39 Notable alumni of Birmingham City University
Updated: June 03, 2026 EliteDegrees
Birmingham City University is ranked #1,178 in the world and #89 in United Kingdom by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 39 notable alumni from Birmingham City University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff. Many individuals affiliated with Birmingham City University won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. Alison Mardell
1968-. (aged 58)
air force officer
solicitor
lawyer
Air Vice-Marshal Alison Mardell is a British solicitor and retired Royal Air Force (RAF) officer. From 2017 to 2019, she has served as Director of Legal Services (RAF) and head of the RAF Legal Branch.
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2. Roger Jones
1948-. (aged 78)
composer
Roger William Jones is an English musician and composer of church music. Alongside writing cantatas and hymn tunes he leads workshops and conducts performances of his works both around the UK and in other countries.
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3. Paul Tilsley
Paul Tilsley CBE is a British local politician. He was deputy leader of Birmingham City Council and the senior Liberal Democrat in the council's ruling Liberal Democrat–Conservative coalition. As of 2023, he is the council's longest-serving member, and was previously Lord Mayor of Birmingham, in 1993–4.
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4. Paul McDonald
1961-. (aged 65)
literary critic
Paul McDonald is a British academic, comic novelist, and poet. He teaches English and American Literature at the University of Wolverhampton, where he also runs the Creative and Professional Writing Programme.
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5. Jack Rubinacci
1975-. (aged 51)
singer
composer
singer-songwriter
Giuliano Alberto Brian "Jack" Rubinacci is an Anglo-Italian singer, musician, songwriter and author. His songs have been recorded or covered by several different well-known artists throughout the world.
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6. Jonathan Shaw
2001-2004 (aged 3)
photographer
academic
Jonathan Shaw is a British photographer and educator.
7. Ian Walters
1930-2006 (aged 76)
sculptor
Ian Homer Walters was an English sculptor.
8. Mona Arshi
1970-. (aged 56)
poet
Mona Arshi is a British poet and novelist. She won the Forward Prize for Poetry, Best First Collection in 2015 for her debut collection, Small Hands. She has also won the Manchester Poetry Prize. Her debut novel, Somebody Loves You, was shortlisted for the Jhalak Prize and the Goldsmiths Prize.
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9. Stephen Lowe
1944-. (aged 82)
Anglican priest
Stephen Richard Lowe was, until his retirement in July 2009, the suffragan Bishop of Hulme in the Anglican Diocese of Manchester, Link Bishop for Namibia and Chair of the Urban Bishops Panel. From 1988 to 1999 he had served as Archdeacon of Sheffield.
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10. John Shelley
1959-. (aged 67)
illustrator
John Shelley is a British illustrator, particularly noted for his work in Japan.
11. David Prentice
1936-2014 (aged 78)
visual artist
painter
David Prentice was an English artist and former art teacher. In 1964 he was one of the four founder members of Birmingham's Ikon Gallery.
12. Russell George
1974-. (aged 52)
politician
Russell Ian George is a Welsh politician who has been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Montgomeryshire since the 2011 election. He formerly sat as a member of the Welsh Conservative Party, but now sits as an independent, after being suspended from the Conservative party in April 2025 pending trial for serious gambling offences.
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13. Henry Payne
1868-1940 (aged 72)
painter
Henry Albert Payne RWS, also known as "Henry Arthur Payne", was a British stained glass artist, watercolourist and painter of frescoes.
14. Paul Bradshaw
journalist
blogger
Professor Paul Bradshaw is an online journalist and blogger, who leads the MA in Data Journalism at Birmingham City University. He manages his own blog, the Online Journalism Blog, and was the co-founder of Help Me Investigate, an investigative journalism website funded by Channel 4 and Screen WM. He has written for journalism.co.uk, Press Gazette, The Guardian's Data Blog, Nieman...
