Dragons' Den investor amongst those honoured by York St John
James Caan, best known as one of the
all-powerful investors in the successful BBC series ‘Dragons’ Den’,
is one of three exceptional individuals to be awarded Honorary
Degrees by York St John University at its graduation ceremonies at
York Minister on Thursday 18 and Friday 19 November this year.
James Caan will be attending the afternoon
ceremony on Thursday 18 November where he will receive an Honorary
Doctor of Business Administration from York St John University.
James will receive his award in recognition of his success as an
entrepreneur and business leader, and his generosity in using his
experience to advise other businesses and entrepreneurs, especially
those from ethnic minority backgrounds.
In addition to his involvement on Dragons’
Den, James has achieved widespread recognition as a successful
business entrepreneur. He arrived in the UK aged 2 as an immigrant
from Pakistan, and despite receiving no formal business education
when he was young, he has gone on to establish an international
recruitment and head hunting empire and private equity investment
company. James is committed to education and the development of
talent, through his role as co-chair of the Ethnic Minority
Business Task Force and his contribution to the Prince’s Trust
Enterprise Team. He is also actively involved in a number of
charities and set up The James Caan Foundation, which supports the
education of disadvantaged children in Pakistan and the UK.
Also being honoured by York St John this year
is Valerie Taylor, OBE, a physiotherapist who founded a
rehabilitation centre for the poor in Bangladesh. After spending
time there with Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) in 1969, Valerie
became aware of the great need for rehabilitation services for the
disabled and set up the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the
Paralysed (CRP) in Dhaka in 1979. Today, CRP is an internationally
renowned training hospital and rehabilitation centre which
regularly welcomes volunteers from overseas, including occupational
therapy students from York St John University. Valerie will receive
an Honorary Doctor of Health Sciences on Friday 19 November in
recognition of her long and distinguished career and service to the
poor and disabled people of Bangladesh.
Mr Janakiraman Ramachandran will also receive
an Honorary Degree from York St John on Friday 19 November, in
recognition of his contribution to education and social development
in India. Mr Ramachandran is Chancellor of AMET University in
Chennai, India, which he founded in 1993 with a population of 14
students and has expanded rapidly to 1,500 students today. In 1976
he founded the NAESEY project, which provides free training courses
for the unemployed of South India to help them earn a regular
income and achieve social status. He has been the sole funder of
this organisation which, in the thirty years of its existence, has
assisted more than 0.15 million people get out of poverty and into
employment.
Honorary Degrees will be presented at the graduation ceremonies
in York Minster by either York St John’s Chancellor, Dr John
Sentamu, Archbishop of York, or by Vice Chancellor, Professor David
Fleming, in front of an audience of graduands, their families and
friends, and staff and guests of the University.
For further information please contact Amy Hall, PR
& Communications Officer on T: 01904 876466 or E: a.hall@yorksj.ac.uk