The Value of a Diverse and Inclusive Workforce

Dean of the College of Business, Law and Social Sciences, Kamil provides executive leadership for the College. Kamil is also responsible for driving change, growth and sustainability across the college and its component schools.

As a Pro Vice-Chancellor, Kamil supports university-wide initiatives, programmes and projects. He also helps shape the university’s policies and strategies. He is the executive lead on the university’s access and participation efforts.

Kamil began his academic career in 2001 at Lagos State University, Nigeria, after six years of working in different accounting and auditing roles in both public and private sectors. Between 2003 and 2013, he held different academic positions including Principal Lecturer and the Director of Postgraduate Programmes in Accounting at De Montfort University, Leicester. Prior to joining the University of Derby, he was the Head of the School of Economics, Finance and Accounting at Coventry University, where he led a number of strategic initiatives that drove change, growth and reputation. Kamil is the Chair of the Centre for African Resources Research and Development.

Kamil sits on the Council of Chartered Association of Business School (Chartered ABS). The Chartered ABS is the voice of the UK’s business and management education sector. It supports members to maintain world-class standards of teaching and research and help shape policy and create opportunities through dialogue with business and government.

Jill Bamford is Group People Director for emh group – a large housing and care provider in the East Midlands. A strategic thinker with broad change management experience in both public and private sector, Jill has a track record of initiating and delivering successful people focused change projects aligned to achieving the organisation’s business objectives. Jill has a non-traditional background for HR beginning her career in science, research and consultancy before moving into HR. She is fascinated by people and how the way we think impacts what we achieve.

Lucy is Director of Resources at the Chamber, working alongside the senior leadership team on developing the culture of the Chamber and its strategic human resources. Lucy’s background in HR consultancy across all sizes and types of business has enabled her to quickly build relationships and define key focus areas within the Chamber resource. Lucy is responsible for full HR support both within the Chamber and the wider group of organisations. This includes ensuring legal compliance, training and development, internal communications, recruitment and inductions, employee relations, reward, organisation design and change management. She also oversees the Chamber’s back office functions including IT and the Chamber’s property portfolio including managed workspace. Along with the operational functions, Lucy also chairs the HR Forum, manages stakeholders and member relationships, sits on the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire CIPD committee and volunteers as a Partner Governor for the Nottinghamshire NHS Trust.

Prior to his current role, Fred worked in the Careers and Employment Service and was the Derby Talent Programme co-ordinator. He set up the data collation side of the programme, making sure all records were kept up to date and all activity undertaken was recorded. The Derby Talent Programme was a new programme and the intern role that Fred was in was also new. Fred undertook his role diligently keeping all records up to date and keeping on top of all activity being undertaken, checking in with colleagues regularly to make sure everything was logged. Fred developed the recording and reporting spreadsheet and made sure that it was fit for purpose including regular data reporting.

During the period of his internships, the group of colleagues making calls for the programme reduced and Fred kept on top of who was doing what and also picked up any deficits. The aim of the programme was to make sure we were in touch with our recent Derby graduates who had indicated they were still looking for roles and / or required support in their job search, therefore the accuracy of these records was paramount to making sure that the project was a success.