68 Notable alumni of
University of Salford
Updated:
The University of Salford is 693rd in the world, 251st in Europe, and 51st in the United Kingdom by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 68 notable alumni from the University of Salford sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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Ben Kingsley
- Occupations
- stage actortelevision actorcharacter actoractorfilm actor
- Biography
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Sir Ben Kingsley is an English actor. He has received various accolades throughout his career spanning five decades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Grammy Award, and two Golden Globe Awards as well as nominations for four Primetime Emmy Awards and two Laurence Olivier Awards. Kingsley was appointed Knight Bachelor in 2002 for services to the British film industry. He was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010 and received the Britannia Award in 2013.
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Christopher Eccleston
- Occupations
- actortelevision actorcharacter actorfilm actorstage actor
- Biography
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Christopher Eccleston is an English actor. He is known for his work in various social realist television dramas, as well as for playing the ninth incarnation of the Doctor in the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who (2005).
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Jim Sturgess
- Occupations
- film actorsongwriterstage actortelevision actorsinger
- Biography
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James Anthony Sturgess is an English actor and singer-songwriter. His first major role was as Jude in the musical romance drama film Across the Universe (2007). He played the male lead role of Ben Campbell in 21 (2008), Gavin Kossef in Crossing Over (2009), The Way Back (2010), and co-starred in the epic science fiction film Cloud Atlas (2012).
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Sophia Di Martino
- Occupations
- film actoractorfilm director
- Biography
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Sophia Di Martino is an English actress known for portraying Sylvie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe television series Loki (2021–2023), which earned her two MTV Movie & TV Awards and a nomination for a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. She has also had starring roles in the television shows Casualty (2009–2011) and Flowers (2016–2018).
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Peter Kay
- Occupations
- television actoractorfilm producerstand-up comediansinger
- Biography
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Peter John Kay is an English comedian, actor, writer, and director. Born and raised in Farnworth, he studied media performance at the University of Salford and later began working part-time as a stand-up comedian. In 1997, Kay won Channel 4's So You Think You're Funny contest, and the following year, he was nominated for a Perrier Award for his show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
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Robert Powell
- Occupations
- television actorstage actoractorfilm actor
- Biography
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Robert Thomas Powell is an English actor who is known for the title roles in Mahler (1974) and Jesus of Nazareth (1977), and for his portrayal of secret agent Richard Hannay in The Thirty Nine Steps (1978) and its subsequent spinoff television series. Other major screen roles have included Tobias "Toby" Wren in the BBC science-fiction programme Doomwatch (1970), David Briggs in the sitcom The Detectives (1993–1997) with Jasper Carrott, and Mark Williams in the medical drama Holby City (2005–2011).
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Robert James-Collier
- Occupations
- television actormodelstage actoractor
- Biography
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Robert James-Collier, sometimes billed as Rob James-Collier, is a British actor widely known for his roles as Liam Connor in Coronation Street, Thomas Barrow in Downton Abbey, and Martin Evershed in Ackley Bridge.
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Maxine Peake
- Occupations
- film actoractorfilm director
- Biography
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Maxine Peake is an English actress and narrator. She is known for her roles as Twinkle in dinnerladies, a sitcom on BBC One (1998–2000), as Veronica Ball in Shameless, the comedy drama from Channel 4 (2004–2007), Martha Costello in the BBC One legal drama Silk (2011–2014), and Grace Middleton in the BBC One drama series The Village (2013–2014). In 2017, she starred in the Black Mirror episode "Metalhead". She has also played the title role in a Royal Exchange production of Hamlet, as well as the notorious serial killer Myra Hindley in See No Evil: The Moors Murders, the critically acclaimed 2006 dramatisation by ITV of the Moors murders.
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Jason Manford
- Occupations
- television actorstand-up comediantelevision presenteractor
- Biography
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Jason John Manford is an English comedian, singer, presenter and actor.
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Richard Tice
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Richard Tice is a British businessman and politician who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Boston and Skegness. He has served as Deputy Leader of Reform UK since 2024 as well as the Reform UK Business, Trade and Energy spokesperson since February 2026.
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L. S. Lowry
- Enrolled in the University of Salford
- Studied in 1925
- Occupations
- printmakerpainterartistgraphic artistvisual artist
- Biography
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Laurence Stephen Lowry RBA RA was an English artist. His drawings and paintings mainly depict Pendlebury, Lancashire (where he lived and worked for more than 40 years) as well as Salford and its vicinity.
