Xiamen, Fujian, China
Foreseeing geopolitical shifts one year ago, I moved to China in August 2025 to master Mandarin & build cultural-AI bridges for Western entities. *"Award-winning leader at the intersection of corporate strategy and startup innovation. I now pioneer the integration of cultural intelligence into AI systems, a focus of my research, which earned me a Distinction in my Master's of International Business studies in 2025. 🚀 Please reach out if you have any interest in China or the Chinese market. -------------------------------------------------------- I have professional experience in digital transformation, entrepreneurship, and strategic leadership. I’ve led global projects, innovated across industries, and successfully launched multiple startups. Career and Education Highlights 🚀 🎓 Distinction: MSc International Business (2025) 🎓 Erasmus+ 4 Nations Design Thinking winner (2025) 🌍 Ambassador to China representing Northern Ireland, Ulster Uni and Confucius (2025) 🎓 Edge Award recipient. Ulster University (2025) 🏆 RegTech Supercluster Hackathon winner - FinTech Design Thinking (2024) 🎓 Partnered with Meta and 63+ universities to revolutionise digital education. 🧠 VP Meta commendation for leading Facebook’s Digital Skills Programme, expanding to Ireland and increasing learner participation by 250%. 💸 Secured £500k+ in funding, including ESF, DfE, and FastTrack grants. 🎶 Collaborated with Bob Geldof and Nigel Grainge to develop music talent. 🌍 Led Google training initiatives across 160 countries, upskilling 40,000+ SMEs globally. 🇨🇳 Designed and delivered AI workshops for a Chinese government delegation. 💥 Launched 3 startups, pitched and secured angel investment. 👩💻 Upskilled 300+ women into digital specialist roles. DfE funded. 🎬 IMDB credits for Hollywood sound editing and ADR with Cillian Murphy. 🏅 Outstanding Ofsted rating—Top 0.1% nationwide for training excellence. What fuels me 🔥 🌟 Initiatives I've led over recent years: ✅ Digital skills training for underrepresented groups, achieving 95% success rates. 🌍 Consulted for 50+ global brands, driving digital transformation. 🎤 Delivered 200+ events for Google and Meta, generating measurable success. 🚀 Developed innovative strategies across crowdfunding, music, education, and SaaS. 🤝 Pro-bono work for DE&I, charity, and community-focused initiatives. 🌟 I am passionate about empowering individuals and organisations to create lasting transformation. If you’re interested in collaborating or learning more about my work, please feel free to connect with me! ✨
Ulster University & Xiamen University | *2025 – 2026* Academic Excellence: Earned a Distinction-grade Master of International Business, ranking #1 in the 2025 cohort, with a pioneering thesis on culturally intelligent AI recommended for academic publication. Award-Winning Leadership: Honoured with the prestigious Ulster EDGE Award (supported by PwC) for outstanding professional development, recognizing achievements as a Cultural Ambassador to China and as a Design Thinking champion in a competitive Erasmus+ program. Applied Innovation: Founded an AI startup in Invest NI's Founder's Labs; won a university hackathon by leading a team of PhDs to design an inclusive FinTech solution; all while conducting immersive field research in China to ground academic work in real-world cultural context. Strategic Language Acquisition: Currently undertaking intensive Mandarin studies at HSK 3-4 level at China’s top-ranked Xiamen University to directly support research and long-term professional goal of facilitating ethical, culturally-attuned business and AI integration between East and West.
Awarded Distinction (Top of Cohort 2025): Achieved the highest academic standing in the graduating class, with a notable 85 in International Finance. Thesis Nominated for Publication: Conducted pioneering research on "Enhancing Multinational Customer Interactions through Culturally Intelligent AI: A Comparative Study between China and Europe." The thesis was highly commended by the supervisor for its innovative approach and potential for journal publication. Ulster EDGE Award Winner (Supported by PwC): Selected through a competitive university-wide process as one of a limited number of graduates recognised for exceptional extracurricular engagement and employability skills. Key Projects & Leadership: Founder, CulturAI: Graduated from Invest NI's Founder's Labs pre-accelerator; developed a full operational plan and scalable business model for an AI startup focused on cultural intelligence. Hackathon Winner: Led a cross-disciplinary team (including 5 PhDs) to win 1st place in the RegTech Supercluster Hackathon (sponsored by Dept. for Economy), designing a FinTech prototype for financial inclusion. International Ambassador: Represented Ulster University and Northern Ireland on a cultural exchange delegation to China, building strategic educational and economic partnerships. Erasmus+ Design Thinking Champion: Secured a competitive spot in the 4 Nations program in Bucharest; led team to victory and earned certification in strategic design thinking.
Outright winner of the Design Thinking Hackathon for FinTech and highly commended. I was selected to compete in the RegTech Supercluster Hackathon hosted by Ulster University and sponsored by the Department for the Economy. The challenge focused on financial inclusion, and I led a cross-disciplinary team that included five PhD robotics students. We used design thinking to develop a prototype grounded in real-world user needs. I guided the team through problem framing, interface design, and a live pitch to industry experts. In just three hours, we built a user-friendly app to support underbanked individuals and presented a viable solution. Our concept was selected as the winning entry. The experience demonstrated my ability to lead innovation and deliver results under extreme time pressure, while collaborating with specialists across technical and business domains.
Ambassador to China representing Northern Ireland, Ulster University and Confucius. I was selected through a highly competitive process to represent Ulster University and Northern Ireland as a cultural ambassador to China. In preparation for the delegation, I have been studying Mandarin intensively and engaging in cultural immersion to build meaningful connections on the ground. My role involves developing strategic relationships with universities, research institutions, and local government bodies to promote collaboration across education, innovation, and business. I bring to this role over a decade of experience in digital innovation, stakeholder engagement, and public speaking. I will travel to China in June 2025, where I plan to build long-term partnerships that strengthen educational and economic ties between China, Northern Ireland, and the wider UK and Irish regions.Ama
Founded an AI startup and graduated from Founder's Labs (Invest NI) pre-accelerator. Selected for Invest NI’s prestigious Founder Labs programme to develop an innovative AI startup. Over six weeks, I built a full operational plan grounded in original research on AI, culture, and global markets. I led strategic planning, scenario mapping, and pitch development, culminating in a live presentation to senior stakeholders. I ran stakeholder engagement across potential investors, co-founders, and clients, created a dedicated research-sharing network, and hosted community events to build traction. I also designed a scalable business model using the Business Model Canvas, integrated a bespoke algorithm into the product roadmap, and conducted market validation. The startup reflects my passion for bridging AI research and real-world application, and this role further strengthened my leadership in innovation, technical planning, and public communication.
Secured a prestigious and competitive place on GMCA's Procurement system. Delivery of digital skills bootcamps and employability programmes in Greater Manchester. I partnered with lead contractors to deliver high-impact projects focused on underrepresented groups, and wrote successful bids aligned to government priorities around inclusion, innovation, and workforce transformation. I researched regional challenges, designed targeted training, and built a CRM of community partners across all 10 boroughs. My standout initiative was the Talent programme, which focused on upskilling disadvantaged women and achieved success rates of 93 percent and a 98 percent Net Promoter Score. I engaged employers, secured sponsors, and negotiated with GMCA to adapt procurement strategy based on research-led insights. The work became a benchmark for inclusive skills delivery in the region and helped shape policy discussions around future funding priorities.