Nazir Afzal OBE is a trailblazing legal expert, social justice advocate and influential public figure with over 30 years of ground-breaking work in the criminal justice system. As the former Chief Crown Prosecutor for North West England and Director in London, he led the prosecution of some of the UK’s most high-profile cases, including the pivotal prosecution of the Rochdale grooming gang - a case that reshaped the landscape of child protection. Nazir has overseen more than 100,000 prosecutions annually, advocating for justice on issues such as child sexual abuse, violence against women and girls and honour-based violence.

His national leadership extends beyond the courtroom. Nazir served as Chief Executive of the Police and Crime Commissioners and as National Adviser to the Welsh Government. He has provided expert legal guidance to a broad range of government agencies, charities and organisations, contributing to policy and legislative change in areas of public safety, law reform, and social equity. He currently serves as Chancellor of the University of Manchester, chair of the Lowry Theatre in Salford and holds positions with a variety of influential bodies, including the Creative Industries Standards Agency, and until recently, National Police Chiefs Ethics Committee, and the Independent Press Standards Organisation. In addition to his professional roles, Nazir is deeply committed to charitable causes, acting as patron and trustee for multiple NGOs such as ServiceSix, Jan Trust, and the Samantha Sykes Foundation. Nazir has worked with RISE on their London Fire Brigade and Nursing and Midwifery Council reviews.

A highly decorated figure, Nazir was awarded an OBE by the Queen in 2005 and received the UK Government’s Justice Award in 2007. In 2022, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Pride of Birmingham Awards and was honoured with the inaugural “Disruptor for Good” award at the Northern Power Women Awards. Most recently, he was recognised as the “Voice for Good” at the Northern Leaders Awards 2025.