Dr Rick Parry
Chairman (ULMS Advisory Board)
Rick Parry has had a successful and varied career where he has impacted The Football Association by recommending the formation of what would become the FA Premier League. The recommendation quickly found favour with top professional clubs and in 1991 Rick became the first Chief Executive of the fledgling league. Notably, Rick devised a formula to enable the sharing of TV revenues amongst clubs which is unchanged after 20 years.
In 1997 Rick joined Liverpool Football Club as Chief Executive. In the following nine years, the Club won ten trophies including the UEFA Champions League in 2005. Since leaving Liverpool in 2009, Rick has carried out a variety of football-related consultancy projects in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Jordan the US, and Mexico.
He has been a member of the Advisory Board of the ICSS in Doha since its inception in 2011 and has served on the Management Committee of the ICSS - Sorbonne sports integrity applied research programme. Rick has also carried out major sport-related assignments for the UK Government in Sports Betting and football governance. In November 2014 Rick chaired a Mauritian Government Inquiry into the organisation of horse racing and betting on the island at the invitation of the Prime Minister.
At the University of Liverpool, Rick serves on the Foundation Leadership Team, and the Management School Advisory Board and contributes to the Football Industries MBA course.
Ruth Banomyong (PhD)
Dean of Faculty of Commerce & Accountancy, Thammasat University
Professor Ruth is currently Dean at the Faculty of Commerce & Accountancy (a.k.a Thammasat Business School), Thammasat University in Thailand. Thammasat Business School is the only triple-accredited institution in the country. He received his PhD in 2001, in the field of International Logistics within the Logistics & Operations Management Section (LOMS) at Cardiff Business School (UK).
He was the winner of the James Cooper Cup in 2001 for the best PhD dissertation in logistics from the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (CILT) in the United Kingdom. In 2016, Supply Chain Asia (Singapore) was awarded the prize of supply chain educator of the year. In 2021, the Industrial Engineering & Operations Management (IEOM) Society awarded him with the Distinguished Educator Award in 2021 while the National Research Council of Thailand (NCRT) awarded him with the National Outstanding Researcher Award in the field of Economics for 2022.
Ruth’s main research interests are in the field of multimodal transport, international logistics, trade facilitation, logistics development policy, supply chain performance, and humanitarian supply chains. He has published over 100 papers and reports in scientific journals and has co-authored more than 10 books.
Since 1995, Ruth has been a consultant for international agencies such as the United Nations Conference on Trade & Development (UNCTAD), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP), The World Bank, The Asian Development Bank (ADB), The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), OECD, etc.
Tom Carter
Area Director, HSBC
Tom is a graduate of the University of Liverpool (Mathematics 2002) and has since worked in Corporate Banking with HSBC for 15 years. During this time, he has completed a degree in Financial Services, worked with thousands of business clients, and held roles across all spheres of HSBC’s Corporate business including – Small Business, Mid Markets, Large Corporates, Private Equity, International and Credit Underwriting. This has given him a broad range of skills and experience and has also helped him to develop a strong and active network both internally and externally.
In his current role, Tom is the Area Director for Mid-Market Corporates, managing a team of 30 banking professionals and servicing 500+ clients across Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales and Staffordshire. In this role, the key responsibilities are primarily to:
1) Ensure ‘’Best in Class’’ service to clients
2) Grow HSBC's market share
3) Manage the multi-faceted risks
4) Develop people.
Tom is passionate about the development of himself and others and has accepted the role on the Advisory Board in order to provide additional support to the Management School and its students. He hopes that this can be achieved by providing an insight into the requirements of a large international organisation and by sharing his own personal learning experiences.
Mr Michael Eakin
Chief Executive Officer, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
Michael Eakin became Chief Executive of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic in 2008. Liverpool Philharmonic has a world-class symphony orchestra, an international concert hall, and a significant learning and engagement programme for the local area.
Prior to this, he was Executive Director North West at Arts Council England where he led growth in Arts Council funding across the North West, and worked closely with the Liverpool European Capital of Culture bid, planning, and delivery processes.
Previously, Michael worked in Theatre Management and the Arts industry in London and the South East in both Borough Council and Corporate roles, managing a portfolio of arts and theatre services. As Head of Arts and Theatres at Reading Borough Council Michael ran and programmed the Hexagon Theatre and led the establishment of the UK's major world music festival, the WOMAD Festival in Reading.
Chris Gray
Technology and Management Consultant
Chris Gray is a Management Consultant helping clients drive digitalisation, innovation, and change with a key focus on making effective use of data and AI. During his career, Chris has worked extensively with UK central government departments on major change initiatives and has also held several international roles which involved managing cross-border consulting practices in the area of Data and Analytics.
