Honorary Fellows Evening
-
Welcome
Welcome to the 2026 Honorary Fellows Ceremony.
It is always a wonderful occasion to see so many of Royal Holloway's friends gathered together as students, colleagues, Honorary awardees and advocates to welcome our new Honorary Fellows, a reminder of the supportive community we have and the many different ways in which this University has reached out and touched people's lives.We are joined today by the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, Michael More-Molyneux, the Mayor of Runnymede, Councillor Steven Ringham and the High Sheriff of Surrey, Joosje Hamilton. These civic partners reflect the importance we place on our contribution to Runnymede, Surrey and the communities of which we are a part.
We are also grateful to be joined today by the University's Visitor, Lady Arden of Heswall, and Olivia Davies, President of the Students' Union. Our Students' Union is such a vital part of the life and growth of the University.
And always inspiring too to see so many remarkable Honorary Fellows, Honorary Doctors and colleagues.
Today we celebrate four new Honorary Fellows; Shahid Azeem DL, Ann Ewing, Gerry O'Hagan and Jarmila Yu.
Please enjoy the ceremony and do join us for the reception and buffet supper afterwards. We look forward to speaking to many of you tonight and in the future.
Ian Wilson
Chair of CouncilProfessor Julie Sanders
Vice-Chancellor and Principal -
The order of procession
- Bedels
- Chaplain
- Heads of Academic Department
- Faculty Deans
- Senior Leadership Team
- Honorary Fellows
- Honorary Doctorates
- Honorary Fellows elect and Orators
- Mayor of Runnymede
- High Sheriff of Surrey
- Lord Lieutenant of Surrey
- President of the Students’ Union
- Mace Bearer
- Vice-Chancellor and Principal
- Chair of Council
- Visitor
-
The ceremonial mace, mace bearer, bedels and brooch
The ceremonial mace was created by Elizabeth Matthews, a local goldsmith. The design symbolises the Victorian heritage of Royal Holloway College and Bedford College.
It is based on the Octagon in the centre of the Founder’s Building. The head of the mace, knobs and handholds are in gold-plated silver and the shaft is made of rosewood; this represents the contrast of the red brick, characteristic of the Founder’s Building, with the Portland stone of the Octagon. The University crest has been embossed in enamel onto the floor of the replica of the Octagon.
A university mace serves as a representation of the authority of the university. It is most notably used at graduation ceremonies and other official occasions, such as the Honorary Fellows ceremony.
Today's Mace Bearer is Dr Nigel Rata, Director of Information Technology and the Bedels, who lead the procession, are Eleanor Payne, Graduation Events Coordinator and Sarah Tridgell, Graduation Events Manager.
During the procession look out also for the large brooch worn by the President of the Students' Union. This brooch was worn by the President of the Bedford College Union Society during their year of office, a tradition which continues today at all Royal Holloway graduations and Honorary Fellows ceremonies.
-
The order of ceremony
Procession
Welcome
Presentation of Honorary Fellows
Shahid Azeem DL
by Professor Tracy Bhamra
Provost and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global)
Ann Ewing
by Professor Giuliana Pieri
Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Music from the Choir of Royal Holloway
Gerry O'Hagan
by Professor Ruth Livesey
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation)
Jarmila Yu
by Professor Christos Tsinopoulous
Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law
Response on behalf of the Honorary Fellows by Jarmila Yu
Closing remarks
Please join us for the reception and buffet supper in the Picture Gallery after the ceremony. -
The Choir of Royal Holloway
The Choir of Royal Holloway is considered one of the finest mixed-voice collegiate choirs in the country. The 20 choral scholars that constitute the University's Chapel Choir undertake a busy schedule of services, concerts, tours and recordings.
Procession
God is gone up
Gerald Finzi (1901-1956)Musical interlude
Seek him that maketh the seven stars
Jonathan Dove (b. 1959)Hail, gladdening light
Charles Wood (1866 -1926)Recession
Final
César Franck (1822-1890)Reception
Music at the reception will be provided by Yuting Zhao, a PhD student in the Department of Music. Yuting will be playing the guzheng, sometimes known as the Chinese zither or Chinese harp.
-
Shahid Azeem DL
Shahid is a philanthropist successful businessman, with a unique and diverse professional portfolio, in which business leadership roles preceded appointments to public office, as well as board roles that have transformed charitable and educational bodies operating at national and global levels. Raised in Guildford and now living in Woking, Shahid has consistently served to support and advance good causes in Surrey, as well as develop relationships between the British and Pakistani communities.
Shahid is Managing Director of Folio3 UK and directs all aspects of the UK and Europe office of the global, California-based business transformation firm Folio3, with offices in eight countries and employing more than 900 staff.
He was commissioned as Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey in 2009 and served as High Sheriff of Surrey 2020-21 and again in 2024-25, during which he was a particular advocate of interfaith dialogue in the county.
