North-east Dancer Honoured by RGU

Michael Clark, internationally renowned dancer and choreographer, was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Art on Friday 15 July by Robert Gordon University at His Majesty's Theatre Aberdeen.

Michael Clark is a dancer and choreographer whose originality and inventiveness has both challenged and inspired his audiences. In October 2007, The Independent newspaper ran a story entitled, Michael Clark: The man who put the punk into modern dance is now choreographing Stravinsky. The article goes on to refer to Michael's work as "turning into something amazing, a sustained and gorgeous wave of weaving bodies, working together like they are the most intricate of cogs in a heavenly machine".

Michael was born in Aberdeen and by the age of four began taking dancing lessons at the Seivwright School of Dancing, eventually entering the Royal Ballet School. He became the school's star pupil and on leaving was presented with the Ursula Moreton Choreographic Award, giving a strong indication of where his future career might lead. Then in 1979, Michael delivered his first professional shock, moving away from the Royal Ballet and joining the modern dance world of Ballet Rambert.

However, even such a high-profile position couldn't restrain Michael's ambitions, and in 1982, after leaving Rambert, he choreographed his first piece at the London Riverside Studios, where he became resident choreographer. He then spent some time in the USA and France before returning to the UK in 1984 to start Michael Clark and Company. The company was an immediate success, and Michael went on to create highly successful, if controversial works, often provoking disapproval from the established ballet world due to their production design, but nearly always receiving the highest praise for the beauty of their choreography.

Michael went on to win many international commissions, and just as his career was reaching its first peak of success, was interrupted by injury. Perhaps at this point, the world might have expected that Michael would disappear from the dance scene, but through self-determination and help from his close friends, he returned to his old teacher, Richard Glasstone, and started all over again.

Michael's return to choreography was the subject of a BBC documentary, and he went on to deliver a variety of successful productions including the 2003 opening performance of the London Dance Umbrella's 25th anniversary at Sadler's Wells. Then in 2005, he became an Artistic Associate at the Barbican Centre and began a three year project producing a trilogy of work interpreting scores by Igor Stravinsky, which enjoyed their American premiere at the Lincoln Centre in New York in June 2008. In 2009 and 2010 Michael's company toured yet more new work, firstly at the Venice Biennale then in Melbourne Australia.

Again in 2010, the Michael Clark Company was endowed with a residency at the Tate Modern, which allowed visitors to witness the artistic process that enables his innovative choreography. The resulting work was a prologue to a new, multi-facetted, site-specific performance involving movement, light and audio-visual media, created in response to the monumental architecture of the Tate's Turbine Hall, and which had its world premiere on 7 June. Michael Clark has not only brought his dancing and choreography talent to the world's stage, but has had the very process of his creativity and artistry exhibited at the Tate Modern. In doing so, he also joins the world's who's who of contemporary art.

Communications Office
Robert Gordon University
Tel: 01224 262389

Hard Rock Café Chief Honoured by University

Hamish Dodds, Chief Executive of Hard Rock Cafe International, was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Business Administration on Thursday 14 July by Robert Gordon University at His Majesty's Theatre Aberdeen.

As President and Chief Executive Officer of Hard Rock International, Hamish Dodds oversees all aspects of the organisation's worldwide businesses, which include both company owned and franchise cafes, bars, hotels, casinos and live music venues, all showcasing outstanding authentic music memorabilia. Hamish is responsible for the strategic development and operational results of all Hard Rock's activities across 52 countries.

Prior to joining the Hard Rock team in 2004, Hamish worked as CEO for Cabcorp, and also held senior positions with PepsiCo Beverages International, where he worked for thirteen years gaining extensive international experience in finance, franchising, joint ventures and brand management from a number of senior roles in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas. In his final position with PepsiCo, between 1997 and 2002, Hamish was President for South America, Central America and the Caribbean business unit and was responsible for the major re-franchising, brand recovery and financial turnaround in those markets.

Hamish is also a Non Executive Board Director for Pier 1, a public listed company on the New York stock exchange, and one of the USA's most successful speciality retailers of imported decorative home furnishings and gifts.

In both his personal and professional capacity, Hamish has championed many philanthropic initiatives and is particularly focused on efforts to address worldwide children and women's causes through his association with WHY Hunger, Global Angels, the BCRF and the Campaign to Stop Sexual Slavery.

