Our alumni

Elizabeth Banks (Diploma in Landscape Architecture, 1980)
Landscape designer. Chairman of Elizabeth Banks Associates.

Natasha Bedingfield (Psychology, 2000-2001)
Pop singer. Her debut album Unwritten reached number one in the UK Albums Chart in 2004 and These Words reached number one in the Singles Chart the same year.

Malorie Blackman (HNC Computer Science, Thames Polytechnic)
Children’s writer. Her output includes the much acclaimed Noughts and Crosses trilogy: Noughts and Crosses, Knife Edge and Checkmate. Noughts and Crosses was in the top one hundred in the BBC’s Big Read in 2004 (the only work by a black writer in that list). The TV version of her story Pig-heart Boy won the BAFTA Award for the Best Children’s Drama in 2000.

Ann Brightwell (née Packer) MBE (Dartford College of Physical Education, 1963)
Gold medal-winning athlete. Won the gold medal in the 800 metres at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Dr Campbell Christie CBE (Woolwich Polytechnic)
General Secretary of the Scottish TUC 1986-1998. Dr Campbell has also held the following positions: Board Member of Scottish Enterprise; Non-Executive Director of South West Trains Ltd; President of the Scottish Civic Forum; Vice Chairman of British Waterways and Chair of the British Waterways Scotland; Chairman, Falkirk Football Club (Scottish Premiership).

Laurie Cokell (Business Studies, 1983)
Formerly Managing Director of London Records, one of the major independent record companies in the UK, which was sold to Warner Brothers in 2000 for $200m. The label's many well-known artists included the pop band All Saints.

Margaret Ewing (Business Studies, Thames Polytechnic) 
Chief Financial Officer and Board Member of BAA, the world's leading airport company, responsible, among others, for Heathrow and Gatwick. Previously Group Finance Director of Trinity Mirror plc, the UK’s largest newspaper publisher. She is now Vice-Chairman of the Deloitte accountancy firm.

Graham Farrant (Environmental Health, 1987)
Chief Executive of Leisure Connection Ltd, the UK's largest operator of public sector sports and leisure facilities. Formerly Chief Executive of the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham.

William Fletcher (International Marketing, 1969)
Chairman of Teva North America,one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world.

Professor Wilem Frischmann CBE (Hammersmith College of Art & Building)
Designer/Architect and Chairman of the Pell Frischmann Group.

Mark Furlong (Thames Polytechnic)
Commercial Director of The Trainline (rail information service and retailer). Formerly Executive Commercial Directorof Virgin Trains, and Marketing Directorof Eurostar (UK).

Michael Goy (Business Studies, Thames Polytechnic)
Former Managing Director of Railway Pensions Management (RPMI), which included the Railways Pension Scheme. Named Pension Scheme Manager of the Year 2006.

Pippa Guard (English with Drama, 1998)
Actress, whose TV credits include the BBC sitcom Roger, Roger and TV dramas: Dalziel and Pascoe; Hope and Glory; Peak Practice and Hearts and Bones.

Gareth Hale (BEd, Avery Hill College, 1974)
Comedian and actor. One half of the Hale and Pace duo, he first met Norman Pace at Avery Hill College. Currently appearing in ITV's Heartbeat spinoff The Royal.

Peter Heather (Civil Engineering, 1975)
Former Director of Operations in Street Management for TfL (Transport for London). Responsible for implementing London's congestion charging policy.

Rachel Heyhoe Flint OBE (Diploma in Physical Education, Dartford College of Physical Education, 1960)
As a women's international cricketer, she captained the first women's team to play at Lords. She was one of the first female members of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Committee.

James Holah (LLB Law, 1998)
Has worked in the kitchens of some of the world's finest chefs including Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay and is now Head Chef at The Ritz. Won the prestigious Master of Culinary Arts prize for Culinary Skills in October 2009.

Brian Jacks ( Avery Hill College, 1976)
Won Olympic medal in Judo in 1972, but better known for his performances in the TV programme, Superstars, in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Matt James (Sociology, 1986)
Drummer with the band Gene.

