40 Notable alumni of Cranfield University
Updated: June 23, 2026 EliteDegrees
Cranfield University is ranked #645 in the world and #55 in United Kingdom by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 40 notable alumni from Cranfield 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 Cranfield University won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. Michael Bear
1953-. (aged 73)
politician
civil engineer
Sir Michael David Bear was the 683rd Lord Mayor of London, whose one-year term began on 12 November 2010 and ended on 11 November 2011. Until his resignation in 2017, he was the Alderman of the Ward of Portsoken and previously represented that Ward as Common Councilman and Deputy. In 2007, he was elected as Aldermanic Sheriff of London (for...
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2. Jack Hathaway
1982-. (aged 44)
naval officer
test pilot
fighter pilot
naval aviator
astronaut
Jack Hathaway is a commander in the United States Navy and NASA astronaut. He is from South Windsor, Connecticut.
3. Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada
1956-. (aged 70)
politician
minister
Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada is a Mexican politician affiliated with the National Action Party PAN who served as Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources in the cabinet of Felipe Calderón. He is also a former Municipal President of Uruapan, Michoacán.
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4. Miles Flint
1953-. (aged 73)
businessperson
Miles Flint is currently a senior advisor at private equity firm Silver Lake Partners. He is largely known as being the former President of Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB from June 2004 to November 2007. Before this role, he was the President of European Marketing at Sony Europe. He was responsible for the marketing activities of Sony's electronics business in...
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5. Peter Hansford
civil engineer
Peter George Hansford CBE FREng is an English civil engineer. He served as the 146th President of the Institution of Civil Engineers and succeeded Paul Morrell as the UK government's chief construction adviser in November 2012.
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6. Nick Lipscombe
1958-. (aged 68)
military historian
military officer
Colonel Nicolas John Lipscombe FRHistS is a British historian, author, tour guide, lecturer and university tutor.
7. Brian David Smith
1961-. (aged 65)
writer
Brian David Smith is a strategic management consultant, academic and author. His particular interests include the evolution of business models and competitive strategies in the life science sector, particularly pharmaceuticals and medical technology. His academic research on these topics informs both his consultancy and writing.
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8. Vinita Marwaha Madill
1987-. (aged 39)
astronomer
military flight engineer
Vinita Marwaha Madill is a British Space Operations engineer and science communicator. She is based at the European Space Agency through TERMA B.V. in the Netherlands, where she is responsible for the development of the European Robotic Arm. She founded the platform Rocket Women, which uses stories and interviews to encourage women to study STEM.
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9. Mike Stone
1953-. (aged 73)
chief operating officer
Brigadier Michael John Stone is a retired British Army officer, former Director of Information of the British Army and former chief information officer of the Ministry of Defence. Upon retirement from the army, Stone had a successful career in business, including roles as the Global Chair of National Security and Defence at KPMG and Global Managing Director of the Public...
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10. Omobola Johnson
1963-. (aged 63)
politician
minister
Omobola Olubusola Johnson is a Nigerian technocrat and the Honorary Chairperson of the global Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI). She is also a former and the first minister of communications technology in the cabinet of Goodluck Jonathan.
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11. Raghbir Singh Bhola
1927-2019 (aged 92)
field hockey player
Raghbir Singh Bhola was an Indian Airforce officer and international hockey player who represented India in the 1956 Melbourne and 1960 Rome Olympics, winning a gold and silver medal, respectively. He was also awarded the Arjuna Award for his contributions to Indian hockey in 2000.
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12. Tyrone Urch
1965-. (aged 61)
military leader
Lieutenant General Sir Tyrone Richard Urch, KBE is a former senior British Army officer who served as General Officer Commanding, Force Troops Command and later Commander, Home Command.
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13. Stuart Skeates
1966-. (aged 60)
military personnel
Lieutenant General Stuart Richard Skeates, CB, CBE is a retired senior British Army officer. He served as Deputy Commander of JFC Brunssum from December 2018 to December 2021. He also previously served as Commander, Standing Joint Force Headquarters from 2015 to 2018.
