Meantime

Issue 16

alumni magazine

Sight savers
Transforming lives in Africa

Boost for businesses

Cracking companies conundrums

Diversity double
Dance stars shine

Where are they now?

Your old friends and their new lives

10% off Postgraduate study!

1

Welcome
The University of Greenwich Alumni Association continues to grow in
strength and number. Our growing band of members includes recent
graduates as well as those who make contact with us months, years
and, in some cases, decades after leaving the university. To all of our
friends and members old and new: a very warm welcome to issue 16
of Meantime.
Greenwich academics have been working on important, real life issues.
Whether ghting against night blindness in Africa or helping local
businesses to grow and improve, your university is at the forefront of
research and development across the world. Find out more about these
exciting projects on pages 8 and 12.
There are many ways in which you can become involved in our work.
In fact, by simply reading Meantime, you have already dipped a toe
in the water. Why not paddle a little deeper and nd out about our
volunteering or mentoring opportunities? Perhaps you would like to set up
a professional networking group, attend an event or donate much-needed
funds to one of our projects. If you would like to nd out more, please get
in touch with us. We would love to hear from you.
Last year nearly 800 alumni offered to mentor or provide a work
placement. Meanwhile six international groups in Hong Kong, Greece,
Nigeria, Ghana, India and Bangladesh were established, all with volunteers
taking the helm. Another 400 alumni very kindly donated to the Alumni
Fund, providing more than 12,000 to help students in severe nancial
hardship and to provide new learning resources. All of our donors appear
on the donor wall on page 11.
Our work does not stop when you have nished reading this magazine.
Look out for your quarterly e-newsletters along with UK alumni events in
November and July, international events in China, Malaysia and Holland.
We will also be in touch via Greenwich Connect, Facebook, Orkut, Twitter
and LinkedIn.
One unique network; 70,000 alumni. We hope you enjoy reading this
edition of Meantime.
Your Alumni Team

Please send any correspondence or material for inclusion in Meantime to:

Alumni Ofce, University of Greenwich, Greenwich Campus, Old Royal Naval College, Park Row, London SE10 9LS, United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 (0)20 8331 7836, Fax: +44 (0)20 8331 8093, E-mail: alumni@gre.ac.uk, Web: www.gre.ac.uk/alumni
The opinions expressed in Meantime are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the university.
Text and design: Directorate of Development & Communications, University of Greenwich
University of Greenwich 2009
University of Greenwich, a charity and company limited by guarantee, registered in England (reg. no. 986729).
Registered ofce: Old Royal Naval College, Park Row, Greenwich, London SE10 9LS

This document
is available in
other formats
on request

antime
University of Greenwich alumni magazine

Contents
4

Welcome!
A warm welcome from the Alumni Ofce

Events
News from alumni reunions across the globe along
with a glimpse of what is in store for the coming year

Brilliant benets
Your alumni benets and discounts

Get networking
Stay connected wherever you are in the world with our
international and professional networking groups

Bringing business better results

the Greenwich way
How the university is helping local and global companies

12

10 The future is bright thanks

to alumni stars

Find out how you have helped your university

11 Alumni fund donor wall

Our huge thank you to all our donors over the last year

12 Greenwich scientists save lives

with sweet potatoes

16

Pioneering research tackles night blindness in Africa

14 News
What is happening with your university and alumni network?

16 Where are you now?

Find out what your old classmates are up to

22

22 Alumni prole
Simon Coles (BA Marketing, 2000) tells us about life
as advertising account manager for Audi

Meantime Issue 16

Events round-up
Alumni
barbecue 2009
More than 130 alumni returned to
Greenwich Campus this summer
for our inaugural alumni barbecue.
Despite a dramatic thunderstorm
just before the event, the weather
cleared up just in time for the
champagne reception at the start
of the night.
In the grand surroundings of
the Queen Anne Courtyard, as
boats glided along the Thames,
guests were treated to live jazz
courtesy of the Jonathan Dexter
Trio, comprising students from the
Trinity College of Music.
Several guests took the
opportunity to organise their
own mini get-togethers at the
barbecue. From recent alumni
to those who had graduated fty
years ago, many guests were
successfully reunited with old
friends and classmates.
Your next UK alumni event will
take place in November 2009 at
a bar in central London. More
details can be found on our
website at
www.gre.ac.uk/alumni.

Alumni adventure in Africa

Two former students certainly went the extra mile to get to Greenwichs rst
alumni event in west Africa: they drove for nine hours across Ghana to get
to the party, held in Accra.
Their driving ambition was matched by the enthusiasm of fellow guests at
the party, with around 50 alumni and friends coming together for a very lively
evening.
Nigeria also had its rst alumni event, with 65 guests congregating in Lagos
for what turned out to be a most congenial get-together. Among those in
attendance were two alumni who graduated more than 30 years ago.
Both African events played host to a number of new students due to join the
university in 2009, with alumni on hand to share their experiences.
University staff present included both a Nigerian and a Ghanaian - Professor
Ndy Ekere, Head of the School of Engineering and Dr Paul Amuna from the
School of Science. They were joined in Lagos by Benson Adeeso, the rst
Nigerian president of the University of Greenwich Students Union.
Alumni groups are now being set up in both countries to organise more
activities.

Meantime Issue 16

Athens attracts
alumni in Greece
The stunning backdrop of the
Acropolis set the scene for a
very popular alumni reception in
Athens.
Despite a city-wide transport
strike, nearly 100 former students
and guests successfully made it
to the event at the Divani Palace
Acropolis Hotel. Enjoying a warm
spring evening spent on a terrace
overlooking the ancient buildings
of Athens, alumni and friends
networked until late into the night.
The universitys Hellenic Alumni
Society was established in 2002.
A steering committee, under
the leadership of Nektarios
Stravolemis (MSc Financial
Management, 2002), is now
working with the university to plan
more activities across Greece.

Alumni Events 2009 10

This year looks set to be another exciting one for our alumni. There will be a
variety of events on offer, each one giving you the opportunity to reunite with
old friends from Greenwich.
Following on from the success of the event in 2008, we will be holding
another alumni pub night this November in a central London location.
The popular sports reunion returns to Avery Hill in spring 2010, giving
alumni the chance to compete against current students in a range of sports.
After that healthy dose of exercise, participants will relax together afterwards
whilst watching the FA Cup nal.
We will be also visiting China and Malaysia over the next twelve months for
a number of special alumni receptions.
Updates on these and other events will be posted on the alumni website
at http://alumni.gre.ac.uk/netcommunity/events as well as on our
Facebook pages. If you would like to be kept informed about any of our
events, please e-mail: alumni@gre.ac.uk.

Want your
own reunion?
If you would like to arrange a
reunion yourself, we can help.
Whether you want to organise
an independent gathering or
something as part of a wider event
like the alumni barbecue, we have
got the people and resources on
hand to make it a real success.

We can help publicise your

reunion, trace lost friends and
provide a venue. Recent events
we have helped with include a
reunion for environmental sciences
alumni, a party for a group who
studied at Avery Hill College 45
years ago and a Business School
alumni boat trip.
E-mail: alumni@gre.ac.uk
for more information.

Meantime Issue 16

Brilliant benets
What is in it for me?
Being part of our alumni association provides more than just the
chance to stay in touch with the university. Members are also entitled
to a wide range of benets, from access to Greenwich facilities to
discounts with shops and services. We can also help you to trace lost
friends and organise reunions.

Invest in yourself

Explore the UK

As the country continues to feel

the effects of the recession,
competition for jobs remains
erce. Further study and
qualications can help to give
you an edge against the rest.
As a member of the alumni
association, you are entitled
to 10 per cent discount on
postgraduate programmes. We
offer a wide range of subjects and
qualications for postgraduate
study including Continuing
Professional Development (CPD)
programmes.