Today Chris is a Director in Actica Consulting’s Government practice. Actica is a digital transformation and cyber security consultancy working with clients across Public Sector and Defence where Chris is part of the leadership team driving growth as part of a strategic change programme.
Chris is a Non-Exec Director of The Growth Company, an award-winning Manchester-based social enterprise with a mission to enable growth, create jobs and improve lives. He is also Chair of Prospere Learning Trust’s Members Board and sits on the University of Liverpool Management School’s Advisory Board.
Chris is an impassioned supporter of LGBT diversity and female leadership initiatives and works with a range of organisations across the North West to mentor and coach individuals.
Chris completed a B.Sc. at Aston University in International Business & Modern Languages as part of which he studied at the Grenoble École de Management (France). He speaks English, French, and Spanish fluently.
Ms Anna Heyes
Director, Active Profile Ltd.
Anna Heyes is an award-winning businesswoman leading the independent PR, marketing, and digital consultancy Active Profile. Having assembled a senior, highly specialised, and creative team, Anna oversees the delivery of a range of on and offline communications services and strategic advice.
Active Profile works across the UK for organisations in a range of specialist sectors including property, energy, and technology. Anna is also a board member, director, and trustee of Baltic Creative CIC. A nationally recognised hub for digital and creative businesses in Liverpool. Anna graduated from The University of Liverpool Management School in 2004 with a first-class BSc honours degree in computer science with management.
Ms Jeanette Kehoe-Perkinson
Director, Agile People NZ
Managing Director, APAC, Ph.Creative
Born and educated in Liverpool, but now based in New Zealand, Jeanette Kehoe-Perkinson is an Advisory Board Member and a Director of multiple organisations and has held international management and Senior Executive positions with many World-Class companies. Spanning sectors such as automotive, pharmaceutical, fashion, e.commerce, Global commodities & financial services, baby accessories, and business consultancy, they include Ford Motor Company, Cargill Inc, Novartis AG, Agile People Ltd, Mexx/Liz Claiborne Inc, Priceline.com, Spark NZ, ASB Bank and Mayborn Group (Tommee Tippee).
Jeanette is currently managing director, Asia Pacific, for Ph.Creative (a Liverpool HQ’d Global Employer Brand agency) and is also an independent Director, Executive Coach, and business consultant.
She has also worked on the transformation agenda of a number of North West businesses and was interim HR Director for Iceland Foods when it first won the prestigious Sunday Times 'Best Big Company of the Year' award. Jeanette owns a home in Liverpool and is passionate about the economic development and regeneration of the Liverpool City Region, she has served as a non-executive director on the Boards of Liverpool Vision, the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, and the Eldonian Group.
Jeanette is also chair of the Hong Kong and Singapore International Advisory Groups of ULMS.
Dr Pernille Kousgaard
Lead International Relations, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority
Pernille has over 25 years of experience in European programmes and international relations, working within the public, private and higher education sectors in the North West of England.
During the 1990s, she worked with and for the Merseyside Local Authorities on the European Union Objective 1 Programme, which laid the foundations for the renaissance of Merseyside and led the delivery of the Merseyside programme within the EU-wide programme for the Long Term Unemployed.
Pernille then worked at the North West Regional Development Agency for 9 years. As a Director of Policy, she played a pivotal role in the development of the European function in the Agency, leading the negotiations for the 2007-13 European Regional Development Programme with the EU and UK government, managing the NW Brussels Office and delivering the EU-funded Innovative Actions Programme.
Since joining the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, she has led the delivery of the ERDF Programme, the EU policy function and latterly on the development of the Combined Authority’s international function, which is focused on supporting the Mayor and deepening political, cultural, trade and investment links with city regions around the Irish Sea, within Germany, the US, Indonesia, India and China.
Pernille has an MBA (Cand Merc) from the Copenhagen Business School and MSc Urban Studies & PhD from Salford University.
Victoria McKenzie-Gould
Corporate Communications Director, Marks and Spencer plc
Victoria joined M&S as corporate communications director on 21 January 2019 from Britvic PLC where she was corporate relations director since 2016. Whilst at Britvic she had responsibility for all corporate and colleague communications, sustainability, public affairs, and consumer care.
Prior to this, Victoria spent four years at Tesco PLC where she led the Government Relations function and, prior to that, worked for Rt Hon Tony Blair; initially as a special advisor at 10 Downing Street and then for him in a private capacity.
Mr Norman Molyneux
Managing Director, KPMG Acceleris
Norman has been assisting SME’s with start-up, development, and scale-up funding for over 20 years through his previous roles as founder and chief executive of Acceleris Capital and board member of Seneca Partners Limited. The corporate finance house assists companies in raising funds under the Enterprise Investment Scheme and the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme as well as providing ongoing support and monitoring to its companies. Since its inception Norman has assisted in raising over £80million for UK SMEs, thus providing over 600 jobs nationwide.