Hamish holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Studies from Robert Gordon University and is a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Management Accountants (UK).

Outside of work, Hamish enjoys golf, running and a variety of water sports. He lives in Orlando with his wife, Susannah and their three children, Sarah, Katie and James. His favourite bands are Pink Floyd, Thin Lizzy, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, U2 and The Killers as well as David Bowie.

ENDS

Communications Office
Robert Gordon University
Tel: 01224 262389

Sir Bill Gammell Honoured by RGU

Sir Bill Gammell, founder of Cairn Energy, was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Business Administration on Thursday 14 July by Robert Gordon University at His Majesty's Theatre Aberdeen.

Sir Bill Gammell founded Cairn Energy in 1980. Under his direction, Cairn has grown in value from $10 million in 1992 to over $10 billion today. Cairn's share price has increased over 100-fold during this time, with the company reporting in its most recent annual report record revenues of 1.6 billion dollars profit after tax. The firm is now Europe's biggest independent oil company worth over £3.5 billion.

In the 1990s, Sir Bill shifted the focus of the company from the North Sea and the US to South Asia, having spotted the opportunity to tap new energy supplies and in doing so has struck what is believed to be the biggest oil find in the energy-hungry sub-continent for 20 years.

Sir Bill is passionate about developing people and instils a winning attitude in both business and sport. This has developed from his own entrepreneurial career and his experience as a Scottish rugby internationalist (1977-1980). In 2006 Sir Bill founded Winning Scotland Foundation, which aims to raise aspirations and self-belief among young people and coaches in Scotland. The foundation's mantra is ‘winning isn't everything but wanting to win is'. Sir Bill has invested over £3.5 million in key programmes to date.

Sir Bill holds many directorships which reflect his twin passions for sport and business. In addition to his leadership of Cairn, he is involved with Sportscotland, the Artemis VCT Trust, the UK Indian Business Council, the Government Asia Task Force, British Olympic Advisory Board, Founder and Chairman of the Scottish Institute of Sport Foundation, The Scottish Institute of Sport and the Board for the Commonwealth Games to be held in Glasgow in 2014.

Sir Bill has won many accolades and awards in his business career including his Knighthood for services to industry in Scotland. He has also been admitted to the Entrepreneurial Exchange Hall of Fame and was the Institute of Directors Scotland Director of the Year in 2006, the Ernst and Young UK Entrepreneur of the Year and the Business Insider Elite Leader of the Year.

ENDS

Communications Office
Robert Gordon University
Tel: 01224 262389

Aberdeen Architect Honoured by University

John Halliday was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Design on Tuesday 12 July by Robert Gordon University at His Majesty's Theatre Aberdeen.

The son of a coal miner, John Halliday was raised and educated in the close knit mining community of Loanhead, Midlothian. Although he greatly admired his father and grandfather he had no desire to follow in their footsteps by working down the coal mines so, at the age of 17, he applied to study architecture in Edinburgh. When his application was rejected he left school and became an apprentice draughtsman with the Edinburgh architects John A. W. Grant.

He again applied to study architecture in each of the following two years before being accepted by the Robert Gordon Institute of Technology (RGIT) in 1965. A keen participant in student affairs, he was soon elected Treasurer and then President of the RGIT Student Union.

After graduating, 40 years ago this month, John completed his practical training before joining the Aberdeen office of the national architects Baxter Clarke and Paul. This was the start of the North Sea oil era and associated boom in the local construction sector. In 1983 he was offered a partnership with the firm and eventually became joint senior partner in 1990. In 1993 John led a management buyout of the Aberdeen office with his business partners Ian Fraser and Hamish Munro, to form Halliday Fraser Munro. The following year the company opened offices in Edinburgh and Dundee, followed by Belfast and Dublin in 1995 and Glasgow in 2000. A separate PR and graphic design company was established in 1996.

Now one of the largest architecture and town planning practices in Scotland, Halliday Fraser and Munro has been awarded over 30 local, national and international awards and commendations for excellence for architectural design. In 2000, in the face of competition from international design companies, Halliday Fraser Munro won the commission to design the new Faculty of Health and Social Care building at Garthdee for Robert Gordon University.

