A Nigerian-born academic, Professor Christian Harrison, has been elected as the next Chair of the British Academy of Management (BAM), becoming the first Black person to lead the organisation in its 40-year history.
Harrison, who is the Director of the Centre for Leadership and Empowerment and Professor of Leadership and Enterprise at the University of Greater Manchester, will formally assume office in January 2027.
His election marks a historic milestone for the British Academy of Management, the UK’s leading learned society for management research, education and practice, which supports thousands of academics, researchers, educators and practitioners across Britain and internationally.
A member of the Academy for more than 14 years, Harrison has held several strategic leadership positions within BAM. He currently serves as Co-Vice Chair of Communities, where he has overseen the growth of the Academy’s Special Interest Groups, conference tracks and scholarly communities.
He previously chaired the Leadership and Leadership Development Special Interest Group, helping to develop it into one of BAM’s largest scholarly communities. Harrison also co-founded the Academy’s African Studies Track, creating a platform to promote African scholarship in the management discipline. His contributions earned him the prestigious BAM Medal for Contribution to Communities.
Reacting to his election, Harrison described the appointment as both an honour and a responsibility.
“I am deeply honoured and humbled to have been elected Chair of the British Academy of Management. BAM has been my academic home for over fourteen years, and throughout that time I have been privileged to work alongside exceptional colleagues who are passionate about advancing management research, education and practice,” he said.
He thanked members of the Academy for their confidence and pledged to serve with integrity, collaboration and purpose.
Reflecting on his Nigerian roots, Harrison said the appointment demonstrates that excellence, commitment and leadership know no boundaries. He also expressed hope that his achievement would inspire scholars from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue leadership positions in academia.
Harrison said his vision for the Academy includes strengthening collaboration, expanding global partnerships, supporting academic career development, promoting equity and inclusion, and advancing research on responsible leadership, sustainability, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, organisational transformation, public policy and the future of work.