Whether you are planning a day

out in London or a holiday in the
countryside, our special discounts
could help make your free time
more affordable. With discounts
available on the London Pass,
National Car Hire, Cottages 4
You and hotel chains across the
country, you can be sure to get
your holiday off to a good start.
You can also get discounts at
various tourist attractions including
Alton Towers and Warwick Castle.

University facilities
You may have left the university
but you can still come back and
use some of our facilities. All you
need is an alumni card (available
from the Alumni Ofce) and then
you can use our libraries and our
brand new gym at Avery Hill at a
signicantly reduced rate.
Recent graduates are entitled to
use our careers service for up to
two years following graduation.
This includes access to vacancy
lists, workshops and one-to-one
sessions with a careers adviser.
E-mail: get@gre.ac.uk for more
information.
Organising a conference? Need
somewhere to stay for your
reunion? Take advantage of
the universitys conference and
accommodation facilities with a
10 per cent discount on standard
rates. Contact: conferences@gre.
ac.uk for details. Conditions apply.

Meantime Issue 16

On the high street

Discounts are available at Vision
Express, Moss Bros and Interora.
You can also get up to 70 per
cent off magazine subscriptions,
including titles such as The
Economist, Vogue and National
Geographic.
Find out more about your benets
and discounts at
www.gre.ac.uk/alumni. Terms
and conditions apply.

Reunions help is at hand

Want to organise a class reunion
but dont know where to start?
Well help you to nd old friends
and a university-based venue
and we can even help out with
catering and conference options.
We may even be able to nd you
overnight accommodation on your
old campus. We can also help
promote your event.
You might also consider arranging
your reunion as part of one of our
larger get-togethers such as the
London pub night in November.

How do I do it?
Staying in touch with the
Alumni Association could
not be easier. Simply sign up
with our online community,
Greenwich Connect.

Get networked
for success
Linked up with 70,000 former students all over the world,
your alumni association offers you some powerful networking
opportunities. Find out how you can get involved.

The Alumni Ofce provides

ongoing support to volunteers.
We can help publicise groups and
networks, provide guidance and
nd staff to host events or deliver
seminars. We can also offer
online resources on our website,
Greenwich Connect.
We need committed alumni
volunteers to help our groups and
networks reach their full potential.
Volunteering is a great way to
meet people and build up your CV
whilst allowing you to share your
expertise.
If you are interested in
starting a group or becoming
an ambassador, please
contact Martyn Stephenson:
m.h.stephenson@gre.ac.uk or
telephone +44 20 8331 9691.

Alumni groups
Bergman sterberg Union
China (Shanghai)
Greece
Ghana
Guild of Landscape Designers
Hong Kong
India (Delhi)
India (Hyderabad)
Whether you want to meet
up socially with other alumni
or boost your professional
contacts, your university can
help you. A growing number
of alumni groups are bringing
former students together across
the world.

Professional networking
It pays to build up your
professional connections,
especially in todays troubling
economic climate. Sharing
knowledge and expertise will also
help you to stay ahead of the
game. There are already a number
of career-centred alumni groups
in operation, such as therapeutic
counselling and the Guild of
Landscape Designers (GoLD).

International networking
Similar connections can be made
through international groups.
There are groups in Hong Kong,
Malaysia, India and Greece, with

more branches being established

in Nigeria, Ghana, Pakistan, China
and Bangladesh. In the UK, an
expanded events programme is
bringing together alumni who live
around London.
Even where alumni are thinner
on the ground, activity is still
possible. This autumn, we
are introducing a network of
international alumni ambassadors
who will act as a university
contact in their region and help to
co-ordinate alumni activity there.

The people

India (Kolkata)
Malaysia
Mexico
Therapeutic Counselling/
Psychology
For contact details visit
www.gre.ac.uk/alumni.

Did you play rugby

at Greenwich?
The University of Greenwich
Old Boys Rugby Football Club
(RFC) is seeking new members.
For more information e-mail:
UoGOB_RFC@hotmail.co.uk.

Alumni groups and ambassadors

help to support Greenwichs
work. They have much to offer
students as they adjust to
university life or prepare to enter
the world of employment. This
may be through mentoring,
offering work placements or
simply giving advice.

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16

Bringing business
better results
the Greenwich way
What have the Cutty Sark and
a Kent fudge manufacturer
got in common? Not much,
you would think but in fact,
they both have the University
of Greenwich to thank for an
upturn in their fortunes.
Both were helped by the
Greenwich Research and
Enterprise (GRE) team at the
university, which provides a range
of innovative business services
to both local and international
companies. Bridging the gap
between academia and industry,
the team led by Dr Martin
Davies, Director of Research
and Enterprise have working
relationships with hundreds of
businesses.
In fact, increasing numbers of
Greenwich alumni are seizing the
opportunities on offer. Graduates
who left Greenwich some time ago
to set up their own businesses, for
example, have approached Martin
and his team for assistance, whilst
newer alumni are sharing their up
to date knowledge in all kinds of
companies.

Meantime Issue 16

Martin says: We can help

businesses to research and
develop ideas in a number of
different ways. By hosting a new
Greenwich graduate to work with
them, businesses can benet from
up-to-date knowledge and a fresh
approach. Alternatively a company
can hire one of our academic
staff on a consultancy basis and
benet from their very high level of
expertise.
One scheme particularly popular
with entrepreneurial alumni is the
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
(KTP) scheme. This scheme is
government-funded, so the cost
to business owners is minimised.
GREs partnership with Kent fudge
company Jim Garrahys Fudge
Kitchen is a ne example of how
a KTP can help a business - with
remarkable results.

Sian realised that to achieve

this she required an expert.
After meeting Greenwichs Dr
Linda Nicolaides, a food safety
specialist, she decided to enter
into a KTP with the University.
A very successful collaboration
ensued, with Greenwich graduate
and food technologist Julie Crenn
employed to use her specialist
knowledge to try and solve Sians
problem. Julie eventually cracked
it by altering the composition of
the sugar solution, she extended
the shelf life by 200 per cent. The
result? Turnover could increase by
around 200,000.
Linda says that such
collaborations have huge
benefits for both the employer
and the university. She explains:
Graduates get an insight into
how a business is run and
access to decision-making at
senior level. The business gets
a pair of hands working with
them whilst getting up to date
knowledge for example, on
legislative requirements - from
the academic world.
Sian is certainly pleased with how
her business has beneted from
working with Greenwich: Julie
has become one of us, one of
the team. Shes brought a lot of
organisation through compliance
in our production process. Its
made us far more professional as
a manufacturing outt.

Sian Holt, Managing Director of

Jim Garrahys Fudge Kitchen,
wanted to start selling her product
to wholesalers, but she had a
big problem. Whilst she was
proud of her products unique,
butter-free recipe, it was this mix
of ingredients that made its shelf
life too short to sell on to other
vendors. She needed to nd a way
to increase this shelf life without
adding butter to the fudge.

The universitys business solutions

have attracted serious industry
attention. With students and
graduates working at companies
as diverse and famous as Google
and Rolls Royce, Greenwich has
also won accolades for its work.

