Alumni shine at 30(ish) Awards
13 November 2025
Eight inspiring graduates from Cardiff Business School have been announced as winners at the 2025 30(ish) Alumni Awards.
Cardiff University’s 30(ish) Awards celebrate the achievements of alumni who have made a positive contribution to their community, and all before they hit 30. Well, 30(ish).
The awards recognise the change-makers, innovators, and rule-breakers in the Cardiff University alumni community. Alumni from across the globe and a wide range of industries nominated themselves or were put forward by their fellow alumni, staff, or colleagues.
This year’s event was held at sbarc|spark on 23 October and was hosted by the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wendy Larner, with 2024 30(ish) winners and BBC Radio 1 presenters, Sam MacGregor and Danni Diston, emceeing the event.
The 8 winners from Cardiff Business School were recognised in the Entrepreneurship, Equity Advocate, Innovation, and Social Impact categories.
Mohammad Al-Khalili (BSc 2017)
Mohammad is a visionary entrepreneur and co-founder of ClearGrid, a tech-driven company transforming debt collection across the MENA region. After graduating from Cardiff University, he channelled his passion for innovation into building AI voice-to-voice agents that humanise and optimise how banks and fintech's engage with borrowers.
Saurabh Agarwal (BSc 2006)
Saurabh is the Founder and CEO of GROWiT India Pvt. Ltd., a pioneering Agritech company delivering Soil-to-Harvest solutions that empower farmers with sustainable, tech-driven tools. After more than a decade leading his family business, he launched GROWiT in 2020 with a mission to make Indian agriculture more resilient, productive, and environmentally conscious.
Maleena Awn (MSc 2017)
Maleena’s journey is defined by leadership, innovation, and a commitment to meaningful change. She is Director Operations and a board member at Meridian Maritime Services Ltd., partners of Wilhelmsen Port Services in Sri Lanka. She also serves as Vice President of WISTA Sri Lanka and is a board member of YoungShip International.
Mansoor Lashari (MSc 2017)
Mansoor is an environmental activist and entrepreneur driving innovation in Pakistan’s energy sector. After graduating with distinction from Cardiff University, Mansoor founded Barqbox Technologies – the country’s first lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility.
Johnny Mayo (MBA 2023)
Johnny is a technology ecosystem builder with a global outlook and a passion for scale-up innovation. After managing accelerator programmes in Hong Kong and Malaysia, he returned to the UK to found the FinTech Wales Foundry and complete an MBA focused on how social capital and open innovation influence the success of tech accelerators.
Liam McDermott (BSc 2013)
Liam is the founder of Dear Barber, a global hair styling and grooming brand that blends traditional barbering values with modern innovation. Since launching the business in 2015, Liam has grown Dear Barber into a brand that now retails in over 30 countries worldwide. His vision and leadership have helped the company stand out in a competitive market, with a focus on quality, creativity, and community.
Gabrielle Rogers (BScEcon 2023)
Gabrielle is a rising star in the travel industry, recognised as one of TTG’s youngest ever 30 Under 30 honourees and named Employee of the Year within her first year at Disney. Her passion for accessibility and inclusion is deeply personal, shaped by her experience growing up with left hemiplegia, a condition where the left side of the body experiences paralysis or weakness.
Sophie Wint (BSc 2008)
Sophie is Director of Finance at Hedyn where she leads on strategic, corporate, and operational finance, treasury, and procurement. She plays a key role in driving cultural and organisational change to deliver the association’s long-term priorities. A passionate advocate for women in leadership, Sophie co-founded Ladies Unite in Social Housing (LUSH) Cymru, a thriving network for women working in affordable housing across Wales.
A full list of 30(ish) Award winners across Cardiff University, and further information on their fantastic achievements, can be found on our Alumni webpages.
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