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14. Catriona Laing
civil servant
diplomat
Catriona Wendy Campbell Laing CB is a British civil servant and diplomat who has been serving as United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres' Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia since 2023.
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15. Chris Liebenberg
1934-. (aged 92)
politician
minister
Christo Ferro Liebenberg is a South African banker who was Minister for Finance of South Africa, from 19 September 1994 to 4 April 1996, in the government of national unity chaired by Nelson Mandela.
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16. Andrus Öövel
1957-. (aged 69)
military personnel
politician
sportsperson
jurist
canoeist
Andrus Öövel is an Estonian rower and politician. From 1995 until 1999, he was Minister of Defence. He was a member of VIII Riigikogu. He was a 24-time champion of rowing in the Estonian SSR between 1974 and 1984.
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17. Antony Jenkins
1961-. (aged 65)
entrepreneur
banker
Antony Peter Jenkins CBE is a British business executive. Since 2016 he has been the chief executive officer of 10x Future Technologies, which he founded. He was the group chief executive of Barclays from August 2012 until July 2015. Jenkins is the current Chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University.
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18. Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein
politician
minister
Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein is a Sudanese politician and the former Governor of Khartoum State. Hussein served as the longstanding Minister of National Defense of the Republic of Sudan. Hussein also served for a period as the Minister of Interior Affairs. During his term as Minister of Interior Affairs, he opened the Rabat University. Hussein was arrested in early April...
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19. James Morris
1967-. (aged 59)
politician
cricketer
James George Morris OBE is a British politician who served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Primary Care and Patient Safety from July to September 2022. He served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Halesowen and Rowley Regis in the West Midlands between 2010 and 2024. He also served as Vice-Chamberlain of the Household from 2021 to 2022. He...
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20. Rudolf de Korte
1936-2020 (aged 84)
politician
banker
Rudolf Willem de Korte was a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and businessman.
21. Nader al-Dahabi
1946-. (aged 80)
military personnel
politician
Nader Dahabi is a Jordanian politician who was the 37th Prime Minister of Jordan from 25 November 2007 to 14 December 2009. He took office following the resignation of Marouf al-Bakhit, and days after the parliamentary elections in which Islamists and opposition were defeated by pro-regime candidates. On 9 December 2009, he handed in his resignation to King Abdullah II,...
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22. Christopher Tickell
1964-. (aged 62)
military leader
Lieutenant General Sir Christopher Linley Tickell, KBE is a senior British Army officer who served as the Deputy Chief of the General Staff from August 2019 to August 2022.
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23. David Fleming
1940-2010 (aged 70)
historian
economist
ecologist
writer
David Fleming was an English economist, cultural historian and writer on environmental issues, based in London.
24. Dewan Rabindranath Soni
military leader
Lieutenant General Dewan Rabindranath Soni, PVSM, VSM is a former General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command of the Indian Army. He served in office from 1 December 2017 till 30 September 2018. He assumed the post after Lieutenant General P M Hariz retired and was succeeded by Lieutenant General Satinder Kumar Saini.
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25. Vahit Kirişci
1960-. (aged 66)
university teacher
politician
Vahit Kirişci is a Turkish politician. He served as the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry from 4 March 2022 to 4 June 2023. He was elected as Member of Parliament from Kahramanmaraş for the Justice and Development Party in the 2023 elections.
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26. James Vowles
1979-. (aged 47)
engineer
team manager
James Patrick Vowles is a British racing driver, motorsport engineer and Team Principal of Williams. Before joining Williams, he was the motorsport strategy director at Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team. He was also responsible for the Brawn GP race strategy, which was critical to the team's championship-winning 2009 season. He has worked in Formula One for over 20 years, including...
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27. Siddhartha Lal
1973-. (aged 53)
businessperson
Siddhartha Vikram Lal is an Indian businessman. The son of businessman Vikram Lal, Siddhartha Lal is the executive chairman of Eicher Motors, a director of Eicher Goodearth and chairman and MD of VE Commercial Vehicles. Lal is known for the turnaround and revival of Royal Enfield.
