Hey! I’m Daniel, and I’m excited to be your Union President for 2026/27.

I grew up in South Africa and studied in the United States before coming to Imperial, so I have experience adapting to different education systems and expectations. It did make me more aware that students can arrive at the same university with very different backgrounds and experiences.

In the past years, I found it really rewarding (mentally and spiritually) by directly supporting students, from free breakfasts during exam season to wider wellbeing initiatives. I valued speaking with you and hearing what needed improving.

Outside the Union, I enjoy discovering London’s history and traditions. A fun fact: my family has eight dogs and four cats, so home is never quiet!

Why Imperial?

Before coming to Imperial, I had already studied at a university in the United States, so I was curious to experience a very different style of education. After far too much scrolling through university review websites (beyond the QS rankings, I promise!)

I kept reading that Imperial was demanding, practical and hands-on. Strangely enough, that sounded exactly like the challenge I wanted. What I didn’t expect was to become fascinated by Imperial’s history and student traditions, some definitely more sensible than others.

Through CGCU, I had the chance to help keep those traditions alive, organise events and meet people far beyond my course. Somehow, I learned almost as much about people, planning and the mysterious movements of mascots as I did about engineering.

So, cliché as it may sound, I would choose Imperial again. The academic excellence is amazing, but it was the people made it memorable.