The Lord-Lieutenant is delighted to announce the appointment of 12 new Deputy Lieutenants which was posted in the The London Gazette today. The Lieutenancy congratulates and welcomes them all.
Ali Akbor OBE – A Resident of Oldham
Ali Akbor OBE is a prominent figure in the UK housing sector, a former Chief
Executive of Unity Homes and Enterprise, and a panel member of the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry. Born in Bangladesh, he has lived in the Greater Manchester area since arriving in the UK when he was 9 years old. He began his career in local government as a Youth Opportunities Programme trainee at Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council.
He later qualified as an accountant with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and held various finance and accountancy roles at Tameside Council.
He also worked for Salford City Council, rising to Head of Finance in the Community and Social Services Directorate.
Ali developed a strong interest in housing and joined the boards of local housing associations and played a key role in the formation of a new housing association in Oldham. As well as his various Board roles Ali has been involved in local voluntary and community activities including being Chair of Governors at his local school.
In January 1999, he was appointed Chief Executive of Unity Housing Association in Leeds. During his over two-decade tenure, Unity expanded its services to include enterprises that promote local entrepreneurial activity and employment support. He stood down from the CEO role in October 2020, when he was appointed by the Prime Minister as one of the three panel members for the Grenfell Public Inquiry. The inquiry was established to investigate the devastating fire that occurred in London in 2017. The panel published its final report on 4 September 2024.
Ali was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2019 New Year Honours for his services to the community in Leeds.
Since retiring, Ali has been appointed to the board of Pickering and Ferens Homes based in Hull and he is a founder trustee for the Masjid-Ul-Aqsa & Islamic Centre in Oldham.
Amanda-Jane (AJ) Dean – A Resident of Bury
AJ Dean is an experienced communications leader with a career spanning more than three decades in television, media, PR and stakeholder engagement. Currently serving as Stakeholder, Comms & Engagement Manager across ITV in the North, AJ plays a pivotal role in championing and raising ITV’s profile across the northern regions. Her remit also covers stakeholder management, corporate press, internal communications, charity partnerships, VIP visits and special projects.
At ITV, AJ has provided leadership to high-profile projects including project publicity and event management for Coronation Street’s 50th and 60th anniversaries, as well as Emmerdale’s landmark 50th birthday celebrations. She has also overseen complex change projects, including leading the communications and engagement around the relocation of ITV and Coronation Street to MediaCity, a milestone in the broadcaster’s history.
AJ’s career began at 18 when she joined the BBC in London. Over the following nine years, she progressed from secretary to producer within News and Current Affairs, working on major stories such as the Lockerbie disaster and the Gulf War. Her diverse roles spanned PA, researcher, technical manager and producer, giving her a strong editorial and production grounding.
A period in Sydney saw AJ diversify into marketing and PR, before returning to the UK to specialise in media and entertainment publicity. She went on to become Head of PR and Marketing at Cosgrove Hall Films, the iconic Manchester-based animation studio behind global hits such as Danger Mouse.
Since joining ITV in 2010, AJ has become a trusted figure both inside and outside the organisation, known for her ability to build meaningful stakeholder relationships, manage sensitive and complex communications, and deliver events that celebrate the cultural impact of ITV’s programmes. As a staunch advocate of diversity, equity and inclusion, AJ is an active supporter of ITV Pride and an ally to the LGBTQ+ community both inside ITV and beyond. She also provides mentorship and support to colleagues across the business, sharing her knowledge, experience and vast network of contacts with others as they develop within their own careers.
Born and raised in Bury, moving back to the North West was one of the best decisions AJ ever made. She not only came full circle to work back at ‘Granada,’ where her career began as a student, but also reconnected her with the love of her life, marrying ‘the boy from school’ after a 35-year gap.
Professor Saul Becker – A Resident of Styal and Pro Vice-Chancellor MMU
Saul is Pro Vice-Chancellor and Head of the Faculty of Health and Education, Founding Director of the Institute for Children’s Futures, and Professor of Children and Families, at Manchester Metropolitan University. He has held professorial and leadership roles at Cambridge, Sussex, Birmingham, Nottingham and Loughborough universities before coming to Manchester Met in May 2022. Saul is a Registered Social Worker and has worked with children and families.
