Famous alumni

Nobel Prize-winning economist Guido Imbens spent a year at Hull, which inspired his PhD in Economics. He later became a Professor of Economics at Stanford Graduate School and was awarded the 2021 Nobel Prize for contributions to econometrics.

Matt is the bestselling author of The Midnight Library, which has sold 10 million copies worldwide. He is a renowned children's author, three-time nominee for the Carnegie Medal, and a mental health awareness activist.

BAFTA-nominated comedian and writer Lucy Beaumont is known for her sharp wit and distinctive Hull accent. Since graduating from the University of Hull, she’s found success in stand-up and TV and is often celebrating her love for Hull and its people.

Douglas is a Scottish poet, editor and critic, whose Elegies (1985), a moving account of his first wife’s death, became a critical and popular success. After graduating, Douglas worked with Philip Larkin, who was a great influence on him.

Not many writers have had two plays selling out London West End theatres simultaneously, but multi-award winning James Graham is one of them. Once described as ‘Britain’s most important playwright’, James has also won many awards for his work on TV.

Mark Chapman is one of the UK’s most recognisable sports broadcasters. With a career spanning radio and TV, he has covered major events like the Premier League and Olympic Games. He is known for Match of the Day and BBC Radio 5 Live Sport.

Ana is a Serbian politician, serving as President of the National Assembly of Serbia since 2024. She previously served as Prime Minister of Serbia from 2017 to 2024, the first woman and LGBTQ person in Serbia to do so.

Mark is best known for his role as Marlon Dingle in ITV's Emmerdale, a role he's played since 1996. He has won Best Male Dramatic Performance at the British Soap Awards, and the 2023 British Soap Award for Outstanding Achievement.

Andy is Chief Executive and co-founder of Left Bank Pictures, best known for Netflix's The Crown. He has received BAFTA’s Special Achievement award, the British Press Guild Lifetime Award, and is a Fellow of the Royal Television Society.

Muhtar served as Chairman and Chief Executive of Coca-Cola from 2009 until his retirement in 2017. Previously, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of Coca Cola, and Chairman of the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum.

Sir Jeremy is on the board of The Walt Disney Company; and previously was a non-executive director for both Burberry and Marks and Spencer. He currently serves as a Director of Reckitt Benckiser Group plc and is their incoming Chairman.

Deputy Prime Minister of the UK from 1997 to 2007 and First Secretary of State from 2001 to 2007. Lord Prescott represented Kingston upon Hull East in the House of Commons for 40 years, and was in the Lords for the following 14.

Anthony was Director of the London School of Economics from 1997 to 2003 and is now Emeritus Professor. His impact on politics has been profound. He helped shape New Labour in the UK, and his advice has been sought by governments around the world.

Sian is best known for her portrayal of DI Cadi John in the BBC hit detective show Craith and recently starred in BBC One drama Wolf. Other popular screen work includes Line of Duty, Silent Witness, and Holby City.

Best known as Shelley Unwin on Coronation Street, Sally now stars as Jean White in The Madame Blanc Mysteries, which she co-created and produces. She is also President of the annual charity event Women of the Year.

Baroness Hazarika first rose to fame as a stand-up comedian but changed course and for almost 10 years has served as adviser to senior Labour Party figures. She has been a presenter on Times Radio and is a regular on TV news.

Dame Sarah is the woman who designed the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for COVID-19 and was awarded a damehood by HM The Queen for this work. In addition, she was awarded the Albert Medal for her work in developing this ground-breaking vaccine.

Christine is Chief Development Strategist at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and has been a key figure in politics there since the 1980s. She is also a Steering Group member on the UN's Climate Mobility Innovation Lab.