Honorary graduates for 2026 announced
Posted on Tuesday 14 July 2026
Suranne Jones is one of Britain’s leading performers, starring in dramas including Gentleman Jack, Scott & Bailey, Vigil, Save Me, as well as the BBC comedy Film Club.
Suranne earned a BAFTA for Best Leading Actress for her role in Doctor Foster, in which she recently returned for a third series. She has also appeared in the Netflix thriller Hostage and ITV’s Maryland and Frauds, both of which she co-created and executive produced through TeamAkers Productions, the company she runs with her husband, Laurence Akers.
Journalist, broadcaster and former economist, Evan Davis, is known for making complex economic and business issues accessible to wide audiences. He was BBC Economics Editor, before presenting flagship programmes including Today, Newsnight and Dragons’ Den.
He has also presented The Bottom Line and produced documentaries exploring economic inequality and public policy, including Mind the Gap. A former economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies and London Business School, he is widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading economic commentators and communicators.
NR Narayana Murthy is the founder of Infosys and a pioneering figure in the development of India’s technology industry. Under his leadership, Infosys grew into one of the world’s most respected technology companies, recognised for its innovation and corporate governance.
Widely regarded as an architect of modern Indian enterprise, he has served on the boards of HSBC and Unilever, with honours include a CBE and India’s Padma Vibhushan.
Founder of Cobra beer, Lord Karan Bilimoria of Chelsea, is an entrepreneur, businessman and crossbench member of the House of Lords. He became the first Indian-born Chancellor of a Russell Group university at the University of Birmingham and served as President of the Confederation of British Industry until 2022.
In 2025 he was appointed Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) United Kingdom, and is a leading advocate for entrepreneurship, education and UK–India relations. He continues to champion international trade, enterprise and cross-sector collaboration through public speaking and advisory roles.
Sustainability
Dr Nancy R Irwin is a sustainability scientist, and whilst studying at York, she formally distinguished and registered a new species of bat, once affectionately known as the Yoda bat. But when on the brink of a flourishing research career, Nancy had a catastrophic and life-threatening accident, from which she took six years to recover sufficiently enough to return to science.
Overcoming the obstacles that arose as a result of her accident, she went on to have a career that included field and development work in Papua New Guinea supporting rainforest livelihoods, biodiversity protection and community-based sustainable development.
She is Founder and CEO of AmaTerra, a management consultancy focusing on linking science, conservation and economic resilience and founded NGO NuraTerra in Papua New Guinea, to support livelihoods and capacity building.
Youth justice
Deputy Lieutenant and former High Sheriff of North Yorkshire, Francesca Horsfield, served as a magistrate in York for 25 years with a particular focus on youth justice and community rehabilitation. Her public service has included roles with Wetherby Young Offenders Institution, the University of York, The Leeds International Piano Competition, Opera North and the York Minster Fund.
She is currently a member of the Development Board for the Ryedale Festival, and a Trustee of the Holbeck Charitable Trust, contributing to cultural, educational and charitable life across North Yorkshire and beyond.
Property developer and chairman of Vigo Group, Nadeem Shah, has spent over 50 years delivering residential, commercial and mixed-use regeneration schemes across the UK, with a particular focus in South Yorkshire and London.
His development projects have transformed disused and underused brownfield sites into thriving places to live, work and play. He is founder and chair of the AHS Foundation, established after the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, and has supported UK charities including Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.
Professor Baroness Katherine Willis is a biologist and academic specialising in biodiversity and environmental change. She is Principal of St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford, and former Director of Science at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Her research has shaped global understanding of ecosystems, natural capital and the value of nature to human wellbeing, helping to bridge science, policy and public engagement. She has advised governments, international organisations and conservation bodies on environmental challenges and sustainable development.
They will receive their honorary degrees during graduation ceremonies at the University’s Central Hall from Thursday, 16 July to Tuesday 21 July 2026.
