Business leader awarded honorary degree
The University of Salford has awarded an honorary degree to local business leader and strategist Sean O’Hara.
Until recently, Sean was the Deputy Chair of the University of Salford’s governing Council. The University Council is responsible for the strategic oversight of the institution’s activities, determining its future direction and ensuring compliance with its framework of governance.
Sean joined as a volunteer Independent Member of the University Council in 2014 before going on to hold positions including Chair of the Finance and Resources Committee, member of Remuneration Committee, the Governance Nominations and Ethics Committee, and the Honorary Degrees Committee. During this time, the University has grown from less than 20,000 students to over 30,000 students.
Sean has over 30 years’ experience of strategic commercial leadership. He initially started his career as a graduate trainee for the Manchester based, Tootal Group plc, before going on to work for several multinational companies in senior Board level leadership roles. This included working as a Director on the Group Management Board of PZ Cussons plc, the FTSE 250 listed consumer products group, based here in the North West, with operations across Asia, Africa and Europe. More recently, Sean went on to create his own international strategy consultancy.
Passionate about higher education and how it is delivered at the University of Salford, Sean brought his commercial acumen and experience of growth and partnership strategies within industry to support the university through a period of great change. Sean’s clarity and consistent championing of the student experience played a key role in helping deliver an innovative new strategy for the university; built on the years of technical heritage, putting industry at the heart of curriculum design to produce employment ready graduates.
On receiving his award, Sean said: “I am incredibly grateful and proud to receive this honorary award. I enjoyed my nine years volunteering on the University’s governing council as Deputy Chair, where I met and worked with many incredible employees and students, who have helped to make the University of Salford such a fantastic institution.”
