Prof Arad Reisberg has been selected and appointed as a Founding Board Member of the Social Mobility Leaders’ Forum (SMLF): a new ground-breaking initiative to help those from underprivileged backgrounds boost their life outcomes.
Reisberg, a Professor of Corporate Law and Finance at Brunel University of London who is also the university’s Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor for Social Mobility, joins a seven-strong team at the forum’s helm, and is the only board member from a higher education institution. He is co-leading the SMLF board’s Action workstream alongside GoodWork’s Felicity Halstead.
The forum was established last September by Paul Modley – Managing Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging at AMS, a leading global provider of talent acquisition services – to bring together leaders from different sectors and businesses, who have a shared commitment to addressing social mobility.
The impactful movement, which Modley refers to as ‘a collective of passionate changemakers’, is quickly gathering pace, with more than 55 organisations already on board. Household names such as the BBC, Nationwide, Rolls-Royce and Young Enterprise have signed up, together with other organisations from across the business and banking world, the charity sector and government.
Prof Reisberg’s appointment is testament to everything that he and Brunel have already achieved in removing socio-economic barriers to deliver exceptional career opportunities for students on the university’s law programmes.
“I'm thrilled to be driving our work to ensure we are action-driven, fact-led, and bold and courageous in delivering change,” said Prof Reisberg, whose senior social mobility role at Brunel is a first in the HE sector. “This is about action, accountability, and bringing together bold voices to truly shift mindsets. So many incredible organisations, including The Social Mobility Foundation, Amazon, Progress Together, Fair Education Alliance, Accenture, and others, are joining us, united by one collective purpose. This isn’t business as usual. It’s the start of a movement. A space for those serious about systemic change, equity, and unlocking opportunity for all.”
Prof Reisberg’s appointment and Brunel’s membership of the forum are of great significance to the university, said Prof Jonathan Wastling, Brunel’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor. “Brunel has such a strong social mission, with distinctive staff talent and highly employable graduates – and exceptional international reach from our London campus. The university’s strategic direction sets the ambition to enable students to realise their potential, irrespective of social or cultural backgrounds.
“To share the secrets of our success, through Prof Reisberg, to learn from other changemakers, and to make such a positive difference to all the employers who are signing up to benefit from the forum’s expertise – all this reinforces how Brunel is turning into an engine of social mobility, of which we are particularly proud.”
The SMLF’s first planned action will take place on 9 June, as part of Social Mobility Day activities: a one-day activation workshop to re-imagine social mobility through system thinking, a space designed to do more than just raise awareness.
The Social Mobility Leaders' Forum members, April 2025
Reported by:
Joe Buchanunn,
Media Relations
joe.buchanunn@brunel.ac.uk