(Clockwise from top-left): Kirstine Dale, Emmie Kell, Mel Squires and Erika Brodnock

Centre for Leadership announces new Honorary Professor and Leadership Fellows

The University of Exeter is delighted to announce Kirstine Dale, Co-Director for the Joint Centre for Excellence in Environmental Intelligence, as a new Honorary Professor within the Business School. 

Kirstine joins three new Fellows also appointed this month to the Centre for Leadership: these include entrepreneur Erika Brodnock, museums expert Emmie Kell and NFU SW Director Mel Squires MBE.

Together, the four women bring insight, energy and experience to the Business School, working with Faculty members to contribute their leadership expertise and helping to facilitate stronger links between the Centre and the wider business and civic landscape:

Erika Brodnock is an entrepreneur and Visiting Research Fellow at Kings College London. Erika has a strong background in entrepreneurship, having established a number of businesses. She teaches on the entrepreneurship programmes at the Universities of Exeter and Surrey and is a PhD candidate and Researcher in the Inclusion Initiative at LSE. Erika has an impressive track record in diversity and inclusion, employee wellbeing and business process improvement

Kirstine Dale is the Met Office’s Principal Fellow for Data Science and Co-Director for the Joint Centre for Excellence in Environmental Intelligence at the Met Office. With a strong multidisciplinary background across natural and social sciences, business management (including an MBA from the University of Exeter), and vocational training in project, programme and research management, she leads the strategy of the group in areas covering R&D, Infrastructure Development, Capability Building, and Research Applications. Kirstine is a strong and longstanding champion for increased diversity, equality and inclusion and the power of interdisciplinary working.

Emmie Kell is the Director of Museums and Cultural Property at Arts Council England. Prior to taking up the role at the Arts Council, Emmie was the Chief Executive of the Cornwall Museums Partnership. Emmie brings to the Business School a track record in charity governance, experience of using emerging technologies in heritage settings to drive innovation and increased audience participation and the contribution of museums and heritage to issues of social justice and equity.

Mel Squires is the South West Regional Director of the National Farmers Union (NFU). She holds a non-executive role on the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), is a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies and was awarded an MBE in 2008. Mel brings to the Business School her long-held passion for farming, food and rural affairs with a strong track record in leadership at the NFU and within the farming industry.

New Fellows join a growing cohort of Fellows, who work with Faculty members to maximise the potential sharing of learning about leadership from both academic and practitioner perspectives.

Professor Alexandra Gerbasi, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean of the University of Exeter Business School, said: “We are delighted to welcome Kirstine as Honorary Professor and Erika, Emmie and Mel as new Fellows and look forward to collaborating with them in the coming years. 

"It’s so important that, as a Business School, we connect with our regional and national institutions and the leaders within them. Our new appointees join our growing and diverse group of Honorary Professors and Fellows”.

Date: 24 May 2022