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Class Notes
We continue to be inspired by our alumni. Each month, we highlight a selection of your achievements to share with our community.
Explore by month:
April 2025
Among 2025's 100 most powerful businesswomen in the Middle East
Congratulations to Egypt-based alumna Ahella El Saban (MA in Marketing, 2010-12), who has featured in Forbes Middle East's 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen 2025 with company Exits MENA.
Ahella cofounded boutique investment advisory firm Exits MENA in 2022 and currently serves as its Vice Executive Chairman. The company specialises in transactional advisory, management, and financial consultancy, working closely with startups and SMEs across the Middle East and North Africa region, guiding them through mergers and acquisitions, fundraising, and strategic growth. The company focuses closely on investment readiness, designing and delivering structured programmes to help businesses become investor-ready, enhance their financial positioning, and open new opportunities.
In September 2024, Exits MENA launched the NAQLA programme, an Arabic-language self-study course on investment language, in partnership with Google MENA and EYouth. In the same month, Ahella was elected a Women Techmakers Ambassador, and she is also the founder of Lumas, a market research and training company.
"It is an honour to be part of the list that holds such accomplished and inspirational females."
-Ahella El Saban
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Melissa Bryant (Politics, Ustinov College, 2013-14) has taken up a prestigious role with World Bank Group. She becomes Communications Lead for the Bank's Environment Global Department and will help to shape global discourse on environmental sustainability.Dr Helen Frisby (Theology, St Mary's College, 1997-2000) has co-edited new book 'Death and Institutions: Processes, Places and the Past' in her capacity as a Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for Death & Society. This collection combines chapters on process, place and teh past to examine the relationships within and between institutions, institutionalisation and death in international contexts.
Dr Michael Garbutt (English Language and Literature, Hatfield College, 1973-76) has published his latest book, ' The Nomadic Image: Explorations at the intersections of art, science, and culture', which brings together papers originally presented at The Nomadic Image, the seventh edition of the Transdisciplinary Imaging Conference series, held at the University of Central Asia’s Naryn campus.
Michael is also founder and co-chair of one of Central Asia’s most important film and cultural festivals, Nomad 24: The Infinite Sky, held in Kyrgyzstan.
Glyn Gowans (Law, Hatfield College, 1972-75) is in the process of releasing three satirical novels. The first, 'Gloria! Gloria!' is an Anglo-American satire in which corporate warfare brings two billionaires and their dysfunctional adolescent children to the Mediterranean island of Formentera, where dramatic events transform their lives. One of the key characters, Caroline Weetwood, is a Durham History undergraduate with a boyfriend at Hatfield College.
Rupert Hague-Holmes (Law & Politics, University College, 1984-87) has recently published biography 'The Soldiers' General'. It focuses on Lieutenant General Sir George Lea, who played a significant role in the Malayan Emergency in the mid-1950s in World War II.
Dr Asha Hornsby (MA in English Literary Studies, St John's College, 2014-15) has penned her first monograph, 'Vivisection and Late-Victorian Literary Culture' with Cambridge University Press. Representing the first interdisciplinary literary-critical study of vivisection, this publication reveals how animal experimentation intrigued diverse writers, raised major representational issues, and seeped into the heart of nineteenth-century culture.Richard Ovenden OBE FRSA (Economic/Modern History, St Chad's College, 1982-85) has seen Oxford's Bodleian Libraries endowment triple during his time at the head of the institution. A recent endowment in March also secures his tenure as the most senior role at the Bodleian, with a title change to 'Bodley's Librarian and the Helen Hamlyn Director of the University Libraries'.
Kiran Ruparelia (Accounting & Finance, John Snow College, 2014-18) has been awarded the TPE 1st Prize for his exam performance in the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland's Test of Professional Expertise exam. He will be recognised for his outstanding achievement at a dinner in Edinburgh.
The Durham Alumni chess team scored a convincing win against Birmingham University at the start of March with a 6-2 scoreline, to reach the top 10 in the World Chess League. After winning the game, the team are positioned in joint 6th with a good chance of qualifying for playoffs to determine the championships over the summer.
The team featured: National Master Sam Walker (History, University College, 2013-17), Phil Purcell (Natural Sciences, St Cuthbert's Society, 2013-16), Will Taylor (Natural Sciences, College of St Hild & St Bede, 2008-12), and Phil Manning (Sociology, Van Mildert College, 1982-84).
March 2025
Durham alumni around the world
Our Durham alumni community spans all four corners of the globe, so chances are that you won't be too far away from another Durham graduate! This is something that alumna Sophie Harper experienced recently in South America:
"On an adventure ship going around Cape Horn, we found out that six out of around ten Brits on the boat were Durham graduates! An adventurous spirit had drawn us all there and we shared memories of Durham, as well as zodiac trips to see penguins and to experience the privilege of standing at the end of the world."