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15. Christine GZ
1993-. (aged 33)
racing automobile driver
television presenter
Christine Giampaoli Zonca, more commonly known by her nickname Christine GZ, is an Italian-Spanish rally and off-road race driver. After an off-road racing career in America, competing with the team Dynamic Racing, Zonca raced in Europe with the Avatel Telecom Race Team. In late 2020, Zonca scored a third place in the Andalucia Rally round of the FIA World Cross...
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16. Jim Crace
1946-. (aged 80)
novelist
short story writer
writer
playwright
author
James Crace FRSL is an English novelist, playwright and short story writer. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1999, Crace was born in Hertfordshire and has lectured at the University of Texas at Austin. His novels have been translated into 28 languages—including Norwegian, Japanese, Portuguese and Hebrew.
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17. Patrick Le Quément
1945-. (aged 81)
designer
Patrick Gilles Marie Le Quément is a retired French car designer, formerly chief designer of Renault. Born in France but brought up in the United Kingdom, Le Quément holds a BA Hons. degree in Product Design from Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, and an MBA from Danbury Park Management Centre.
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18. Stephen Booth
1952-. (aged 74)
writer
pet breeder
journalist
Stephen Booth is an English crime-writer. He is the author of the Derbyshire-set Cooper and Fry series.
19. Bunny Guinness
1955-. (aged 71)
landscape architect
journalist
television presenter
horticulturist
Peta "Bunny" Guinness is a British chartered landscape architect, journalist and radio personality who is a regular panellist on the long-running BBC Radio 4 programme, Gardener's Question Time. She also writes a weekly column in the Sunday Telegraph. She presented The Great Garden Challenge on Channel 4 in 2005.
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20. Robert van 't Hoff
1887-1979 (aged 92)
architect
furniture designer
Robert van 't Hoff, born Robbert van 't Hoff, was a Dutch architect and furniture designer. His Villa Henny, designed in 1914, was one of the earliest modernist houses and one of the first to be built out of reinforced concrete. From 1917 he was an influential member of the De Stijl movement.
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21. Roger Hiorns
1975-. (aged 51)
draftsperson
artist
sculptor
visual artist
textile artist
Roger Hiorns RA is a British artist based in London. His primary media is sculpture and installation, using a wide variety of materials, including metals, wood and plastics. He also works in the media of video and photography.
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22. Luke Perry
1983-. (aged 43)
television presenter
filmmaker
sculptor
Luke Perry is an English artist known for his monumental sculptures most especially those celebrating under-represented peoples and the heritage of the Industrial Revolution, particularly in the Black Country. He is the director and chief artist of his non-profit company Industrial Heritage Stronghold.
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23. Laurie Baker
1917-2007 (aged 90)
paramedic
architect
Lawrence Wilfred "Laurie" Baker was a British-born Indian architect who focussed on cost-effective energy-efficient architecture and designs that maximized space, ventilation and light. Influenced by Mahatma Gandhi and his own experiences in the remote Himalayas, he promoted the revival of regional building practices and use of local materials; and combined this with a design philosophy that emphasized a responsible and...
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24. Dave Swarbrick
1941-2016 (aged 75)
musician
guitarist
violinist
fiddler
singer
David Cyril Eric Swarbrick was an English traditional folk musician and songwriter who primarily played the violin. He was one of the most highly regarded musicians produced by the second British folk revival, contributing to some of the most important groups and projects of the 1960s, and he became a much sought-after session musician, which led him throughout his career...
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25. Mark Williams-Thomas
1970-. (aged 56)
journalist
Mark Alan Williams-Thomas is an English investigative journalist, documentary maker, television presenter, podcaster and private investigator. Before becoming an investigative reporter, he worked as a policeman and family liaison officer with Surrey Police.
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26. Mike Amesbury
1969-. (aged 57)
politician
council member
Michael Lee Amesbury is a British former politician who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Runcorn and Helsby (previously Weaver Vale) from 2017 until 2025. Formerly a member of the Labour Party, he was suspended in October 2024 and resigned his party membership in January 2025.