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28. Patrick Sanders
1966-. (aged 60)
army officer
General Sir Patrick Nicholas Yardley Monrad Sanders, KCB, CBE, DSO is a retired senior British Army officer who served as Chief of the General Staff from 13 June 2022 until 15 June 2024.
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29. Pat Symonds
1953-. (aged 73)
engineer
Patrick Bruce Reith Symonds is a British motor racing engineer who is the executive engineering consultant for the Cadillac Formula One team. He was the Chief Technical Officer at Williams Grand Prix Engineering from 2013 until 2016, having previously worked at the Toleman, Benetton, Renault, and Virgin/Marussia Formula One teams. Until May 2024, he was the Chief Technical Officer of...
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30. Winnie Byanyima
1959-. (aged 67)
politician
entrepreneur
diplomat
aircraft pilot
engineer
Winifred Byanyima is the executive director of UNAIDS (2019 to present). She is a Ugandan aeronautical engineer, politician, human rights activist, feminist, and diplomat.
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31. Andy Palmer
1963-. (aged 63)
chief executive officer
engineer
entrepreneur
Andrew Charles Palmer is an English automotive executive and engineer. He has been described as the 'Godfather of EVs' and the 'éminence grise' of the auto industry due to his work launching the Nissan Leaf in 2010 whilst COO at the Japanese company. Palmer is also known for launching Aston Martin's first SUV, the DBX, and first mid-engined sports car,...
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32. Nigel Doughty
1957-2012 (aged 55)
businessperson
association football player
Nigel Edward Doughty was a British investor and football club owner, who was co-chairman and co-founder of Doughty Hanson & Co, a European private equity firm based in London.
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33. Crispin Blunt
1960-. (aged 66)
politician
Crispin Jeremy Rupert Blunt is a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Reigate from 1997 to 2024. Formerly a member of the Conservative Party, he was the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Prisons and Youth Justice within the Ministry of Justice from 2010 to 2012 and chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee from 2015...
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34. Sarah Willingham
1973-. (aged 53)
restaurateur
businessperson
Sarah Louise Willingham is a British entrepreneur, serial investor, founder and CEO of Nightcap, with extensive experience in the hospitality industry.
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35. Charles Ingram
1963-. (aged 63)
novelist
military officer
engineer
Charles William Ingram is a British fraudster and a former major in the British Army who gained fame for his appearance on the ITV television game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Across two episodes recorded in September 2001, Ingram correctly answered 15 questions to win the show's maximum prize of £1 million, becoming the third recorded contestant ever...
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36. Sigurjón Þórðarson
1964-. (aged 62)
biologist
politician
Sigurjón Þórðarson is an Icelandic politician. He was a member of the Althing for the Liberal Party from 2003 to 2007, and returned to the Althing in the 2024 election for the People's Party.
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37. Benon Biraaro
1958-2020 (aged 62)
military personnel
politician
Benon Biraaro was a Ugandan military officer and a high-ranking commander in the Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF). While still in the active military, he served as the commandant of the Uganda Senior Command and Staff College in Kimaka, Jinja. In 2016, he ran (unsuccessfully) for President of Uganda on behalf of his agrarian Farmers Party of Uganda.
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38. Aishah Ahmad
1976-. (aged 50)
banker
Aishah Ndanusa Ahmad is a Nigerian accountant and finance professional. She is a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria having been appointed on 6 October 2017, replacing Sarah Alade, who retired in March 2017. She was confirmed by the Nigerian Senate on 22 March 2018. On 6 December 2022, Ahmad was reappointed deputy governor for a second...
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39. Ahmed Lawan
1959-. (aged 67)
politician
Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan ListenGCON is a Nigerian politician and former lecturer who served as the 14th president of the Nigerian Senate from 2019 to 2023. He represents the Yobe North Senatorial District in the Senate as a member of the All Progressives Congress.
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40. Simon Gicharu
1964-. (aged 62)
businessperson
Simon Gìcharū is an educationalist and founder of Mount Kenya University, which is East and Central Africa’s largest private university. He is also the founder of Mount Kigali University in Rwanda. He was born in 1964 in Gathirūini village, Kiambu County, Kenya. He is the first in a family of seven. Gìcharū is also the Chairman of the Water Services...
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