Professor Charles Kao CBE (Woolwich Polytechnic, 1957)
Pioneer in fibre optics, later Vice-Chancellor of the Chinese University in Hong Kong. His research enabled the use of fibre optics in telecommunications and led to the development of the internet, video conferencing and electronic commerce. In 1999 Asiaweek Magazine nominated Professor Kao as one of the top five Asians of the 20th Century, ranking him alongside Gandhi and Deng Xiao Ping. In October 2009 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for "groundbreaking achievements concerning the transmission of light in fibers for optical communication".

Graham Kendrick ( BEd, 1972)
Christian worship leader. Kendrick is probably the most influential Christian singer-songwriter of his generation. His songs and hymns are sung by millions of people in numerous languages around the world. The song Shine Jesus Shine entered the UK charts and has been the UK's most popular contemporary worship song ever since. His album "What Grace" was the UK's number 1 best selling praise and worship album of 2001. Graham received a Dove Award in 1995 for his international work and is listed in Who's Who. Graham is a co-founder of 'March for Jesus', the annual global event with over 12 million people from 177 nations taking to the streets to proclaim their faith in Jesus Christ.

Lady Arabella Lennox-Boyd ( Landscape Architecture, 1979)
Landscape Architect and designer of six Chelsea Flower Show gold medal winning gardens with the latest accomplished this year. Winner of the Best Garden Award in 1998.

Alasdair Liddell CBE (DMS, Thames Polytechnic)
Director of Planning for the NHS, Department of Health from 1994-2000.

Brian Manley CBE (Physics, 1953)
Formerly Chairman of AT&T Network Systems (UK) Ltd and Pye Telecommunications Ltd.

Baron Marsh (Woolwich Polytechnic)
Politician and businessman. Former roles include: Minister of Power, 1966-68; Minister of Transport, 1968-70; Chairman, British Railways Board, 1971-76; MP for Greenwich, 1959-71.

Paul Marson-Smith ( Business Studies, 1984)
Chief Executive of Gresham (a private equity specialist).

John Mavor (Woolwich Polytechnic)
Formerly Vice-Chancellor of Napier University, Edinburgh.

Robert Naylor (Applied Chemistry, 1972)
Chief Executive, University College London Hospitals.

Norman Pace (Bed,1975)
Comedian and actor. One half of the Hale and Pace duo, he first met Gareth Hale at Avery Hill College.

Ailsa Petchey (Business Studies, 1993)
Co-founder of Virgin Brides.

Richard Pybus (Cert Ed FE, 1991)
Cricket coach. Coached the Pakistan national team, whom he guided to the final of the World Cup in 1999, and the Border Province in South Africa. Currently coach of Eastern Titans, again in South Africa.

Eric Reid (Applied Chemistry, Woolwich Polytechnic, 1950)
Director (and previously Chairman) of the Association of Retired and Persons of 50 (ARP 050), the UK's leading social and campaigning membership organisation for seniors. Vice President of EURAG (European arm).

Colin Richards (PGCE, Avery Hill College, 1965)
Educationalist. Formerly Assistant Director of Inspection (Primary Education) in Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education).

George Rose (Business Studies, 1972)
Group Finance Director, BAE Systems.

Rav Singh (Cultural Studies, 1996)
Formerly showbusiness reporter at The News of the World, now reporting for Reveal magazine. Previously Deputy Editor of The Sun's 'Bizarre' column, he won the Showbusiness Reporter of the Year Award at the British Press Awards in both 2002 and 2004.

Peter Skinner ( PGCE HE, 1992)
Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for south-east England.

Kevin Stanford (Mechanical Engineering, Thames Polytechnic)
Retail entrepreneur. Co-founder of the Karen Millen fashion chain.

William G Stewart (Woolwich Polytechnic)
Broadcaster, producer and writer. Also presenter of Fifteen-to-One on Channel Four.

Hilary Strong (Avery Hill College, 1975)
Director of the Greenwich Theatre.

Gareth Thomas (PGCE FE, 1992)
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development (DfID). MP for Harrow West since 1997.

Michele Verroken (Dartford College of Physical Education)
Director of Ethics and Drug Free Sport at UK Sport, 1986-2004

Keith Warren (Woolwich Polytechnic)
Electronic Engineer and Technical Director. Formerly Technical Director of Plessey Group and Managing Director of Advanced Development & Research, Keith later became Technical Director of the company that designed and manufactured the first practical small hand-held cellular phones and was joint founder of the company which created the software that provides protection on CDs and videos.