Shahid is a passionate sportsman and led the consortium which rescued Aldershot Town Football Club from administration in 2013. He served as Chairman of the Club for over a decade, leading the club to victory at Wembley in 2025.
He has received a lifetime achievement award from the Pakistani Business Community and was listed as part of the Pakistan Power 100 of the most influential Pakistani men and women in the UK, Pakistan and globally. -
Ann Ewing
Ann studied History at Royal Holloway and gained her PhD at Trinity College, Cambridge. She joined the commercial world on an ‘experimental basis’ but quickly discovered the challenge and stimulation of a global organisation. She worked with BP in a range of roles from research to policy; mergers and acquisitions to organisational development; formation of a joint venture in China to talent identification. Ann became Vice President, Organisational Capability, in 2002. She then moved on to HSBC to head their UK and Europe Learning and Development team.
Ann subsequently joined Ark, a children’s charity founded by philanthropists from the financial world, working on international programmes including maternal and child health and education in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Uganda, and was involved in the early days of the Ark Schools network in the UK.
Since 2010, Ann has worked in the educational sector with a range of trusts and charities and was a member of Council and later Vice Chair of Council at Royal Holloway from 2014 to 2024. She is a trustee of the Girls Day School Trust; the AQA exam board and the Association of Accounting Technicians, teaches with the Open University and serves in the tribunal service. -
Gerry O'Hagan
Gerry has been a Knowledge Transfer Adviser since 2014, supporting Innovate UK’s Knowledge Transfer Partnership programme, Europe’s leading programme helping businesses improve competitiveness and profitability through better use of the technology and skills that reside within UK universities. He also works as an executive leadership coach working with individual clients.
For most of his career Gerry held a variety of executive leadership roles with Diageo plc having joined a predecessor company as a graduate trainee in 1977. His last role in the organisation was as Operational Excellence Director, where he was responsible for a global team helping business units to define their operational strategies and implement the improvement programmes required to achieve their strategic goals.
Gerry is a Trustee of Wycombe High School Academies Trust. He previously served as a Member of Council at Royal Holloway, Trustee and Treasurer of children’s charity KidsOut, member of the ASPECT advisory board, member of City St Georges, University of London’s Research and Enterprise Committee, Visiting Professor at the University of Strathclyde, and adviser to the Board of Management of Birmingham Business School and the Strathclyde Institute for Operations Management. -
Jarmila Yu
Jarmila is the Founder and Managing Director of YUnique Marketing Ltd and a globally recognised Chief Marketing Officer. With over 30 years’ experience, she has built a distinguished career championing marketing as a driver of business growth, innovation, and long-term value, with a mission to equip entrepreneurs with the strategies to grow, scale, and exit valuable businesses.
An alumna of Royal Holloway, Jarmila has demonstrated exceptional commitment to supporting the University and its students. As Chair of the International Advisory Board for the Royal Holloway Business School, she plays a pivotal role in strengthening the connection between academia and industry, while actively mentoring students into marketing careers.
A Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Marketors, she is a passionate advocate for entrepreneurship and marketing excellence, dedicated to developing future talent and enabling business to be a force for good. Her contribution reflects a deep belief in the power of collaboration between education and enterprise to create meaningful, lasting impact. -
Honorary Fellowships
Honorary Fellowships of Royal Holloway, University of London are awarded to people who have shown loyalty and commitment to the University.
Taken from the colours of Bedford College, the purple and green gowns they wear during the ceremony are a reminder to everyone present of the pioneering history of both Bedford and Royal Holloway Colleges, two of the first colleges in the world providing higher education to women. These striking colours are also proudly worn by the University's sports clubs.
All members of the University community including students, staff, alumni, Council members and honorary awardees, are invited to submit nominations for these awards. To see a full list of the University’s Honorary Fellows and Honorary Graduates, and to find out more about nominations visit royalholloway.ac.uk/honoraryawards
-
Inspiring the minds that shape our tomorrow
Through our Honorary Doctorates and Fellowships, Royal Holloway celebrates extraordinary leaders who embody our vision. By supporting our philanthropic foundations, you ensure our current students have the resources to become the visionaries and change-makers we honour today.
Together, we foster the inclusive education, groundbreaking research, and vital innovation needed to shape a better world.
Find out more -
Find out more about our public events
We invite our Honorary Fellows and Honorary Doctors to join us each year for this ceremony, as well as a number of other occasions throughout the year.
Visit our Events page for all the latest events at the University. -
In memoriam
We honour the memory of the Honorary Fellows and Honorary Doctors of the University who have sadly passed away since our last Honorary Fellows Ceremony.
Honorary Doctors
- Prunella Scales CBE
- Dame Stephanie “Steve” Shirley CH DBE
Honorary Fellows
- Professor David Denney
- Dame Felicity Lott DBE
- Sir Alec Reed CBE
- Patricia Toms
We aim for this list to be as complete as possible; if you are aware of others who should be remembered, please do let us know by speaking to a member of the events or alumni team, or emailing alumni@rhul.ac.uk