Honorary graduates

Honorary graduates

At each of our graduation ceremonies, we mark and recognise the professional achievements of specially selected individuals with the award of an honorary degree. Honorary degrees are awarded to individuals who have achieved something outstanding in their field.

London Metropolitan University is proud to have honorary graduates from all walks of life, from artists, actors, filmmakers and writers to politicians, philanthropists and scientists, including notable figures such as Mike Leigh, Gilbert and George, Tracey Emin, Dame Stella Rimington DCB, Archbishop John Sentamu and Professor Terry Wilkins.

The individuals attend our graduation ceremonies and give a brief speech to the gathered students and guests. A number of the profiles below include videos of the honorary graduates at the graduation ceremony.

"I'm enormously privileged to be associated with London Met because it is known for being progressive, and because of its diversity and commitment to social justice. It makes me enormously proud."
Ann Duke, founder of the charity Walk Tall

Honorary graduate profiles

Lord Bilimoria, CBE, DL

Honorary Graduate

“I was fortunate to have studied Law at Cambridge and then Accountancy at London Metropolitan University, which has always stood out as an institution that gives an outstanding education to people regardless of their background.”

Dr Tanya Byron

Honorary Doctor of Letters

Tanya is a Professor in the Public Understanding of Science and has four honorary doctorates.

Armando Cabral

Honorary Doctor of Business Administration

Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration by the University in 2016, London Met graduate Armando Cabral is one of the most exciting shoe designers working today.

Sir William Castell

Honorary Doctor of Science

Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science by the University in 2016, Sir William is the Chair of the Foundation for FutureLondon.

Christine Coates

Honorary Doctor of Philosophy

Christine Coates joined the Trades Union Congress Library in 1967 at the age of 18 and worked in the post until her retirement in 2014.

Ian Cook

Honorary Doctor of Business Administration

Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration by the University in 2015, Ian Cook is Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Colgate-Palmolive Company.

Dame Stella Rimington DCB

Honorary Doctor of Laws

Dame Stella Rimington was formerly director general of the Security Service (MI5).

Daniel Libeskind

Honorary Doctor of Philosophy

Daniel Libeskind is an international figure in architectural practice and urban design.

Rob Dickins CBE

Honorary Doctor of Business Administration

Rob Dickins CBE, former Chair of Warner Music UK, has signed acts such as Prince, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, the Sex Pistols, Whitesnake, Madness and more.

Ann Duke

Honorary Doctor of Philosophy

Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy by the University in 2016, Ann Duke is the founder of Walk Tall, a charity that transforms the lives of disadvantaged people.

Greg Dyke

Honorary Doctor of Philosophy

Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy by the University in 2015, Greg Dyke is a British journalist and broadcaster and is the chairman of The Football Association.

Phil Frampton

Honorary Doctor of Philosophy

Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy by the University in 2016, Phil Frampton is a leading social campaigner and author

Rashada Harry

Honorary Doctor of Philosophy

Rashada Harry is recognised as one of the UK’s Top 100 Ethnic Minority Leaders (Empower and Yahoo, June 2019).

Mahamed Hashi

Honorary Doctor of Philosophy

Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy by the University in 2016, Mahamed Hashi is the co-creator of Brixton Soup Kitchen, a community space for people in desperate need.

Rob Hull

Honorary Doctor of Philosophy

After taking degrees in Mathematics and Linguistics at Cambridge University, Rob’s 30-year career in the Civil Service was spent mainly in and around Whitehall.

Clive Jones CBE

Honorary Doctor of Letters

Clive Jones is the Chairman of Pro Cam, Britain’s biggest television facilities hire company and Energetic Communications, the New York marketing and events company.

Fergal Keane

Honorary Doctor of Philosophy

Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters by the University in 2015, Fergal Keane is Special Correspondent for the BBC and a prolific author.

Alison Kriel

Honorary Doctor of Philosophy

Alison is the CEO of the Amaya Trust. She is the only black, female CEO in the country. She is also an independent education consultant.