Pictured (left-right):
- Charlie Ralli - Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Van Mildert College, 2017-21
- Rev'd James Lawrence - Theology, St John's College, 1982-85
- Sophie Harper - Anthropology & Psychology, St John's College, 1982-85
- Cathryn Arnold née Lilley - Natural Sciences, Van Mildert College, 1984-87
- Ken Arnold - MBA, Graduate Society, 1994-95
- Ellie Revill - Anthropology, Van Mildert College, 2016-19
James Davis (MBA, 2004-07) releases 'The Midlife Male Handbook: A Man's Guide to Thriving Through Andropause', on Wednesday 12 March to demystify and tackle the stigma around men's health at midlife. Since he graduated, James has enjoyed a varied career across media brands before moving into coaching psychology and founding The Midlife Mentors.
Daniel Fitzpatrick (BA in Theology & Ministry, 2005-09; MA in Theology & Ministry, 2010-12, Ushaw College) has penned new book 'Infinite Education: The Four-Step Strategy for Leading Change in the Age of Artificial Intelligence', which explores the seismic shifts transforming education in the era of AI.
Dr Michele Fontefrancesco (PhD in Anthropology, Ustinov College, 2008-12) has penned new volume, 'Rural Effective Economies'. The work investigates the precarious socio-economic condition of rural communities in Europe (specifically Italy), and the role traditional products (specifically food products), have in recreating the sense of community and place and paving the way for future local development.
Ben Robbins (English Literature, Hatfield College, 2002-05) has written 'Faulkner's Hollywood Novels: Women Between Page and Screen' with the University of Virginia Press. He examines Hollywood screenwriter William Faulkner's influence on his literary craft and depictions of women, revealing a dialogue between the author's fiction and screenwriting over two decades.
Awais Khan (Management Studies, 2010-13) has featured in an interview with Forbes magazine following the publication of his fourth novel. 'In the Shadows of Love' was released in the UK to critical acclaim with a launch party at the Islington branch of nationwide UK book retailer Waterstones.
Dr Victoria Walsh née Battell (BA in Sociology, St Aidan's College, 1997-2000; MA in Criminal Justice Studies, Graduate Society, 2000-01) has taken up the position of Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs at Columbia-Greene College, New York.
February 2025
Alumni recognised in the Parliament 2024 Awards
The Rt Hon Sir Edward Leigh MP (History, University College, 1972-83), pictured left, won the Parliament Lifetime Achievement Award:
“This is a delightful honour. I am very touched and it’s always nice to be appreciated. But there is still more to be done so we’d better keep going!”
Peter Hornsby (BA in Combined Social Sciences, 2013-16; MSc in Management Studies, 2016-18, St Cuthbert's Society), pictured right, was also awarded the Parliamentary Staffer of the Year Award.
“It was an immense honour to have been nominated for this award, let alone being the winning recipient. Parliamentary staffers work extremely hard, so it is great that their efforts are recognized."
Peter also captains the Durham Alumni chess team, who were joint top of the World Chess League in January.
The club meets for in-person tournaments and events and are always ready to welcome new members. If you are interested, please contact Peter.Staycie Domzalski (Education, University College, 2017-18) has received the Asia Europe Foundation (ASEF) Pearl Award alongside her team, the AI-Teach-nicians. This award recognises outstanding Innovative Teaching Practice in a pan-Asian-European school collaboration. Staycie and team were presented the award for a project focusing on creating an easily scalable open resource for school pupils to learn with and about AI using Problem-Based Learning to address global challenges and equip students with future-ready skills.
Dr Ian Robert Gomersall (Physics, Van Mildert College, 1969-72) has written his first book - 'Worthwhile Wealth: an entrepreneur's guide to success that satisfies', focusing on entrepreneurs who wish to create worthwhile lives as well as profitable businesses.
Since his time at Durham, Bob has created multiple education and healthcare technology companies, including Surpass Assessment, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary next year.
Patricia McGarrahan (MA in Archaeology, Ustinov College, 2013-15) has published her debut fiction thiller novel 'Saint of Lost Souls' as a paperback and e-book. The story follows protagonist Kate Barrow, as she pursues the truth following a colleague's death.
Antonios Tsalikis (MA in International Relations (Middle East), Ustinov College, 2019-20) co-authored an article entitled 'Debating the Yemen Conflict: Toward a Synthesis of Debates and Diverse Perspectives on Causes and Actors', which has been published in the Digest of Middle East Studies.
Dr Anthony Wells (BA in Modern European History, 1962-65; MA in History, 1965-69, St Cuthbert’s Society) has published two new books - 'Never Too Late: A Story for Every Family and Young Person' and 'The Pursuit of Peace and Freedom 1939-2025'.
Dr Nussaibah Younis (MSc in Arab World Studies, 2008-11; PhD in Government & International Affairs, 2011-14, Ustinov College) releases her debut novel this month. 'Fundamentally' is a dark comedy about a heartbroken academic who accepts a UN job in Baghdad, where she is tasked with deradicalising ISIS brides. The TV rights have also been purchased by Boffola Pictures.