Professor Chris Bailey, of

Greenwichs School of Computing
and Mathematical Sciences,
went into partnership with
the Cutty Sark Trust to help
save the famous clipper ship.
Their pioneering work won
double honours at the London
Knowledge Transfer Awards.
It was named as Knowledge
Transfer Collaboration 2008 and
it also won the Knowledge Base
Collaboration Award.
The good news for anyone
thinking of engaging
Greenwichs business services
is that there are a number
of funding options available
meaning that industry can
benefit from high-level academic
insight at an agreeable cost.
Martin explains: Regional
business support groups,
for example, have their
own specialised schemes
set up to help bridge the
gap between business and
university environments, whilst
government funding can also
help a project along.
Now Martin and his team are
looking to help even more
businesses, whether theyre
local start-ups or international
enterprises. He is keen to help
Greenwich alumni with their
business needs and is enthusiastic
about the opportunities and
possibilities: There are just so
many benets businesses we
work with get to increase their
knowledge and networks as well
as the potential to increase their
prots and productivity.
If you would like to nd out more
but are unsure where to start,
GRE can advise on the most
appropriate business solution for
your company. To register your
interest, contact the Alumni Ofce
on 020 8331 7836 or e-mail:
alumni@gre.ac.uk.

Meantime Issue 16

Benefactor
and former Principal dies
Kathleen Jones, Principal at Avery Hill College from 1960 to 1981,
passed away on 19 July 2009, aged 92.
Kathleen recently built on her fantastic dedication to the institution by donating
a signicant gift which will provide a decade of scholarships within the
School of Education. Her remarkable generosity will help students with fees,
accommodation and equipment.
We are truly grateful both for the commitment that Kathleen made to Avery
Hill College and for her donation of an inspirational gift that will continue to
change lives at the University of Greenwich. Our thoughts are with her family
at this time.
We would love to hear from alumni with memories of Kathleen. Please share
your recollections, stories and thoughts with us at: alumni@gre.ac.uk.

The future is bright

thanks to alumni stars
Hundreds of you kindly donated
to the Alumni Fund this year. But
where did your money go?
The Alumni Fund helps students
across all campuses, both on
an individual and group basis.
Thousands of students have
beneted from the provision of new
equipment and resources, and
many more have received support
when facing serious nancial
difculties. Funding from alumni
has directly enabled students to
pursue their studies in the face of
adversity, providing them with a
more promising future.
Claire Evenden, Funds, Awards
and Bursaries Team Manager
explains: Students are vulnerable
to hardship as they are generally
on a low income and have little or
no experience of managing their
own money.

10

Meantime Issue 16

According to Claire, some students

have even been made homeless,
either as a result of nancial
hardship or other unforeseen
circumstances. She says that
many students in such traumatic
situations have been helped thanks
to your donations. Claire explains:
The Alumni Fund has helped
homeless students to nd a safe
place to sleep while we have
searched for more permanent
accommodation for them. We
had one unfortunate student
whose at had caught re. She
had lost all her clothing and could
not get home to collect more.
Thanks to the Alumni Fund, we
were able to help.
Last year 500 Greenwich students
required nancial support
advice sessions. Several new
scholarships, funded externally,
have also made a huge difference
to students in nancial hardship.
Lorna Burton is a third year BSc
Environmental Science student
Thanks to her scholarship money,
Lorna is able to attend eld trips
and continue with her studies. She

explains: I had to go on trips to

places like the Lake District and
the New Forest, which I have
been able to do thanks to the
scholarship. It has helped me to
deal with additional costs.
If you would like to make a
difference to the lives of our
students by making a donation,
please visit
www.gre.ac.uk/donate.

Alumni Fund donor wall

Providing opportunities and changing lives
Our thanks go to those members of our alumni network who have committed their nancial support to the University of
Greenwich by making a regular or one-off donation to the Alumni Fund. We continue to be amazed and touched by your
support. We thank those of you who donated as a result of our telephone calls earlier in the year or who made a donation
through the last Meantime. Our student fundraisers will be working on a telephone campaign in November. They will
be hoping to speak with more of you than ever before to encourage you to join the growing number of Alumni Fund
supporters. We thank you in advance for taking their call.
Edith Adams
Karen Adams
Denise Addae-Yeboah
Nicola Addison
Adenike Adenekan
Margaret Aderibigbe
Olajumoke Aderiye
Linda Adeyemo
William Adolph
Ernest Adomako
Olufunmilayo Agunsoye
Marc Ah Choon
Farhan Ahmed
Olid Ahmed
Abimbola Ajibike
Florence O Akpokodje
Frederick Alale
Jawad Alam
Lindsay Allaker
Brian Allen
Catherine Allen
Amanda Amafor
Theresa Anakwue
Sunita Anandji
Cynthia Ansah
Abdisalan Artan
Ali Asghar
Michael Ash
Raymond Ashby
Reginald Ashley
Lindsay Atkins
Joshua Atoyebi
Isaac Attram
Helen Austin
Annette Babb
Dorothy Bailey
Bashir Bajwa
Kerri Baker
Kelly Bamsey
Louise Banks
Phillip Barlow
David Barrass
Olugbenga Bello
Paula Beresford
Gurdeep Bhangra
Fiona Blake-Okpoko
John Bostock
Djamal Bouguenna
Bendysh Boukhari
Stephen Bovey
Alexander Bowman
Belinda Bracken
Celia Breston
Maureen Brice
Graham Broughton
Andrew Brown
Derek Brown
Susannah Brown
Valerie Brown-Beckford
Steven Browne
Anthony Burnett
Olive Byrne
Mary Caballero
Duncan Callnon
Patrick Carroll
Kelly Carter
Richard Cavanagh
Ornella Cavuoto
Hoong Chen

You Qiang Chen

Mike Chipere
Florlinda Clark
Rachel Clay
Kevin Clayton
Maureen Collins
Adam Cook
George Cooke
Richard Cooke
Neil Cooper
Christopher Cotter
Carl Cristina
Helen Cross
Alastair Crossley
Christopher Culwick
Stefan Dahl
Sarah Damina
Jane Darvill
Ellen Davis
Handunnetthi De Silva
Sandra Delahoy
Mark Dennis
Christine Denny
Stewart Dorey
Frances Dorrington
Rashida Dramani
Elizabeth Dufn
Iain Duncan
Peter Durant
Audrey Edwards
Kerry Edwards
Dev-Rishi Ellayah
Graeme Elliott
Daniel Ellis
Bala Enebi
Mary Enninful-King
Scilla Ereku
Jon Etheridge
Eleanor Evans
Ralph Evans
Jill Fenton
Lorraine Flisher
Rachel Fogden
Sherinne Forde
Wendy Foulds
Julia Foulger
Renee Francis
Simon Gardner
Annabelle Garland
Hilary Garnock-Jones
Gillian Gibson
Janet Gillon
Elizabeth Gladwell
Markandoo Gopithasan
Winsome Gordon
Denise Gould
Andrew Grifths
Koudou Guede
Michael Guye
Roland Haggins
Philip Ham
Mia Hamilton-Smith
Gian-Claudio Hammerli
Andrea Hammond
Emmanuel Hanson
Dorothy Harris
Robert Harris
Rahaman Hasan
Helen Heath

Theresa Hedoun
Jean Heffer
Joseph Henderson
Brian Hirst
Ian Hollands
Paulette Hooper
John Hunnex
Kamal Hussein
Marie Hutchings
Abubakar Ibrahim
John Ide
Joan Igbinoghene
Ian Ingram
William Jackson
Josina James
Wendy Jenkins
Ivy Johnson
Nicholas Johnson
Ian Johnston
Caroline Jones
Kevin Jones
Lorraine Jones
David Joseph
Lalita Jugnarain
Kandiah Kandeepan
Janepher Katabarwa
Hellen Katali
Tricia Kelly
Jocelyn Kemevor
Agnes Kerr
Rosemary Keys
Jumoke Kiladejo
Marian Knox
Matthew Kyeremeh
Sunny Lambe
Kazeem Adebayo Lasisi
Gyl Laugier
Nemior Lawrence
Deborah Lawson
Norma Lax
Diane Lear
Joan Lewis
Sarah Lloyd
Alison Luxford
Mario Mackenzie
Robert MacManaway
Mary Maddalo
Mohammed Majeed
Gillian Mallard
Ruth Malten
Asif Mamoojee
Helen Marland
Peter Marsh
Krystyna Marshall
Biljana Martin
Belinda Matthews
Inge-Lise Mawn
Peter McBeath
Sheila McCay
Michael Mcevoy
Angela McLaren
Paul Meadows
Paul Medhurst
Dela Mensah
Lucy Mercer
Solomon Mills
Christopher Milne
Evelyn Mitchell
Robert Mitchell

