Sandie Okoro OBE has been appointed as the first female Chancellor of the University of Birmingham

The University of Birmingham is delighted to announce the appointment of one of the country’s pre-eminent lawyers and champion of equality rights as its new Chancellor. Sandie Okoro OBE brings an outstanding record of recognition for her contribution to diversity, equality and women’s rights and is currently Group General Counsel of Standard Chartered, where she leads the Bank’s Legal, Group Corporate Secretariat and Shared Investigative Services functions.

Sandie Okoro is the University’s eighth chancellor since it was founded in 1900. She succeeds Lord Bilimoria of Chelsea CBE, who will step down as chancellor in July after 10 years in the role; and follow in the footsteps of the Honorable Joseph Chamberlain and the Honorable Anthony Eden, Earl of Avon.

Sandie is a proud alumna of the University of Birmingham, graduating with a degree in Law and Politics from Birmingham before qualifying as a solicitor at City, University of London. After changing roles as a lawyer, she held positions including Head of Legal for Corporate Services at Schroders, Global General Counsel at Barings and General Counsel for HSBC Global Asset Management. Sandie also served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel and Vice President of Compliance for the World Bank Group.

Adam Tickell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, said: “We are delighted to welcome Sandie as our new Chancellor. She is a highly respected trailblazer in the corporate legal sector and is of course a proud graduate of the University of Birmingham. To hear her talk about breaking glass ceilings and aiming high is inspirational and reflects the attitude and passion of our university and our commitment to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion.”

The Chancellor is the ceremonial head of the University. They preside over graduation ceremonies, celebrating with students and inspiring them on their graduation day. They also play an important role in community and stakeholder engagement and working as an advocate to raise the University’s profile and promote its reputation regionally, nationally and globally.

On accepting the position, Sandie Okoro said: “The wonderful University of Birmingham is the alma mater of three generations of Okoros, my mother, myself and my son. So my connection with him is really special. I have followed very closely the University’s remarkable progress since I was a full-scholarship student in the 1980s—its dedication to impactful research, its focus on creating an inclusive environment for gifted, minority students, and educational excellence are closely related themes. to my heart

“I am truly honored and delighted to be appointed Chancellor. It is a fantastic opportunity for me to give something back to the amazing University that has given so much to me and my family.”

Sandie was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2024 New Year Honors for her services to diversity in international finance. She has also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the UK Black Solicitors Network and has been named one of the Power 100 Women by City AM and 100 Women to Watch by the Female FTSE Board. She received the 2019 Vanguard Women Award from Howard University for her achievements as a trailblazer of color and her commitment to mentoring young women and advancing the rights of women and girls globally. She is also the recipient of the Beyond the Glass Ceiling Award presented by the Leadership Institute for Women of Color Attorneys (2019), Chambers 100 Outstanding Global General Counsel (2019). Sandie is an Honorary Bencher of the Middle Temple in the United Kingdom.

Sandie was appointed as the inaugural chair of the Women of the World UK charity in June 2021, was awarded honorary life membership of the Law Societies’ Compact and Forum for Sustainable Development Goal 16 in June 2022 and is a Governor of the Royal . The Shakespeare Company. Sandie was previously a board member of the human rights organization JUSTICE, an ambassador for the Law Society’s Diversity Access Scheme and sat on the Premier League’s Equality Standards Panel.