Honorary Degree Recipients
At each graduation ceremony, Richmond honours persons of distinction who have made significant contributions in a professional field, either to the life of their country or internationally. The following individuals have received honorary degrees from Richmond American University London.
2023
Cynthia Hsiung
Executive Producer, Writer, Director and Development Executive
Mark Allen
Executive Chairman of Mark Allen Group
2022
Mark Ellis
Director and co-founder of RIASA
2020/2021
Peter Williams CBE
Educationalist
2019
Bobby Chinn
International Chef and Restaurateur
2018
A. Michael Hoffman
Co-Founder and Chairman, Palamon Capital Partners
Senanu Arkutu
Founder and CEO of DAAR Living
2017
Sir Alec Edward Reed
Founder of Reed Executive Ltd
Gaia Trussardi
Former Creative Director of Trussardi Group
The Rt Hon. Lord David Willetts
Former Minister of State for Universities and Science
2016
Richard McCarthy
Executive Director of Slow Food USA
Sir Malcolm Rifkind KCMG, QC
Conservative Politician and former Foreign Secretary
2015
Dr Paul Fisher
Deputy Head of the PRA and Executive Director, Supervisory Risk and Regulatory Operations, the Bank of England
Dr Allan E. Goodman
President and Chief Executive Officer, Institute of International Education
2014
William Gertz
President and CEO of The American Institute for Foreign Study
Nazia Hassan (deceased)
Musician and Humanitarian (alumna)
2013
Lord Griffiths of Fforestfach
Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs International
His Excellency Professor Kwaku Danso-Boafo
High Commissioner of Ghana to the Court of St James
2012
Lord Adonis
Chair, Progress
Professor Robert Leppard
Former Provost & Special Advisor to the President
Richmond, The American International University in London
2011
Kevin Everett
Chairman of the Board, Sir John Cass’s Foundation
Professor Julia Jeannet (deceased)
Founder of the Foundations Program
Richmond, The American International University in London
Deirdre Simpson
Former Director Alumni Relations
Richmond, The American International University in London
2010
George Garfield Weston
Chief Executive, Associated British Foods plc
Mariam Assefa
Executive Director & CEO
World Education Services, New York
2009
Professor Jos Hackforth-Jones
Director, Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London
Sir Robert Worcester KBE DL
Chairman Ipsos Group, Chairman & Founder of MORI
2008
Dr. Lionel Barber
Editor, The Financial Times
Dr. Norman R. Smith
Former President, Richmond The American International University in London
Sir Sigmund Sternberg
Co-founder, The Three Faiths Forum
Professor Alice Tomic
Intercultural Communications Specialist
2007
The Lord Watson of Richmond CBE
Chairman, The Cambridge Foundation
Chairman, CTN Communications
Trustee, Richmond The American International University in London
Dr. Anthony Seldon
Master of Wellington College
Dame Mary Richardson (retired)
Chief Executive, HSBC Trust
Dr. William Mules (retired)
Former Head of the American School in London
2006
The Baroness Deech DBE
Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education
Dr. Amelia Chilcott Fawcett CBE
Former Vice-Chairman, Morgan Stanley International
Dr. David Hempleman-Adams MBE, OBE
Explorer, Cold Climate Expeditions Ltd
2005
Dr. Russel R. Taylor
Trustee Emeritus
Richmond, The American International University in London
Dr. Robert W. Selander
Presidents and CEO of Mastercard International
Professor Sir Christopher Frayling
Rector and Vice-Provost, Royal College of Art
Chairman, Arts Council England
2004
Dr. Vivian Day Stroh
Alumna & Trustee
Richmond, The American International University in London
Dr. Laura H. Harris
Alumna and Former Trustee
Richmond, The American International University in London
Professor Brenda M. Gourley
Vice-Chancellor, The Open University
2003
Dr. Deborah McLean
Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Richmond, The American International University in London
Professor Graham Zellick
Former Vice-Chancellor, University of London
The Rt Hon. Michael Portillo
Former Member of Parliament for Kensington & Chelsea
2002
Dr. Walter McCann
Former President
Richmond, The American International University in London
Dr. Alba Ambert
Former Writer in Residence
Richmond, The American International University in London
Dr. Richard Resch
Former Provost & Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Richmond, The American International University in London
Dr. John Fairbairn
Trustee, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation
Dame Pauline Harris DBE
Trustee, Philip & Pauline Harris Charitable Trust
Dr. John Kuhnle
Managing Director Education Practice, Korn/Ferry International
Trustee Emeritus
Richmond, The American International University in London
2001
Ambassador Harriet Elam-Thomas (retired)
Former Ambassador of the United States of America to the Republic of Senegal
Professor The Baroness Greenfield CBE
Professor of Pharmacology, Oxford University
Director, Royal Institution of Great Britain
Dr. James Ragan
Poet
Doctor of Letters
The Earl of Limerick (deceased)
Former Chancellor, London Guildhall University
Dr. John Morgridge
Chairman Emeritus, Cisco Systems Inc.
