The team

Here, you will find information about all of the academics working within the Centre for Brexit Studies.

The Centre boasts staff from across the University, displaying the cross-sector impact Brexit will have on the UK, Europe, and the world.

Centre Director

Alex de Ruyter is a professor at Birmingham City University and serves as Director of its Centre for Brexit Studies. He brings a wealth of research experience and academic engagement in the areas of globalisation, regional economic development, labour market and social exclusion issues. He has published over 60 academic outputs in leading national and international economic journals and has been the recipient of research funding, including being an investigator in an ESRC funded study on the effects on subsequent employment experience of workers from MG Rover after plant closure in 2005.

Professor de Ruyter has undertaken numerous media interviews and is currently researching on the likely impact of Brexit on the UK automotive supply chain in addition to exploring working in the "gig economy". He is also a Board member of the Regional Studies Association.

Nicholas Hurtado

Researcher

Nicholas Hurtado works as a researcher for a MSP at the Scottish Parliament, having pursued his MSc in International & European Politics at the University of Edinburgh from 2021 to 2022.
Tom Leeson

Visiting Professor

Thomas (Tom) Leeson, MSc is Senior Industry Marketing Strategist for the Global Manufacturing sector at OpenText. Tom is an Engineer by trade, a Mathematician by education. He has over 40 years of experience working in the manufacturing sector. First within Aerospace, Automotive and Discrete Manufacturing companies...
Di Li

Fellow

Di Li is a Lecturer in Supply Chain Management at Birmingham City Business School and Senior Fellow at the Centre for Brexit Studies.
Scott Lucas

Editor-in-Chief of EA Worldview

Scott Lucas is Professor of International Politics at the Clinton Institute, University College Dublin; Professor Emeritus of International Politics at the University of Birmingham; and founder and editor-in-chief of EA WorldView, a leading site for coverage of international affairs. He is a specialist in US and British...
Dr Steven McCabe

Associate Professor

Steve is an accomplished lecturer, researcher and economist, with considerable knowledge of business, manufacturing and construction. Steve has worked with organisations in both the private and public sectors in understanding how people are crucial when it comes to long-term development, innovation and creativity. Drawing on...
Beverley Nielsen

Associate Professor and Senior Fellow

Beverley has worked for Birmingham City University for over a decade in a variety of exciting roles. Positions have included Visiting Tutor, MA Design Management and Business Development Manager for Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, as well as Director of Employer Engagement and Director of Corporate Affairs for the...
Vicky Pryce

Chief Economic, Visiting Professor and Senior Fellow

Vicky Pryce is Chief Economic Adviser and a board member at the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) and a Visiting Professor at BCU and King’s College, London. She was previously Director General for Economics at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and Joint Head of the UK Government Economic...
Jay Rowe

PhD Student

Jay gained a BSc (hons) from the University of Birmingham, and later earned an MA from Keele University. Having worked for several SME and non-profit organisations, he returned to academia to read for a PhD in Social Science at the Centre for Brexit Studies.
Dr Jacob Salder

Visiting Professor

Dr Jacob Salder is a Lecturer in Enterprise in the Masood Enterprise Centre at the Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, where he teaches units in entrepreneurship and in venture creation. He specialises in SME development and growth, entrepreneurship, regional development policy, and has research...
Dr Rebecca Semmens-Wheeler

Senior Lecturer

Rebecca Semmens-Wheeler joined BCU’s Psychology department in 2016 and is co-Course Director for the BPS accredited MSc in Psychology.