Alumni blog

Alumni profile - Kayode Adegbola

(Law LLB, 2011)

I spent a couple of years practicing at my family legacy law firm, and then joined the public sector – I was the second employee at the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, a $70m job creation fund established by the Lagos State Government... I also made an attempt at elective politics in 2018, and I might try again in the future.

Alumni profile - Ama Badu

(English BA, 2018)

I love to ask people when they first saw themselves in books. For many of us, it isn’t until university that we really see ourselves in literature in the curriculum... This is why I’m in children’s publishing, because even if only one child picks up a book I have championed, and sees themselves, their family and their community reflected in those pages, that is everything.

Alumni profile - Aditi Vaidya

(International Business MSc, 2017)

We took a glance at the breath-taking view from the top [of Mt Everest] and we were filled with complete awe... As we returned to India, we came across the fact that we are the second sisters in the world to reach the summit which made our parents and everyone around us even prouder and happier.

Alumni profile - Gavin Lewis

(History and Politics BA, 2000)

I am now privileged – I wasn’t born with it, I earned it – but it doesn’t matter how you get it, if you have it, it’s my belief that it’s your responsibility to use it to lift up others ... For every challenging period where you’re having to work evenings and weekends and giving up family time, out of the blue you might just get an email that says “you made a difference to me” and “thank you” which makes it worthwhile.

Alumni profile - Neil Shah

(Marketing MSc, 2013)

I’m most proud of contributing to the development of people I have worked with and seeing them succeed, the brands I have been part of growing, and the deep connections I’ve been able to make all over the world as a result of working at a multinational company like Diageo. 

Alumni profile - Bilal Khan

(Politics BA, 2018)

Studying politics at Queen Mary gave me the opportunity to further research and understand how politics influences economic decision-making, and further piqued my career interests of becoming a political figure.

Alumni profile - Lucy Sofroniou

(English BA, 2018)

I started Queen Mary at such a pivotal moment in my life and it has become a place of so many great memories for me. It was such a positive experience, both academically and personally - I'll always look back on those three years so fondly.

Alumni profile - Bekeme Masade-Olowola

(International Human Resource Management and Employment Relations MSc, 2007)

My work has put me in board and other leadership positions, including becoming the first West African on the board of the leading sustainability standard-setter, the Global Reporting Initiative, Amsterdam, and the Nigerian version of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the Business Coalition for Sustainable Development Nigeria.

Alumni profile - Bryna Teli

(Development and International Business MSc, 2019)

“I was looking for a course that would help me explore global markets and development of international business and was particularly interested in the world economy and the dynamics of development. I figured understanding this would go a long way in building my foundation of working abroad.” 

Alumni profile - Bismeh Shafi

(Global Development Futures MA, 2018)

“The MA from Queen Mary has allowed me to segue into my field of interest. I am currently working at The Citizens Foundation (TCF), a Pakistan-based NGO that provides education to more than 250,000 under-privileged children across Pakistan.”