UCAS Chair awarded Honorary Fellowship
Trudy Norris-Grey, leader in the tech industry in the UK and globally, has been awarded an Honorary Fellowship today (Thursday 27 July) from Cardiff Metropolitan University.
With over 30 years of success to her name, Trudy was appointed as UCAS’ first independent chair of its board of trustees in 2021.
Prior to this, Trudy has held senior executive positions with firms such as Microsoft, Oracle, Sun Microsystems and BT. In all these positions she was a champion of the customer and its partners, striving to better serve them by overcoming challenges to help grow their customer satisfaction, revenue and profit.
Commenting on the award, Trudy said: “I am thrilled. What an honour. Thank you. I say this with the words of the nervous, anxious and unworldly undergraduate me whispering in my ear: have you got the right person? Being recognised by Cardiff Met and one’s own nation is a huge honour.”
Trudy is also Chair of WISE (Women in Science, Engineering & Technology), which campaigns to encourage more girls and women to pursue STEM career paths.
When asked her top tips for students graduating today, Trudy added: “We all have unique talents and potential that can make a difference in the world. Do not let others define you or limit you by their expectations. Follow your passions and pursue your goals, no matter how impossible they may seem. Embrace the power of technology, diversity, collaboration and the responsibility to better serve all around us.”
Trudy has also chaired the CBI Committee on Innovation, Science and Technology, was a member of the Research Council Funders Forum, the UK Trade Minister’s UK Infrastructure Forum and the UK Technology and Innovation Catapult Centre.
Jon Platts, Dean of the Cardiff School of Technologies, said: “Trudy is highly regarded in the tech industry and will be an incredible role model to our students, particularly highlighting what women can achieve in the industry. Cardiff School of Technologies is keen to build a wide STEM network for women, which includes all the STEM outreach activities we currently undertake. This will help us build an environment for learning, research and innovation that is supportive to women. Trudy’s experience and industry contacts will be a huge asset in helping the University achieve this goal.”
Born in Swansea, Trudy first studied for a Business Studies degree at the Polytechnic of Wales (now the University of South Wales). Her career developed quickly into senior leadership and international roles. She now splits her time between the US and the UK.