William Casely is a Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. As Director of the MSc Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management programme, he co-created and now leads this world-class programme in entrepreneurship. He also leads Entrepreneurship education within the MBA programme, combining theory with practice to deliver an immersive and pragmatic education.

Prior to joining the university, William gained 30 years of experience working in the retail industry, 18 of them in senior management roles. Trained at Harrods, he worked with a range of retail names across various sectors, including Debenhams, Bentall’s, Harvey Nichols, and the Otter Retail Group.

While GM of Bentall’s and as Chairman of Kingston Town Management Ltd, he developed one of the earliest town centre management organisations in the country. As General Manager of Harvey Nichols, he became a Group Director at the Oxford Retail Summer School.

William’s research interests lie within the fields of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, with a particular focus on ‘Intelligent Failure’ within corporate entrepreneurship. He resides within the Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship department (ITE).

Nationality: British

Administrative Responsibilities: Programme Director, MSc Entrepreneurship and Innovation