Dr Donna Mai
As an Assistant Head of School, specialising in marketing, Dr Donna Mai brings a wealth of experience in academic leadership and strategic management, driving the school’s culture and performance while ensuring the effective delivery of teaching and research. In close collaboration with the Head of School, she oversees academic staff, develops and implements strategic plans, and manages daily operations to deliver an outstanding student experience and meet or exceed University performance and quality standards.
Her work is centred on enhancing the quality of our programs, particularly within the marketing discipline. She leads the development of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, ensuring alignment with the University and professional standards. Passionate about delivering excellence, she is dedicated to compassionate pedagogy, quality assurance, professional accreditation, and the continuous improvement of teaching, learning, and research across the School.
In addition to her academic leadership, Dr Donna Mai contributes to the School’s strategic planning by formulating and executing annual operating plans, managing resources, and overseeing financial performance. Beyond academics, she actively promotes enterprise opportunities, researches income generation, and builds strong relationships with external stakeholders, professional bodies, and industry partners.
Her management expertise spans key areas of marketing, including marketing management, marketing communications, international marketing, digital marketing, and data analytics. She is committed to maintaining industry links and fostering an environment of professional excellence and growth.
Having served as an external examiner for multiple universities, she brings extensive experience in education. Her broad expertise and in-depth knowledge in marketing education have significantly contributed to enhancing academic standards and assessment processes, offering valuable insights, and fostering the exchange of best practices across institutions.
PhD in Marketing, University of Newcastle upon Tyne
PG Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, University of Newcastle upon Tyne
MA in International Marketing, University of Sunderland
Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy
Member of the Association for Consumer Research
Member of the Academy of Marketing
Member of the Academy of Marketing Science
2020 - Present External Examiner for MA Luxury Brand Management, Regent's University London
2015 - 2020 External Examiner for PG Fashion Marketing and Management degrees at Nottingham Trent University
2018 - 2022 Member of the Student Experience Committee, University of Westminster
2010 - Present Best Paper Prize Judge for Marketing Education Review
2009 Research Initiative Award, Academy of Marketing
2009-2010 Research Leader in Marketing, Westminster Business School
2008 - 2009: Acting Director for Centre for Research in Marketing, Westminster Business School
2003 - Present: Member of Editorial Review Board, Marketing Education Review
2009 - Present: Member of Editorial Review Board, Asian Journal of Business Research
2002 - Present: Member of Editorial Board, Journal of Doing Business Across Borders
2009: Research Grant Assessor for Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
2005 - 2009: External Examiner for Leeds University Business School for Marketing subjects and dissertations
2009 - 2012: External Examiner for Liverpool Hope University, Marketing pathway
2012, 2018 and 2019: PhD External Examiner for Newcastle University Business School
Donna's research interests are in the area of personality and psychological influences on consumers' choices and consumptions and the effect of marketing communications on consumers and societies.