The Rt Hon. The Lord Woolf
Former Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
2000
Dr. Helen Bamber OBE
Founder & Director, Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture
The Lord Puttnam CBE
Film Producer
Dr. Roger Walther
Chairman, First Republic Bank
Chairman & CEO, Tusker Corporation
Dr. George Steven Blumenthal
Former Chairman, NTL Inc.
Dr. Nemir A. Kirdar
Founder, President & CEO of Investcorp
Dr. Anthony Taylor
Former Trustee
Richmond, The American International University in London
1999
The Hon. Philip Lader
Former Ambassador of the United States of America to the Court of St.James
Sir Colin Southgate KT
Former Chairman, EMI Group Plc
Former Chairman, The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Dr. Zoe Wanamaker
Actor
Dr. Clifford D. Joseph
Barrister-at-Law
Trustee, Richmond, The American International University in London
Sir Mark Tully KBE
Freelance Journalist and Broadcaster
1998
Sir John Bond KT
Group Chairman, HSBC Holdings plc
Senator Zell Miller
Former Governor of the State of Georgia
Former United States Senator for the State of Georgia
Sir Joseph Rotblat KCMG (deceased)
Physicist
Dr. John Brademas
President Emeritus of New York University
Professor Malcolm Frazer CBE
Former Chief Executive, Council for National Academic Awards
Dr. Alfredo Gomez Gil
Professor and Poet
1997
Dr. Anastasios Christodoulou CBE (deceased)
Former Secretary-General, Association of Commonwealth Universities
Former Trustee, Richmond, The American International University in London
Dr. Stephen R. Portch
Former Chancellor, Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia
Dr Rasha Al-Sabah
Under Secretary, Ministry of Higher Education, Kuwait
Dr Eve Arnold OBE (deceased)
Photographer
Sir John Daniel KT
Assistant Director-General for Education, UNESCO
Former Vice-Chancellor, The Open University
Professor Stanley Glasser
Emeritus Professor of Music, University of London
Academic Governor, Richmond, The American International University in London
Sir Cyril Taylor GBE
Chairman, American Institute for Foreign Study
Founder & Chairman of the Specialist Schools & Academic Trust (1987-2005)
1996
The Lord Harris of Peckham KT
Chairman, Carpetright plc
Dr. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend
Former Lieutenant Governor, State of Maryland
Dr. Edwin M. Yoder Jr.
Columnist, The Washington Post Writers Group
Professor of Journalism & Humanities, Washington & Lee University, Lexington
Sir Stanley Kalms Kt
President, Dixons Group plc
Dr. Herbert Kretzmer
Journalist and Lyricist
Dr. Hans Rausing
Former Chairman & CEO, Tetra Laval Group
1995
Dr. Robert J. Brennan (deceased)
Chairman, Metro International
Trustee, Richmond, The American International University in London
The Lord Sutherland of Houndwood KT
Former Vice-Chancellor, University of London
Former Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of Edinburgh
Dr. Garry Weston (deceased)
Former Chairman, Associated British Foods Plc
Dr. William J. Crowe Jr.
Former Ambassador of the United States of America to the Court of St. James
Dr. Michael Eizenberg
Former President, American Council for International Studies
Former Trustee, Richmond, The American International University in London
Dr. Stephen J. Trachtenberg
Former President & Professor of Public Administration
The George Washington University
1994
The Rt Hon. The Lord Baker of Dorking CH
Former Secretary of State for Education and Science
Dr Michael Morgan
Former Principal, The Froebel Educational Institute, London
Trustee Emeritus, Richmond, The American International University in London
Professor The Lord Quirk of Bloomsbury CBE, FBA
Trustee, The Wolfson Foundation
Former President, British Academy
Former Vice-Chancellor, University of London
Former Academic Governor
Richmond, The American International University in London
The Lord Attenborough of Richmond upon Thames CBE
Performing Arts Director and Actor
Dr. Lawrence Tindale (deceased)
Former Deputy Chairman 3i plc
Former Trustee, Richmond, The American International University in London
Dr. Donald Woods (deceased)
International Lecturer and Broadcaster
1993
The Lord Renwick of Clifton KCMG
Former Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Washington
The Lord Briggs of Lewes
Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Academic Governors, Richmond The American International University in London
Former Chancellor, The Open University
Former Provost, Worcester College, Oxford
Former Vice-Chancellor, Sussex University
Professor Sir Ernst Gombrich (deceased)
Director Emeritus of the Warburg Institute, University of London
Former Academic Governor
Richmond, The American International University in London
The Lord Marshall of Knightsbridge
Former Chairman, British Airways Plc
1992
Dr Raymond G.H. Seitz
Former Ambassador of the United States of America to the Court of St. James
Dr William Petrek (deceased)
Former President, Richmond, The American International University in London
