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Professor Christian Harrison has been elected Chair of the British Academy of Management (BAM), becoming the first Black scholar to lead the prestigious organisation in its 40-year history.
Harrison, Professor of Leadership and Enterprise and Director of the Centre for Leadership and Empowerment at the University of Greater Manchester, will assume the role in January 2027.
His election represents a significant milestone not only for BAM—the UK’s leading learned society for management research, education, and practice—but also for diversity and inclusion in higher education leadership.
For Harrison, who was born in Nigeria, the appointment carries deep personal and symbolic weight. It highlights the growing recognition of African academic excellence on the global stage and sends a powerful signal that talent and commitment can transcend historical barriers.
“I am deeply honoured and humbled to have been elected Chair,” Harrison said. “BAM has been my academic home for over fourteen years… This election is a privilege that I do not take lightly.”
A dedicated BAM member since joining more than 14 years ago, Harrison has held several influential positions. He currently serves as Co-Vice Chair of Communities, where he has driven substantial growth in the Academy’s Special Interest Groups, member engagement, and professional development programmes. He previously chaired the Leadership and Leadership Development Special Interest Group, transforming it into one of BAM’s largest and most dynamic communities. He also co-founded the African Studies Track, providing a vital platform for African scholarship within management studies, and chaired the 40th Anniversary Working Group.
His contributions were recognised with the BAM Medal for Contribution to Communities. Colleagues describe his leadership as collaborative, visionary, and deeply committed to service.
The timing of his election is particularly notable, coming after BAM’s 40th anniversary celebrations. As the Academy enters its next chapter, Harrison’s priorities include strengthening membership engagement, enhancing BAM’s policy influence, supporting early-career researchers, embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion across all activities, and expanding international partnerships.
He is especially passionate about ensuring management research addresses pressing societal challenges such as responsible leadership, sustainability, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, and the future of work. Under his leadership, BAM aims to foster greater interdisciplinary collaboration and closer ties between academics, practitioners, and policymakers.
Harrison views his historic appointment as bigger than one individual. “As someone whose academic journey began in Nigeria, this appointment is particularly meaningful,” he reflected. “I hope it demonstrates that excellence, commitment, and service know no boundaries… I hope this moment inspires current and future scholars, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, to believe that leadership within our profession is both possible and attainable.”
The appointment reinforces the University of Greater Manchester’s rising profile in leadership research and global engagement. It also underscores broader progress toward inclusive academic leadership in the UK, while acknowledging that more work remains to create equitable pathways for scholars from all backgrounds.
As only the 19th Chair in BAM’s history, Harrison is poised to build on the Academy’s strong legacy while driving innovation and wider impact. His vision centres on a more collaborative, globally connected, and socially relevant BAM that continues to shape management scholarship for the benefit of organisations and society at large.
This breakthrough appointment is being celebrated as both a personal triumph and a beacon of possibility for the next generation of diverse academic leaders.