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27. Noel Quinn
1962-. (aged 64)
businessperson
banker
Sir Noel Paul Quinn is a British banker who served as group chief executive of HSBC from March 2020 to September 2024, having first been appointed interim chief executive in August 2019.
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28. Khalid Mahmood
1961-. (aged 65)
politician
Khalid Mahmood is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Perry Barr from 2001 until 2024 when he lost his seat.
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29. Kirsten O'Brien
1972-. (aged 54)
television presenter
stand-up comedian
actor
comedian
Kirsten Lindsey O'Brien is an English television, radio presenter and actress. She is best known for her work presenting for the BBC, including the CBBC art programme SMart from 1999 to 2009, the CBeebies pre-school art spin-off programme SMarteenies in 2002. Since 2024 she has been the presenter of BBC Radio Berkshire's mid-morning programme, and previously, the Breakfast Show.
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30. Nus Ghani
1972-. (aged 54)
politician
Nusrat Munir Ul-Ghani is a British Conservative Party politician and Member of Parliament (MP) for Sussex Weald since 2024, having represented the predecessor constituency Wealden from 2015 to 2024. She has served as Chairman of Ways and Means, the senior Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons since 2024.
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31. John Taylor
1937-. (aged 89)
politician
Nigel John Taylor is a British musician who is best known as the bass guitarist for new wave band Duran Duran, of which he was a founding member. Duran Duran was one of the most popular bands in the world during the 1980s due in part to their music videos which played in heavy rotation in the early days of...
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32. Jonnie Irwin
1973-2024 (aged 51)
television presenter
writer
manager
Jonathan James Irwin was an English television presenter, writer, lecturer, businessman, and property expert. He was best known for presenting the Channel 4 lifestyle programme A Place in the Sun between 2004 and 2021, as well as the BBC daytime programme Escape to the Country between 2010 and 2023.
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33. Frank Skinner
1957-. (aged 69)
autobiographer
television actor
actor
comedian
Christopher Graham Collins, known professionally as Frank Skinner, is an English comedian, actor, presenter and writer. At the 2001 British Comedy Awards, he was named Best Comedy Entertainment Personality. His television work includes Fantasy Football League from 1994 to 2004, The Frank Skinner Show from 1995 to 2005, Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned from 2000 to 2005, and Room 101 from...
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34. Shefali Chowdhury
1988-. (aged 38)
actor
film actor
Shefali Chowdhury is a British actress best known for playing the role of Parvati Patil in the fourth, fifth, and sixth films in the Harry Potter film series.
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35. Laura Mvula
1987-. (aged 39)
jazz musician
record producer
Laura Mvula is a British singer. A native of Birmingham, England, Mvula gained experience as a member or leader of a cappella, jazz/neo-soul and gospel groups and choirs. She was classically trained. In 2012, she signed with RCA Records and released an extended play, She, to critical acclaim.
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36. Lyra McKee
1990-2019 (aged 29)
essayist
writer
journalist
Lyra Catherine McKee was a journalist from Northern Ireland who wrote for several publications about the consequences of the Troubles. She also served as an editor for Mediagazer, a news aggregator website. On 18 April 2019, McKee was fatally shot while observing rioting in the Creggan area of Derry.
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37. Gloria De Piero
1972-. (aged 54)
television presenter
politician
journalist
Gloria De Piero is a British broadcaster and former Labour Party politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Ashfield in Nottinghamshire from 2010 to 2019.
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38. Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani
1962-. (aged 64)
activist
Faezeh Hashemi Bahramani, better known as Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani is an Iranian women's rights activist, politician and former journalist who served as a member of Iranian parliament from 1996 to 2000. She is also president of Executives of Construction Party women's league and the former editor-in-chief of Zan newspaper.
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39. Fiona Phillips
1961-. (aged 65)
journalist
television presenter
Fiona Evon Phillips is an Australian politician who has been the Labor member for Gilmore in the House of Representatives since the 2019 Australian federal election.
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