A Nigerian pharmacist and management scholar, Professor Christian Harrison, has made history after being elected Chair of the British Academy of Management (BAM), becoming the first African and the first Black person to occupy the position since the Academy was established.
The British Academy of Management is the United Kingdom’s leading learned society for management and business scholarship, bringing together academics, practitioners, policymakers and business leaders to advance management research, education and practice. Describing the development as a profound honour, the newly elected Chair said the appointment represents both a significant personal milestone and a major achievement for Africa.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Pharmanewsonline, Prof. Harrison explained that, as Chair, he will provide strategic leadership for the Academy, working closely with its Executive Committee, Fellows, Special Interest Groups and national and international partners to shape the organisation’s future direction and strengthen its impact.
According to him, the position also entails supporting members of the Academy while ensuring that management research continues to make meaningful contributions to organisations, public policy and society. He added that he is committed to enhancing the Academy’s influence both within the UK and globally.
The Nigerian academic, and an old boy of King’s College Lagos, who bagged a First-Class degree in Pharmacy from the University of Lagos, disclosed that his emergence followed a competitive election in which members of the Academy voted for their preferred candidate. Expressing gratitude for the confidence reposed in him by colleagues across the UK and internationally, he described the mandate as a privilege that comes with enormous responsibility.
Reflecting on his professional journey, Prof. Harrison, who hails from Abia State, credited his background in pharmacy for laying the foundation for his leadership philosophy. According to him, pharmacy instilled discipline, analytical thinking, professionalism, ethical judgement and evidence-based decision-making, qualities that have guided him throughout his career. He expressed hope that his historic appointment would inspire young pharmacists and other healthcare professionals to recognise that the skills acquired in their professions can open doors to leadership opportunities well beyond traditional career paths.
On what qualified him for the role, he attributed his election to years of dedicated service, leadership and commitment to the Academy and the wider management community. He highlighted his previous role as Co-Vice Chair of Communities, where he worked to strengthen member engagement, expand Special Interest Groups and foster stronger collaboration across academia, industry and society.
Beyond his leadership within the Academy, he pointed to an academic career centred on leadership, leadership development, entrepreneurship and organisational transformation. He said his contributions include extensive scholarly publications, editing major international handbooks, supervising doctoral researchers and working with universities, governments and businesses across several countries.
He stressed that leadership, in his view, is fundamentally about service. Throughout his career, he said he has focused on building communities, creating opportunities for others, mentoring early-career researchers and promoting inclusive excellence, qualities he believes earned him the trust of Academy members.
Outlining his vision for the Academy, the new Chair said he intends to strengthen BAM’s position as one of the world’s foremost management academies while making it more inclusive, internationally connected and influential. He argued that management research should extend beyond universities to help organisations address practical challenges and contribute to economic and social development.
He also pledged to deepen the Academy’s engagement with businesses, governments, healthcare organisations, charities and policymakers so that research findings can better inform decision-making and improve organisational performance. Supporting doctoral researchers, early-career academics and interdisciplinary collaboration, he added, will remain central to his administration.
The Nigerian scholar further emphasised the importance of expanding the Academy’s global partnerships, noting that challenges such as artificial intelligence, sustainability, leadership, healthcare, entrepreneurship and organisational resilience require collaborative international responses.