For the last thirty years, Saul has been recognised as the pioneer and world leader on research, policy and practice for young carers – children who have unpaid caring roles in their families. He publishes extensively in this field and advises governments, policy makers and practitioners around the world. He and his work have featured in ten television documentaries.
Saul is a Trustee of the Manchester United Foundation, and The Fed. He is an Ambassador for the national charity Carers Trust and is President or Patron of a number of carers’ centres. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and the Academy of Social Sciences.
Philip John Britton MBE – A Resident of Bolton
Philip Britton is the Head of Foundation of Bolton School. He was brought up on Tyneside, took a first in physics at Oxford and did teacher training at Cambridge. He worked as physics teacher, Head of Physics and Deputy Head at Leeds Grammar School, where he is now a Governor, before moving to Bolton in 2008. In 2010 he was awarded an MBE for services to physics and is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics where he was Vice President for education and has been much involved in physics education, encouraging teachers to encourage the next generation of physicists. He has a Honorary Doctorate from the University of Greater Manchester and is a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching, having a long term interest in innovative teaching and learning. Philip is Chair of HMC, the members organisation for Leading Independent Schools and a director of the Independent Schools Council. He is also Joint Group Lead Volunteer in the scout group.
Najma Khalid MBE – A Resident of Oldham
For over 30 years, Najma has worked with some of the most disadvantaged and under-represented communities across Greater Manchester and beyond. With lived experience, deep community roots, and a background in Management Studies and Community Leadership, Najma has designed and delivered projects that tackle health inequalities, promote wellbeing, and celebrate diversity through creativity and collaboration.
Najma is the Founder and Director of the Women’s CHAI Project CIC (Care, Help and Inspire), which she established in 2011 inspired by her lived experience of domestic abuse. What began as a small voluntary initiative over a cup of chai has grown into a thriving organisation supporting more than 150 women each week through 10 community groups. The project empowers women to build confidence, develop awareness of contemporary issues, strengthen family connection, and drive social change.
Najma is also the curator of the Oldham Khushi Festival – the Festival of Happiness, celebrating South Asian arts, culture, and heritage, and bringing communities together through joy and creativity.
Her leadership extends across numerous boards and advisory groups including the Focus Trust, Oldham Council Cultural Partnership Board, ensuring that seldom-heard voices influence change.
Through various projects, Najma has raised awareness of health and wellbeing locally, nationally and internationally.
Najma’s dedication to community development was recognised with an MBE in the 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours and an Honorary Master’s Degree from The Open University in 2018.
Through her lifelong commitment, Najma continues to inspire, empower, and connect communities — building bridges and shaping a more inclusive society.
Ian Madeley – A Resident of Rochdale
Ian was Born in Oldham in 1963, 1 of seven children. After marrying he moved to Rochdale in 1996 where he had 3 children.
By profession he is an insurance broker of 45 years, and has operated an independent brokerage since 2013.
Outside business his focus is family and he enjoys active engagement in Freemasonry and Rotary, giving what time he can to help and support people and organisations in the Rochdale community and occasionally, further afield.
His first volunteering role was as a lifesaving instructor at age 13. He was always a good swimmer and found teaching gave him a sense of satisfaction. He became a lifesaving examiner at 16 and with my brother, ran 3 local clubs eventually stepped down in his late 20’s.
He Became a member of Rotaract and progressed to join the Rotary in 1996 and continues to be an active member. He was President Saddleworth Rotaract in1992, District Chairman Rotaract 1995, President of Rochdale Rotary in 2005 which was the Rotary centenary year. He initiated one of the first Rotaserv clubs in the North of England around 1998, for volunteers aged 30 -40, for those that wanted to continue in service in a dual gender environment or not able to commit to Rotary and other senior organisations.
