Our people

Professor Emeseh has extensive experience in higher education both within and outside the UK. Professor Emeseh has led the development of innovative market relevant degree schemes, portfolio reviews, and diversification of delivery formats to cater to a wide audience, maximise resources, and improve the student learning experience, including external engagement and skills development.Engobo obtained her PhD from the Centre for Energy Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy, University of Dundee.  She graduated with a first class from the Nigeria Law School and Distinction from the University of Wales Cardiff. She is a former British Council Chevening Scholar, and a Ford Foundation (IFP) doctoral fellow. Prior to her academic career, she practiced as a barrister and solicitor in Nigeria, having been called to the Nigerian Bar.

Dr Fiona Cosson joined the University of Bradford as the Head of the School of Social Sciences in November 2023.

Fiona brings a wealth of experience delivering leadership and cultural change within social sciences from her previous institution, Anglia Ruskin University - including experience of delivering against employability, student experience (NSS), programme growth, development and quality assurance. Fiona continues to be research-active in the fields of oral history, memory, heritage, as well as Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences pedagogy and employability.

Jing joined University of Bradford, School of Management, as a Lecturer in Accounting in 2008, and became Senior Lecturer in Accounting in March 2012 and then Reader in Accounting in May 2017. Before joining the School of Management as a lecturer, Jing studied for a PhD in accounting at the School. She has an MA in Finance, Accounting and Management and a bachelors degree in Business and Management Studies. 

During the 10 years of working at the School, Jing has been entrusted with various academic leadership and administrative roles, including Stage tutor (levels 5 & 6 students), Director of Studies for BSc Accounting & Finance programme for over 4 years, Deputy Head for Accounting, Finance and Economics Division, Impact Champion (from Nov 2017 onwards), and has been the Associate Dean - Research & Innovation at the Faculty of Management, Law and Social Sciences since June 2018. Jing serves on various university and Faculty committees. She oversaw the REF2021 submission of the UoA C17, UoA C19 and UoA A4, and was the coordinator for UoA C17 Business and Management Studies.

Kerry Papps joined the University of Bradford in 2022. He is a labour economist who researches the effects of the minimum wage and other social policies. He also has an interest in what labour economists can learn from professional and amateur sports.

Kerry undertook his undergraduate education in New Zealand and worked for the New Zealand Department of Labour before completing a PhD at Cornell University, where he held a Fulbright Scholarship. From 2007-2010 he was a research fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford, and in 2011 was a visiting assistant professor at Cornell University.

Prior to joining Bradford, Kerry worked for 11 years at the University of Bath. While there, he directed Bath’s Master of Research programme in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and was director of impact within the Department of Economics.

Kerry is a research fellow of the IZA, Bonn and a senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He has been commissioned to provide research for the World Bank and the UK Low Pay Commission.

Saeed Akbar is Professor of Accounting and Finance, and Interim Dean of School of Management, at the University of Bradford. He holds a PhD in Accounting and Finance from the Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, an MA from the University of Liverpool, and a BBA and MBA from the University Peshawar.

He is a Qualified Accountant and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants [CIMA], with the titles 'FCMA and CGMA'.

Prior to joining the University of Bradford, he was a Professor in Accounting and Finance, and Head of Accounting and Finance Subject Group at the Hull University Business School, Lecturer and Senior Lecturer in Accounting and Finance at the University of Liverpool, and MBA tutor at the Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester.

His research output has been published extensively in leading international journals, such as, British Journal of Management, Journal of Business Finance and Accounting, The British Accounting Review, Accounting Forum, The International Journal of Accounting, International Review of Financial Analysis, International Journal of Finance and Economics, Journal of Business Research, and International Journal of Management Reviews, amongst others.

His main research area covers the relationship between accounting information and stock prices, while his other broad areas of research expertise include performance measurement, corporate governance, risk management, empirical finance, accounting regulation, sustainable finance and accounting, green banking, and net zero and productivity. 

Nigel is a former Head of Channel Management and Head Of Customer Loyalty for the Financial Services Division of HBOS where he first discovered customer journey mapping. In 2014 he launched Simply Customer Ltd to bring the benefits of journey mapping and customer experience improvement to SMEs.

Having worked with the University on an innovation project, and being an active member of the School of Management’s KTN, Nigel understands not only how the University can help local businesses, but also how local businesses can help the University!

As a Community Fellow, his focus is on bringing local businesses and the University closer together to learn and help each other.

Ruby is a highly successful Solicitor with over 27 years’ experience in the legal field. She has over 25  years ‘ experience both in public and private sectors as a Non-Executive Director and also has various Chair positions in the community. 

As a Faculty Community Fellow she feels she is able to play an important role to inspire, motivate and present opportunities for students and staff to engage with the community which will strengthen and connect the community, the University and the City of Bradford.

Her aspiration is to work in collaboration with both staff and students to promote engagement with different stakeholders within the community. This will give opportunities for students within the faculty to further  their employability and gain invaluable skillsets to become successful and confident in their chosen career paths, whilst engaging in higher education.

Aamnah Rahman works as a Research Fellow (Community Engagement) at the Bradford Institute for Health Research. In one of her previous roles she worked as an Access and Widening Participation Officer at the University of Bradford so strongly connected to understand the needs of the community and positioning this within the university. 

She has many years of experience of working with communities through her roles within the NHS, education, community and voluntary sectors and realises the importance of building rapport and trusting relationships with communities for the long term.  

As a Faculty Community Fellow Aamnah sees her role will avail opportunities for the community, organisations and business, current university staff and students to work more collaboratively to create a 'Community University' which will be a great asset for the city.  She sees this working two ways; the university will benefit by recruiting and harnessing the talents that are out in the community and in return the community will have a well equipped and skilled workforce to meet the demands of the city.  

Dr Mohammed Iqbal is a retired Healthcare Manager who has worked for some of the biggest global pharmaceutical companies over the last 35 years, including Novartis and AstraZeneca and has served as a Non-Executive Director on a variety of NHS organisations in the Bradford District over the last 15 years and is a member of the University of Bradford Council.

Mohammed takes a deep interest in current affairs and follow social, cultural and political developments locally, nationally and internationally very closely and belongs to a dynamic global religious community, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.  He has contributed widely to many of the Community’s innovative projects and initiatives locally and nationally.

As a passionate ‘Bradfordian’ and UK citizen Mohammed is keen to play an active role in addressing the challenges that face the City and the Country. A strong believer in leading by example and that the best route to organisational success is through collaborative working and empowering individuals to excel.  On that note Mohammed feels that the University is one of Bradford’s strongest institutions and plays a key role in giving Bradford recognition and respect on a national and international platform.

As a Community Fellow Mohammed wants to ensure that he can provide all the support and direction to University colleagues which will help the University to meet the many challenges it faces. He is keen to see the University play a leading role in the social and economic regeneration initiatives across Bradford and the Yorkshire Region and deeply committed to building bridges between different cultures and faith groups within the city and across the world, using the expertise within the University to make Bradford a ‘Model City’ for the UK and the world.