Professor Christopher Russell

As Founding Dean, I lead a large interdisciplinary School spanning business, law, policing, tourism, forensic science, sociology, politics and international relations. I am responsible for the School’s strategy, academic delivery, partnerships and financial performance across campuses and an extensive network of collaborative provision.

My leadership has focused on institutional transformation and growth, including the development of large-scale national and international partnerships and sustained improvements in student outcomes, employability and inclusion.

My research explores how people work and how organisations evolve over time, particularly in relation to digital transformation, generative AI and emerging forms of work. A current focus of my work is on digital nomad careers and how geographically mobile working lives fit within longer-term career trajectories.

I have secured research funding from organisations including the British Academy/Leverhulme Trust, the Economic and Social Research Council, the British Council and the John Templeton Foundation, and contribute internationally through keynote speaking and collaboration.

I am a Chartered Manager and Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and an Associate Fellow of the ESRC Digital Futures at Work Research Centre. I am also a Visiting Professor at the University of Kota, India.

I publish in the fields of work, organisations and technology, with a focus on digital transformation, innovation and the future of work. My work includes studies of generative AI, digital entrepreneurship and organisational change across diverse contexts.

I have extensive experience in teaching and curriculum leadership across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in information systems, business and management.

My teaching has focused on organisational behaviour, technology in organisations, project management, and the relationship between work, technology and society. I have led and contributed to the design and validation of programmes across multiple institutions, including large-scale collaborative provision in the UK and internationally.

I have supervised postgraduate dissertations across MSc and MBA programmes and have supervised and examined doctoral students in areas relating to organisations, work and digital transformation.

My educational leadership has centred on enhancing student outcomes and employability. I have led major initiatives linking academic learning to professional practice, including the development of employability frameworks, employer engagement and work-integrated learning, contributing to strong graduate outcomes.

My research examines how people work, how organisations function, and how both evolve over time.

I focus in particular on the impact of digital transformation and emerging technologies, including generative AI, on work, skills and organisational change. My work has spanned a range of contexts, from high-technology organisations to specialist communities, including my doctoral research on technology adoption within a monastery on Mount Athos.

A current strand of my research explores digital nomad careers and mobility, examining how individuals construct working lives across multiple locations, how this form of work is organised, and how it fits into longer-term career trajectories and life courses.

I have secured funding from organisations including the British Academy/Leverhulme Trust, the Economic and Social Research Council, the British Council and the John Templeton Foundation. I collaborate with academic and industry partners internationally and contribute to interdisciplinary work on the future of work, skills and organisations.

I am always interested in connecting with individuals and organisations engaging with new forms of work and careers.

I contribute to academic, professional and policy communities at national and international levels.

I am a member of the Policy Committee of the Chartered Association of Business Schools and contribute to discussions on higher education strategy, internationalisation and skills, including engagement with government and sector bodies.

I serve as a Visiting Professor at the University of Kota, India, and have held visiting and collaborative roles with institutions in Europe and Asia. I am an active international speaker, delivering keynote addresses and invited presentations across the United States, China, the Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia.

I also contribute to governance and the wider education sector as a Governor of The Archbishop’s School, Canterbury, and as a trustee and board member in related organisations.

My external work reflects a focus on connecting higher education with wider economic, social and organisational contexts, particularly in relation to the future of work and skills.