Professor John French

John is active in sustainable finance and investment, corporate governance, infrastructure projects, risk management and the green built environment. He has a track record in large capital projects with high beneficial impact on carbon reduction and sustainability and is leading a number of major new capital and development projects including the low carbon retrofit of the Institute’s new City Centre Building.

John’s approach is collaborative and multi-disciplinary. The business start-up and SME community is an area of great interest along with the ideation and creation of start-up and spin out businesses. Teaching areas include creative entrepreneurship, enterprise and business creation as well as more established subjects like sustainable built environment. With his track record in this area and his ongoing portfolio of responsibilities at UEA where he created the award winning Enterprise Centre, he is bringing a new dimension to the work of the Institute as it continues to expand.

He is actively involved in the life of Wolfson College and the student and executive communities. He is member of the Institute of Directors, an experienced Director and Non-Executive Director and Trustee supporting a number of organisations and businesses and charities. He is closely involved in the delivery of the new culture district in East London with the London Mayors Office through his role as Innovation Funding Advisor and Chair of the London Fashion Fund.

Outside his academic work John is a member of Rotary International and is Alumni Chair for District 1080 and he is also Chairman of the Sudbury Society.