Loveday is proud to honour the remarkable contributions of its Chairman and CEO, Laurence Geller CBE, whose longstanding affiliation with the University of West London (UWL) continues to shape the future of education, dementia care and hospitality leadership in the UK.
An alumnus of the university’s predecessor, Ealing Technical College, Laurence has served as Chancellor of UWL for 15 years. Recently recognised by the Vice Chancellor as the longest-serving Chancellor of any UK university, Laurence has not only witnessed but actively led a period of extraordinary transformation. Under his chancellorship, the university adopted its current name and ascended from the bottom of national rankings to being consistently recognised as the UK’s number one modern university in London for the fifth year in a row.
A committed philanthropist, Laurence is the university’s largest donor and most successful fundraiser. He has funded the UK’s first Master’s degree in dementia care, supports annual scholarships in nursing with a dementia specialism and hotel management and co-founded the Westmont Enterprise Hub. Most notably, he founded and funded the Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory, now the leading dementia research centre in the UK and Europe.
Beyond academia, Laurence has championed the nation’s dementia care landscape. He chaired the Alzheimer’s Society’s capital campaign, was named by The Times as the UK’s largest philanthropic donor to dementia care and founded the Geller Commission on Dementia Care, which unites the sector’s leading organisations and researchers. His government advisory roles on concussion in sport and major health conditions further reflect his commitment to national wellbeing.
Today, UWL stands proudly among the top institutions in the UK. It ranks first in London for student satisfaction, second in the country for student unions, and among the best for mental health support, free speech and student voice. Its student body, 60% BAME, 60% female and 66% first-generation university attendees, exemplifies social inclusion and educational access. With the best staff-to-student ratio in England, exceptional graduate employment rates and leading sustainability credentials, UWL truly lives up to its title: The Career University.
Loveday congratulates Laurence on his visionary leadership, transformative philanthropy and enduring passion for education. His legacy continues to inspire across the care and education sectors alike and we are hugely grateful for his leadership at Loveday.
