May 2023 – WEST | Alumni Blog

Business founded by UWS graduate in Converge Challenge semi final

23May

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Alumni Stories

Business founded by UWS graduate in Converge Challenge semi final

A business founded by a UWS graduate has made it to the semi-finals of Converge 2023, the annual competition for innovators and entrepreneurs in Scotland’s universities. Fairouz Dridi MA Filmmaking 2020 Founded in 2023, Screen Hustler is the brainchild of UWS MA Filmmaking graduate Fairouz Dridi and was set up to offer a comprehensive suite of visual design and branding services for young creatives in the screen industry, such as filmmakers, actors, set designers, video editors, makeup artists, screenwriters and cinematographers. Fairouz who graduated in 2020 from UWS Ayr campus, said: “We are thrilled to be competing in the Create Change Challenge category and to have the opportunity to showcase our innovative solution to a wider audience. “The success of Screen Hustler wo...

Alumna with the “Most Confusing Job Title in the World”

A University of the West of Scotland (UWS) graduate has been giving her top tips on digital marketing and how she may have the “most confusing job title in the world”. Jo Crawford, who studied Creative Industries Practice at UWS, is now based in Copenhagen working with Pandora, the world's largest jewellery brand as Global Vice President for Owned Digital and Orchestration. Following a shift from insurance to fashion retail in 2015, Jo worked with the prestigious Ralph Lauren in London before moving to Pandora in 2020. In a podcast she talks about why big brands should do community marketing and how the worst piece of advice is to “stay in your lane”. Her top tip is to always ask why: “Why would the customer care about this? Why does this help the brand? Why is this interesting?” ...

Graduate Appointed first Chief Information Security Officer at The University of Manchester

UWS graduate Heather Lowrie has been appointed as the University of Manchester’s first Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), commencing in May 2023. Heather Lowrie PgDip IT (2000) Heather, who completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Information Technology at University of Paisley (now UWS Paisley campus) in 2000, will lead on the strategic transformation of information security and identity & access management services, and the design and implementation of a coherent vision for the protection of the University’s digital footprint. Commenting on joining the University, Heather said: “The University of Manchester is an exceptional and truly global institution with a wide range of IT systems and platforms serving more than 75,000 stakeholders worldwide. I am delighted...