Alumni profiles

Charis Jamieson

Asia Pacific Commercial Marketing Director at Lenovo Australia.

BEng Hons Electronic and Electrical Engineering 1999

"Build your network and do it in a natural way, you are your own brand so what you put out there is how people see you so consider what you put out and how you want to be perceived and the attention you want to attract."

Anne Robb

Founder, The Marketing Mentor Scotland

BA Hons Business Economics with Marketing 1984

"I’m now a freelance marketing consultant, trainer and speaker specialising in digital marketing.  I started off my career as Graduate Trainee in Marketing with Tennent Caledonian Breweries in Glasgow – the first female in Marketing. "

Andrew Macleod

Director of Marketing for Mentor

Bsc Hons Engineering & Management 1994

"I work in technology, so everything is constantly changing. I like change and new challenges. Being the person that finds opportunities in this chaos is what drives me on."

John Wilson

Senior Manager at Clydesdale Bank

BSc Computer Science with Operational Research 1978

"I worked in IBM for over 34 happy years, starting as a programmer, but moving on to be a systems analyst and then into software consultancy, before taking up my first management appointment in 1989."

Kenneth McGuinness

General Manager, Lion Television Scotland

B.A. (Hons) Media Theory and Production 2000

"The constant challenge of working with new production teams and engaging with likeminded people who have a passion for the television industry drives me on.  Working with young people who are keen and determined to succeed is an aspect of professional life which does help drive my career forward. "

Richard Mavers

Commercial Director, Redeem

PgD Information Technology 2004

"What drives me on? Always being challenged. Wherever I am in my career I need to be excited and passionate about what I’m doing. In my current role at Redeem, I’m at a fast growing business that changes daily and has a huge opportunity to make an impact – that is more than enough to keep me interested! "

David Smith

Asset Management Specialist for Energy & Utilities (E&U) at IBM in New York

BEng (Hons) Manufacturing Systems Engineering 1995

"My degree from UWS has been invaluable; not only does the broad subject matter of the BEng help me grasp my clients’ business challenges, but the various placements taught me to fit into teams quickly, and communicate well, and I’ve built on that."

Ronald J Swanson

Manager at Ayrshire Hospice lottery

BA (Hons) Management and Tourism (First Class) 2011

"At graduation I remember listening to the Vice Chancellor of the university giving a speech.  He was speaking about the great careers that we would go on to have but he said one thing that has stuck with me “Remember your families and remember your communities” and this still rings true to the work that I am involved in today. "

John Reid

Director at ReidStewart Associates

Engineering with Marketing 1978

"Stay focused on your dreams. Work hard.

Be confident with compassion.

 Learn from everyone…they all have a story to tell.

Believe you can."

Græme Gordon

CEO of Praxity

BSc Science Majoring in Biology 1978

"I always like Goals and new horizons, so the ability to drive Praxity, a fairly new concept and firm, to be not only World Class but a World beater, is perfect"

Stephen Lewis

Managing Director of HFD Property Group Ltd

BSc Land Economics 1997

"Professionally, my biggest achievement is the scale of our current projects. Personally the most gratifying is our current EcoCampus project, Scotland’s first Carbon Neutral office development and the new home of the University’s Lanakshire Campus."

Paul Byrne

 Regional Compliance Manager for the UK & France in the Aerosystems industry

BA Business Administration with HRM 2003

"Ask yourself…..why do I want a Degree, and where do I want get to in life. If you can answer these questions truthfully then it will deliver all the motivation you require to propel yourself through University life and on to your academic goals.  This is what I did and I haven’t looked back since graduation in Nov 2003. "

John McNeill

Business restructuring department director at BDO

EMBA 2002

"Keep focused and try and concentrate on a specific area in which you would like to utilise your skill sets. If this means a change in direction then by all means follow your goal. What drives me on? The thrill of the chase, you just never know where and when the next piece of new work is going to originate from, it keeps me going, particularly when things are going through a quieter spell."

Ross Peebles-Brown

Technical Director for the FC Bayern franchise in Connecticut

BA (Hons) Sport Development 2014

"I love learning, coaching and getting out there providing the best opportunities for young people to reach their potential, from when I was involved at Morton several of the lads have gone to play in first team or at another team in Scottish Football and its good seeing those guys playing there. I suppose being able to go to work every day and being able to have an impact on someone where it is a u17 pushing towards college or a U8 who develops their confidence all within the game of soccer makes it all worthwhile."

Samuel Smylie

Business Process Excellence Specialist

MSc Project Management 2016

"Be patient, be persistent, and above all learn as much as you can, and find a mentor. Being a recent graduate or entry – level professional to the world of business, industry and commerce can be a daunting experience, a bit like when you started secondary school for the first time, but you will find that it won’t be such a rare occurrence for your more experienced peers to impart wisdom and advice on you. Take this or leave it but by all means ALWAYS consider it."