John has been involved with Robert Gordon University since 1995 in the teaching of entrepreneurship. He has lectured and led seminars in entrepreneurship in all faculties and has continued to do so in recent years at the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture.

John is a keen supporter of the Arts, one of his passions being his growing collection of twentieth century Scottish art. Since leaving university John has lived in his adopted home city of Aberdeen. He is married to Brigid and has three sons, Mark, Michael and David and three daughters, Aisling, Katherine and Kirsty.

ENDS

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Robert Gordon University
Tel: 01224 262389

Lord Robertson Honoured by University

Lord Robertson was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws on Wednesday 13 July by Robert Gordon University at His Majesty's Theatre Aberdeen.

Lord Robertson has a reputation as a focused and committed public servant. He has sustained a high profile political career for over thirty years and is recognised as one of the most influential Scotsmen in global politics.

George Islay McNeill Robertson was born on 12 April 1946 in Port Ellen on the Isle of Islay, Argyll, the son a policeman and a teacher. He attended Dunoon Grammar School, a fertile ground for future politicians including John Smith former Labour Party Leader, Brian Wilson and Lord Mackay. His first engagement in politics was while still at school when he was involved in protesting against US nuclear submarines docking in the UK. George went on to study at the University of Dundee graduating in 1968 with an MA in Economics. While at university he met his wife Sandra Wallace whom he married in 1970. They have three children, Malcolm, Martin and Rachel.

His first job was as Regional Organiser of the General Municipal and Boiler Makers Union for the Whisky Industry, a post he held until his election to parliament in 1978 as labour MP for Hamilton and South Hamilton. He was re-elected a further five times. From 1979 to 1993 he was Opposition Spokesperson on Defence, Foreign Affairs and Chief Spokesman for Europe. In 1993 he was selected as joint parliamentarian of the year for his service and leadership during the ratification of the Maastricht Treaty. In 1993 he was also elected to the Shadow Cabinet and became Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland. As Leader of the Labour Party in Scotland he was jointly responsible for achieving agreement on the final report of the Scottish Constitutional Convention that ultimately led to the establishment of the Scottish Parliament.

Following Labour's General Election success in 1997 George Robertson was appointed Secretary of State for Defence. During this year he was also appointed to her Majesty's Privy Council and raised to the Peerage, where he took the title Lord Robertson of Port Ellen. As Secretary of State for Defence, he led a series of reforms and modernisation of the British Forces that were regarded as the most radical for a generation and recognised as a model for modernising the military.

In August 1999 Lord Robertson was appointed as the 10th Secretary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, one of the most important jobs in the world. During his four year tenure he presided over a restructuring and significant enlargement of the Alliance and was the first leader to invoke the Article V provision after the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks in the US.

When his term of office ended in 2003, Lord Robertson had already decided that he would pursue his interest in technology recognising its future potential and global importance. He was invited to join the Board of Cable and Wireless International Ltd in 2004 and accepted Lord Brown's invitation to become Vice Chairman of the Board of TNK-BP. He also has directorships of a number of other UK companies including The Weir Group PLC.

Lord Robertson's leadership and achievements have been recognised both within the UK and internationally and he has received the highest national honours from numerous countries including the United States of America. He received the US Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bush, an award seldom given to non US citizens. In 2003 he was awarded the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George while in 2004 he was appointed by the Queen as a Knight of the Order of the Thistle. Last month he received a further honour from Her Majesty who appointed him, Chancellor of the Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George. He has also received 11 honorary degrees and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and Royal Society of Arts.

ENDS

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Robert Gordon University
Tel: 01224 262389

World’s First Cyborg Honoured by University

Professor Kevin Warwick, the man who became the world's first cyborg, was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Technology on Friday 15 July by Robert Gordon University at His Majesty's Theatre Aberdeen.

Kevin Warwick is Professor of Cybernetics at the University of Reading, where his research combines artificial intelligence, robotics and biomedical engineering.

His ground-breaking Cyborg Project caught the world's attention. Through the neuro-surgical implantation of a device into his arm, he became the world's first Cyborg, a being with both biological and artificial parts. Using this neural interface Kevin was able to operate an intelligent artificial hand. Connected to the Internet he was able to control the hand when located in a different continent and obtain feedback from sensors in the finger tips. With a similar implant in his wife's arm, this novel communication offered Cyborg telepathy via the Internet.

