A TRAILBLAZER in the regional automotive industry, a world renowned journalist and the man driving the Lanchester name forward are among those receiving honorary doctorates from Coventry University this week.
Peter Ward will receive an honorary doctorate of business administration for his significant contribution to industry.
This follows an impressive career with Jaguar, Unipart and Peugeot, Rolls Royce and Bentley Motors as well as his time as chairman and chief executive of various global automotive companies.
Born and raised in Coventry, Peter remains a key figure in the industry, serving as president of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and as director of the British-American Chamber of Commerce in New York.
He will be joined on Coventry’s honours roll by Alan Rusbridger, who spent 20 years as editor of the Guardian newspaper.
He will be made an Honorary Doctor of Letters at a ceremony on Monday, in recognition of his longstanding and significant contribution to national and international journalism.
A highly successful and well respected political and investigative reporter, Alan has won awards in the UK and across the world.
As editor of the Guardian he helped steer the newspaper through a digital transformation, and sat at the heart of the Wikileaks and Snowdon revelations.
Alan is also a keen amateur musician and was chair of the National Youth Orchestra for eight years.
He has chaired the Photographers’ Gallery in London; remains chairman of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism; and sits on the board of the Royal National Theatre in London.
Chris Clark, a graduate of the university, has become the world’s foremost expert and biographer on the life of engineer and inventor, Frederick Lanchester.
He will receive an honorary doctorate of arts in recognition of his ongoing contribution to the heritage and legacy of the polymath.
Lynn Bowles, a BBC radio broadcaster is being presented with an honorary master of arts in recognition of her services to broadcasting after a career across the world and 18 years working as a traffic reporter on BBC Radio 2’s Chris Evans and Ken Bruce shows.
Vice-chancellor of Coventry University John Latham offered his congratulations to all those receiving their awards.
He said: “We are as always, delighted to be honouring these exceptional individuals at this week’s graduation ceremonies, many of who themselves graduated from our university all those years ago. The commitment they have shown in their chosen disciplines and the contribution they have made to society as a whole, is indeed worthy of praise and recognition.”