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Afshan Azad
- Occupations
- modelYouTuberactorfilm actor
- Biography
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Afshan Noor Azad-Kazi is a British actress, model, and media personality. She is best known for playing the role of Padma Patil in the Harry Potter film series, beginning in 2005 with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
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Alok Sharma
- Occupations
- investment bankerbusinesspersonpolitician
- Biography
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Alok Kumar Sharma, Baron Sharma, is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as President for COP26 from 2021 to 2022, having previously served as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy from 2020 to 2021 and Secretary of State for International Development from 2019 to 2020. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Reading West from 2010 to 2024 and has been a member of the House of Lords since 2024.
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Norman Whiteside
- Occupations
- association football playerautobiographer
- Biography
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Norman Whiteside is a Northern Irish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder and striker.
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Steve Edge
- Occupations
- television actorstand-up comedianactorcomedian
- Biography
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Steve Edge is an English actor, writer and former stand-up comedian. He is most famous for his work on Starlings, Phoenix Nights, The Cup, The Visit, Peep Show, Benidorm, The Madame Blanc Mysteries, and the satirical magazine show Star Stories.
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Nataša Pirc Musar
- Occupations
- juristjournalistpublic relations officerpolitician
- Biography
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Nataša Pirc Musar is a Slovenian attorney, author, and politician serving as President of Slovenia since 2022. She is a former Information Commissioner (2004–2014), a former journalist, and former president of the Slovenian Red Cross (2015–2016).
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Nigel Adkins
- Occupations
- association football playerassociation football coach
- Biography
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Nigel Howard Adkins is an English professional football manager and former footballer and physiotherapist. He was most recently the manager and technical director at Tranmere Rovers.
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Sarfraz Manzoor
- Occupations
- announcerscreenwriterjournalist
- Biography
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Sarfraz Manzoor is a British journalist, documentary maker, broadcaster, and screenwriter of Pakistani origin. He is a regular contributor to The Guardian, presenter of documentaries on BBC Radio 4, and a cultural commentator who appears on programmes such as Newsnight Review and Saturday Review. His first book, Greetings from Bury Park, was published in 2007.
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Kate Scott
- Enrolled in the University of Salford
- Graduated with Bachelor of Arts
- Occupations
- television presenterjournalistsports journalistmedia consultant
- Biography
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Kate Scott is an English sports broadcaster who works primarily for CBS Sports. She is noted for her coverage of association football, and has anchored CBS's coverage of the UEFA Champions League since August 2020. Throughout her career, she has worked internationally in the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Germany, and the United States.
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Gary Stevens
- Occupations
- beach soccer playerassociation football coachassociation football player
- Biography
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Michael Gary Stevens is an English physiotherapist and retired footballer who played as a right-back.
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Dave Challinor
- Occupations
- association football playerassociation football coach
- Biography
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David Paul Challinor is an English professional football manager and former player who is the manager of EFL League One club Stockport County.
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Andrew Gwynne
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Andrew John Gwynne is a British politician who was Member of Parliament (MP) for Gorton and Denton, previously Denton and Reddish, from 2005 until his resignation in 2026. He was the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention from 2024 until February 2025, when he was dismissed and had his Labour membership suspended because of offensive messages he had written on WhatsApp.
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Debbie Abrahams
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Deborah Angela Elspeth Marie Abrahams is a British Labour Party politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Oldham East and Saddleworth (UK Parliament constituency) since 2011. Abrahams was a member of the Corbyn shadow cabinet from 2015 to 2018.
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Hong Nam-ki
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Hong Nam-ki is a South Korean politician who served as the minister of economy and finance and deputy prime minister of South Korea from 2018 to 2022 under President Moon Jae-in. He is the longest-serving holder of the office. Hong also served as the acting prime minister from April to May 2021.
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Ross Adams
- Born in
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United Kingdom - Occupations
- actortelevision actor
- Biography
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Ross Adams is an English actor, known for portraying the role of Scott Drinkwell in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks from 2015 to 2024, for which he won the British Soap Award for Best Male Dramatic Performance for in 2016. Adams has also appeared in the BBC Three sitcom The Gemma Factor and the Channel 5 drama series The Good Ship Murder.
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Gail Dines
- Occupations
- university teacherfeministwriterpublic figuresociologist
- Biography
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Gail Dines is professor emerita of sociology and women's studies at Wheelock College in Boston, Massachusetts.
