We are delighted to share that last week Ian Kenyon (F 75-79) was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Nottingham. His citation read as follows;

“Doctor of Laws honoris causa.”Pro Vice-Chancellor, Honoured Guests

 Each year we award Honorary Degrees to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to their community, excelled in their field, stimulated new ideas and shown exceptional dedication, creativity and leadership.

 As someone who epitomises all these ideals, it gives me great pleasure to introduce the recipient of today’s Honorary Degree: Ian Kenyon.

 Ian was born and brought up in Wimbledon, South London.  He enjoyed a privileged start to life, with both he and his two brothers attending private boarding schools.  He then came up to the University of Nottingham to study Civil Engineering, graduating in 1983 with a 2.1.  However, the experience of Engineering life during two summer jobs, persuaded Ian that he wanted to explore a different career path.  Ian recalls asking the then Head of Civil Engineering, Professor Pell, for a reference, but having to admit it was not for an engineering company but to join Price Waterhouse as a graduate trainee.

 The next 10 years were spent training as an auditor and then becoming a trainer for other accountants in the PriceWaterhouse training centre, mastering early laptops and software like Lotus123.

 Ian then moved into industry, becoming Finance Director of the book printer Clays of Bungay (who printed lots of bibles, cookery books and, perhaps most famously, all of the Harry Potter books).  The original appeal was their advert that sought “accountants who can manage a business”.  A definition of Ian that echoes throughout his career.

 After a period at Clays, Ian left to join the Kingfisher Group (a global retail group including UK businesses you will recognise including Woolworths, Superdrug, Comet and B&Q). He held a number of senior roles across the Group including spending 18 months working and living in France with his wife and two children. The family fully embraced the opportunity, enjoying a total French immersion: working in French and with both children attending a French nursery school. Apparently Ian agreed to a lot of things in the first few months in post until his language skills improved enough to understand what he was actually being asked!

 Further Finance Director roles followed at Sainsbury’s, Carpetright and then a time as CFO in the retail business at Carphone Warehouse before moving to HMV (thanks to a call from Ian’s old boss at Kingfisher; a reminder of the importance of building, and maintaining, a strong professional network).  Sadly it quickly became clear that HMV had too much debt and the ongoing reduction in vinyl and CD sales at the time meant the business had to be put into administration.  

 The final phase of Ian’s career has been spent in the not-for-profit sector – first as Chief Finance Officer of Cancer Research UK then into the civil service as CFO and Deputy CEO of UK Research & Innovation before moving to the Home Office and finally the Ministry of Defence.

 All of these roles benefited from Ian’s corporate experience, whilst he benefited from working in organisations where there was a purpose beyond making money. Alongside his varied working career, Ian and his wife, Louise, have always actively sought ways to serve in the community.  Ian has held Honorary Treasurer roles for various organisations including Guildford Cathedral and the Worshipful Company of Glovers of London. He is also an occasional preacher in his local church in Guildford, and regularly has to decide how to bring to life passages of the bible in simple, but not simplistic, ways. Ian and Louise have provided scholarships to enable disadvantaged students the opportunity to study engineering at The University of Nottingham; setting them on a path to rewarding careers. There has also been direct support to the University’s cancer research teams, a topic that is especially dear to Ian’s heart as he continues to suffer with cancer himself.

 Ian was appointed Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee on the University of Nottingham’s Council in January 2020.  In this voluntary role, Ian’s expertise proved invaluable, helping Council provide oversight and strategy for the university and acting as a keen ambassador for our role in education and the community.  He was awarded a CBE in the King’s Birthday Honours in 2023.

Pro Vice-Chancellor, to you and to the whole congregation it gives me great pleasure to present Ian Kenyon as eminently worthy to receive the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa.'