University of Salford Business School’s Dr. Francine Morris’ entrepreneurial spirit and trailblazing approach has transformed the landscape of sustainable innovation, pioneering a collaborative model that bridges academia and industry, driving not only organisational success but also positive societal impact. By fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, Francine has created an environment where ideas can thrive and grow, driving tangible results, while shaping the future of sustainable innovation in the Greater Manchester region and beyond. Francine’s leadership transcends organisational boundaries, as she inspires and influences individuals within and outside of the University through her visionary leadership, mentorship and collaborative approach. Through strategic partnerships with businesses across Greater Manchester, Francine has facilitated economic growth, job creation and skills development, while promoting social responsibility and sustainability. Her progressive initiatives exemplify her commitment to innovation and community engagement, inspiring others to embrace entrepreneurship as a force for positive change. With a track record of great achievements, including generating over £800k in income within the first three months of launching the University’s Centre for Sustainable Innovation and supporting over 150 businesses, Francine is a transformative leader, shaping the future of sustainable development and community engagement whilst championing the need for a multidisciplinary approach to supporting businesses overcoming challenges and driving forward innovation.
Finalist
Entrepreneurial Leader of the Year Award
Francine Morris
Finalist of the Entrepreneurial Leader of the Year Award
University of Salford - United Kingdom
"Futureproofing the UK economy through entrepreneurship and sustainable innovation."
Engage on social media
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-francine-morris-60a94817/ (Dr. Francine Morris’ LinkedIn account)
https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/salford-business-school (Salford Business School’s LinkedIn account)
https://www.linkedin.com/company/centre-for-sustainable-innovation (Centre for Sustainable Innovation LinkedIn account)
https://www.linkedin.com/school/university-of-salford (University of Salford LinkedIn account)
https://www.instagram.com/salfordbizsch/ (Salford Business School’s Instagram account)
https://www.instagram.com/salforduni/(University of Salford Instagram account)
https://www.facebook.com/salfordbusinessschool/(Salford Business School’s Facebook account)
https://www.facebook.com/salforduni(University of Salford Facebook account)
(University of Salford YouTube account)
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Summary
Key People
Liz Larner
PVC (Pro Vice-Chancellor) Interim Dean
Salford Business School,
University of Salford
Dr Ann Mulhaney
Associate Professor for Change Management
The Centre for Sustainable Innovation, Salford Business School,
University of Salford
Dr Angel Jimenez-Aranda
Associate Professor for Digital Transformation
The Centre for Sustainable Innovation, Salford Business School,
University of Salford
Dr. Silvia Tedesco
Associate Professor for Sustainability
The Centre for Sustainable Innovation, Salford Business School,
University of Salford
Professor Mandy Parkinson
Chair of Business Innovation
Salford Business School,
University of Salford
Sara Boswell
Director
The Centre for Sustainable Innovation, Salford Business School,
University of Salford
Acknowledgements
Salford Business School’s Industry Advisory Board plays an integral role in the School’s industry engagement, contributing to its entrepreneurial culture. The board is an independent body of experienced professionals brought together on the basis of their expertise to support and advise the School. Board members contribute business acumen, expertise and industry reach that contributes to the current and future activities and development of the School and the wider University.
GMCA (Greater Manchester Combined Authority) and Salford City Council have a long standing relationship with the University and Business school, and as such are key civic partners, supporting in research, co creation, skills, employment, regeneration and much more.
In collaboration with the CSI, The Growth Company has helped offer innovation and commercialisation support to 60 businesses, launching 30 new products/services into the market.
Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS) support the school to deliver excellent standards of teaching, research and enterprise engagement. Current funders of the Help to Grow Programme delivered by CSI supporting over 150 SMEs.
Images
Francine Morris
FM - Suffragette
FM - Skills & Employability
FM - CSI Launch
FM - Key speaker
IMPACT STORY
Impacting lifes
As Associate Dean for Enterprise and Engagement at Salford Business School, Francine has played a pivotal role in nurturing emerging leaders, dedicating much of her career to gender equality, while collaborating with other leading voices to drive social and economic change across the region. She has previously led the University’s work on gender equality and she’s passionate about breaking down the barriers women face in the labour market, particularly from an intersectionality standpoint, including age, race and social background.
Francine mentors multiple women to ensure they have access to the support available to be successful. Beyond this, she has played an instrumental role in supporting black-owned businesses to thrive, namely through event sponsorship including the Black Owned Business Expo (BOBExpo), as well as through mentorship. Francine regularly engages with initiatives that reflect the diversity of the University’s students, while inspiring them to become business owners and embedding an entrepreneurial and inclusive mindset as they graduate.
One black female entrepreneur, Francine has mentored is Founder and CEO of Wellness and Beauty for All, Catherine Whelan. Francine introduced Catherine to the University’s Help to Grow Programme which has been instrumental in helping her to elevate her marketing strategy to drive sales. In addition, it’s enabled her to diversify her business offering by setting up a new training academy, ultimately expanding into a brand-new area and revenue stream.
LEARNINGS
Lessons learned
As a Trustee of GM4Women2028, Francine is aware that while there have been incremental changes on the road to true gender equality, many women still face countless barriers not only in the labour market but when it comes to safety. For example, this year a record 263 female politicians were elected into the House of Commons, as well as the first female Chancellor, highlighting great strides are being made. However, the dangers female politicians face remains a major concern, with research revealing 82% of women parliamentarians worldwide have been subjected to various forms of psychological violence.
In addition, the current landscape for women in business remains challenging. While the number of women on FTSE 350 boards has surpassed 40% for the first time, only 35% of those in leadership positions are women.
Francine is dedicated to bucking these trends. Her PhD was centered on the intersectional barriers facing women in the labour market and this extends into her civic and engagement work, including her work with GM4Women and the University’s Women's Voice network, as well as the Athena SWAN charter, amongst other external networks.
Francine encourages others to take opportunities wherever possible, particularly where you can give back to communities. Not only within leadership positions, but also on a one-to-one basis. Francine mentors many women across the University, supporting them individually. She’s an advocate for encouraging others to find something they’re passionate about, highlighting once this is determined they’ll know exactly what they need to do to achieve their goals.
FUTURE PLANS
What's coming?
As part of Francine’s role as a Trustee for GM4Women, she will continue to lead on the charity’s Dialogue, Deeds and Determination events, empowering change and pushing forward the agenda for gender equality across the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester. In addition, she will continue to support on the charity’s annual reporting plus raise awareness of the Pankhurst Fawcett scorecard, which is used to conduct yearly reviews of gender equality data with the goal of achieving equality across its five central themes: women’s employment, women and girl’s safety, women’s participation, women’s education, and women in culture and active lives.
Further to this, Francine recently identified a critical need for a place-based women’s network to highlight and enhance a contribution of female entrepreneurs and businesswomen in the economic growth plans of the new UK government. To bridge this gap, Francine’s new network will launch in late September with a series of four events across the year, centering on start-ups, scale-ups, growth and exiting, focusing on critical issues such as obtaining seed funding to close the gender investment gap. In the first half of 2023, just 3.5% of equity raised in investment deals went to businesses with an all-female founding team, compared to 85.1% of funding secured by all-male teams. Francine is committed to changing this trend and providing more support for female entrepreneurs and leaders.
