Read about the Westminster Alumni Award finalists in this category and vote for who you think deserves to win.
Finalists
Claudio Giambrone
Tourism Management MA, 2006
Claudio Giambrone is a cultural programmer and marketing leader at Wembley Park, one of London’s largest regeneration projects. He curates and delivers public art programmes, cultural festivals, and performance series, creating platforms for artists and building a strong cultural offer for one of London’s fastest-growing neighbourhoods.
Before joining Wembley Park, Claudio led destination marketing for London’s South Bank, working with cultural institutions including Southbank Centre, BFI, and the National Theatre. He helped launch new public spaces such as Jubilee Gardens, officially opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
At Wembley Park, Claudio leads a range of cultural programmes, from Diwali festivals to grassroots music and public busking events, and collaborations with institutions such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He also works directly with the Mayor of London on high-profile cultural initiatives, and led Wembley Park’s sponsorship of Brent’s successful London Borough of Culture 2020 bid.
Faisal Abbas
Marketing Communications MA, 2009
Faisal is a journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Arab News, the Middle East’s leading English-language daily newspaper. He studied at Westminster part-time while working in London, and his experiences are encapsulated in a 2024 bestselling book, Anecdotes of an Arab Anglophile.
Since being appointed Editor-in-Chief in 2016, Faisal has used his knowledge of marketing communications to rebrand Arab News into a multilingual global news source.
His tenure as Editor-in-Chief has coincided with rapid economic, political and social change. Internally, Faisal has actively pushed the cause of female empowerment and religious tolerance. He is a highly respected columnist on Arab-international affairs and a regular commentator on global media platforms, which brings him into contact with world leaders.
In 2017, Faisal received the British Council’s Study UK Alumni Social Impact Award in Saudi Arabia and, in 2025, the Saudi British Society Rawabi Holding Award for Services to Saudi-British Relations.
Savannah Williams
Architecture MArch, 2021
Savannah Williams is an architect, based in Dubai as Project Architect at RSP. Previously she was at Foster + Partners in London, and on top of being successful in a highly pressurised industry, she founded People of Colour (POC) in Architecture.
POC in Architecture is a growing platform for the work of students of colour to showcase their work to industry and be mentored by people that reflect many of their own backgrounds. Since moving to Dubai, she has built a small team back in the Uk that includes two female architects, one of whom is also a Westminster graduate.
Savannah is dedicated to improving the architectural industry's diversity and inclusion and has been recognised in Dezeen, RIBA Journal and RIBA People of the Month. She was also nominated as a RIBA Rising Star 2024.
Yahye Siyad
Arabic and International Relations BA, 2010, and International Human Resource Management MA, 2011
Yahye began his career in Dubai, spending six years at MBC in HR before moving to ENBD in 2017 to lead Learning & Development, where he discovered his passion for empowering people’s growth. He became a Certified Co-Active Professional Coach, freelancing globally to design and deliver corporate workshops. Yahye has also spoken at regional events as a keynote speaker and guest lecturer.
He founded his consultancy, InclusiveHorizons, offering coaching, accessibility, and inclusion services. He played a pivotal role in establishing a school for blind students in Somalia and has worked independently as an Inclusion Consultant with organisations worldwide since 2020. Yahye authored Unshakeable Will and, in 2023, was recognized among the BIMA100 as one of the UK’s most influential figures in the digital industry, winning in the Champions for Change: People category.