Personal statement

As a member of the of the Executive Team, Eleanor works with colleagues across the University to support Strathclyde’s vision to be a leading international technological university, that is socially progressive, by developing collaborative relationships with entrepreneurs, entrepreneurial communities and policy makers. Key to her work is ensuring that, as a place of useful learning, Strathclyde contributes to regional, national and international ecosystems through its impactful research, and opportunities for students and staff to engage in entrepreneurial learning experiences which support their ventures and develop their entrepreneurial mind sets.

Eleanor is also the Charles Huang Professor of International Entrepreneurship and Deputy Director of the Stephen Young Institute for International Business. The Institute was established following the transformational donation made to the University by alumnus and global business leader Dr Charles Huang from his philanthropic foundation. In this role, a key aspect of her work involves building collaborations between the Institute and leading academic partners, businesses, government departments and third sector organisations across the world.

Eleanor first joined Strathclyde in 2001 and became Head of the Hunter Centre in 2013 before becoming Vice Dean for Knowledge Exchange and Senior Vice Dean of Strathclyde Business School. In January 2020, Eleanor became an Associate Principal and joined the University’s Executive Team. She was appointed Head of the Adam Smith Business School at the University of Glasgow (2023-25), before rejoining Strathclyde in 2025 to take up her current role.

Eleanor’s research is focused on the practice of entrepreneurial networking and firm growth. She focuses on entrepreneurial diversity and her work on women’s, graduate, social and creative entrepreneurship is published in leading journals including Journal of Business Venturing, Entrepreneurship, Theory & Practice, Human Relations and International Small Business Journal. Eleanor’s research has been funded by the ESRC and EPSRC and a range of private sector organisations and agencies including the Cabinet Office.

Eleanor is an inclusive entrepreneurial leader with more than 25 years of experience of enhancing business growth and is passionate about using her knowledge, expertise, and networks to unlock entrepreneurial potential across Scotland’s economy. She is co-designer of the Growth Advantage Programme (GAP) - a leadership and growth programme for ambitious entrepreneurs. GAP has been fully endorsed by the ScaleUp Institute and is one of only two UK leadership programmes to be designed and delivered by faculty and entrepreneurs. Eleanor also leads on the University’s institution-wide entrepreneurship strategy, Strathclyde Inspire, and through her board positions with the Chartered Association of Business Schools and the Small Business Charter, she was influential in securing UK Government funding to design and launch the Help to Grow Programme, which by December 2024, had been delivered to more than 10,000 UK small firms.

Eleanor was awarded an OBE in 2022 in recognition of her services to entrepreneurship and education and is included in both Stanford’s list of the world’s top 2% of scientist and of long term researchers with impact. Complimenting her research and teaching interests, Eleanor is Scottish Chair of the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABs) and sits on the boards of The Gender Index and Pathways Forward. She is also a trustee of the Beatson Cancer Charity and Enable.

Eleanor has an MA and a PhD from the University of Glasgow, is married with two children and lives in Glasgow.