Norman is a qualified chartered management accountant and has extensive experience with both SME and multinational companies through roles with PwC and in the industry both in the UK and North America. Norman holds numerous directorships in the companies he advises, fulfilling both executive and non-executive positions, including functional responsibilities and management of shareholders. Norman’s direct involvement with University of Liverpool spinouts and technology-based SMEs has seen him take up a role on The University of Liverpool Management School advisory board and the North West advisory group of the London Stock Exchange.
Mr Paul Nolan
Group Managing Director, Nolan Partners
Paul spent six years as the Group HR Director for The English Football Association and Wembley Stadium, where he worked closely with the board, chairman, and chief executives to build leadership teams, handling every senior executive and non-executive appointment. Prior to this, Paul spent 13 years in consumer-facing international businesses, including a position on the board of a division of an FTSE 250 business with specific responsibility for acquiring and developing leadership talent.
As well as leading our sports practice and conducting all of our board-level searches and chief executive and managing director mandates, Paul has conducted significant work in the betting & gaming industry, including several Executive board-level searches at Ladbrokes plc and William Hill plc.
Paul sits on the judging panels of the ‘Leaders 40 Under 40 Awards’ and the ‘Top 50 Most Influential Woman in Sport’. Paul also sits on the board of ‘Positive Futures’, a charity supporting hard-to-reach young people in North Liverpool.
Prof Michael Osbaldeston OBE
Associate Director, EFMD
Michael Osbaldeston was director of Cranfield School of Management, Cranfield University, from 2003 to 2009. Prior to this, he held senior roles at Shell International and Ashridge Business School. Michael is a past chairman of the Chartered Association of Business Schools (UK), a non-executive director of the University of Stellenbosch Business School - Executive Education Ltd, (South Africa), and was previously a vice president of the European Foundation for Management Development (Belgium).
More recently, he has been appointed as a vice president of Ashridge Business School, vice chair of the Governing Council of the Royal Agricultural University, international development advisor at SKEMA Business School (France), and associate director of quality services (Accreditation) at EFMD (Belgium) with responsibility for the EQUIS, EPAS, and EDAF accreditation and development systems.
Michael is a graduate of the University of Liverpool (BSc Biochemistry 1969; Master of Business Administration 1971).
Michael was awarded an OBE, for services to national and international higher education, in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2008.
Kathia Ramirez
Group Account Manager (Tourist Board & Partnerships) at TUI
Kathia holds an MBA degree from the University of Liverpool (2016) and a Bachelor’s degree in Tourism from Universidad Autonoma de Sinaloa in Mexico (2010).
Kathia started her career running a Travel Agency start-up in Mexico from 2010-2015. As a Director, she was involved in all levels of operations including coordinating the full product/ destination development lifecycle. After graduating from UoL in 2016 she joined one of the world’s leading Tourism businesses - TUI Group. She started in the Sales & Marketing department as Content Distribution Manager and two years later, she moved to Group Purchasing within the Sales & Business Development area where she was responsible for negotiating financial contributions with Tourist Boards from multiple destinations across the globe to support the launch of the new Tours product in TUI UK&I.
After one year in this role, she was promoted to Group Account Manager, negotiating contributions and flight incentives on behalf of all TUI’s source markets (UK, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, France, Poland, Nordic). In this role, she is responsible for securing the highest value contributions from TUI’s most strategically important commercial partners.
In 2021 and 2022, Kathia volunteered as a mentor for three Mexican businesses within the Tourism Recovery Programme - an initiative from the TUI Care Foundation. This programme provided dedicated mentoring, financial support, business development, and market access training for 945 tourism business leaders across Egypt, Mexico, South Africa, and Kenya to support their journey toward recovery and growth beyond the pandemic.
Sofia Salgado Cerveira Pinto
Dean at Católica Porto Business School
Sofia was Dean of Católica Porto Business School - Universidade Católica Portuguesa, from 2013 to 2020. Prior to this, she held other senior roles in the same University.
She is an independent member of the board at Mota-Engil SGPS (listed company) and served as an independent member of the board at STCP – Sociedade de Transportes Colectivos do Porto, SA between 2016 and 2018. Since 2019 Sofia is also a member of the EQUIS Board at EFMD.
She completed her Doctor in Philosophy in Business Studies at Warwick University (UK) and has an MSc in Management of Commercial Operations and a degree in Management, both from Universidade Católica Portuguesa. She has participated in the High Potentials Leadership Program at Harvard (2012) and has completed the International Directors Certificate at INSEAD (2019).
