We are delighted to confirm the following plenary speakers for the BAM2025 Conference:
Daniel Rubin
Daniel Rubin founded the fashion footwear and accessory brand Dune London in 1992.
With over three decades of experience in footwear; from shoe manufacturer to wholesaler and then retailer, he is a notable figurehead of the retail industry.
Daniel won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2014 Drapers Footwear and Accessories Awards. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant.
Professor Yvonne Benschop
Professor Yvonne Benschop is the Vice Dean of Research and Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Institute for Management Research at Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
She is the director of the interdisciplinary research group Gender and Power in Politics and Management. She has received multiple grants from Horizon Europe, Horizon 2020, FP7, ESF-EQUAL, NWO-STW, several Ministries in the Netherlands and Flanders, and private organizations for her work on the responsibility of organizations for gender equality, diversity and inclusion that is inspired by feminist organization theories and critical management studies.
She has published widely on formal and informal organization processes that produce organizational inequalities, and on interventions to sustain organizational change to intersectional equality. Recent research interests are at the crossroads of postfeminism, technofeminism and environmental feminism. Publications in English have appeared in journals such as Organization, Organzization Studies, Journal of Management Studies, Organization Theory, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Gender, Work and Organization, and Human Relations.
She has served as co-editor in chief of Organization and sits on multiple editorial boards. She is the Chair of the Dutch Network of Female Professors, and received a royal distinction for her research performance (email: [email protected]
Professor Chidiebere (Chidi) Ogbonnaya
Professor Chidiebere (Chidi) Ogbonnaya is a Professor of Human Resource Management at King’s College London. His research explores key areas such as job quality, employment relations, business ethics, responsible leadership, well-being, and performance.
Recently, his work has focused on the employment experiences of disadvantaged workers in emerging economies, analyzing strategies and policies for sustainable development. This research agenda has attracted substantial funding from multiple sources, amounting to approximately £8.2 million over his career. Chidi's work is widely published in leading academic journals, including the Journal of Management, Human Relations, Journal of Management Studies, Human Resource Management, Journal of Organizational Behavior, and the Human Resource Management Journal.
Additionally, his research has been featured in prominent practitioner and media outlets such as Harvard Business Review, MIT Sloan Management Review, Forbes, Financial Times, and The Times. Chidi also brings extensive editorial expertise, having previously served as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Business Research. He currently holds the same editorial role at Human Relations and the Journal of Management Studies.
Kali Hamerton-Stove
Kali Hamerton-Stove is co-founder of The Glasshouse project, a community interest company that harnesses horticulture and work to provide viable second chances for women in the justice system.
Established in 2020 in the disused greenhouses of HMP East Sutton Park, The Glasshouse works with women in the last years of their prison sentence, providing training and employment, working with leading corporate clients including C Hoare Bank, France’s Crick, Pearson and RenaissanceRe. With a 0% reoffending rate, compared to the national rate of 56%, The Glasshouse is an example of how productive and fulfilling employment can rebuild self belief and help women find a better way of life after custody.
Kali and The Glasshouss received the coveted RHS Gold Medal at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2024 for their exhibit conceived, designed and built by women in custody or recently released.
Professor Andre Spicer
Professor André Spicer is the Executive Dean of Bayes Business School. He is also Professor of Organisational Behaviour. He is an expert in the areas of Organisational Behaviour, Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility.
Professor Spicer is originally from Aotearoa/New Zealand. He began his studies at the University of Otago and holds a PhD from the University of Melbourne in Australia. Prior to joining City, he was a Professor of Organization Studies at the University of Warwick. He has been a visiting professor at London Business School, the Kellogg School at Northwestern, McGill University, Lund University, University of St Gallen and the University of Sydney.
Professor Spicer is an award winning teacher. He has worked with students at all levels - from first year under-graduates to top level executives in large organisations. He recently co-developed an award winning course on critical thinking for business students.
Professor Spicer is known for his research on wellbeing, organizational politics, organisational culture, employee identity, new organizational forms, work space and leadership. His work looks at a wide range of settings including knowledge intensive firms, financial institutions, government departments, seaports, universities, libraries, media organizations, and social movements.
Professor Elina Meliou
Elina Meliou is a Professor of Leadership at Southampton Business School. Her research examines the work experiences of women and minorities, particularly in contexts marked by uncertainty, and the strategies that foster inclusive leadership.
She has published her research in leading journals, including Journal of Management Studies, Human Relations, Organization Studies, Public Administration and Work Employment and Society, among others. She has received funding from the UK and European bodies.
Elina is an Associate Editor for Human Relations and a Fellow of the Higher Education (HEA) and the Royal Society of Arts (RSA). Her research has influenced organisational practice and is frequently featured in the media.
Paul Gurney
Paul Gurney is the Founder and CEO of BecomingX, a learning and development company he set up with Bear Grylls which aims to create a world where everyone can realise their potential.
He works with some of the world’s most inspiring and iconic people - Presidents, Olympic Gold Medallists, CEOs, Nobel Peace Prize winners, Oscar winning actors, astronauts etc - to demystify what it takes to succeed and to help people build the confidence and skills to succeed.
Dr Sophie Alkhaled
Sophie Alkhaled is an Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at Lancaster University Management School, UK. She is the Director of the Academy for Gender Equality and Social Justice Research in Organisations, and the Founder and Director of the Gender Equality Observatory at the School.
Sophie’s research focuses on the intersectionality of gender, entrepreneurship, empowerment and poverty alleviation, and their collective impact as a catalyst for social change and sustainable development amongst refugee and marginalised communities, particularly in Middle Eastern contexts.
She has published her work in leading journals such as Journal of International Business Studies, Organization Studies and Gender, Work and Organization. She serves as Associate Editor at Gender, Work and Organization, and is a member of the Editorial Review Board for Organization Studies.