I am a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Entrepreneurship at King’s College London.

I help purpose-driven organisations create positive social change, while maintaining the wellbeing of their founders and employees. This includes: research, collaboration, public and media engagement, and learning and development.

Research

My research interests focus on how individuals start purpose-driven organisations and navigate the tensions between profit and purpose, while maintaining their wellbeing and sense of meaning. For example, my research has examined 1) the role of values, motives, and identity in starting and managing purpose-driven organisations; 2) the processes of mobilising resources, making sense of challenges, experiencing work as impactful, and seeking feedback in purpose-driven organisations; and 3) the wellbeing costs of engaging in purpose-driven entrepreneurship.

I have significant experience in working with (youth-led) purpose-driven organisations, particularly in Southeast Asia, focusing on three critical issues: climate breakdown, limited support for refugees, and limited inclusion and diversity in the cultural and creative industries. My research with young social entrepreneurs in post-conflict settings was nominated for the PRME Faculty Award for Excellence in SDG Integration in 2021.

My research has been published in leading academic journals, such as Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Journal of Business Venturing, Journal of Business Ethics, Business & Society, Journal of Small Business Management, Journal of Social Entrepreneurship, and Arts and the Market.

I have secured over £350 000 in competitive funding from internal and external funders, including Arts and Humanities Research Council and British Academy, to support my own research and the research of doctoral students.

Collaboration

What motivates me to conduct research is the co-creation of knowledge that informs and empowers human action in a dynamic and changing world that is facing multiple crises (e.g., climate breakdown, conflict and displacement). My research is driven by co-creation, trust, and equitable partnerships whereby individuals in purpose-driven organisations are treated as experts in their experiences and engaged in shaping research questions and methods, instead of receivers of information.

I actively collaborate with purpose-driven organisations, such as East Street Arts and Rising Arts Agency, to address challenges that matter to them with rigorous research. I also work with support organisations, such as Impact Hub and Social Innovation Movement, to co-create services, programmes, workshops, and toolkits that help (aspiring) purpose entrepreneurs to develop their ventures, while maintaining their wellbeing.

Public and Media Engagement

I frequently provide research insights on purpose-driven organisations to audiences in academia, business, and civil society, including at British Council, Oxfam, Small Charity Week. My work has also been featured in the mainstream media, such as BBC Radio, The Conversation, The Pioneers Post.

I enjoy sharing my work at research seminars because they provide a foundation for meaningful dialogue and feedback.

I am an advocate for engaged scholarship and the opportunities to catalyse positive social change through academic research, which I am open to speaking about. I am also happy to share my (limited and idiosyncratic) experience in academia with doctoral and early-career researchers who are trying to make sense of their career options.

Learning and Development

I aim to develop learning and development experiences that challenge individuals and organisations to grow. At the intersection of entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership, my learning experiences are evidence-based, flexible, and tailored to the needs of individuals and organisations. Whether I work with high school, MSc, and MBA students or new and established entrepreneurs over a weekend, a week, a semester or a year, I take an empathetic approach that translates knowledge into action. I am also a learner and take an active approach to my personal development as a Senior Fellow of Advance HE (previously Higher Education Academy).

My experience includes teaching social entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship in the cultural and creative industries, new venture creation, leading for innovation, and strategy for new ventures. I have taught and supervised students at all levels, including undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD.

At King’s, I teach on the MSc Medical Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship, for which I am also Deputy Programme Director, and contribute to undergraduate entrepreneurship modules.

Before joining King’s College London, I was a Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at the University of Sheffield where I was Programme Director for the MSc Entrepreneurship and Management and Interim Divisional Director for Impact, Innovation, and Engagement. While at the University of Sheffield, I received the Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence in Social Sciences in 2018 and was recognised for high-quality doctoral supervision in 2020 and 2021 through the SuperVisionaries.

Personal Note

On a more personal note, I am an avid reader and walker. Please get in touch if you have a book or Peak District route recommendation. I enjoy spending time in my garden and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen. I am known for my love for chocolate and sunny autumn days.