She is an academic in the area of service operations, service quality, and operations management and has written a book on service quality measurement and management. Prior to academia, Sofia held a line management post in a service organization in the hospitality and entertainment industry.
Dr Howard Simms
Chief Executive, Apadmi Ventures
Educated at Leeds and Oxford Universities, Howard is a co-founder of Apadmi, a leading UK mobile software development company that has collaborated with clients like Domino’s, the BBC, and the NHS. After 15 years, he exited the company to pursue new interests.
Since founding Apadmi in 2009, he has held senior roles across operations, sales, marketing, strategy, and leadership, notably serving as CEO of Apadmi Ventures, where he invested in and advised scalable tech companies.
With over 25 years of experience, Howard leverages his creative mind to solve problems and foster innovation for business growth.
He is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs Ambassadors Programme, and the LEAD leadership initiative, and was awarded an honorary doctorate from Manchester Metropolitan University.
When not working he enjoys gigs, festivals, travel, sports, and playing guitar.
Nirav Tanna
Bloomberg Specialist
Nirav is a Bloomberg Specialist covering a range of sophisticated Equities & Commodities Clients across the world. Having spent the last 5 years at Bloomberg, he has spent time in multiple teams focussing on Fixed Income, Equities and Commodities. He also spent a few years working for Bloomberg in India before relocating to London. He started off his career as a Global Data Specialist, and now spends time meeting with clients across Europe and advising them on Equity-related workflows. Prior to joining Bloomberg, has also spent some time working at a Technology Firm and a Venture Capital.
Nirav graduated from the University of Liverpool in 2017, before going to complete a Master's Degree in Accounting & Finance at the London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE). During his time at the University of Liverpool, Nirav was heavily involved in various facets of student life - most notably, leading the Enactus Liverpool Society as President for 2 years. He was also an International Student Ambassador and contributed to various other groups at the University.
Outside of his role at Bloomberg, Nirav spends time mentoring students and job seekers. Having lived in countries like India, USA, and UK, Nirav leverages his diverse experiences and exposure to help mentor newcomers in the industry.
Vaidehi Vaidya
Founder & Managing Director, Women in Sport India (WISI)
When Vaidehi Vaidya set foot into the world of sports as a football player - and later coach, she was keen to connect with like-minded women and set out in search of an organization that would enable her to do so. However, she was disappointed to find that there was no group specifically catering to women working in the sports industry.
Determined to support women in sports across all levels, Vaidehi founded Women In Sport India (WISI) in 2020. This decision stemmed from her resolve to address a significant gap in the market - an absence of an empowering community for women to exchange knowledge about building a career in sports, both on and off the field.
WISI believes in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals of good health, wellbeing, and gender equality. It strives to achieve equal opportunities and representation for women by developing resources, sharing knowledge, and providing a network to make the women’s sports ecosystem simpler.
Vaidehi’s passion for sports runs strong, and she has spent many years advising in the field. As a consultant with the Asian Football Development Project, she spearheaded key youth and women’s football development projects across Asia. During her research on Women’s Football in India with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), she began to think about revolutionizing sports development in the country consciously. As a sportswoman herself, her goal with WISI is to create a strong community that supports and empowers women in sports.
Vaidehi has an MBA in Football Industries from the University of Liverpool. She is also a TEDx speaker and the first official FIFA Fan Forum member. She is passionate about connecting with people who have a flair for entrepreneurship, especially women who have opted for unconventional paths.
Alfred Yeung (BA DipArch DMS MSc RIBA MCMI MAPM)
Managing Director of Brock Carmichael Asia and Executive Director of ARE Assets Management in UK
Alfred has more than 30 years of experience in real estate development. Over the last two decades, Alfred has served in many senior executive roles in a number of multi-national listed companies including Great Eagle, Melco International, and Kowloon Canton Railway Corporation, and has built real estate networks around the globe. Overseeing developments across Asia, UK, North America, and Australasia, he manages a number of regional offices across the globe.
Alfred is a chartered architect by profession, qualified at Liverpool J.M. University, and received a Master's degree in Construction Management from Bath University. He has also received executive management training from Harvard Law School, Franklin Covey Leadership Programme, and Richard Ivey Business School.
Alfred is a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Urban Lands Institute, Chartered Management Institute and Association for Project Management in UK. Alfred is a founding member of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Hong Kong Chapter. He currently serves as a Governor of Ruthin School in North Wales and has been appointed as Adjunct Associate Professor and Reader at the Chinese University of Hong Kong He has also served as visiting critic in many schools of architecture including the University of Liverpool, Manchester School of Architecture, and the National University of Singapore.
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