Professor Graham Shapiro – named in Top 100 Influential People 2026
Professor Graham Shapiro has been recognised in the Top 100 Influential People 2026, marking his second time receiving this prestigious honour, having previously been named to the list in 2023.
The Top 100 Influential People programme, run in association with Awards Intelligence, celebrates individuals across the United Kingdom who demonstrate exceptional influence and impact in their respective fields. Winners are selected by a distinguished panel of judges chaired by Kay Firth-Butterfield, one of the foremost experts on responsible AI and machine learning, recently named in the Forbes 50 over 50 Innovation category and recipient of a TIME100 Impact Award. Other judges include Matthew Blakemore, Dr Sarah Mullin MBE, Dr Samir Srivastava, Sue Grant MBE, Neville Lewis Beischer MBE, Paul Boross MBE, Yetunde Hofmann, James Sommerville OBE, Paula Matthews MBE, and Dr. Yuliana Topazly MBE.
“I am grateful to be acknowledged as one of the ‘Top 100 Influential People 2026,'” said Professor Shapiro. “It is an honour to be recognised among such an exceptional group of individuals who exemplify excellence in their respective fields. I extend my thanks to the judges and everyone who voted for me.”
A Career of Innovation and Impact
Professor Shapiro is an award-winning British inventor, designer, and digital entrepreneur with 30 years of experience creating visual communications for global brands including Apple, Bentley, Liverpool F.C., Rolex, and Samsung through his company Graham Shapiro Design (GSD®).
He currently serves as Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Westminster, Professor in Practice at the University of Dundee, and Ambassador of Innovation for The University of Cambridge. He is also Chairman of Arcet Global and holds fellowships with The Chartered Society of Designers, the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and The Royal Society of Arts.
As an inventor, Professor Shapiro created the interloopmailer® and Reggie®. His entrepreneurial achievements include being named UK Technology Entrepreneur of the Year 2016, winning a gold Stevie Award as Entrepreneur of the Year 2018, and being a finalist for GB Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017, 2020, 2022, and 2024.
Commitment to Philanthropy
Beyond his commercial success, Professor Shapiro founded The Graham Shapiro Foundation, which supports mental health, wellbeing, and young entrepreneurialism in the UK. The Foundation recently won the NonProfit Organisation Awards 2025 as Young Persons’ Mental Health and Wellbeing Charity of the Year in the United Kingdom.
The Top 100 Influential People programme recognises leaders across ten sectors including Business & Entrepreneurship, Science & Technology, Education, Philanthropy, and ESG.
Learn more: https://top100influentialpeople.com/winner/graham-shapiro-2/
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