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Our academics are engaged with real world issues. They all gained extensive experience working in their subjects before entering higher education, and continue to research or work with industry to keep their teaching fresh and relevant.
They are a friendly group of people, who will go the extra mile to help you throughout your MBA.
Mike Gilbert, senior lecturer in human resources and management
Mike teaches on the MBA and was the key driver in ensuring that the MBA gained accreditation by the CMI and is the internal verifier for all MBA candidates wishing to apply for Chartered Manager status. Mike is particularly interested in equality
in the workplace and managing an internationally diverse workforce.
Polina Baranova, programme leader for the full time MBA
Polina leads the full time route of the MBA and lectures in strategic management.
Originally from the Ukraine, Polina worked in consultancy and logistics before beginning her academic career. While working for a high profile international consultancy company, she led a number of national and multinational consultancy projects concerned with development of MISs (management information systems) and business ventures for coal mines.
Read more about Polina
Gino Franco, programme leader for the part time MBA
Gino leads the part time route of the MBA and is a senior lecturer in purchasing and logistics.
Gino worked for over 25 years in the food and hospitality industries, including food manufacture and wine importation. Gino continues to maintain strong links with industry, teaching on in-company programmes and carrying out consultancy for public and private sector organisations, mostly in the service sectors.
Gino has significant international teaching experience, and as part of his consultancy work, he has also carried out investment appraisals and assessments for companies in Poland, the Czech Republic, Kyrgyzstan and Spain.
Read more about Gino
Sheena Bevitt, senior lecturer in human resource management
Sheena teaches the following modules on the MBA: Managing the
Dynamic Organisation and Leading, Managing and Developing
People in the Workplace.
Before taking up her academic post at the University, Sheena worked across the public, private and notfor-
profit sectors, in general management and human resource
management roles, including at Royal Mail and Sainsburys.
Richard Hucker, lecturer in marketing
Richard is programme leader for the MSc Management Programme, and teaches on the marketing-related modules on the MBA. He also assists MBA students with their Independent Study.
Richard's professional and research interests include marketing and
strategy, brand and product innovation and adaptation, and brand
equities. He has significant experience in senior marketing roles within industry, having worked for companies such as Boots and Coloroll.
Kevin Watson, senior lecturer in management and leadership
Kevin teaches on the Managing the Dynamic Organisation module.
He is also heavily involved in co-ordinating the residential element
of the module.
Before joining the University, Kevin worked for two internationally renowned light engineering companies, in wide ranging human resource management roles.
Read more about Kevin
Darren Byrne, lecturer in accounting and finance
Darren teaches on masters and professional programmes, and lectures on some of the strategic
finance modules within the MBA.
Most of Darren's industry experience has been gained in finance and accounting roles, within the challenging not-for-profit and charity sectors.He also supervises many masters-level Independent Studies.
Ted Knight, principal lecturer in strategic management
Ted teaches strategic management on the MBA. He has 20 years' experience in the motor components industry, including working overseas in countries like Brazil, and in a high profile role as a Commercial Director with responsibility for
sales, marketing, purchasing and warehouse/transport.
Ted has also taught in the Netherlands and Africa and has extensive experience of supervising students during their Independent Study.
Read more about Ted
Melanie Powell, lecturer in finance and economics
Melanie is the programme leader for the MSc International Financial Markets and she is module leader for Managing Organisational Information.
Melanie was a journalist
before becoming an academic economist and regularly appears
in the media, commenting on the financial crisis and the economy.
She's the co-author of a major economics text book, and is widely
published in journals
Contact Us
University of Derby
Kedleston Road
Derby
Derbyshire
DE22 1GB
Tel: 01332 590500
