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Honorary Doctor of Business Administration, 2012
Bio | Citation

Gary Sullivan is co-founder and now Chairman of Wilson James Ltd, and former Chairman of the Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership, and an eminent Anglia Ruskin alumnus.

At the age of 18 Gary joined the army - the Parachute Regiment - and over the next six years he was to develop the skills and the drive that would serve him so well throughout his career. On leaving the army, Gary went to work in a variety of freelance roles, including a year as Senior Logistics & Transport Officer with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

In 1991 Gary, together with his business partner, Mark Dobson, set up construction logistics and built environment services provider, Wilson James. Today Wilson James Ltd employs over 2,500 people around the UK and is recognised as a leader in its field.

The company is a valued supporter of The Prince's Trust in Essex and the firm has supported several Essex athletes, including hockey player Chloe Rogers and Paralympic gold medallist Danny Crates. Gary is a personal donor to the Essex Community Foundation and his dedicated work for Essex has not gone unnoticed, having recently received an OBE in the Queen's birthday honours list for June 2012.

Areas Of Interest: Business, Alumnus
Faculty: Lord Ashcroft International Business School
Citation:

"Vice Chancellor, it is my pleasure to read the citation for Gary Sullivan OBE for the award of Doctor of Business Administration, honoris causa.

Gary Sullivan is co-founder and now Chairman of Wilson James Ltd, and former Chairman of the Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership, and an eminent Anglia Ruskin alumnus.

Gary's educational background is not what you might expect from the Managing Director of a multi-million-pound company. As a teenager he missed out on 18 months of schooling while he stayed at home to care for his mother, younger brother and sister. He freely acknowledges that the only qualification he left school with was a 25-metre swimming certificate.

At the age of 18 Gary joined the army - the Parachute Regiment - and over the next six years he was to develop the skills and the drive that would serve him so well throughout his career. On leaving the army, Gary went to work in a variety of freelance roles, including a spell travelling the world as a bodyguard. He also spent a year as Senior Logistics & Transport Officer with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, helping to deliver humanitarian aid in the war-torn former Yugoslavia.

In 1991 Gary, together with his business partner, Mark Dobson, set up construction logistics and built environment services provider, Wilson James. The new venture provided a good focus for Gary's expertise and energy and today Wilson James Ltd employs over 2,500 people around the UK and is recognised as a leader in its field.

In addition to providing high quality services and consultancy to the built environment, Wilson James is also involved in a number of community initiatives. The company is a valued supporter of The Prince's Trust in Essex. It has provided support services to CRASH, the construction and property industry's charity for homeless people. And the firm has supported several Essex athletes, including hockey player Chloe Rogers and Paralympic gold medallist Danny Crates. Gary is a personal donor to the Essex Community Foundation, an organisation that works to improve the quality of life of people living in Essex, Southend and Thurrock. Gary's dedicated work for Essex has not gone unnoticed, having recently received an OBE in the Queen's birthday honours list for June 2012.

Gary also manages to find time for a number of other interests. He is Chairman of the Essex Olympic Legacy Board, the organisation dedicated to ensuring the Olympic Games leave a positive legacy in Essex, both in terms of participation in sport and in delivering commercial benefits for local companies. Gary passionately believes in the power of sport, and the benefits that sport can bring to the county of Essex and its people. He is also a published author and writer for the trade press and supports ex-service personnel through Wilson James and the Afghanistan Trust.

Gary has come a long way since he left the army and is an inspiration for our Built Environment students. He has maintained close ties with the region where he grew up and in 2002 he finally added to his 25-metre swimming certificate when he studied for and was awarded an MBA from Anglia Ruskin University.

Vice Chancellor, it is my pleasure to present Gary Sullivan OBE for the award of Doctor of Business Administration, honoris causa."

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The 2013 Graduation Ceremony dates can be found here

2013 ceremony dates