Lynwen Brennan CBE, EVP and General Manager of Lucasfilm, and Royal Holloway alumna, has been awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Science (Social Sciences), Honoris Causa from Royal Holloway University of London. The award, which was presented during the University’s summer graduation ceremonies, was bestowed upon Lynwen for her outstanding work in the visual effects industry.

After graduating from Royal Holloway with a degree in Geography in 1988, Lynwen’s career at Lucasfilm has spanned nearly 20 years, with her first post as Technical Leader for the Computer Graphics Technical Directors. She has worked on blockbuster hits such as Star Wars, Iron Man, Avatar and Star Trek.

Prior to her role as General Manager, Lynwen was the President of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) for seven years. The company saw one of its most successful periods during this time, and Lynwen’s leadership enabled ILM to expand globally, opening offices in Vancouver, British Columbia, and London, as well as expand their existing studios in San Francisco and Singapore.

 Lynwen’s previous experience includes work within visual effects software development at corporations such as Parallax Software, Avid Technology and Alias Wavefront. In 2016, she was made a CBE (Commander of the British Empire) for her contribution and services to supporting the UK’s visual effects industry.

Speaking of her award, Lynwen said: “I am deeply honoured to be receiving such an esteemed award. I think back on my years at Royal Holloway with great appreciation, as they taught me the value of dedication, creativity and teamwork, which have been the foundation of my career ever since. I now have the incredible privilege of working with the most dedicated and creative teams at Lucasfilm and ILM, and it is on their behalf that I receive this wonderful recognition.

Royal Holloway summer graduation ceremonies took place between 9-13 July 2018.