Nasreen Mohatarem
Jane Mole
Charles Monginda
Sililo Muchinjiko
Matthew Mulry
Laura Murphy
Noel Naughton
Grace Nauth
Zoe Neilson-Alegbe
Serena Nelson
Stephen Neville
Geraldine Nevin
Daniela Newell-Viotto
Julie Norton
Roy Norton
Victor OBarnieh
Ivan OBrien-Coker
Mercy Ofori-Kuragu
Augustine Ogugua-Asolo
Olufemi Ogungbemi
Samson Ogunjimi
Olatunji Ojuko
David Okeowo
Modupe Onanuga
Victoria Onifade
Lorna Onomor
Chyke Onyiagha
Lilian Oorthuysen-Dunne
Esther Osemwegie
Mbasiru Oshinbosi
Nicholas Owen
Ola Oyadiran
Nicholas Paige
Hock Pang
Philip Partridge
Gail Patterson
Kyriacos Pattichi
Ann Pegler
Beverley Pegler
Nicholas Perez
Alejandro Perez De Oliveira
Dominic Pettit
Anthony Phillips
John Phyall
Arleene Piercy
Horace Plummer
Maria Posada Estevez
Loveth Pottinger
Clare Power
Michael Pridham
Patricia Anne Prior
Howard Pryer
Dimitrios Raekos
Cristian Ramis
Muhammad Rashid
Johanna Rathborne
Andrew Rawlinson
Linda Richards
Peter Roberts
Lorraine Robinson
Emma Rolf
Christine Rose
Bobbie Rowson
Pitsamai Ruengchinda
Robert Rycroft
Anthony Rymer
Saeed Salim
Mammadova Sanubar
Larissa Saxby-Bridger

Bernard Seward
Francis Shara-Ogunware
Jeannine Shardlow
Helen Sibilev
Coral Sinclair
Surein Siva
Rosemary Smith
Sandra Smith
Laura Sneddon
Monica Snow
Arlinda Sousa
Sonia Spowart
Paul Starling
Christopher Steele
Kim Steer
Evan Stirzaker
Philip Stones
Ian Swaffer
Kelly Sweeney
Maxwell Taabazuing
Mohamed Talbi
Delasi Tamaklo
Christine Taylor
Karen Taylor
Richard Taylor
Samuel Thompson
Mary Thorley
Leigh Tilley
Roseana Tobias
Shiraz Tohid
Lorraine Tomlinson
Assiata Toure
Michael Travis
Elaine Tym
Nicholas Umba
Ebba Ushe
Leonce Vami
Maria Velez
Ruth Vinall
Jonathan Waddilove
Wendy Wagler
Penny Walsh
Tracey Walter
Maurice Walton
Karen Ward
Michelle Warner
James Warren
Peter Waugh
Neil Webb
Susan Weller
Carolyn Weston
Simon Wickins
Gemma Williams
Chandradevi Wimalathasan
Jan Wiszniewski
Robert Wooldridge
Marilyn Woolley
Helen Wren
Deborah Wyatt
Mingyan Xiang
Hannah Yeend
Peter Yuen
John Zacchaeus

We are also very grateful those who have donated but have chosen to remain anonymous.

Meantime Issue 16

11

Greenwich scientists
save lives with sweet potatoes
A University of Greenwich
scheme at the forefront of
disease prevention in Africa
is set to transform lives as it
reaches its nal year.
The Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato
Project is a simple yet radical
initiative involving the Natural
Resources Institute (NRI), part of
the University of Greenwich. The
scheme aims to encourage people
in Uganda and Mozambique to
substitute their usual white sweet
potatoes for healthier orange
ones.

Above: Traders in training

Right: Locals are taught

about the benets of
sweet potatoes

12

Meantime Issue 16

Orange sweet potatoes are full

of nutritious and essential vitamin
A - something often lacking in the
diets of people in this part of the
world. This vitamin A deciency
leads directly to diseases such as
night blindness - where sufferers
are unable to see fully in dim or
dark light - as well as reducing the
ability to ght infections.
Currently nearly 40 per cent of
children and 14 million adults
in the region suffer from night
blindness. But, thanks to the
valuable and innovative work of
the NRI, this is set to change for
the better.

For the past three years, the

potato project has focused
on the scientic elements of
the work researching which
varieties of sweet potato contain
the most vitamin A, for example.
But this fourth and nal year
concentrates on marketing and
operations. In other words, getting
the project out to the people,
and encouraging farmers and
shoppers to take the orange
sweet potato to their hearts, elds
and shopping baskets.

Andrew Westby is Professor of

Food Technology at Greenwich
and the NRIs Director of Research
and Enterprise. He is passionate
about the importance of the
project and says that it presents
a cheap yet effective solution to
vitamin deciency in Africa.
Professor Westby explains:
Vitamin A builds up the immune
system; without it, you get into
a very sad, sorry state. Many
people in Africa are already
living on less than a dollar a day
so buying vitamin tablets is not
an option. Sweet potatoes, on
the other hand, already contain
vitamin A and cost a few cents to
grow or to buy.

Although that is a matter of

pennies, funding the project is an
expensive business. Work on the
marketing element alone has cost
more than US$1 million. However,
such is the global importance
both of this project and the NRIs
work in general that the institute
is funded by the HarvestPlus
Challenge Program. This
international organisation (funded
by the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation) works to combat
malnutrition across the globe.
People in ve regions in
Mozambique and three regions
in Uganda are beneting from the
sweet potato project. For these
communities, populated by some
of the poorest people on the
planet, the NRIs work means the
difference between life and death.
Despite the seriousness of the
project, the marketing activities
designed and implemented by
Andrew and his team are lively
and engaging. People in brightly
coloured orange aprons and
sweet potato t-shirts hand out
tasty samples as they give talks
and demonstrations to farmers
and traders. There are even
radio programmes and jingles
promoting the crop over the
airwaves.

The result? Farmers and traders

swap white sweet potatoes for
orange ones and can explain to
their customers why they should
do the same. Andrew says: So
far, the message is being received
very well. We should soon start
to see the effects of increased
vitamin A intake in young children
and maternal health.
Praising the idea for its
simplicity, it is also clear to
Andrew that the idea is innovative:
This is the rst time people
have looked at how a biofortied
crop can be spread into the
community. Now, with the
crop nally making its way out
to the people, the project team
will analyse the results. If it is as
successful as it looks set to be,
then the scheme may be rolled
out into other African countries.
To nd out about this and other
great projects that the NRI are
working on visit www.thebiggive.
org.uk and search for University
of Greenwich.

13

University news
Apprentice star Margaret
impressed by law students
Margaret Mountford, Sir Alan Sugars right-hand woman, has praised
the University of Greenwich for its work in the eld of law.
Margaret recently visited the university, during which she witnessed a mock
trial by law students. Afterwards, Margaret described her admiration at the
universitys efforts to make the law more accessible, saying: It takes a great
effort to make the legal profession seem more open and that is what is
happening at Greenwich. I have been very impressed.

