Honorary Fellows
We award Honorary Fellowships to those who have achieved international distinction in their field.
2025 Honorary Fellows
Babita Sharma (BA 1998)
Babita Sharma is an award-winning broadcaster, journalist, and author whose career spans more than 20 years at the BBC. Her book, The Corner Shop, explores the social history of Britain’s corner shops and was celebrated with a Business Book Award and featured as a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week. Babita has also ventured into children’s literature with her series, The Adventures of Priya Mistry. A passionate advocate for diversity and mental health, she mentors BAME journalists and serves as a Trustee for United for Global Mental Health and Crescent Arts Northern Ireland. She is a Patron of the South Asian Heritage Trust and the Migration Museum. Her TED Talk on immigration and BBC documentaries like Dangerous Borders: The Story of India & Pakistan, champion multicultural narratives. She is the recipient of the Asian Achievement Award.
Professor Alice Kessler-Harris
Alice Kessler-Harris grew up in Cardiff, the child of refugees from Czechoslovakia. In 1955, she emigrated to the USA with her family. Alice earned a bachelor’s degree and a doctorate and became a historian specialising in American labour and twentieth-century social policy. In 2016, she retired as R. Gordon Hoxie Professor of American History, Emerita, at Columbia University where she was also Professor in the Institute for Research on Women and Gender, and a faculty affiliate in the Columbia University School of Law. Alice’s many books include Out to work: a history of wage-earning women in the United States. She is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society.
Rachel Arthur (PGDip 2007)
Rachel Arthur is a sustainability strategist and writer who has dedicated her career to transforming the fashion industry. As the advocacy lead for sustainable fashion at the United Nations Environment Progamme, today she focuses on narrative shift as a lever for reducing overconsumption. She is known for challenging industry norms – such as in her role exploring alternative growth models at Textile Exchange – and for developing new initiative and solutions, exemplified in her work leading the industry strategy for Google's environmental data platform. With roots as an award-winning business journalist, she is also a TED speaker and was recently recognised as a sustainability thought leader in the Vogue Business 100 Innovator list.
Dr Alex George
Dr Alex George is a presenter, bestselling author, and the UK Youth Mental Health Ambassador. He co-founded Mettle, a mental fitness app for men, and is dedicated to making mental health support more accessible. A former A&E doctor, Alex became a trusted voice during the pandemic, offering clear and reassuring advice from the frontline. His passion for mental fitness has led to four Sunday Times bestselling books. Alex is a leading advocate for early mental health support, working closely with The Royal Foundation and campaigning for Early Support Hubs across the UK. He also hosts The Stompcast podcast. His TV work includes Dr Alex: Our Young Mental Health Crisis for BBC One. Alex has embraced alcohol-free living and has launched a YouTube channel to share his journey and help others explore a life without alcohol.
Beti George (BA 1960)
Beti George was born in Coed-y-bryn in Ceredigion. After attending Llandysul grammar school she studied at University College Cardiff and graduated with a degree in Welsh. She began her career as a broadcaster and journalist in Swansea in the 1970s and since then, has worked as a freelancer for BBC Wales and S4C. She presented the BBC Newyddion programme on S4C, music programmes, documentaries, and for years was the on stage presenter at the Cardiff Singer of the World competition. As a campaigner for better dementia care, she presented a number of programmes on the subject and took gold at the New York Film Festival for "David and Beti: Lost for Words". In 2025, she was nominated for a St David Award.
Dr Daf James
Dr Daf James is a multidisciplinary artist – an award-winning playwright, screenwriter, composer, performer and novelist – and a 2024/2025 Bafta-Breakthrough. He gained a first-class degree in English literature from Edinburgh University, trained in the Lecoq pedagogy, and holds a PhD in queer theory and performance from the University of Warwick. Contemporary Welsh Plays honours his debut play Llwyth as having ‘changed the landscape of Welsh language theatre forever'. Recently, he wrote, executively produced and musically directed the multi-award-winning, critically acclaimed Lost Boys & Fairies.He’s also a prolific composer and lyricist, performs as the Total Theatre Award-winning Sue Timms, and his debut novel Jac a’r Angel won the Tir na n-Og Award for children’s literature and Wales Book of the Year prize for children and young people. He lives with his husband and three children in Cardiff.
Kellie Beirne (BA 1997, MSc 2003)
Kellie Beirne is the Chief Executive of Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) – the partnership of ten councils working to improve the lives of the 1.5m residents in South East Wales through transforming the economy, business landscape and innovation in the region. Kellie joined CCR in 2018 from her role as Deputy Chief Executive at Monmouthshire County Council, where she gained a reputation for promoting the entrepreneurial state. Kellie is a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales, a Governor at Cardiff Metropolitan University and sits on several innovation advisory boards including the Morgan Advanced Studies Institute at Swansea University, Cardiff University’s International Advisory Board and the Connected Places Catapult Advisory Group.
Dr Chi-Keung Lau (BSc 1978)
Dr Chi-Keung Lau graduated from Cardiff University in Civil and Structural Engineering in 1978 and obtained his PhD in Soil Mechanics from Cambridge University in 1989. After working for a UK consultant for six years, he returned to Hong Kong in 1995 to practice structural and geotechnical engineering. Dr Lau is the CEO of a Publicly Listed Construction Company in Hong Kong specialising in natural terrain hazards mitigations. He is the Chairman of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers’ Geotechnical Discipline Advisory Panel, and External Examiner of the Hong Kong University’s MSc in Applied Geosciences.
Reynette Roberts MBE
Reynette Roberts’ journey with refugees began when she volunteered at a school in Jordan through Project Trust, working with many pupils from refugee backgrounds. Training as a nurse at the Royal London Hospital, she encountered patients from diverse backgrounds, including those with conflict-related trauma. After qualifying, Reynette worked as a school nurse in Hackney and later in North Wales, earning an MSc from Bangor University. In Cardiff, Reynette founded Oasis, a charity supporting refugees and asylum seekers, leading it for 15 years. She played a role in Cardiff becoming a City of Sanctuary and was awarded an MBE in 2019.
Professor Binna Kandola OBE (BSc 1978)
Professor Binna Kandola OBE had three life-changing years at Cardiff University from 1975 to 1978—an experience that shaped him both personally and professionally. After graduating he completed a PhD at Aston University and later co-founded Pearn Kandola, a pioneering business psychology consultancy. Binna has worked with global organisations including Unilever, HSBC, World Bank and many UK government departments. He has regularly advised government committees and supported numerous charities. His work focuses on how bias and inequality influence decisions. Binna received an OBE in 2008 for his service to diversity and disadvantaged communities. He is an award-winning author of 12 books with a thirteenth due later this year. Much to his own surprise, he won a Global Social Media Award in 2019.