Professors in Practice in the School of Business
Kirsty Thomson
Kirsty Thomson is a highly respected social entrepreneur with 23 years of experience in the charity and social enterprise sector. Kirsty has raised over £15 million in funding in her career to date. She is a Fellow of Royal Society of Arts Manufactures and Commerce (FRSA), is the founder of ACK Third Sector Consultants CIC, Circle Scotland CIC (The Circle), and more recently The Circle Learning Foundation. Kirsty is also the CEO of The Big House SCIO, a Scottish charity that redistributes surplus goods to families living in poverty through an innovative circular economy model.
A pioneer of the More Than Profit® approach, Kirsty is widely recognised for her strategic insight, resilience, and leadership in driving social change. She has guided organisations through significant transitions, including mergers and restructures, always with a focus on sustainability and impact.
Kirsty has supported hundreds of social entrepreneurs and charities across the UK, offering consultancy, mentoring, and practical tools to help founders and trustees navigate the challenges of launching and growing these organisations. Her work is defined by a deep belief in collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and ethical practice.
As a sought-after speaker, consultant, and now Professor in Practice at the University of Dundee School of Business, Kirsty wants to continue to inspire and equip the next generation of social leaders to create meaningful, lasting change in their communities.
Carol Clark
With over 18 years of leadership in the games industry, much of which has been firmly rooted in Dundee, Carol has established herself as a respected expert in game development, operational strategy, and creative team leadership. An accomplished Chief Operating Officer, she has built and led teams responsible for delivering high-profile titles across console, mobile, PC, and VR platforms. Her career spans critical roles in project and program management, studio scaling, and organizational transformation - all driven by a core commitment to building company cultures that enable high-performing teams, sustainable delivery, and exceptional employee engagement.
Carol’s track record includes being part of the Xbox One launch team during her time at Rare, leading an R&D team whose innovations on Kinect Sports Rivals earned a patent, and production of the BAFTA-winning Kinect Sports Season Two. She has shipped titles across PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and mobile platforms, managing teams ranging from 25 to over 200 people. A long-time contributor to Dundee’s game development community, Carol is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of industry talent.
Her appointment as Professor in Practice reflects both her strategic impact in the industry and her dedication to building healthier, more inclusive, and more sustainable studio cultures—bridging professional practice and academic excellence to prepare students for the realities of the modern business environment.
Graham Shapiro
Professor Graham Shapiro is an award-winning British inventor, designer & digital entrepreneur of The Chartered Society of Designers, Chartered Institute of Marketing and The Royal Society of Arts. Visiting Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Westminster, Ambassador of Innovation for The University of Cambridge, Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Chester and Chairman of Arcet Global.
Graham invented the interloopmailer® and Reggie®.For over 25 years his company Graham Shapiro Design (GSD®) has created online and offline communication for some of the world’s most respected companies.
He is also the founder of The Graham Shapiro Foundation. A Charity that's aim is to establish a real way to support mental health, wellbeing and to inspire innovation and young entrepreneurialism.