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Trudy Harrison
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Trudy Lynne Harrison is a British Conservative Party politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Copeland from the February 2017 by-election to the 2024 general election. Her election marked the first time Copeland had elected a Conservative MP since 1931, and the first time the constituency had elected a female MP. Three months after her by-election victory, Harrison was re-elected in the 2017 general election and held her seat in 2019.
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Ruth Cadbury
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Ruth Margaret Cadbury is a British politician and planner who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Brentford and Isleworth since 2015. A member of the Labour Party, she was a Member of Hounslow Council from 1986 to 2015 and Deputy Leader of the Council from 2010 to 2012.
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Ash Soan
- Occupations
- drummermusician
- Biography
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Ashley Soan is a British drummer who is currently playing with Snow Patrol He has previously played live with Seal, Van Morrison, Bryan Adams, Sinéad O’Connor, Marianne Faithfull, Squeeze, The Waterboys, The Trevor Horn Band, Mike Oldfield, Lisa Stansfield, Terry Reid and Dionne Warwick He has recorded with Tate McRae, Alicia Keys, Dua Lipa, Cher, Robbie Williams, Billy Idol, Adele, Taylor Swift, Snow Patrol, Celine Dion, Rod Stewart, Seal, Tori Amos and many more
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Ieuan Evans
- Occupations
- entrepreneurrugby union player
- Biography
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Ieuan Cennydd Evans MBE is a Welsh former rugby union player. He played as a wing for Llanelli, Bath, Wales and the British and Irish Lions. He is the fourth highest try scorer for Wales and joint 32nd in the world on the all-time test try scoring list. Evans held the record for the most Wales caps as captain with 28, a record overtaken by Ryan Jones in 2012.
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Rob Hulse
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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Robert William Hulse is an English former footballer who played as a striker.
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Joe Edwards
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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Joseph Robert Edwards is an English professional footballer and coach, who plays for and captains EFL League One side Plymouth Argyle, as a full-back or midfielder.
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Sydney Chapman
- Enrolled in the University of Salford
- Studied in 1902-1904
- Occupations
- astronomeruniversity teacherphysicistmathematiciangeophysicist
- Biography
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Sydney Chapman FRS was a British mathematician and geophysicist. His work on the kinetic theory of gases, solar-terrestrial physics, and the Earth's ozone layer has inspired a broad range of research over many decades.
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George Howarth
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Sir George Edward Howarth is a British Labour Party politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Knowsley until 2024. He also served the seat's predecessors since being elected in a by-election in 1986, firstly as the MP for Knowsley North (until 1997) and then Knowsley North and Sefton East (1997–2010).
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Anwar Choudhury
- Occupations
- diplomatgovernor
- Biography
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Anwar Bakht Choudhury is a British diplomat of Bangladeshi origin. Through his career, he has served as Governor of the Cayman Islands, British Ambassador to Peru, Director of International Institutions at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and British High Commissioner to Bangladesh. Choudhury has spent much of his life working intimately with the British Bangladeshi community, cementing himself as a respected figure through his many public appearances and charitable work.
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Barbara Keeley
- Years
- 1952-.. (age 74)
- Occupations
- engineerpolitician
- Biography
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Barbara Mary Keeley, Baroness Keeley, is a British Labour Party politician. She served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Worsley and Eccles South, previously Worsley, from 2005 to 2024, and has been a member of the House of Lords since 2024.
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Meir Javedanfar
- Occupations
- journalist
- Biography
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Meir Javedanfar is an Iranian-born Israeli Middle East commentator and academic. He left Iran in 1987 and now lives in Israel. He has worked as a foreign affairs commentator at BBC Persian. With Yossi Melman, he co-authored The Nuclear Sphinx of Tehran: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the State of Iran.
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Ben Futcher
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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Benjamin Paul Futcher is an English football coach and former professional footballer, he works for the Football Association as a youth coach developer. He is the interim head coach of the England U20s.
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John Longworth
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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John Longworth is a British business consultant and politician. He was the director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce from September 2011 until March 2016, when he departed in controversy by breaking with the organisation's line on Brexit on the day of its conference.
