A geographer and earth scientist with more than 30 years’ experience across a broad range of universities, Professor Petley joined Hull in 2022. His research focuses on natural and environmental hazards, and he is recognised widely as a world leader in the study and management of landslides.
He has extensive leadership experience, including Executive Director of the Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience, Dean of both Research and Global Engagement at Durham; PVC-Research and Enterprise at East Anglia; and VP-Research and Innovation at Sheffield. Having led the development of a new research strategy, and transformed the university’s approach to commercialism, Professor Petley became Sheffield’s VP-Innovation in 2020. He also provided Executive Board level leadership of the Advanced Manufacturing Group, was a founding Non-Executive Director of Northern Gritstone, an investment company supporting research commercialisation in the north of England; and led the development of the University of Sheffield Innovation District.
