The finalists of the Westminster Alumni Awards were announced, along with the opening of the public vote. The awards recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements of graduates from the University of Westminster and their predecessors, including the Polytechnic of Central London and Regent Street Polytechnic and its Transnational Education partner institutions.
The awards highlight the variety of ways graduates make a real impact across the globe. In 2023, more than 250 submissions were received and colleagues from across the University helped with shortlisting, leading to four finalists being selected in each category.
The first category is the Contribution to the Creative Industries Award, which celebrates graduates who have made their name in the fields of arts and culture. The finalists for this category include BAFTA-nominated screenwriter and filmmaker Jack Rooke, who studied Journalism BA Honours at Westminster. Another finalist is Contemporary Media Practice BA Honours graduate Leilani Franco. As a contortionist and creative technologist, her work blurs the lines between the real and digital worlds, using her body as a medium and tool of expression. She has represented Turkey in Eurovision, was a semi-finalist on Britain's Got Talent in 2012 and has broken three Guinness World Records. The composer, drummer and producer Qasim Hussain is the third finalist. After graduating from the Commercial Music Performance BMus Honours course, he went on to play for Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Josh Groban and Grammy award-winning artist Chaka Khan. Shaun Moore, an Architecture Diploma graduate, also made the list. Shaun has worked as an architect in London and became a freelance theatre and screen designer in the UK.
The second category is the Entrepreneurial Award, which celebrates alumni with ground-breaking entrepreneurial endeavour. One finalist is Marketing Communications MA graduate Nevine Coutry, who founded Playdate, the UK’s first dating app for single parents. Panagiotis-Zmpigknief Zavatzki, a Computer Games Development BSc Honours graduate, is another finalist. Panagiotis founded three companies and educates people through student mentoring and YouTube tutorials. Another finalist is Raimonda Jankunaite, a Business Management BA Honours alumna and the founder and CEO of the inclusive women’s empowerment events and community platform, Women Thrive Media. Sanjay D’Humieres is the final nominee in this category. The Media Management MA graduate is the founder of RTCX, a company that provides marketing tools for large corporate organisations.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is the third category, recognising graduates for their ongoing and significant contribution over the years, at any stage of their life. The first finalist is Cameron Sinclair, an Architecture BA Honours graduate. Cameron is a social impact entrepreneur and designer whose work has provided shelter and facilities for over 2.6 million people worldwide. Another finalist is Lubna Shuja, a Law LLB Honours graduate, who made history in 2022 when she became the first Asian, first Muslim and only seventh female President of the Law Society of England and Wales. Architecture BA Honours alumnus Robert Adam is also a finalist. He is a widely published and celebrated architect and scholar and founded Adam Architecture, the largest traditional architecture firm in Europe. The final nominee is Robert Thomson, who graduated from Westminster with a Management Studies Diploma in 1992 and an MBA in 1994. After working in the film industry, he started his own business, Digital Media Services (DMS) UK, which utilises new digital technology to assist major studios in distributing assets digitally rather than physically.
The fourth category, Outstanding Achievement Award, celebrates those of notable personal or professional success. One of the finalists is Dr Linda Miller, who achieved her Teachers in Primary Care Postgraduate Certificate in 2011. She has used this qualification to contribute to medical education and support other doctors and NHS leaders. Another finalist is MBA graduate Michael McPherson. This year the author, life couch and entrepreneur, won the Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2023. Journalism Broadcast (International) MA graduate Raquel Villanueva is another finalist. Since her time at Westminster, she has gone on to become a television host and journalist, focusing on science, communication and space exploration. Shaheen Mamun has also reached the final. The Solicitors Exempting LLB graduate is a solicitor and co-founder of Black Antelope Law, an initiative that brings together solicitors and barristers to drive change in the legal industry.
The next category is the Recent Graduate Award, which honours recent graduates who have achieved something extraordinary within just three years of leaving Westminster. The finalists for this award include Anoushka Paquette, an Interior Architecture BA graduate. She was one of the joint winners of the British Council of Offices (BCO) Next Gen Ideas Competition 2022 for her work on designing Digital Detox Zones for workplaces. Carmen Marleen Schiliesser, who came to Westminster for her Study Abroad Semester, is a fellow finalist. She is the founder of 720Impact, a strategic consultancy that helps positive change startups implement growth and expansion strategies. Nuria Revuelta, a Fashion Business Management MA graduate joins the finalists. She is the founder of The Dyás, a UK-based slow fashion brand, which is helping create a blueprint for a better fashion industry. Finally, Computer Science BSc Honours graduate Sajjad Azam Choudry has been named a finalist. Sajjad played an integral role in a major digital transformation project at NHS Trusts, supporting the delivery of an Electronic Patient Record system for over 2 million patients.
The final category is the Social Impact Award, which celebrates alumni who have made a positive contribution to the lives of others. One of the finalists is Betty Nairuba, an International Development Management MSc graduate. As Executive Director of Concern for Neighbours and Community Engagement in Uganda, she works to make an impact in the lives of marginalised people in local communities. Law LLB alumna, Jane Chelliah-Manning MBE, has also been named as a finalist. Jane was awarded an MBE in January 2023 for her work in the Civil Service and her work as chair of Powerhouse, a charity supporting women with learning disabilities. John Sidebotham, BEM, graduated from Westminster in 1985 with a Transport Planning and Management MSc degree. He has designed and put in place a full-scale health, wellbeing and support structure for Network Rail. The last finalist is Nsima Udoh, an International Relations and Security MA graduate. After the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Nsima spearheaded a collection centre for humanitarian support for those affected by the conflict.
Voting is now live and will close at 11:59pm BST on Tuesday 17 October 2023.
Find out more about the 2023 finalists in each category.
