Sandie Okoro, Senior Vice-President and General Counsel for the World Bank, and alumna of Birmingham Law School met Head of School Professor Lisa Webley and current students as part of her visit to the university, prior to delivering the keynote speech at the University’s Annual Meeting.

Sandie graduated from the university in 1986, and prior to joining the World Bank, was a General Counsel of HSBC Global Asset Management, Deputy General Counsel of HSBC Retail Banking and Wealth Management, and Global General Counsel at Barings. Sandie has received several accolades and awards in the UK and Europe for her work and volunteer efforts. Amongst these, she was named as one of the Financial Times Upstanding 100 Leading Ethnic Minority Executives and received a lifetime achievement award from the UK’s Black Solicitors’ Network in 2016. Sandie was ranked fifth in The Powerlist 2019 of most influential and powerful black people in Britain. She is also a Governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Reflecting on where she sees the greatest impact the university’s research could have in relation to her own interests, Sandie said

"I would suggest that in any research the University of Birmingham undertakes, it always looks at it through a gender lens. Poverty impacts women differently, and they do not have the same advantages as men. Violence against women is a big issue. I would like to see some solid research on Domestic Violence, Child Marriage and FGM and how these issues are detrimental to societies."