The Arts and Design Newsletter- September 2017- Alumni

Careers in the Arts and Design are as varied as they are exciting. The alumni featured in this edition demonstrate the diverse range of opportunities available to graduates. This edition will focus on achievements of graduates from the University of Westminster  School of Media, Arts and Design and Ravensbourne who have gone on to work in the creative industries.

Professor Aaqil Ahmed

Aaqil Ahmed graduated with a BA in Film, Video and Photographic Arts from the University of Westminster in 1992. After graduating, Aaqil began his career in television where he climbed the executive ladder. In 2009 he was appointed Head of Commissioning and Head of Religion and Ethics at the BBC, a position he held until 2016.

His TV projects have included BBC and Panorama specials, and awarding winning programmes such as Inside the Mind of a Suicide Bomber, Christianity: A History, Saving Africa’s Witch Children and The Qur’an.

 

Christopher Bailey MBE

Christopher Bailey graduated in 1993 with an undergraduate degree in Fashion and, later in 2006, he also received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Westminster. In May 2014, Christopher was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Burberry.

Christopher was honoured with an MBE in the Birthday 2009 Honours List for his services to the Fashion Industry. His career has been recognised in many other ways, but most notably:

• 2014 Designer of the Year
• 2013 and 2008 GQ Men of the Year Awards.
• 2007 Menswear Designer of the Year British Fashion Awards.

 

Sharlayne Flanders 

Sharlayne Flanders graduated from Ravensbourne in 2013 having studied Production. Ravensbourne offered Sharlayne a wealth of work opportunities while she studied, from being a stand-in on gameshows and the BAFTAs to working at the London 2012 Olympics for Open Broadcast Software.

Sharlayne has been constantly employed since graduating and is currently a freelance Assistant Producer/Casting Director. She has also founded Project Noir, an art collective dedicated to the inclusion of BAME artists in the industry, which currently boasts a network of over 2,000.

 

Tayo Odesanya

Tayo Odesanya graduated from Ravensbourne with a degree in Digital Film Production in 2015. Since graduating, her film year film ‘Maya’ has won the Bradford Widescreen Student Film of the Year Award, was screened at the Raindance Film Festival, nominated for Best Student Film of the Year at the London Short Film Festival 2016 and was screen at the Berlin International Film Festival 2016. As of writing, work had completed on ‘Annie Waits’ on which Tayo has contributed as a production manager. This is set to be released in early October at the San Diego International Film Festival.