Since graduating from UCL 50 years ago, Millie Banerjee CBE has remained a committed partner, supporting initiatives to widen access and opportunity in education.
Born in Kolkata, India, Millie Banerjee enrolled at UCL in 1965 where she earned a BSc in Zoology. Since then, she has built a distinguished career spanning telecommunications, public serice and national governance.
Upon graduating, Millie went into telecommunications, specialising in project management in companies such as BT, where she eventually became Director of Products and Services. She has held senior leadership posts in the global communications sector, including Executive Vice-President for Operations at ICO Global Communications and served on a variety of national boards, including the Cabinet Office, Channel 4, the Prisons Board, Ofcom and the Judicial Appointments Commission.
In 2017, she became Chair of NHS Blood and Transplant, guiding the organisation through periods of significant operational and societal pressure and working to reduce inequalities in blood and organ donation. She was awarded a CBE in 2002.
Alongside her many professional achievements, Millie has been committed to widening participation in higher education and never forgot her UCL roots. Since 1991, she has supported the Chris Seymour Scholarships, created in memory of her late husband, which fund tuition fees for UK-domiciled female students from low-income backgrounds to study Electronic and Electrical Engineering at UCL.
It is important that we make space for diverse talents. I want to help create excellent engineers for the future.
In 2022, Millie was awarded a UCL Honorary Fellowship, acknowledging her leadership and unwavering dedication to opening doors for future generations.
When asked what she would like to people to remember about her, Millie jokes “That I’ve been around a while”. She may have retired but she shows no sign of slowing down. An avid learner, she has recently started a PhD in Health Policy, following a Masters in the same subject.
