Award-winning BNU alumnus who overcame undiagnosed dyslexia leads national drive for 2026 social mobility
A London entrepreneur and National Diversity Award winner who navigated his degree as a student from a single-parent household with undiagnosed dyslexia and dyspraxia is leading a national drive to bridge the UK’s network gap.
James Adeleke, who studied LLB Law at Buckinghamshire New University from 2005 to 2008, is the CEO of Generation Success, a social mobility organisation. For James, the path to the boardroom was defined by a specific set of hurdles. Raised in a single-parent household in South London and managing learning differences he was unaware of at the time, he credits BNU as the environment that allowed him to foster the "skills, thoughts, and emotions" necessary to succeed.
He said: “BNU was the right place for me. It provided the platforms, skills and knowledge to ensure everyone felt on an even footing. It made me feel like more than just a student, and it remains a cherished part of my life.”
During his time on campus, he served as the Ethics and Environmental Officer for the Student Union, a role that began his shift toward social advocacy. Since graduating, James has built a career as a speaker and advisor, currently sitting on the global diversity and inclusion advisory board for Interpath Advisory and the education board for the City of London Corporation.
His mission to ensure a person’s career is not determined by their birth or background is born from a personal understanding of what it means to start without an established professional network.
He said: “A setback is not a wall. It is a signal that you are aiming high enough. The person saying no is not trying to cause harm; every interaction should be treated as a learning situation.”
A central part of this mission is the upcoming Open Your Doors Day on 18 September. The initiative encourages employers to offer career insight days to help underrepresented talent access professional environments. James is inviting BNU students to join as ambassadors or an “army of door openers” to reach out to employers and encourage participation.
Addressing the challenges of neurodiversity, James - who discovered his dyslexia and dyspraxia at age 24 - argued that “differences in thinking” are increasingly valued by companies.
He advised students to treat these traits as assets and noted that early disability disclosure can allow employers to access government-backed Access to Work funding for reasonable adjustments.
Beyond traditional networking, James identified AI literacy as a critical differentiator for the 2026 job market. He said being able to prompt correctly and use AI as a “co-pilot” puts a student ahead of 80% of their peers.
To bridge the network gap, he further urged students to “stakeholder map” their existing contacts, ranking them by influence and supportiveness to focus their efforts. He also urged the study of human psychology to better understand professional drivers, noting that mastering communication is about learning how to use your unique personality “power” effectively.
James added: “You must learn how to use your powers effectively. Whether you are introverted or extroverted, everyone possesses unique gifts.”
Inspired by James’s journey? BNU is proud to be a catalyst for social mobility. To find out more about how we support our diverse student body and alumni network, visit our website here. For students interested in getting involved with Generation Success, contact James here.