## Professional Focus **Academic and board director with expertise in assessing and mitigating social, cultural, and ethical risks to strengthen governance.** As a Lecturer in Strategy at the University of Edinburgh Business School, I investigate how leaders make governance decisions under uncertainty, cultural conflict, and moral tension. My research has received three Best Conference Paper Awards from the European and American Academies of Management, and my teaching has been recognised with three Excellence in Teaching Awards since joining the School in 2022. Previously, I was the CEO of a software company backed by Telstra, Australia’s largest telecommunications company. For three years, I served as Managing Director of CYALA (the Council for Young Africans Living Abroad), which I founded in 2015. Since 2021, I have supported governance and strategy implementation in the NFT industry, exploring innovative governance models for emerging technologies. My non-executive director work spans academia, culture, and policy. I currently serve on the boards of: - **Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS):** A Scottish Government agency distributing £1 billion annually to support 180,000 students. - **Historic Environment Scotland (HES):** Overseeing Scotland’s historic sites, including Edinburgh Castle, which collectively attract over three million visitors annually. Past appointments include roles on the advisory council of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the Queensland Multicultural Advisory Council, and as Chair of the Global Shapers Community in Australia, an initiative of the World Economic Forum. ## Personal Philosophy I’ve always been drawn to the idea of craft. The day-in, day-out discipline of getting better at something hard. The kind of work where you don’t see results straight away, but you keep showing up because the process itself matters. I’ve been especially influenced by the way the Japanese approach this. A good example is [Jiro Dreams of Sushi](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1772925/) - you see the attention to detail, the pride in doing even the smallest things well. At the same time, I often find myself thinking about the human condition. How we as a species sustain our place on Earth, and beyond it. How we learn to live together, make better decisions, avoid repeating the same mistakes. Some of that’s shaped by the kinds of stories I’ve always been drawn to. Films like [Children of Men](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0206634/?ref_=ls_t_5) or episodes like [Paradise Season 1, Episode 7 ](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27444205/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_paradi) - where things fall apart and decisions have to be made under extreme pressure for the sake of the entire species. Those narratives stick with me because of what they say about leadership, about our institutions, and our future. I draw from both ideas in how I pursue my focus: **Helping leaders and institutions navigate uncertainty, reconcile cultural conflict, and act with moral clarity.**