Bharat Mehta OBE, CBE

Honorary Doctor of Philosophy

Bharat Mehta is CEO of Trust For London, one of the largest charitable foundations tackling poverty and inequality in the capital.

Tony Millns

Honorary Doctor of Philosophy

Tony Millns was previously the Chief Executive of English UK, the world’s leading language teaching association.

Ann Minogue

Honorary Doctor of Philosophy

Ann Minogue is an award-winning lawyer and has worked in the construction industry since qualifying nearly 40 years ago.

Grace Olugbodi

Honorary Doctor of Philosophy

Grace E Olugbodi is the creator of the multi award-winning maths board game Race to Infinity and the author of the bestselling book Get in the Game.

Professor Mark Rümmeli

Honorary Doctor of Science

Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science by the University in 2015, Professor Mark Rümmeli is a chartered scientist specialised in nanotechnology and physics.

Dr Mike Short CBE FREng FIET

Honorary Doctor of Technology

Dr Short has held electronics and telecommunications positions for over 40 years.

The Rt Hon Lord Smith of Finsbury

Honorary Doctor of Philosophy

Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy by the University in 2016, The Rt Hon Lord Smith of Finsbury (Chris Smith) is a former Culture Secretary.

Clive Stafford Smith

Honorary Doctor of Laws

Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws by the University in 2016, Clive Stafford Smith is the founder and Director of Reprieve.

Raymond Stevenson

Honorary Doctor of Philosophy

Raymond Stevenson led a two-year investigation into Shirley Oaks and the other Lambeth council-run children's homes, following childhood abuse.

Kae Tempest

Honorary Doctor of Letters

Kae Tempest is an English poet, musical artist and playwright from south east London.

Tracey Emin

Honorary Doctor of Philosophy

Artist Tracey Emin has exhibited internationally including solo and group exhibitions all over the world.

Shaun Wallace

Honorary Doctor of Laws

Barrister Shaun Wallace is best known as one of the Chasers on ITV’s hit television game show The Chase.

Professor Terence A Wilkins

Honorary Doctor of Technology

Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Technology in 2018 by the University, Professor Terry Wilkins is Europe's first professor of nanomanufacturing.

Dianne Marie Willcocks CBE, DL

Honorary Doctor of Philosophy

Professor Dianne Willcocks is Emeritus Professor at York St John University, an Honorary Doctor at Sheffield Hallam University and an Honorary Fellow at Rose Bruford College.

Richard Wilson OBE

Honorary Doctor of Letters

Richard Wilson trained at RADA and is best known for his role in One Foot in the Grave, which has won him numerous awards including a British Comedy Award and two BAFTAs.

We don't have full profile information for all of our honorary graduates, but the names of many of them can be found below:

Awards conferred in 2014

Brian Dive
Dr Michael Hopkins
Ray Davies CBE
Dr David Adebimpe

No honorary awards conferred between 2010 and 2013

Awards conferred in 2009

Baroness Diana Warwick
François Duvergé
Andrew Tinker
Antony Mark David Gormley OBE RA
Cyrus Todiwala MBE DL
Dawn Gibbins MBE
Khalid Hameed CBE DL
Susie Orbach
Michael Thomas Brace CBE OBE
Lord Victor Olufemi Adebowale CBE
Gill Hicks MBE
Helen Bamber OBE
Judith Pamela Kelly OBE

Awards conferred in 2008

Robert Veenstra
Sir Christopher Frayling
Karan Bilimoria CBE DL
Kenneth Friar OBE
David Michael
Camila Batmanghelidjh
Marianna V Vardinoyannis
Christopher Robinson
Victor Thompson
Lord Robert Walker of Gestingthorpe
Alexander Amosu
Eva Jiricna
Gilbert and George
James Roderick Moir
RT Hon Baroness Pola Manzila Uddin
Raj Joshi

Awards conferred in 2007

Professor Deyan Sudjic OBE
Philip Lane
Jagdish Khattar
Baron Stevens of Kirkwhelpington
Baroness Margaret Prosser
Sir Stuart Lipton
Professor Wang Junhao
Lord Colin Moynihan
Sir John Carter
Jahangir Khan
James Maher
Manny Lewis
Margot Sunderland
Tracey Emin