He entered into Freemasonry in 2018 to extend his fellowships which has also provided opportunities for new volunteering activity.
Sanjay Rajan Mulchand & Venika Sanjay Mulchand Residents of Wilmslow and owners of a family business in Leigh
Sanjay Mulchand is Chief Executive Officer of Laltex Group, a third-generation family business based in Leigh, Greater Manchester.
Founded in 1962, Laltex is an international trading group importing consumer goods and promotional products from across the globe, supplying leading retail, wholesale, e-tail, and business gift sectors.
After graduating from Christ’s College, Cambridge, Sanjay joined the family business in 1998, gaining hands-on experience across sales and purchasing before progressing to Managing Director and then CEO. While Laltex operates internationally, it remains firmly committed to creating local jobs and supporting the Leigh community.
Sanjay has been instrumental in embedding the company’s “One Family” ethos, placing people, purpose, and partnership at the heart of everything Laltex does. He believes business can be a genuine force for good, supporting team members, customers, and suppliers while acting responsibly in the communities where it operates.
In recent years, he has led Laltex’s sustainability agenda, earning Planet Mark certification for three consecutive years and driving measurable progress toward a net zero future.
Away from Laltex, Sanjay is a long-standing advisor and appeal board member at Seashell Trust and an advisor to HUGS (Helping Uganda Schools), a charity providing education to children living in extreme poverty, where he played a key role in building and opening a boarding school in Busunju. He is also a passionate advocate for disability inclusion in employment, with Laltex actively employing people with disabilities and Sanjay encouraging other businesses to do the same.
Venika Mulchand was born in London and raised between the UK and Hong Kong, developing a lifelong belief in education as a pathway to opportunity and transformation. After graduating from the University of Manchester in 2000, she completed a PGCE in Secondary Mathematics, laying the foundation for a career dedicated to teaching and supporting young people.
Venika also contributes to the family business, Laltex Group, as a project manager, leading a wide range of initiatives that have enhanced workplace environments and operational efficiency. Her projects have included the design of co-working and breakout spaces, helping to ensure Laltex remains a productive, welcoming, and inspiring environment for its team.
Her focus has increasingly turned to supporting children with special educational needs. She has volunteered at the Seashell Trust for over 20 years, working directly with students and supporting the fundraising team to expand the charity’s impact. She also runs the family foundation, supporting initiatives that broaden access to education both locally and internationally.
Venika is an advisor to HUGS (Helping Uganda Schools), collaborating on projects that improve educational opportunities for children living in extreme poverty. She played a key role in building and opening a boarding school in Busunju earlier this year. She is also a passionate advocate for disability inclusion in employment.
Beyond her professional and charitable commitments, she is a wife and mother of two.
Calum David Robert McGowan – A Resident of Manchester
Born in London but now an adopted Mancunian, Calum moved to the city to study at UMIST, graduating with a first-class honours degree. After university, he quickly transitioned from construction to technology, and has been working in software development and e-commerce since 2002.
A technologist by day, Calum dedicates a significant amount of his spare time to various causes, quickly developing a passion for giving back after a chance encounter with a neighbour led to him joining what became the Castlefield Forum.
He is now the Chair of the Castlefield Forum, a multi-award-winning neighbourhood charity dedicated to preserving and improving the historic city centre district of Castlefield. Under his leadership, the organisation continues to deliver multiple streams of work, most notably the Clean & Green Castlefield group, which has accrued over 4,000 volunteer hours in the last five years, as well as being the lead
community partner for the Castlefield Viaduct project and community visioning process. The Forum’s teams have been recognised with numerous accolades, including the 2024 Pride of Manchester Award and multiple ‘Level 5 – Outstanding’ ratings from the RHS.
Calum is also personally involved with the National Trust Castlefield Viaduct project, serving on the delivery board. He is the only non-National Trust employee in the UK to hold such a position, ensuring the local community has a direct voice and representation as the project moves forward to deliver a permanent green space in the sky for Greater Manchester.