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Victoria Coleman
- Born in
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Greece - Enrolled in the University of Salford
- 1978-1981 graduated with bachelor's degree
- 1981-1983 graduated with Master of Science
- Occupations
- computer scientist
- Biography
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Victoria Stavridou-Coleman is currently serving as the 37th chief scientist of the United States Air Force. She took her oath of office on April 6, 2021, administered by the chief of staff of the United States Air Force, Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr.
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Petrus du Plessis
- Occupations
- kinesiotherapistrugby union playerrugby union coach
- Biography
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Petrus du Plessis is a professional rugby coach and former player, most recently for Glasgow Warriors. He played as a Tighthead Prop and acted as player-coach at the club.
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Rosie Smith
- Occupations
- saxophonistmusician
- Biography
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Rosemary Ellen "Rosie" Smith is an English rock and metal musician, best known as a former touring keyboardist for English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth, with whom she remained until 2009.
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Robert Lomas
- Years
- 1947-.. (age 79)
- Occupations
- biographeruniversity teacherwriterhistorianeconomist
- Biography
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Robert Lomas is a British writer, physicist and business studies academic. He writes primarily about the history of Freemasonry as well as the Neolithic period, ancient engineering, and archaeoastronomy.
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Robert Garner
- Years
- 1960-.. (age 66)
- Occupations
- university teacherpolitical scientist
- Biography
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Robert Garner is a British political scientist, political theorist, and intellectual historian. He is a Professor Emeritus in the politics department at the University of Leicester, where he has worked for much of his career. Before working at Leicester, he worked at the University of Exeter and the University of Buckingham, and studied at the University of Manchester and the University of Salford.
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Jodie Broughton
- Occupations
- rugby league player
- Biography
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Jodie Broughton is an English former rugby league footballer who last played on the wing for the Batley Bulldogs in the Championship. He is a four-time England Knights international.
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Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Ahmad Zakiyuddin bin Abdul Rahman is a Malaysian politician and engineer who served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Penang I and Member of the Penang State Executive Council (EXCO) in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) state administration under Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and Member of the Penang State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Pinang Tunggal from May 2018 to August 2023. He has served as Chairman of the Penang Islamic Religious Council (MAINPP) since January 2021. He also served as the Deputy Chairman of MAINPP from January 2018 to his promotion to the chairmanship in January 2021. He is a member of the People's Justice Party (PKR), a component party of the PH and formerly PR coalitions.
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Luay al-Khatteeb
- Years
- 1968-.. (age 58)
- Occupations
- civil servant
- Biography
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Dr. Luay al-Khatteeb is an Iraqi independent politician who was the former Electricity Minister and member of the Federal Energy Council in the Government of Adil Abdul-Mahdi. Prior to this, he was the founding director of the Iraq Energy Institute, a think tank producing scholarship and analysis on current, historic and future energy, economy and technology trends in Iraq, as well as organizing high-level fora on energy reform in Iraq and the region.
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John Vernon Lord
- Occupations
- illustratorwriter
- Biography
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John Vernon Lord is an illustrator, author and teacher. He is widely recognized for his illustrations of various texts such as Aesop's Fables,The Nonsense Verse of Edward Lear; and the Folio Society's Myths and Legends of the British Isles. He has also illustrated classics of English literature, including the works of Lewis Carroll and James Joyce.
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Caroline Redman Lusher
- Occupations
- singer-songwriter
- Biography
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Caroline Redman Lusher is an English singer and musician, best known for being the founder and director of Rock Choir, the world's largest amateur contemporary choir.
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Rashid Al Leem
- Years
- 1966-.. (age 60)
- Biography
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H.E Dr. Rashid Alleem is the former chairman of Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA).
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Matthew Goodwin
- Occupations
- political activisttelevision presenterpolitical scientistuniversity teacher
- Biography
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Matthew James Goodwin is a British conservative political commentator, right-wing activist, political scientist and former academic, recognised for his research on right-wing movements and right-wing populism in the United Kingdom. He is a presenter at GB News, the honorary president of Reform UK's student wing, Students4Reform, and is standing for election in the constituency of Gorton and Denton in a by-election following his nomination by Reform UK on 27 January 2026.
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Andrew Procter
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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Andrew John Procter is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He made one appearance for the England C national team.
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David Slinn
- Years
- 1959-.. (age 67)
- Occupations
- diplomat
- Biography
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David Arthur Slinn CMG OBE is a retired British diplomat. He was Chargé d'Affaires to Albania in 1995 to 1996. Slinn was the first British ambassador to North Korea. Slinn was head of the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team between 2007 and 2008. He was appointed ambassador to Croatia in 2012 and retired from the Diplomatic Service in 2015. He also held posts in Geneva, Ulan Bator, Pretoria, Tirana, Belgrade, and Pristina.