Awards conferred in 2006

Archbishop John Sentamu
Paul Brickell
Peta Levi MBE
Roy Sawh
Ed Mayo
Carlos Acosta
Dawn Austwick OBE
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene
Professor Tetsuya Noda
Bo Lerenius CBE
Sir Christopher Hum KCMG
Ekow Eshun
John Sorrell CBE
Kanya King MBE

Awards conferred in 2005

David R Varney
Robert G Cotton OBE
Edna O'Brien
Jennifer S Murray OBE
Victoria Thornton
John H Ritblat
Mende Nazer
Professor Rigas Doganis
Dr Simon J Thurley
Jyoti Bose
Yvonne Thompson CBE
Alderman David Brewer
HE Dr Maleeha Lodhi
Mike Leigh OBE

Awards conferred in 2004

Daniel Libeskind BArch MA BDA
Michael J E Frye CBE BSc MIES FRAES FRSA CCIBSE
Dr Pehr Gyllenhammar
William Thomson
Rabinder Singh
Dr Rodolfo Alarcon
Dame Stella Rimington DCB
Professor Roman Strongin
Sir John Bond
Dr Ahdaf Soueif
Professor Jeanette Allsopp
Frances Cairncross
Sister Frances Dominica

Awards conferred in 2003

Prof Richard Hoggart LittD
Iwona Blazwick
Harley Sherlock
Andrew Mawson OBE
Robert Kee CBE
Eric Froment
Junshi Chen
Sir Anthony Cleaver MA FBCS
Zandra Rhodes CBE RDI DESRCA FCSD
Prof David Rhind CBE FRS FBA
Torquil Norman CBE
John Grieve LLB QPM CBE
Dame Judith Mayhew OBE LLM

Awards conferred in 2002

Sue MacGregor CBE
Tony Benn
Richard Coldwell
Professor Norman Girvan
Dr Joseph Caputo
Lord Rea of Eskdale
Sir Edward George CBE
Nick Hornby
Bahram Bekhradnia
Baroness Pitkeathley OBE
William Atkinson
Professor Richard Hoggart

Awards conferred before 2002

The University's predecessor institutions also awarded many honorary degrees and fellowships – recipients have included:

architect Lord Richard Rogers
guitarist Julian Bream CBE
economist and former Governor of the Bank of England Mervyn King
actor and theatre director Mark Rylance
businessman Gulam K Noon MBE
TV news presenters George Alagiah and Trevor Phillips
acclaimed chef and food writer Prue Leith OBE
writers Professor Anita Desai and Benjamin Zephaniah
three-time world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis MBE
ex-professional footballer and TV sports pundit Ian Wright MBE
film director Ken Loach

"I'm enormously privileged to be associated with London Met because it is known for being progressive; it is known for its culture of diversity and its commitment to social justice. That makes me enormously proud to have received a doctorate from this University."

Ann Duke, founder of the charity Walk Tall, and recipient of an Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy

Honorary graduates

Honorary graduate profiles

Lord Bilimoria, CBE, DL

Dr Tanya Byron

Armando Cabral

Sir William Castell

Christine Coates

Ian Cook

Dame Stella Rimington DCB

Daniel Libeskind

Rob Dickins CBE

Ann Duke

Greg Dyke

Phil Frampton

Rashada Harry

Mahamed Hashi

Rob Hull

Clive Jones CBE

Fergal Keane

Alison Kriel

Bharat Mehta OBE, CBE

Tony Millns

Ann Minogue

Grace Olugbodi

Professor Mark Rümmeli

Dr Mike Short CBE FREng FIET

The Rt Hon Lord Smith of Finsbury

Clive Stafford Smith

Raymond Stevenson

Kae Tempest

Tracey Emin

Shaun Wallace

Professor Terence A Wilkins

Dianne Marie Willcocks CBE, DL

Richard Wilson OBE