Kamran Mallick
CEO, Disability Rights UK
Kamran is a campaigner for equality and a dedicated advocate for the user led disabled people’s movement. He was CEO at Action on Disability for 13 years where he negotiated a purpose-built home for the organisation, created an inclusive youth service and bridged the divide between big businesses and young disabled adults by setting up supported internships with companies such as GSK and L’Oréal. Before that he worked for the spinal injury charity Aspire. In 2017, he became the CEO of Disability Rights UK (DR UK), the only UK wide disabled people’s organisation.
The coronavirus pandemic has reminded disabled people how easily their hard-won rights can be removed. It highlighted the inadequacies of the measures intended to promote independence and the structural inequalities that keep disabled people out of senior positions. Together with DR UK’s member organisations and individuals, he is building a movement of disabled people to reshape a future that has equality and human rights at its heart. Disability should never be the barrier to success, happiness and fulfilment.
“The power of our lived experience has the potential to change the world to be inclusive by design, fairer and better for everyone.”
2020 also provided a shocking reminder of the profound impact of racism. Kamran has been working to increase diversity at DR UK and is determined to support the sector to diversify and to appreciate intersectionality.
His interested in technology has led DR UK to work with partners to create an innovation and enterprise zone in the Olympic Park, with inclusive thinking at its heart. This programme will encourage disabled and non-disabled people to innovate together and bring their ideas to the marketplace. Products and services designed inclusively will enable a more inclusive society.
Born in Pakistan, Kamran is interested in sharing ideas with disabled people around the world and learning the lessons of lived experience in different cultures and structures. Kamran has represented the UK disability movement at the UN, supporting a coalition of civil society organisations. Through this personal interest in the international disability movement he has forged links with the Global Disability Innovation Hub which was born out of the Paralympic Games in London 2012.
His passion for innovation hides a deep interest in all-things retro, from classic cars to retro-gaming. In his spare time, he supports his older brother Adnan with their classic-car business Landbeasts, and together with his younger brother Zeeshan he runs retro-gaming nights sharing their love of classic computers and video games.
Kamran is a board member of the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith, Wheels for Wellbeing and Lloyds Bank Foundation and he is a member of the Independent Gatwick Advisory Panel.