A business psychologist who pioneered a national scheme to increase social mobility and employability among young males from disadvantaged backgrounds has been appointed a member of UWE’s board of governors.
Clive Lewis OBE, pictured, has been appointed as one of the 12 independent members on the board, which is the university’s principal decision-making body. 
Clive set up the Bridge Builders Mentoring Scheme, connecting pupils from lower socio-economic backgrounds with business mentors. It provides mentoring, training, work placement opportunities and inspirational speakers.
Clive was inspired to start the scheme after he chaired a government-appointed panel established to explore the costs of underachievement for young males from deprived backgrounds.
The report produced by the panel, named REACH, identified a cost of £24bn across education, employment and the criminal justice system.
In 2011, he was appointed OBE for his work on the three-year project as well as his efforts in the field of workplace mediation.
As founder of the Globis Mediation Group, Clive has worked tirelessly to raise the profile of mediation in the UK. A commercially-trained mediator, he specialises in resolving complex one to one, team, organisational and collective disputes.
A former Kingfisher and Dixons executive, Clive is also a non-executive director of an NHS Foundation Trust and the author of 13 books.
UWE vice-chancellor Prof Steve West said: “It is with great pleasure that we welcome Clive to the board.
“His commitment to boosting social mobility is very much in tune with the strengths and ethos of our university. Clive’s skills, experience and expertise will be highly valued as we progress with the university’s Strategy 2020 and our confident ambitions for the future.”
Clive will serve on the board’s strategic planning and performance committee and on the student governor forum.
The board is responsible for setting the educational character and mission of the university, ensuring the efficient use of resources and approving budgets. Made up of a cross section of 19 internal and external members, it meets three times each academic year.