Rickshaw ride
raises cash for
children
An adventurous PhD student
has completed a 3,000 mile
race around India in a rickshaw
to raise funds for children in
the developing world.
Charles Whiteld, a student at
Greenwichs Natural Resources
Institute (NRI), squeezed himself
into the cramped, three-wheeled
vehicle along with his team, the
Blazing Chillies, for the two week
long competition.
Faced with extreme jungle heat
and monsoon rains, the team still
raced for ten hours a day in the
vehicle, which had a top speed of
just 30mph. Incredibly, the Chillies
nished the race sixth out of 50
teams.
The team raised more than
10,000 for FRANK water projects
and SOS Children, both of whom
provide help to orphaned children
and families living in extreme
poverty in India.
Charles said: We crossed the
nish line lthy and exhausted
but in one piece. It was a great
adventure, and everywhere we
went we seemed to be a source
of interest and laughter. India was
amazing.

14

Meantime Issue 16

650k boost
for food safety
invention

Award for lecturer

at the Sharp edge
of teaching

A university spin-out company

at Medway campus has secured
more than 650,000 of funding
to develop an invention that
detects toxic chemicals in
food. The portable device will
enable dangerous contaminants
to be identied quickly and
inexpensively by food producers
and manufacturers without the
need for a laboratory.

Mike Sharp, Principal Lecturer

in Business Information
Technology and Enterprise, has
been awarded a prestigious
National Teaching Fellowship
from the Higher Education
Academy.
The fellowship scheme aims to
raise the status of learning and
teaching in higher education.
Worth 10,000, the prize is
awarded to just 50 teachers in
the UK each year.
Mike, who has been at
Greenwich for more than
20 years and taught in ve
different academic schools,
was credited for his innovative
approach to teaching and
learning.

Alumni news
Fidel joins forum
of global leaders
An alumnus from Ghana as
been formally recognised as
one of the worlds brightest
young leaders by the World
Economic Forum (WEF).
Fidel Jonah (BA Economics 1995)
is only the second Ghanaian
to be invited to join the WEFs
Forum of Young Global Leaders.
The forum brings together the
next generation of outstanding

individuals to help the WEF

achieve its goal of shaping global,
regional and industry agendas.
Forum nominees are
chosen for their professional
accomplishments, commitment to
society and their potential to help
shape the future of the world.
Fidel is an executive director
of private African investment
company Jonah Capital and a
board member of the PA Group,
Africas largest mortgage broker.
He was also a co-founder of
Freedom Netcentre, a project
which provides IT access and
training to disadvantaged South
Africans.
Fidel says: Through the Forum
of Young Global Leaders I am
able to gain access to a global
network of peers from diverse
backgrounds and elds. I look
forward to working within this
network and beneting from its
members immense knowledge
as well as sharing my own.

Flower power lands double gold

Two Greenwich graduates have been awarded a prestigious gold
medal at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.
Elaine Hughes, who qualied in landscape studies four years ago, was
awarded her medal for her garden entitled The Life Cycle. Designed with the
London Wildlife Trust in mind, the garden aimed to highlight the ecological
value and creative potential of small and urban green spaces.
Meanwhile Wendy Allen, who studied for a University of Greenwich
Certicate in Garden Design at Hadlow College, won Royal Horticultural
Society (RHS) Sustainable Garden of the Year for her project, entitled The
Rain Chain, which focused on the theme of sustainability.

Diversity stars
a Master
A Greenwich engineering
alumnus is celebrating a
double success after gaining
his Masters degree and
winning an ITV talent show.
Terry Smith not only attained
his MSc Information and
Communications Technology this
year but also won Britains Got
Talent as part of dance group
Diversity.
Indy Kang, Senior Lecturer in the
School of Engineering, says that
Terrys performance onstage was
matched by an offstage dedication
to his studies. He explains: Terry
did not get on at school and
came to do a foundation course
here because he could not do
A-Levels elsewhere. So he has
been with us since he was 18.
Hes now 24, has two degrees
and is touring with Diversity. It just
shows you what can be achieved
with hard work.
Ike Ezekwugo, one of Terrys team
mates in Diversity, also graduated
from Greenwich this summer.
The 22-year-old was joined by
seven members of the group
at his awards ceremony, where
he picked up a BA in Human
Resource Management.
Ike says: It is really exciting to
graduate. I have got my family
and the rest of the guys here. I
have got my degree and I am part
of Diversity.

Meantime Issue 16

15

Where are
you now?
Thank you to everyone who submitted a
prole update for this edition of Meantime.
We had an overwhelming response and
were therefore only able to include a
selection of those sent in. However, all
contributions have been published on
our website at http://alumni.gre.ac.uk/
netcommunity/wayn/2009.

Why not update us with your news?

E-mail us in no more than 60 words, together with a photo, at
alumni@gre.ac.uk.

1950s
Pratim and Phirin
Ghose
(Engineering/
Business Studies
1959)

We are enjoying a
semi-retired life in
Bangkok, Thailand.
Usually, we manage
to meet once a
year in England and
Ireland or Thailand.
We are members of
the alumni group at
Kolkata, India and
meet up with them
quite regularly.

16

Meantime Issue 16

Chandru Hira
(BSc Civil
Engineering 1959)

Eric Reid
(BSc Applied
Chemistry 1950)

I retired from
my partnership
in an engineering
company in 2005
((at the age of 69)
and since then have
a
been working as a
b
part-time consultant.
p
I would love to hear
ffrom any 195659
alumni. For anyone
a
vvisiting Toronto, I will
be happy to show
b
tthem around this
beautiful city.
b
hiracg@rogers.
com

I am pleased
to report that I
celebrated my
80th birthday in
the company of my
remaining relatives
and Czech friends
in July in one of
Pragues best
restaurants and
thoroughly enjoyed
it. I will be visiting
China in August, I
am still working at
my own pace and
only on favourite
topics for the local
university. If any
of my old student
friends are still alive I
would be pleased to
hear from them.

Charles Kao
(Electrical
Engineering 1957)
I have Alzheimers
and as my memory
fades, the facilities in
the USA are much
superior and I will
be near my children
- so I have moved
from Hong Kong to
live in California. Are
there any alumni in
Mountain View?

1960s
Derek Armstrong
(BSc General
Degree 1965)
I retired from IT
work in 2006. I now
live in the Shropshire

Asok Dasgupta
(BSc Engineering
1962)

town of Broseley. I
sing second bass
with two local
choirs, I am active in
Broseley community
life and have just
been voted in as
a Broseley town
councillor for UKIP.
I would like to hear
from BSc General
Degree people
who graduated in
1965 at Woolwich
Polytechnic.
dekkers42@
hotmail.com

I am a clean energy
and climate change
mitigation supporter.
I am a founding
member of the
India Energy Forum
In association
with my American
friends, I am trying
to promote use
of hydrogen as
an alternative
and clean fuel for
transport and power
generation in India
and its neighbouring
countries.
Barry Morgan
(Education 1968)
I graduated from
Avery Hill College

Eric Watts
(BSc Chemistry
1966)
Hit the all-important
pension age.
Thirty years in
pharmaceuticals
followed by
remaining years
as private tutor
in maths and
chemistry. Enjoying
retirement in
the Cotswolds.
adderic@
btinternet.com

After 42 years
with BP, I will be
retiring this year.
Ive had a great
time working in the
area of projects and
engineering across
the BP Group.
Plan to take some
training to enhance
my coaching skills.
londonduc@aol.
com
Nick Russell
(BEng Civil
Engineering 1979)

1970s
Steve Coe
(Music and
Geography 1974)

back in 1968. I
am enrolled in a
few classes at the
University of Calgary
and am enjoying
the outdoor life in
Canada and the
USA.
barriem@shaw.ca
Robert Smith
(Education 1961)
Semi-retired since
2005 but still busy
with some work
on international
development in
education. Recently
appointed as
governor of United
World College of
the Atlantic in south
Wales. spitzkop@
tiscali.co.uk

About to take an
I Love Songwriting
talk to colleges
and universities in
n
north west England,
ssharing my 30 plus
yyears of experience
a
as a practitioner/
vvisiting professional.
L
Love to anyone
ffrom Avery Hill early
70s!
s
steve@stevecoe.
c
com
John Crocker
(BA Business
Studies 1979)
I joined business
agents Christie + Co
in 1980 and have
been working with
them ever since. I
am now a director
working in Exeter.
Hobbies include
boating and cycling.
I share a sports
boat with a friend of
mine who also went
to Thames Poly.
johncrocker353@
tiscali.co.uk
Chris London
(BSc Mechanical
Engineering 1975)

I specialise in the
regeneration of town
centres and have
recently advised
on the Woolwich
town centre
and the former
Woolwich campus!
I was appointed
Vice President of
the Institution of
Structural Engineers
in January 2009.