The Cyborg Project has featured in many documentaries, most notably Tomorrow's World and 20th Century Fox's "The Making of I Robot", and he was one of the UK's Top 6 Scientists in Channel 4's "Living Science". Kevin gave the Year 2000 Royal Institution Christmas Lectures on "The Rise of the Robots" in which he presented the exciting field of robots, cyborgs and artificial intelligence to the general public. Kevin was an inspirational speaker at the launch of the multi-disciplinary IDEAS Research Institute at Robert Gordon University in May 2010.

This often controversial research has had a profound impact in both robotics and biomedical engineering. Cyborg capabilities now offer new opportunities to people with disabilities such as neural control of wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs. In pioneering work with neurosurgeons, dramatic effects have been achieved by using intelligent computer methods to predict the onset of Parkinson's tremors and so activate a brain implant that stops the tremors. Among his many awards, MIT's Future of Health Technology Award is one that recognises his contribution to biomedicine.

The innovation and impact of his research, together with his significant contribution to the public understanding of science, make Kevin Warwick a passionate and highly inspirational promoter of leading-edge technologies.

Communications Office
Robert Gordon University
Tel: 01224 262389

Olympian Rower Honoured by Robert Gordon University

Katherine Grainger was presented with an Honorary Doctor of Law by Robert Gordon University at its graduation ceremony on Friday 10 December 2010.

Katherine was the first British female athlete in any sport to gain medals in three consecutive Olympic Games - silver medals in Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.

Born in Glasgow in 1975 and brought up in Aberdeen, Katherine was a keen sportswoman from an early age, achieving a black belt in karate before she left school. However, it was while studying law at Edinburgh University that she was introduced to rowing. By the time she had graduated with an Honours degree in 1997, such was her performance in the sport she had achieved the accolade of being nominated the most outstanding athlete for two years in succession and had also won a gold medal in the coxless pairs in the World Under-23 Championships in record time.

A full-time rowing career versus pursuing education could have been a difficult choice, but Katherine opted to undertake an MPhil in Medical Law and Ethics at Glasgow University while continuing to train part-time. On completion she returned to rowing full-time and over the next few years showed her true talent, dedication to and versatility in the sport by competing in the women's eight at World Championship level before moving to the quadruple sculls where she secured her first Olympic silver medal at Sydney in 2000.

Racing in the coxless pairs in 2003 resulted in a World Championship gold medal, followed by a silver medal in the same event at the Olympics in Athens in 2004. Such has her versatility contributed to her success that a move back to the quadruple sculls led to gold in the World Championships in Japan in 2006 and she further added to her gold collection in the same event in Munich 2007.

In 2008 at the Beijing Olympics she gained her third Olympic silver medal and now sets her focus on London 2012 and the ultimate prize of winning the elusive Olympic gold medal. Not withstanding the punishing six day training regime with the British squad, Katherine combines the programme with her PhD studies in Homicide at London University. In addition she also finds time to support many charities and is active in visiting Schools to encourage young people to participate in sport.

Success in 2010 has been no different with achievement of World Championship gold in November at yet a different event, the double sculls. Whether she turns her hand to education or elite sport she has excelled through self discipline, commitment and determination.

Katherine was appointed an MBE in 2006 for her services to rowing.

Issued by:
Jonathan Shackleton
Head of Communications
Robert Gordon University
Schoolhill
Aberdeen
AB10 1FR
Tel: 01224 262031
Email: 07970 622229
Email: j.shackleton@rgu.ac.uk.

Naval Officer Honoured by Robert Gordon University

Rear Admiral Nick Harris was presented with an Honorary Doctor of Law at a graduation ceremony at the Music Hall on Thursday 9 December 2010.    

Born in East Sussex and educated at Malvern College Worcestershire, Rear Admiral Nick Harris had known from the outset that he wanted to become a Naval Officer.

After leaving school at 17½, he began his first of four years of training at Britannia Royal Naval College, including a term at sea in the Mediterranean.  As a Midshipman he served in HMS Wasperton with the Fishery Protection Squadron based in South Queensferry before going to, and remaining in, the Far East in HMS Scylla.  The 4th Year saw him training in specialist naval subjects of all types – predominantly in Portsmouth – and then a prolonged period in Chatham at the RN Supply School, to become a Supply & Secretariat Officer.

