UWE Bristol awards honorary degrees to three recipients

A leading local expert on food sustainability is among one of three recipients of honorary degrees presented by UWE Bristol this autumn.  

Joy Carey, David Lamb, and Professor Paul Olomolaiye were conferred during UWE Bristol’s graduation ceremonies between 23 and 24 November: 

Joy Carey – Master of Science

Joy is an independent Sustainable Food Systems planning consultant, focusing on cities. Through local, national, and international lenses, Joy’s work over the last three decades has focused on improving the food system from community-level activity through to policy, particularly focusing on sustainable food system solutions for crises. 

Joy is a founding Director of Bristol Food Network CIC (BFN), an organisation with a vision of transforming Bristol into a sustainable food city. BFN connects community projects, businesses and individuals who share this vision, empowering them to make the changes in their own networks.  

Joy’s career in food began in the early 1990s in Birmingham, where growing Asian and Caribbean vegetables at a community level led to more formal training and growing organic veg in Norfolk. From 1998-2009 she worked to connect growers and consumers in Bristol with the Soil Association, leading the Local Food team and developing schemes like box schemes, farmers markets and sourcing local produce for school meals. 

This vital work ranged from supporting place-based local food networks around the UK to changing public sector food procurement to securing a £1-million project to promote and explore the potential for Community Supported Agriculture schemes – all aimed at both changing food culture and influencing government policy. 

David Lamb – Doctor of the University 

David has had a varied career in investments and insurance stretching back to 1979. An Actuary by profession, he spent nearly 30 years building St. James’ Place and developing it from a business startup to the UK’s largest wealth management business, working to build an international group of fund management teams from the US, Japan, Europe, South Africa, Canada, and Australia.  

David spent 12 years on the Board as Managing Director, working with the company across the world. SJP currently has with £150bn of assets under management and a stock market value of £6bn. 

David has been a Governor at UWE for the last 10 years, and has chaired for the last three years before stepping down in July 2023. Since retiring, David has taken up a number of non-executive roles. He currently chairs Polar Capital, an asset management firm in London, and is chair of Ireland’s oldest insurance company based in Dublin.  

He is a full-time grandparent, which David describes as his most important role. 

Professor Paul Olomolaiye PhD – Doctor of Engineering 

Paul Olomolaiye has held a range of academic leadership positions throughout his career, championing a global outlook, research excellence and knowledge transfer.  

Paul gained his PhD in Civil Engineering in 1988, working briefly on a World Band Project before progressing to the University of Wolverhampton, where he spurred business growth as the Dean of Engineering and the Built Environment. In 2009, Paul joined UWE Bristol as the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Environment and Technology and later, Pro Vice Chancellor for Equalities and Civic Engagement. 

Paul assisted globalisation efforts at both the University of Wolverhampton and UWE Bristol. He generated more than £50 million for Research, Knowledge Exchange and Transnational education and established collaborative courses in France, Malaysia, Nigeria, and Hong Kong. He led global student recruitment in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, expanding an African Strategy for UWE Bristol and setting up a UWE Bristol office in Lagos, Nigeria.

Prof. Sir Steve West, Vice-Chancellor of UWE Bristol, said: 

“These individuals continue to make valuable contributions to their respective fields, championing the sustainability and global reach we value at UWE Bristol. 

I hope their examples of dedication and excellence will inspire our own graduates to take those values forward into their careers.”