1980s
David Arditti
(MSc Molecular
Science of Materials
1988)
I have had my rst
book, Setting-up a
Small Observatory,
published and am
working on another.

I also regularly
write articles for the
popular magazine
Astronomy Now,
and I am on the
council of the
British Astronomical
Association. www.
davidarditti.co.uk,
d@davidarditti.
co.uk
Thanassis
Babatsikos
(BEng Mechanical
Engineering 1982)
Working for BP in
A
Athens, Greece as
a sales manager
iin commercial and
iindustrial fuels. In
2008 released a
2
music CD called
m
Dromoi Horis Telos
D
((Endless Roads)
which was released
w
iin the UK in 2009
under the name
Thanos Eglezis.
www.eglezis.gr,
thanos@eglezis.gr
Alan Care
(Sociology 1983)
I am a senior
litigation executive
dealing with toxic
torts: chemical and
toxic poisoning
personal injury
litigation, including
occupational and
environmental
health claims.
Andrew Cordani
(BSc Computer
Science 1984)
Working on
an innovative
percussion
iinstrument called
M
Midisticks.

April 2006. I was

the design director
for HOK Intl,
responsible for the
design studio and
all of the projects
executed under
my direction within
Asia-Pacic. Sadly,
due to corporate
re-structuring
and reduction in
economic activity
within the region of
late, I have had to
accept piecemeal
consultancy work
for specic clients
and projects on
a time-charged
basis.
Rose Leung
(BA and PGCert
Architecture 1986
1990)
Married Kit Sang
Leung, another
fellow architect
from Greenwich.
I am now the
vice president of
design for a huge
development project
in Macau. My
completed projects
include Whiteleys
Shopping Centre,
Cannon Street
Station, Chancery
Lane ofce, Lantau
Airport Central
Station and HK and
Macau Four Season
hotels.

A
Atul
Kansara
((Diploma, BA and
PGDip Architecture
P
19801989)
1

Stewart Maxwell
(BA Business
Studies 1985)

I have been in
Singapore since
S

Working as CEO of
healthcare software

Meantime Issue 16

17

h
had a fabulously
in
interesting and
e
enjoyable career
in IT including
p
positions at Disney
a
and Tesco. I am
now IT Director at
n
tthe Legal Services
C
Commission.
company and an
active member of
an advisory board
at University of
Greenwich.
Bashar Nejdawi
(BSc Engineering
1983)
Still living in the
Chicago area,
USA. Working as
President of Mobile
Enhancements at
Brightpoint Inc.
Would be great to
hear from friends.
Ahmad Ruzman
Mohamad Shae
(BEng Electrical
and Electronic
Engineering 1988)
Ive been working
with my own
company in Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia
since 1995, dealing
with building
construction,
engineering services
and corporate
trading. Looking
forward to hearing
from alumni.
ruzmanshae@
gmail.com
Anil Sharad
(BSc Computer
Science 1986)
Ive recently
managed to get
back in touch with
the university. Im
now looking forward
to coming to
Greenwich campus
as a new member
of the universitys
advisory board. Ive

18

Meantime Issue 16

Aik Hiang
(Raymond) Tan
(Mechanical
Engineering 1989)
Im currently
based in Malaysia,
attached to Xceive
Corporation which
is in the silicon TV
tuner business.
Looking forward to
getting in touch with
old friends.
Martin Warne
(PGCE 1984)
Working as a senior
consultant for Digital
Public, an awardwinning consultancy
that specialises
in helping public
sector organisations
design and launch
new services. My
main work is on
Teachers TV.
Graham Webb
(BA Political
Economy 1986)
I was recently
appointed as a
partner at Hall
Chadwick, in
Sydney. I am getting
married for the
second time this
year and have a
daughter. Whilst I
return to the UK
regularly to catch
up with family and
friends, Australia
is now very much
my home. www.
hallchadwick.
com.au

Steve Webb
(BA Political
Economy 1986)
Ive spent the last
year in New York
directing the feature
length documentary,
How Bruce Lee
Changed the World.
Im now back in
London directing
a dramatised
documentary about
the real Bourne
Identity. steweb@
yahoo.com

1990s
Roger Clark
(BEd Business
Studies and IT
1993)
Supposedly retired
to Spain but am
now president of
an urbanisation
and an aparthotel
and teaching basic
computing.
Yudit Collard
Treml
(BA Theology 1998)
In 2008 I completed
my MA. I am
currently working
on some theology
articles that I hope
to get published so
that I can move on
to do a PhD.
Fleur Easom
(BA
Communications
and AV Production
1998)
Im now based
near Birmingham
working as a cranial
osteomyologist
after leaving AV/
acting. Studying for
a doctorate in spinal
mechanics. Mother
of gorgeous boy,
wife of gorgeous
man! Get in touch!

Big shout out to

Charlie and Tino where are you?
Martin Evans
(BEng Electrical
and Electronic
Engineering 1990)

I joined National
Grid in 1990 and
next year I will
collect my 20 year
service award! I
achieved my goal of
chartered engineer
status in 1999.
When I am free I
run an after-school
imagineering club
(inspiring 10/11
year olds into
engineering) and
the Imagineering
Foundation
website. www.
imagineeringweb.
co.uk, martin.
evans@iee.org
Ernest Grainger
(BA History 1999)
Went on to do
a Masters. Now
living just outside
Oxford and working
at Oxford Brookes
University. Would
like to hear from
anyone who
did History or
Humanities and MA
HATS graduating in
2001. ernieg687@
yahoo.co.uk
Ian Greensmith
(MSc Advanced
Analytical Chemistry
1992)
Several years
ago I gave up the
laboratory bench

t work for the

to
British Standards
B
IInstitution, where
I am now involved
with many (nonw
ttechnical) aspects
of developing
o
international
in
and European
a
standards.
Simon Grifths
(BSc Environmental
Health 1995)
Left local
government after
obtaining an MSc
in Environmental
Engineering and
now work for the
chemical hazards
and poisons division
of the UKs Health
Protection Agency.
James Holah
(LLB Law 1998)
Head chef at
the Ritz. Recently
won the European
Culinary Trophy and
am a nalist in the
Master of Culinary
Arts competition.
Lesley Hooson
(BSc Midwifery
1999)
Now living in
Wellington, New
Zealand, working
as a primary care
midwife. Love
the laid-back
attitude here,
lovely coastlines
and lack of trafc!
lmhooso@yahoo.
com

Ameen Kasir
(BA Accountancy
and Finance 1993)
I am currently
working at Pepsi
in Jeddah Saudi
Arabia as head of
their internal audit,
risk and compliance
function. We really
love it out here in
the hot weather!
ameenkasir@
hotmail.com
Wing H Lam
(BA Business Admin
1995)

called GEP SA. I

would love to get in
touch with people I
met in Greenwich.
spiros_
mitsopoulos@
hotmail.com
Henry CS Mukuka
(BSc Computing
1995)
I am still with the
Zambia Air Force,
where I am Director
of IT. Our systems
are quite dynamic
so Ive to keep
pace with various
IIT related courses.
hcsmukuka@
h
y
yahoo.co.uk
S
Sammy
Ogunjimi
((MSc Chemical
Analysis 1998)
A

After I graduated,
I did an MBA then
I started work in
Boots (Hong Kong
ofce). I cant
believe it has been
12 years already!
winghlam@gmail.
com

Left Merck Serono

UK as Senior
U
Regional Business
R
Manager and
started my own
healthcare company
CE (Zamog Limited,
UK). Also MD of
Codix Pharma Ltd,
Nigeria. www.
codixpharma.com

Anne Manahan
(BA Humanities
1998)

Rachel Ooi
(Diploma in
Architecture 1998)

I now work at the

Coliseum Theatre
for the English
National Opera. I
would like to catch
up big time with
Hamish Harper,
editor of the Sarky
Cutt newspaper.
annemanahan@
live.co.uk.

