Top executives from banking, finance and industry have joined a new advisory board for one of the UK’s fastest-growing business schools.

The School of Business, Management and Economics at the University of Sussex has called upon its connections in the business world to help steer it through a period of unprecedented growth.

Since forming in 2009, the School has tripled the size of its economic department and has grown its annual research income to around £2.5 million, placing it among the country’s elite.

The Advisory Board, which met for the first time this summer, will advise the School on its future strategy, influencing its teaching, research and expanding internationalism.

“This will open up a world of opportunities for our students.”

Professor Steve McGuire, Head of the School of Business, Management and Economics, said: “We’re honoured to have such a distinguished group of businesspeople give up their time to help us achieve our goal of becoming one of the world’s top business and management schools.

“Many have extensive experience of international business through their work in countries across the world, which fits in perfectly with our strong international outlook.

“This will open up a world of opportunities for our students, from new placements with top firms, to re-energised courses that are more responsive to ever-changing industry needs.”

The Chair of the Advisory Board, Dominic Rossi, is Global Chief Investment Officer of Equities at the investment management company Fidelity International.

Mr Rossi is joined on the board by:

• Tosin Ajayi - Managing Director at Morgan Stanley in London
• Ayo Akinluyi - Managing Director at Barclays Capital in London
• Fong Tuan Chen - Group Executive Vice President of Human Capital at Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank) in Kuala Lumpur
• John Claisse - Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the Albourne Group in San Francisco
• Barry Cleasby - Innovation Strategy Manager at Southern Water
• Harry Collyns - Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Consultant in Los Angeles
• Kate Croucher - University Partnership Director at FDM Group in London
• Katie Ghose - Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society in London
• Ros Kellaway - Partner at Eversheds in London
• Tamara Roberts - Chief Executive Officer at Ridgeview Wine Estate in Ditchling, East Sussex
• Rupinder Sehmi - Head of Client Advisory Services at J. Safra Sarasin bank
• Professor Luc Soete - Rector Magnificus and Professor of International Economic Relations at Maastricht University in the Netherlands
• Sandy Thomas OBE - Director at the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition (Glopan) in London
• Bing Wei - Senior Vice President of Global Initiatives at Bay Area Council in San Francisco

Further information: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/bmec/about/advisory-board/