Top left to bottom right: Kevin Featherstone, Stephan Chambers, L-J Silverman and Toby Dodge
Professor Kevin Featherstone, Professor Stephan Chambers, Laura-Jane (LJ) Silverman and Professor Toby Dodge have all been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours List 2025.
In addition, former interim director of LSE (2016-17) and visiting professor in the Law School Professor Julia Black has been appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for services to Research in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
Professor Kevin Featherstone from the Hellenic Observatory at LSE has been awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to academia and UK/Greece relations.
Professor Featherstone served as Head of the European Institute at LSE for seven years, helping to stabilise and grow its programmes. In addition, he was the long-term Director of the Hellenic Observatory, which is internationally acknowledged as a premier centre for work on contemporary Greece and Cyprus.
Commenting on the award, Professor Featherstone said: “An honour like this acknowledges what a fantastic place the LSE is to work in – we are each lifted by our colleagues, and I thank them once again. The award acknowledges my academic work, and my research has focussed primarily on Greece and Europe. I have been intrigued by the domestic responses to the pressures of European Union membership and, latterly, by the capacity of institutions to adapt. The ‘Euro-Zone’ crisis brought many of these issues to the fore, of course, and my upcoming book (once more with Dimitris Papadimitriou) examines crisis management within government in Athens.
“In parallel, the award refers to my contributions to ‘UK-Greek’ relations and my public engagement, which has followed my research. In these activities, I have been hugely aided by my colleagues in the LSE’s Hellenic Observatory, creating a capacity for involvement greater than the sum of our parts. The award, then, reflects the empowerment and support we receive from our colleagues and collaborators.”
Professor Stephan Chambers has been awarded an OBE in recognition of his contributions to philanthropy and social enterprise.
Professor Chambers is the inaugural director of the Marshall Institute at LSE. He is also Professor in Practice at the Department of Management and Course Director for the new Executive Masters in Social Business and Entrepreneurship.
Commenting on the award, he said: “I am deeply honoured to receive this award, but I do so with the belief that it reflects not just my work, but the collective effort of many remarkable colleagues and partners that I’ve had the privilege to work with.
Philanthropy and social entrepreneurship are, by nature, collaborative endeavours and this recognition is about the progress and impact of the field itself. I hope this honour helps shine a light on the vital work being done across the sector and the positive change it continues to bring to society.”
Laura-Jane (LJ) Silverman, the Head of LSE Generate, the School’s hub for entrepreneurship, has been appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to social innovation and education.
The award-winning LSE Generate was built from scratch by LJ in 2018 to support LSE’s students and alumni to develop entrepreneurial skills as they build businesses and innovate in the UK and around the world. Today, LJ manages the entrepreneurship centre in London and its 20 international chapters across the globe.
The LSE Generate School’s programme leverages LSE’s entrepreneurial expertise, cutting-edge research and hands-on mentorship with alumni founders to inspire and prepare young people from diverse backgrounds to become future leaders and changemakers. It has reached over 11,000 students over five continents in the last two years.
Commenting on the award, LJ Silverman said: “I’m utterly astonished and deeply honoured to receive this recognition. It’s a real privilege to do the work I love every day at LSE, surrounded by such an extraordinary team and community. In a world that often feels uncertain, it’s inspiring to know there’s a generation of entrepreneurs rising to meet the moment—innovating not for profit alone, but for the betterment of society.
“What makes LSE so special is its unique blend of critical thinking, social science expertise, and global perspective. It’s a place that doesn’t just educate future leaders, it challenges them to reimagine the world and build ventures with purpose. At LSE Generate, we go a step further by making that entrepreneurial journey radically inclusive. We welcome ideas and founders from all backgrounds, believing that innovation is at its best when everyone has a seat at the table.
“This honour is not mine alone—it truly takes a village, and I share this with the brilliant team at LSE Generate, our generous mentors, advisors, donors, and the senior leadership who have championed us every step of the way."
Professor Toby Dodge, from the Department of International Relations, has been appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to UK interests in Iraq.
Commenting on the award, Professor Dodge said: “After publicly opposing the invasion in 2003, my role in its aftermath has been focused on seeking to find ways of reducing the damage the invasion caused and helping the Iraqi people to regain control over and rebuild their state and sovereignty.”
Professor Dodge’s research focuses on the role of the postcolonial state in the international system, with Iraq as a key case study.
A book-length study authored by Professor Dodge about the rebuilding of Iraq after regime change, Iraq; the Reconstruction of a Disaggregated State; Violence, Identity and Corruption will soon be published by Cambridge University Press. The book is based on a series of interviews with senior Iraqi politicians, civil servants, army officers, party officials and political activists, carried out across Iraq between 2003 and 2024.