I got married in
2007; recently selfemployed. Have
met two fellow exstudents. Hope to
catch up with other
tutors and alumni to
have a big reunion.
ooirachel@
hotmail.com

Spiros
Mitsopoulos
(BEng Civil
Engineering 1999)
At the moment I live
in Athens working as
a safety engineer for
a Greek company

Steve Plumridge
(BEng Electrical
Engineering 1991)
I am now running
my own business
designing and
developing scientic
and industrial
electronic systems.

I have recently
got involved with
the university
by volunteering
for the alumni
mentor scheme
to help current
students. steve@
cantiumscientic.
com
Cristian Ramis
(BSc Sports Science
1998)
I am a health,
tness and lifestyle
coach. For the last
ve years I have
worked out of my
own studio, Phoenix
Health and Fitness
(www.phoenixhf.
co.uk). info@
phoenixhf.co.uk

2000s
Tamjidul Abedin
(Multimedia
Technology 2008)

I ended up over at
Avery Hill to do my
PGCE in Secondary
ICT Teaching 1419.
I am now working
at a school in Essex
and I am about
to embark on my
NQT.
Richard Uba
Amafonye
(MSc Internet
Technology and
e-Commerce 2004)
Senior IT Manager
at Skye Bank in
Lagos Nigeria. Was
blessed with a set
of triplets - a boy

and two girls. r_

amafonye@yahoo.
com
Kate Barrett
(Business Studies
2007)
I am now an
online marketing
manager looking
after nine separate
magazines. I am
also now looking
into starting my own
business shortly.
katebarrett45@
hotmail.com

Cork County Library

and the National
Marine Institute
of Ireland and
was subsequently
interviewed on
national radio.
Sheila.Branseld@
btinternet.com
Claire Bryant and
Jackie Edwards
(BA Garden Design
2006)

Rajesh Beegun
(MSc Information
Systems
Management 2005)
My favourite part
of the course was
data modelling and
warehousing, which
gave me knowledge
and experience
to design and
implement Oraclebased systems. This
b
helps me daily in my
h
jjob as IT manager
ffor an international
offshore nancial
o
company.
c
beeguns@
b
googlemail.com
g
S
Shabina
Begum
((LLB Law 2008)
I undertook the Bar
Vocational Course
at the College
of Law. I was
awarded the Lowry
Scholarship and
the Blackstones
Entrance Exhibition
Award from the
Honourable Society
of the Middle
Temple.
Sheila Branseld
MA FRGS
(MA Maritime
History 2003)
I formally presented
my dissertation to

We formed Down
to Earth Design in
2006. This year we
were commissioned
by the British
Heather Growers
Association to
design a small
garden for the
Royal Horticulture
Society Hampton
Court Palace Flower
Show. To our delight
we were awarded a
silver gilt medal.
info@downtoearth
design.co.uk
Jodie Burrows
(nee Mitchell)
(LLB Law 2001)

Ross and I had

a beautiful baby
boy, Cash Mitchell
Burrows, on 22
March 2009. All is
going really well.

Meantime Issue 16

19

Andre CavacoBonsu
(BA Accounting and
Finance 2006)
I spent the best
years of my life at
Greenwich. I am
now the assistant
manager of the
accounts payable
team for a FTSE
250 property
management
company.
andreb2002uk@
yahoo.com
Doris Chan
(MSc Enterprise
Information Systems
2004)

I have launched
a new website for
business travellers
to China. It is an
insiders city guide
for short visits. I
am also looking
for contributors for
the site. www.
mylittletravel
guide.com, doris_
ctw@yahoo.com

MA in Creative and
Life Writing. c_
chisala@hotmail.
com
Claire Derrick
(BA International
Business 2004)
I have spent most
of my working
life in the charity
sector. I set up an
event management
consultancy - best
move I ever made! I
have just launched
a second company
dedicated to training
professionals in the
sector. I am married
to Lee (a Business
School alumnus)
S
and have a son,
a
Luke. claire@
L
cldevents.com
c
P
Patricia
Dhondt
((MSc Facility
M
Management 2000)
I am working at the
Dutch tax ofce as
D
part of the marketing
team. I gained the
Dutch marketing
qualications NIMA
A and B. patricia.
dhondt@wanadoo.
nl
Jerri Domracev
(BA Primary
Teaching 2007)

Chishimba Chisala
(PG Cert Education
and Training 2008)
I am a GCSE
English Language
and Literature
Lecturer. I credit
Greenwich with
giving me the
ability to manage
a demanding
workload. I edit
the new college
magazine, which
has been especially
rewarding. I am
also starting an

20

Meantime Issue 16

Pallavee Gokhale
(MSc Remote
Sensing with GIS
2002)

I worked in GIS/RS
for about four years
with companies in
India. Now I have
moved to software
testing. I work with
Symantec, the
Norton antivirus
company.
Rosalind Hands
(formerly Pratt)
(BA Marketing
Communications
2002)
I am a
communications
manager working
for the Department
for Innovation and
Skills. I married a
fellow graduate Peter Hands! He
is now a senior
systems engineer
for the counter-fraud
department in the
NHS. roz_zy22@
hotmail.com,
w
www.bis.gov.uk
E
Edward
Hogan
((PGCE Further
Education and
E
Training 2007)
T

I nally married
Stas in 2009! I
work in Romford
with a reception
class. I passed my
induction this year.
It would be great
to hear from old
friends! mrs.j.d@
hotmail.com

My rst novel
Blackmoor just won
B
tthe Desmond Elliott
Prize for ction. I
P
sold the book, about
a former mining
village in Derbyshire,
while I was living in
Devonport House,
so Greenwich holds
fond memories for
me.

Erina Hoshi
(BA Creative
Industries 2008)
I am working
ffull-time for Hugo
B
Boss. Now I am
o
on maternity leave
b
because I had my
llittle girl in March.
M
Musab
Muhammad Isah
M
((MSc Computer
Systems and
S
Networking 2008)
I was given a
one year study
leave from my
place of work to
pursue my MSc.
When I returned,
my colleagues
noticed signicant
improvements in
my job and the way
I handle network
issues/problems.

