Our Industry Champions

We work hand-in-hand with leading professionals from games, computing and the wider tech sector. This ensures our courses remain up-to-date, meet employers’ needs and adapt as the world evolves.

Our industry contacts also include a huge network of Staffordshire University graduates who have gone on to successful careers. With all these connections, you’ll be well placed for your future career.

Meet some of our digital champions.

 

Computing Champions

John McNamara

IBM Master Inventor, IBM

John is an IBM Master Inventor, Honorary Professor, Research Fellow, Impact Fellow and currently leads IBM UK University Programs.

John's profile

Andrew Roughan

CEO, Plexal

Andrew is an experienced senior leader across technology, telecoms and innovation businesses. A driven, mission-oriented CEO who cares deeply about causing progress through technology to citizens, industry and government.

Andrew's profile

Bhavin Bhagalia

Account Director, LinkedIn

Bhavin is an Account Director for Higher Education at LinkedIn, with a particular focus in leveraging his 16+ years of experience in the education sector to help universities and colleges achieve their strategic goals and grow their online presence.

Bhavin's profile

Ian Gardner

UK Client Technical Leader and Industry 4.0 Architect, IBM

Ian works with organisations to create advanced factories, improving efficiency, uptime, data insights, and waste reduction in plant management.

Ian's profile

Jamie Farnell-Smith

Executive Chairman, Google Workspace for Education and Technology Integration

Jamie is a tech entrepreneur, who owns a portfolio of global cloud-based tech firms. He's the Executive Chairman of a prominent Google Workspace for Education and Tech Integration Partner, catering to 3000+ clients across 30+ countries.

Jamie's profile

Christopher Hill

Account Executive, MSAB

Chris is a Account Executive at MSAB with over 6+ years' expertise in digital forensics. Passionate about showcasing innovative solutions, he aids clients in surpassing challenges.

Christopher's profile

Gaming Champions

Zakia Abdullah

Senior Character Artist, Pixel

Zakia is a Senior Character Artist with experience in the gaming industry. Her expertise spans AAA titles across PC, console, and mobile platforms.

Zakia's profile

Miles Jacobson OBE

Studio Director, Sports Interactive

Miles Jacobson OBE, Studio Director at Sports Interactive (SI), oversees the renowned Football Manager series. With over 20 years at SI and leading since 1999, he has transformed it from a start-up to a prominent UK game developer.

Miles's profile

Jamy Nigri

Distribution and Partnership Guy, FRVR

Jamy's primary fascination are the human elements in games. He is interested in understanding player engagement, motivations, and satisfaction within virtual domains.

Jamy's profile

Perry Smith

Head of Partnerships, F1 Arcade

Perry is Head of Partnerships at F1 Arcade. Formerly, he was a Business Director for Esports at Right Formula, a sports and entertainment marketing consultancy based out of London and Director of Partnerships at GINX TV.

Perry's profile

Tom Sweeney

Global VP of Influencer, Brainlabs

Tom is an award-winning games and esports industry leader in communications, social, and community management.

Tom's profile

Sam Cooke

Managing Director and Co-Founder, Esports Insider

Sam is a Managing Director and Co-Founder of Esports Insider, the global B2B esports industry news platform, agency, events and media company.

Sam's profile
in the UK for Quality Education

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Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

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Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

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The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

Four Star Rating

QS Star Ratings 2021