• Munira Mirza - (MA) (Phd) -Director of the Number 10 Policy Unit
• Chris Mole - former Labour Member of Parliament for Ipswich
• Raychelle Omamo - Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs
• Abena Oppong-Asare - Labour Member of Parliament for Erith and Thamesmead and Shadow Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury
• Taiwo Owatemi - Labour Member of Parliament for Coventry North West and Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities.
• Dan Tehan - (MA) - Australian politician. Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment in the Morrison Government since 2020
• Emily Thornberry - Labour Member of Parliament for Islington South and Finsbury, Shadow Attorney General (England and Wales)
• Robin Tilbrook - leader and founder of the English Democrats
• Peter Whittle – former Deputy Leader of the UK Independence Party^[4]
• Alex Yam - Mayor of North West District and Member of the Singapore Parliament for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC
• Fu Ying - (MA) -Chinese former Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Law and administration[]

• Sir David Akers-Jones - (MA) former acting Governor of Hong Kong, 1986/87
• Ursula Brennan - Order of the Bath - former Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Justice (United Kingdom)
• Samantha Broadfoot (QC) - Leading Public Law Barrister
• James Bullion - Director of Adult Care Norfolk County Council, President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services.
• Peter Clifford - Advisor Risk Policy - Board of Governors of US Federal Reserve.
• Jonathan Cohen (judge) QC - High Court Judge, Family Division.
• Ivo Daalder - President of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, former United States Permanent Representative to NATO
• Joe Egan - Past President Law Society of England and Wales
• Luke de Pulford - Human Rights Campaigner - recipient of the Benemerenti Medal
• Sir Chris Ham - former Chief Executive King's Fund.
• Alistair Jarvis - Chief Executive Universities UK.
• Martin Jones - Chief Executive of the Parole Board for England and Wales
• Sarah Lewis - Chief Executive Langley Park Learning Trust. Former Department for Education Director of Schools.
• HHJ Mark Lucraft QC - former Chief Coroner, now Recorder of London, Lead Judge at the Old Bailey.
• Pippa Mills - Chief Constable West Mercia Police
• Shan Morgan - Permanent Secretary to the Welsh Government
• Damilola Odufuwa - Founder of Nigerian Feminist Coalition and Microfinance specialist. One of Vogue (magazine)'s 12 Women leaders who changed the World in 2020.
• Sir Hugh Orde OBE - former Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland
• Guy Parker - Chief Executive Advertising Standards Authority (United Kingdom)
• David Ringrose - Deputy Director, Policy Strategy and Outreach European Commission
• Joanna Roper - CMG (Honour) - British Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands
• Dame Glenys Stacey - DBE - Chair Office for Environmental Protection - formerly Chief Executive Ofqual
• Chris Tyas - Director of Food Supply Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Kieran Vaughan QC - Leading criminal barrister
• Graham Vidler - Chief Executive Confederation of Passenger Transport

Sports[]

• Paul Ackford - former England Rugby and British and Irish Lions rugby player, The Sunday Telegraph sports journalist
• Adam Ball - former England Under 19 Cricket Captain who played for Kent County Cricket Club
• David Fulton - cricketer, former captain of Kent County Cricket Club
• Wayne Otto - British Karate Champion - Winner of multiple gold medals at Karate World Championships
• Jamie Reeves - (MA) - semi-professional footballer who won the FA Vase twice; pundit on the ESPN Star Sports coverage of the Premier League
• Harry Sayers - Professional Rugby Player: Hong Kong national rugby union team.
• Susannah Townsend - Great Britain, England and Canterbury field hockey player, Gold medal winner 2016 Summer Olympics, Bronze medal winner 2020 Summer Olympics

Military[]

• Joshua Leakey - known for courageous actions in the Afghanistan campaign in 2015; recipient of the Victoria Cross (did not graduate - left in the first year to join the British Army)

Miscellaneous[]

• Chris Broad - Youtuber
• Tom Frame - (MA)- Australian Christian minister of religion, historian, academic, author, and social commentator
• Akaliza Keza Gara - Rwandan IT activist
• Rachael House - artist
• Philip Howard - Michelin starred chef - The Square and then Elystan Street
• Leon McCarron - Northern Irish adventurer, author, filmmaker, broadcaster. Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society.
• Duro Olowu - Fashion Designer
• Martin Poll (priest) - Canon Chaplain of St George's Chapel Windsor Castle
• Stephen Shaw -(MA) - Prisons and Probation Ombudsman for England and Wales
• Johnny Yeo - artist and portraitist - his paintings are included in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery, London

References[]