I will work in a
kindergarten with
a 3 year old
boy with autistic
spectrum disorder.
Rana Khodadoust
(BA Marketing
Communications
2004)
Currently I am
working at Wolff
Olins as a brand
strategist. I have
been here just over
a year and having
a great time. I living
with my anc in
East London. If
anyone remembers
me please do get in
touch!
Guillaume Le
Pannerer
(BA Business
Administration 2003)

Einar Stolpe
Karlsen
(BA Marketing 2002)
Now working for
Starcom Norway as
a media manager
after three years
at Phd Media in
London. Currently
responsible for the
Kraft Foods and
Hyundai accounts.
ekarlsen@
no.starcomww.
com
Georgia Ketse
(MSc Psychology
2007)
I am in Cyprus and
I work as a support
worker offering
psychosocial
support to the
parents of children
with special needs.
Also I am a member
and a volunteer
of the Cyprus
Family Planning
Association.
From September

Since 2004, I
have been working
at KPMG as a
consultant in nance
and organisations
dedicated to the
public sector.
gui_lechameau@
hotmail.com
John Manful
(PhD Food Science
2004)
I work at the
International Rice
Research Institute
in the Philippines as
a visiting scientist
working on the
properties and grain
quality of indigenous
African rices.
john_manful@
yahoo.com

Leon McFarlane
(BA Event
Management 2008)
I got snatched
up by Disney as a
campaign planner.
I have had the
opportunity to
creatively develop
special on-air and
online projects for
clients such as
Mattel, Hasbro and
Chupa Chups.
Leon.McFarlane@
disney.com
Ioanna Mingou
(BA Economics
and European
Economics 2001)
I am Marketing
and Business
Development
Manager at
MasterCard in
Greece. I am
responsible
for the local
marketing strategy
and budget.
ioannamingou@
gmail.com

Shahzad
Muhammad
Mumtaz
(MA International
Business 2005)
I am working as
a team leader
in a local bank,
Mashreq, in the
fraud and risk
management
department. I
got married six
months ago.
shahzad840@
hotmail.com
Gooroodeo Dev
Nangon
(BA Creative Writing
2008)

I am on a
postgraduate MA
English course at
G
Greenwich. I am
planning to write a
p
dictionary in four
d
llanguages. dev.
n
nangon@sky.com
P Patton
Pat
((MA International
Marketing 2001)
M

Sililo Muchinjiko
(BA Accounting and
Finance 2006)
Currently I
am working as
an assistant
management
accountant for
Creative and
Cultural Industries
Ltd. I am working
towards the
completion of my
ACCA. sililo.
muchinjiko@
ccskills.org.uk

I am now Managing
Director of Unlimited
Ltd in Austin, Texas
- an international
marketing rm
working with those
interested in doing
business in the
Americas. I also
teach marketing
at college and
university.
Catherine Pestano
(PGCE Secondary
Music 2006)
I now deliver
services to pupil

referral units and

other excluded
children. I have
been elected chair
of the national
development
association for
community music,
Sound Sense. I have
also gone on to PhD
studies, researching
social inclusion in
community music.
catherine@
naturalvoice.net
Ian Rose
(LLB Law 2004)
I am a contracts
specialist at
MacDonald
Dettwiler and
D
Associates (MDA)
A
in Richmond BC,
Canada. MDA is
C
rresponsible for
Canadian Space
C
Arm on the space
A
sshuttle and on the
IInternational Space
Station.
S
Michael Salter
(BSc
Pharmaceutical
Sciences 2003)
Working for the
best pharma
company in the
world, based in east
Kent. Now a black
belt in Kyokushin
Karate.

A
Anna
Sarris
S
i
Bonache
(BA Events
Management 2008)
Greetings from
the unstoppable,
growing city,

Dubai, a place I call

home. I work for
international German
events company,
Avantgarde Brand
Services.
Daniel Savery Raz
(BSc Media
Production and
Technology 2001)

working with 1319

year olds and I have
also trained as a
kinesiologist and
reiki practitioner.
toni.t@tiscali.
co.uk
Corinne Willson
(Foundation Degree
in Acting 2007)

I recently became
a Lonely Planet
author and coauthored the Israel
and Palestinian
Territories
guidebook. I now
work in Tel Aviv as
a freelance writer.
I am also doing a
Masters in creative
writing. www.
danscribe.com,
dansaveryraz@
gmail.com

I recently won a
role in Class and
Corruption in East
Sussex. I am now
in rehearsals for
a musical theatre
revue at the
Battersea Barge.
The director,
James Page,
also graduated
with me in 2007.
corwillson@aol.
com

Uzair Siddiqui
(BSc Computer
Science 2005)

Staff

I did my Masters
degree and now
I am working for
a multinational
pharmaceutical
company.
Georgina Thomas
(BA Media and
Communication
2008)
I now own my own
womens fashion
b
boutique and two
c
clothing websites.
I am manager for
a DJ and singer,
nding regular gigs.
Hope to set up a
H
sstudio to do my
own professional
o
rrecordings artists.
georgina.thomas@
g
hotmail.co.uk
h
Toni Thomas
(BA Humanities
2000)
Since graduating
I have qualied as
a careers adviser

Patrick Cornish
(Marketing 2007)

I am now a writer/
editor for two nonprot organisations
in Perth, Australia.
PatrickJCornish@
aol.com
Angela John
(History 1969)
I am now living on
the Pembrokeshire
coast writing
biographies. My
latest was reviewed
in the Guardian
recently and was
book of the week
in the Times Higher
Education. www.
angelavjohn.com

Meantime Issue 16

21

Alumni Prole
The driving force behind
Audis marketing
Simon Coles (BA Marketing
2000) works for leading London
advertising agency Bartle Bogle
Hegarty. Currently the agencys
account director for Audi, he has
also worked for clients such as
Land Rover and Porsche. This
automotive theme is reected in
his personal interests too; in his
youth he lovingly restored a 1965
Triumph Spitre and spent one
summer driving across Europe
with friends.

22

Meantime Issue 16

Simon attributes his early career

success to a work placement
provided by the university during
his degree. These days, he is giving
something back to Greenwich in
his continuing close work with its
academic staff.

Why did you study

marketing?
I studied psychology prior to
university and through this I
became interested in consumer
behaviour and why people prefer
one brand over another, as well
as how brands evolve over time. I
then realised that marketing was
the thing for me.

How are car companies

helping to reduce CO2
emissions?
Firstly the actual manufacture of
cars is more efcient than ever
before, with the use of recycled
energy and more precision in
engineering as just two examples.
Then there is the technology in the
cars themselves. The computers
now tell you when to close your
window or sunroof to be more
aerodynamic. They even tell you
when to change gear to save fuel.
Engines play a big part in this as
well. They are now so precise in
how they inject fuel that hardly a
drop is wasted. All these aspects
have helped Audi reduce the
amount of CO2 their cars emit
by 36 per cent since 1990, but it
never stops: their aim is to reduce
their CO2 emissions by another 20
per cent by 2012.

How do you relax outside of

work?
I love to travel, particularly to
Croatia. My mother is Croatian and
I speak the language uently which
is really useful given the amount of
time I spend out there.

What does Croatia have

to offer?

London brings diversity and is still

very much the centre for marketing
and advertising in the UK.
Simon Coles

Why work in London?

London brings diversity and
is still very much the centre for
marketing and advertising in the
UK. A huge amount of global
brand and marketing strategy
is developed here as well so it
means the type of marketing you
do is very advanced. It is also
where some of the best creative
ideas in the world have come
from; the agency I work for now
came up with the Levis 501
laundrette advert from the 80s.

What is the challenge for

car designers?
Making better performing
cars that are safer, more
economical and also better for
the environment. This is very
complex and costly to do. Audi,
for example, have invested heavily
in research and testing bio-fuels.
They have even won the Le Mans
24 hour race with a car running on
bio-fuel diesel. Who would have
thought ten years ago that this
was even possible?

It is a truly beautiful place to go

on holiday and as such tourism
is big business out there. It is an
inexpensive place to live with a
good education system; everyone
has degrees of one form or
another. The Croats are also
very lingual, with most people
speaking several languages from
an early age.

What is your fondest

memory of the University
of Greenwich?
Going to Fruity on a Thursday
night with my friends. It was always
a big night that we all looked
forward to.

Meantime Issue 16

23

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