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Alumni changemakers

Meet the inspirational Newcastle University alumni who are leading the charge through this global period of change and helping to shape a brighter future.

Abi Hannah (LLB Law, 2005)

Abi Hannah is an AI Ethics Advisor who specialises in ensuring the adoption of AI in healthcare is innovative and inclusive, particularly when it comes to underserved areas like women’s health and mental health services.

After years in healthcare management consulting, Abi’s journey took an unexpected turn when personal fertility challenges led to her co-founding Aura, a femtech startup that delivered whole-person care across the IVF journey. Now, as a Fractional Chief AI Ethics Officer, Abi helps ambitious healthtech companies navigate this same journey, turning complex ethical challenges into practical governance frameworks.

Headshot of Abi Hannah

Andrew Haldane CBE (Hon DSc, 2024)

Honorary Newcastle graduate Andrew Haldane has been widely cited as a leading Bank of England expert on financial stability. He is the former Chief Economist at the Bank of England and a member of the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee.

A North East native, having been born in Sunderland, Andrew was the UK government's Permanent Secretary for Levelling Up in 2021-2022, and currently sits on the Economic Advisory Council, a role he manages alongside his position of co-founder and President of the Pro Bono-Economics charity, which strives to encourage economists to aid charities on a voluntary basis.

Andrew was awarded a CBE in the 2023 King’s Birthday Honours for services to the economy and public policy.

Headshot of Andrew Haldane

Dr Bonahis Oko (MSc Environmental Engineering, 2007)

Dr Bonahis Oko is an expert in designing and delivering sustainability strategies and solutions across various industries. A Chartered Environmentalist, keynote speaker, and prominent sustainability thought leader, she has previously led sustainability initiatives in the energy, construction and technology sectors.

Since graduating from Newcastle University almost 20 years ago, Bonahis has dedicated her career to global sustainability projects, from contaminated land and water remediation to carbon accounting. Most recently, she has guest lectured at UCL on the topic of sustainable innovation and featured on a panel at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Azerbaijan, alongside her role as Sustainability Lead (UK&I) at leading technology and imaging company, Canon.  

Devaditya Agnihotri (BA Politics, 2019)

Devaditya Agnihotri has carved a successful career in national and international policy since graduating from Newcastle University in 2019.

As a new graduate, he supported the creation of the UN’s ‘Our Common Agenda’ report, sharing the Secretary-General's vision for the future of global cooperation. More recently, Devaditya has lent his data and engagement expertise to UNICEF India and India’s Ministry of External Affairs, where he is currently a consultant.

Headshot of Devaditya Agnihotri

Jennifer Hartley MBE (LLM International Law, 2003)

Jennifer Hartley is a seasoned economic development director with a proven track record of attracting new businesses, investment and job opportunities to Newcastle. As Assistant Director of Capital Investment and Growth at Newcastle City Council, Jenny is responsible for developing and delivering major projects to stimulate investment and development across our city.

Jenny previously led Invest Newcastle, the inward investment agency for Newcastle and Gateshead, working to bring global organisations and funds to the North East to provide opportunities for local residents. In 2024, Jenny was recognised with an MBE for services to Business and Trade.

Headshot of Jenny Hartley

Kirils Holstovs (MEng Civil and Structural Engineering, 2019)

Despite still being in the early stages of his career, Newcastle graduate Kirils Holstovs has been the driving force behind numerous local and global climate initiatives. He is a passionate speaker and activist who inspires individuals and organisations to take systematic action on climate change and sustainable development.


Since graduating from Newcastle University, Kirils has presented to international peers at three United Nations Climate Change Conferences (COP26, COP27 and COP28), as well as high-profile industry events, providing policy recommendations to governments and sharing impactful initiatives. Kirils also volunteers as the North East Climate Change Lead for the Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE) and co-leads an international team of outstanding young engineers at the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO). At AECOM, Kirils works as a bridge engineer and coordinates the company’s response to net zero in the Bridges & Structures subsector. 

Headshot of Kirils Holstovs

Professor Paul Kennedy CBE FBA (BA Hons History, 1966; Hon DLitt, 1991)

History graduate and North East native Paul Kennedy is internationally renowned for his writings and commentaries on global political, economic, and strategic issues, and currently lectures at Yale University in the USA.

Paul has published nineteen books in his lifetime, with a particular focus on the history of British foreign policy and great power struggles. His best known book is the 1988 publication ‘The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers’, which assesses the interaction between economics and strategy over the past five centuries and which provoked intense debate when released. Paul also regularly writes for The New York Times, The Atlantic, and many foreign-language newspapers and magazines, with his monthly column on current global issues distributed worldwide by the Tribune Content Agency.

Dr Scott Stainton (BEng Electronics and Computer Engineering, 2016; PhD, 2022)

Dr Scott Stainton is an AI entrepreneur with a passion for utilising technology to drive better business outcomes. His PhD at Newcastle University investigated the use of AI in communication networks for autonomous vehicles, and following this he worked in academia studying the application of AI for low power embedded devices and medical imaging.

Today, Scott is the Technology Director at Collaboraite, a human-centred Data and AI company primarily focussed in the secure government and law enforcement space, and of the Responsible AI Network (RAIN), which works to ensure that technological advancements align with the values of transparency, fairness, and accountability. Alongside these roles, Scott is also a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Groups for both AI and Blockchain.