Our Full-time MBA experts
We are ranked 2nd in the UK for research power by the Research Excellence Framework, and our experts are globally-renowned for research excellence across all areas of business and management. They will share their original thinking – and nurture yours.
Our experts are at the forefront of business and management thinking across a range of specialisms. Many of our academics have a background in industry and they all have extensive links with public, private and third sector organisations around the world. They lead debate, influence opinion and policy, and drive change. Here are some of the experts who will shape your MBA experience at Alliance MBS.
Here is a selection of the experts you may work with as a Manchester MBA.
Dr. Reza Salehnejad
Teaching Fellow in Economics, Innovation, Management and Policy Research
Areas of expertise:
Industrial organisation and business strategy | Digital economy | Big data | Analytics and decisions | Market design
Industry/client experience:
Enterprise Ventures
Dr Mike Arundale
Lecturer in Strategy & MBA Consultancy Project Coordinator
Areas of expertise:
Strategy consultancy | Charitable sector
Industry/client experience:
Arundale Associates | Mpulse Ltd | SQW | United Utilities and more
Alongside teaching on the MBA, Mike is working with Professor Syd Howell to create the Alliance MBS 'consultancy dictionary', which is employed on the MBA consultancy project courses. Click here to view a taster >>
Ismail Erturk
Senior Lecturer in Banking & Director of Social Responsibility & Engagement
Areas of expertise:
Financialisation | Financial intermediation | Financial innovation | Corporate governance | Executive pay | Financial literacy | Household financial portfolios | Cultural economy
Industry/client experience:
Department of Trade and Industry | HM Customs and Excise | IBM | Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality | Jeffrey Green Russell Solicitors | KPMG | Royal Mail | TC Ziraat Bank | Thales | UBC
Dr Nick Collett
Senior Lecturer in Financial Management
Areas of expertise:
Bank financial management | Capital markets | Company disclosures | Corporate turnaround | Finance | Mergers and acquisitions | Takeovers
Industry/client experience:
ASF | PwC | Santander
Dr Mark Batey
Senior Lecturer in Organisational Psychology
Areas of expertise:
Creativity | Innovation | Leadership
Industry/client experience:
Bao Steel l BBC l Channel 4 l Industrial and Commercial Bank of China l JC Decaux l Johnson & Johnson l Rolls-Royce l Sony Music l Tesco l Zain l Zurich
Irene Roele
Senior Fellow in Management
Areas of expertise:
Marketing | Strategic management
Industry/client experience:
AstraZeneca | BAE Systems | BP | ITV | NHS | Rolls-Royce | SITA | Tesco | Thales | United Utilities | Yorkshire Water
Patricia Perlman-Dee
Senior Lecturer in Finance
Areas of expertise:
Wealth management | Investment banking | Portfolio investing | Fund management | Derivatives | Venture capital | Private equity | Sales & trading
| Business consultancy | Executive coaching
Industry/client experience:
Credit Suisse | Citigroup | JP Morgan | Nomura | Barclays | AMBS Executive Education | Northern Inventions Ltd | Club Med | CF30 registered
Full-time MBA directors
Xavier Duran Martinez
Director, MBA Programmes
Xavier is responsible for the strategic direction of MBA programmes and the development and delivery of transnational education (TNE) at Alliance Manchester Business School. Key to these responsibilities is ensuring both that the MBA curriculum is kept current, innovative and fit for purpose and that more than 2,000 students on our MBA programmes receive an outstanding learning and administrative experience. Xavier also works with colleagues in all parts of the business school to coordinate the development and delivery of TNE activity.
Xavier has contributed to our MBA programmes since 2003, first in an academic capacity, teaching Economics of Strategy and supervising final projects and, since 2012, as Associate TNE and MBA Director. He took up the role of MBA Programmes Director in March 2018.
Xavier is passionate about innovation in business and management education and meeting the new demands posed on MBA programmes by technology improvements and a highly dynamic and globalised business environment.
Fran Johnson
Associate Director, MBA Programmes
Fran Johnson is Associate Director MBA Programmes at Alliance Manchester Business School. She currently supports delivery of the MBA to over 200 Full-Time candidates and 1500 Global MBAs, studying across the school’s international centres.
Prior to her time at Alliance MBS, Fran spent thirteen years in the City of London – working as a Business Analyst and Programme Manager for a number of firms, including Lloyds of London and Morgan Stanley. Deciding she wanted a career change, in 2002 Fran chose to undertake an MBA and is an alumnus of Alliance Manchester Business School, having graduated in 2004.
After her studies, Fran went to work in consulting, initially within the Risk and Advisory Practice of one of the big four, before moving to a boutique consulting firm specialising in the implementation and management of large-scale public sector capital PFI programmes.
Married to a local businessman – an AMBS alumnus himself, returning to the school in 2009 felt like a ‘homecoming’ for Fran, and she continues to enjoy every day working with the school’s students and staff.
Dr Heather Spiro
Associate Director, MBA Programmes
With 25 years' experience in MBA programme administration, Dr Spiro is responsible for student recruitment across all our MBA programmes. This includes liaising with University representatives and sponsoring organisations in the Far East, South East Asia and India. Heather also assists with MBA student welfare.
Dr Jiyao Xun
Associate Director, MBA Programmes (Asia)
Jiyao Xun (PhD) is Associate MBA Director (Asia-based) and a senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). He held a variety of academic positions before joining Alliance MBS. In his current role, Jiyao assists the Director of MBA programmes with strategy development and implementation for our full-time and part-time MBA programmes across Asia. This includes managing academic affairs for our three Asian centres and our partner institutions in China.
Dr Phil Galvin
Associate Director, MBA Consultancy Projects
Dr Phil Galvin has worked at Alliance MBS for nine years and works with businesses across the world to source consultancy opportunities for the Full-time MBA. With a PhD in physics, Phil has a techno/commercial background in the international chemicals sector including R&D Director and senior leadership roles in a number of multinational businesses. He joined The University of Manchester in 2000 and has assisted in building University-wide strategic relationships with companies such as BP, IBM and AstraZeneca
“It is a pleasure being taught by inspired leaders who are highly recognised professors in their areas. The theory is complemented with practical cases that challenge the entire class and give us a deep understanding of the realities that companies face.”