Additionally, Calum serves as a Trustee at the YMCA Manchester, an organisation focused on supporting children who have fallen out of mainstream education. He is also an Elected Member of the General Assembly at The University of Manchester, serving as a bridge between the University and the surrounding neighbourhoods, industry, and community groups.
Calum gives back to the tech community by serving on the programme panels for several leading UK software conferences, helping to spread best practices and innovative ideas. He is also scheduled to chair Agile Manchester 2026.
In his limited remaining time, Calum pursues creative and practical interests as a property renovator, baker, and exhibiting artist. He is currently renovating a Grade II listed structure, a project that will restore a small piece of Manchester’s history while complementing it with a contemporary new structure.
Martin Paul Roche JP – A Resident of Oldham
Martin was born, brought up and spent his working life in and around Manchester.
On leaving school he pursued a career in civil engineering, but after several years joined Greater Manchester Police, retiring in 2014.
Since his early teens, Martin has constantly been involved in volunteering, either directly with charities or fundraising for them.
When he was 16 years old, his volunteer work contributed to him being awarded the title ‘Rochdale Young Citizen of the Year.’
He has served on the Boards of several charities and has recently been appointed to the Board of ‘Home-Start’ (Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre). His previous regional/national Board appointments have included The Royal Jubilee Trusts, The Prince’s Trust, Greater Manchester Youth Association, Greater Manchester Drama Federation and Child Action Northwest.
He has a long-standing involvement in performing arts and took up script writing for theatre several years ago. He has written 30 works which have been produced across the UK and as far afield as South Africa and Australia.
Martin is proud to have been President of the Children’s Amateur Theatre Society in Bolton for over fifteen years and his work with young people was recognised by the Greater Manchester Drama Federation in 2009 with the Muriel Goodwin Trophy for ‘An Outstanding Contribution to Youth’.
For the past several years, Martin has served as a Magistrate within Greater Manchester, a role which he finds extremely rewarding.
Professor Andrew Graeme Rowland OBE JP CF PhD
A Resident of Manchester
Andrew has been a registered medical practitioner for over 25 years and works as a consultant paediatrician in Manchester, providing clinical care – as part of a team – to children for whom there are concerns about abuse, children who are in the care of the local authority, or children who are unaccompanied and seeking asylum in the UK. He is also Officer for Child Protection at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health; Honorary Professor (Children’s Rights, Law, and Advocacy) at the University of Salford; Chair of the Board of Trustees of SicKids charity; a member of the Advisory Council of The Churchill Fellowship; and a non-Executive Member of the Board of Directors of M’Lop Tapang (Cambodia). Andrew is a Churchill Fellow; Fellow of The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce; Fellow of the Academy of Medical Educators; Fellow of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine; Fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health; and Senior Fellow of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management. Andrew’s awards include Honorary Membership of the Faculty of Public Health and the Gold Decoration of Honour of the European Union of Medical Specialists. In the 2025 Birthday Honours list Andrew was appointed as an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to Safeguarding and the Protection of Children’s Rights.
Dr Pawanbir Singh – A Resident of Hale Barns and General Secretary – The Sikh Association Manchester
Dr. Pawanbir Singh is a medical doctor and PhD graduate in Stem Cell Biology with extensive experience in the life sciences and medical technology sectors, focusing on oncology. His work centres on translating and commercialising innovative tools and technologies that advance cancer research, diagnosis, and treatment — helping to bridge the gap between scientific discovery and clinical impact. Drawing on his clinical background and strategic leadership experience, Dr. Singh has contributed to initiatives that foster innovation across healthcare, academia, and industry partnerships.
In addition to his professional achievements, Dr. Singh is actively involved in philanthropic and community work. He has held senior roles within the Sikh Association Manchester and continues to support a range of local charities and interfaith groups, promoting health education, wellbeing, and community cohesion across the region.
Outside of his professional and voluntary commitments, he enjoys cooking, travelling, and participating in sports. A passionate sports enthusiast, he follows Manchester City and values the teamwork and dedication that sport inspires both on and off the field.