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John Thompson
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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John Paul Thompson is an Irish former professional footballer. He was a tough-tackling versatile defender, although he was equally comfortable in midfield. He was a full Irish International who has also played for Nottingham Forest, Tranmere Rovers, Oldham Athletic, Notts County and Mansfield.
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James Gourlay
- Enrolled in the University of Salford
- Graduated with Doctor of Music Arts
- Occupations
- conductor
- Biography
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James Gourlay is a Scottish conductor and tubist.
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Simon Haskel, Baron Haskel
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Simon Haskel, Baron Haskel is a British Labour Party politician and life peer.
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Jody Handley
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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Jody Handley is an English former footballer from Stafford, who most recently played for FA WSL 2 club Doncaster Rovers Belles. A pacy and intelligent attacking player, she featured as both a wide midfielder and striker for England as well as clubs including Wolves Women, Liverpool Ladies and Everton Ladies. She has featured in four FA Women's Cup finals with three clubs, losing the first three but captaining Everton Ladies to their win in 2010.
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Pacome Moubelet Boubeya
- Occupations
- politicianminister
- Biography
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Pacôme Moubelet-Boubeya is a Gabonese politician. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Gabon from 2020 to 2022, he previously served in the same role from 2016 to 2017. He also was Minister of the Interior from 2015 to 2016.
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Nathan McAvoy
- Occupations
- rugby league playerrugby union player
- Biography
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Nathaniel Joseph McAvoy is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played as a centre or wing. He spent most of his club career with Salford (1994–98 and 2004–05) and Bradford Bulls (1998–2002 and 2007), but also had short spells with Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors and Leigh Centurions. At international level, he was capped four times for England between 1996 and 1999. He also played rugby union for Saracens in 2003–04. As of 2011, he is a qualified PE teacher and teaches in Manchester.
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Michael Dexter
- Years
- 1945-.. (age 81)
- Occupations
- hematologist
- Biography
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(Thomas) Michael Dexter FRS (born 15 May 1945) is a British haematologist and director of the Wellcome Trust, from 1998 to 2003.
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Andrew James Bond
- Biography
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Andrew James Bond is a former chief executive officer of Asda having resigned in April 2010.
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Neil Yates
- Occupations
- jazz musician
- Biography
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Neil Yates is a British jazz and folk musician.
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Derek Ryan
- Occupations
- squash player
- Biography
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Derek Ryan is a retired Irish professional squash player who at the peak of his career rose to No. 7 in the world rankings, and for many years was the Irish men's number 1 player.
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Paul Scott
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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Paul Scott is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League with Huddersfield Town, Bury and Morecambe.
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Roma Babuniak
- Occupations
- artist
- Biography
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Roma Babuniak is an artist whose work is associated with bone china and unglazed biscuit porcelain. She lives and works in Germany and France She has won many prizes and awards, in 1986, the 1st International Ceramics Contest Mino, Japan, (Award with Honorable Mention for outstanding achievement) and the 1999 Premio Diputacio da Valencia; International BiennalManises, Museu de ceramic de Manises, Spain among others.
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Michael Atchia
- Occupations
- academicscientist
- Biography
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Michael Atchia is a Mauritian academic. He is the former chief and programme director with the United Nations Environment Programme. He is a pioneering specialist in the field of sustainable development and has worked internationally in educational reform, international and regional environmental project management and conflict resolution, environmental education and curriculum development. As international consultant he has undertaken numerous consultancies in more than 50 countries and has worked with organizations such as UNESCO, World Health Organization, UNDP, ILO, GTZ/DSE of Germany and the British Council.
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Raymond Leonard
- Years
- 1941-.. (age 85)
- Occupations
- writerengineerpoetuniversity teacher
- Biography
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Raymond Leonard is Emeritus Professor of Industrial Technology at Manchester University, known for both his scientific and literary work.
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Nigel Linge
- Enrolled in the University of Salford
- Studied in 1983
- In 1987 graduated with Doctor of Philosophy
- Occupations
- university teacher
- Biography
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Nigel Linge FBCS FIET FHEA is Professor of Telecommunications at the University of Salford. He is a specialist in computer networking and telecommunications heritage.