An offer to serve in submarines for a limited period of two years followed Rear Admiral Harris’s training, and thereafter followed a complicated and unique career path until 1979.

At age 30 Rear Admiral Harris was selected to undergo the submarine command course, Perisher. Passing Perisher is a career changing moment, and from this Rear Admiral Harris went on to command the diesel powered conventional submarine, HMS Oberon, after which he was honoured with an MBE, and the nuclear powered HMS Sovereign.

Further highlights of his career included studying at the US Naval War College, two years as the submarine advisor to the British Naval Staff in Washington, working in the Ministry of Defence during the 1997 General Election and defence review, command of a squadron of seven nuclear submarines and working up to become Deputy Submarine Force Commander.   

Rear Admiral Harris was awarded the US Legion of Merit for his role as British Naval Attaché to the USA, which covered the loss of the submarine ‘KURSK’, 9/11 and the attack on the Pentagon, and the start of the second Gulf War in Iraq.  He then spent three years as Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland.  

Rear Admiral Harris is now working as Clerk to the Merchant Taylors’ Livery Company in London and lives in Hampshire with his wife of 36 years, Jenny. They have two daughters, Kate and Ellie, and a grand daughter, Emily.

ENDS

Communications Office
Robert Gordon University
Schoolhill
Aberdeen
AB10 1FR

International Architect Honoured by Robert Gordon University

Gordon Benton was presented with an Honorary Doctor of Technology at Robert Gordon University's graduation ceremony at the Music Hall on 10 December 2010.

Gordon is an architect who has forged a unique career working principally in South East and East Asia, in which he recognised the importance of sustainable development as a crucial ingredient to the design of vibrant communities, long before such interests entered mainstream consciousness.

He was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, returning to Scotland with his mother and siblings at the age of seven, whilst his father volunteered to serve in World War II and lost his life as a captive in the Burma Railway. He elected to study architecture and completed his diploma at what was soon to become the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture in Aberdeen. On completion he moved to Africa, this representing the start of a highly international career.

Following brief periods working back in Scotland, Gordon's next overseas post took him to Iran, where he worked for the National Iranian Oil Consortium. Returning again to Aberdeen, he worked for a spell at the practices of Bennett Mitchell, Allan Ross and Allan, and Thomas Scott Sutherland. After a period working between London and Pakistan, Gordon moved to South-East Asia, which was to become his home for nearly 50 years. His work there has extended from Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore, then to South Korea.

On returning to South East Asia, Gordon worked for the practice of a Scottish architectural firm, James Ferrie & Partners for 21 years, involving him in the design of schools, housing, and commercial and industrial facilities across six countries.

In 1984 Gordon established his own architects practice in Singapore, winning a number of design competitions and awards in Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. On winning an invited competition for Jakartabaru Cosmopolitan, a 2,500 hectare Indonesian New Town, Gordon was invited to join the Lippo Group, a leading banking and financial house. He joined Lippo in 1991 as Director in charge of Planning and Development for the 1,000 hectare urban development of Lippo Karawaci to the west of Jakarta.

Over the years, Gordon has worked as an architect, developer, city manager, quantity surveyor, environmental engineer, planner, landscape architect, multi-million bond raiser, lecturer and project media promoter - and sometimes all at the same time.

Despite a career principally spent overseas, Gordon has always been a stalwart of the Scottish community and has held the position of Chieftain of the St Andrew's Societies in Singapore, Brunei as well as Java, Indonesia. In these roles he has promoted many cultural links and activities, including the Jakarta Highland Gathering, now perhaps the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. He was later awarded Honorary Life Patron of the annual Gathering.

The value of this work from which enduring links were forged between Indonesia and Scotland was recognised in 1977 when Gordon was awarded an OBE by the Queen for services to the expatriate community in Indonesia. The tie with Scotland has endured, and for family reasons Gordon will very shortly return to live here in the North-east, although he presently remains a Senior Executive, Director and Consultant to a number of the Lippo Group of Companies.

Jonathan Shackleton
Head of Communications
Robert Gordon University
Schoolhill
Aberdeen
AB10 1FR
Tel: 01224 262031
Mob: 07970 622229
Email: j.shackleton@rgu.ac.uk