Annual Review 2009-10
Honorary graduates 2010
Each year the University honours distinguished
individuals who either have a connection to the University or the county of
Essex, or who have made a significant contribution to a field of study represented at the University.
Rt Hon John Bercow MP
is an Essex graduate and Speaker of the House of Commons. He was named
Opposition MP of the Year in 2005 in the Channel Four/Hansard Society Political
Awards and was elected Speaker in 2009. Since his appointment, he has supported
calls for reform of the Commons and increased public engagement with parliament.
Hanif Lalani OBE
is an Essex graduate and has enjoyed an incredibly successful career with
telecommunications giant BT. He progressed to the role of Chief Executive of BT
Global Services after a number of senior roles including Chief Executive of BT
Northern Ireland. He was awarded an OBE in 2003 for services to business in
Northern Ireland.
Dr Katherine Rake OBE
is currently Chief Executive of the Family and Parenting Institute. Previously
she was Director of women's rights campaigning group, the Fawcett Society. She
was awarded an OBE for services to equal opportunities and has campaigned on
many issues including equal pay, fair political representation and better
treatment in the justice system.
Griff Rhys Jones
is an award-winning comedian, actor, writer, director and producer. He formed a
hugely successful comedy partnership with Mel Smith, with whom he founded
Talkback Productions. He has worked extensively as an actor in television and
theatre, recently starring in the West End production of Oliver! He is also a
leading campaigner on conservation, town planning and community issues.
Lord Triesman of Tottenham,
an Essex graduate, was appointed the first independent chairman of the FA in
2008 and was also chairman of the 2018 Football World Cup bid team untill May
2010. A former student radical, academic and leading trade unionist, Lord
Triesman was appointed General Secretary of the Labour Party in 2001, made a
Life Peer in 2004 and held various senior government roles.
Professor Kevin Boyle,
who died in December 2010, received an honorary MA in the Theory and Practice of
Human Rights at last summer's Graduation. He was a leading expert in
International Human Rights Law and a Professor of Law at the University of
Essex, where he was also Director of the Human Rights Centre from 1990 to 2001
and from 2006 to 2007. He was Chair of the International Council of Minority
Rights Group and founding Director of Article 19.