Network Magazine 2013 issue
Gareth Wilson Manchester made me
MBS Alumni Original Thinking Applied
Network
Welcome
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Welcome to Network Magazine.
It’s been another successful year at Manchester Business School. I have had the opportunity to meet more of you than ever through our wide range of international alumni activity. As you know, we continue to strengthen our global footprint through our seven international centres and 50,000-strong alumni community.
students, and friends including the director of the British Council and the head of the British Chamber of Commerce. I also went to similar events in Hong Kong and Dubai.
Earlier this year I visited our Centres in Singapore and Shanghai. The excellent work of all our global centres, the enthusiasm of our students, and the success and prominence of our alumni around the world make me proud to represent the School.
Universities and business schools play a key role in driving economic growth through their contribution to human capital - boosting innovation and productivity. Our international alumni community means we have a positive impact on economies across the world.
During my visit to China the Shanghai Centre held its annual alumni dinner, celebrating its five-year anniversary. The event brought together some 250 alumni,
Let me take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support in developing the next generation of leaders by acting as mentors, providing career
opportunities, and supporting scholarships through our annual fund. As you may know, I’m completing my term as Director of MBS this Autumn and will be handing over to Professor Fiona Devine who will become Acting Head from 1 September. It has been a privilege to work with you and lead Manchester Business School for the past six-and-ahalf years. I will stay affiliated to MBS to help advance the Centre of Infrastructure Development, and other global programmes and activities as required. Professor Michael Luger
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School news
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Bringing the European touch to the Americas The Miami team
Melissa Holland, Director of MBS’ Miami-Americas Centre shares her experience of developing an MBS presence in one of the most mature higher education markets in the world. The MBS Centre in Miami has welcomed students undertaking either the part-time Global MBA or executive education, since opening its doors in 2011. Melissa, herself an MBA graduate, has been at the helm since March 2012, following eight years’ in the finance industry and having gained over five years experience of directing MBA programmes at the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business and Georgia Southern University.
“Seeing the choices that people have made with regards to their careers has been very interesting. People have been investing more in their education during the economic difficulties, with a peak in MBA enrolment but the demand is now settling down − so despite signs of growth in the economy, it’s now becoming more challenging for programmes to compete for people.
“In the past, the US has been more inwardly focused. The financial crisis has certainly affected the US in different ways. More awareness has been raised about international business issues and the US is finally starting to open its eyes to see that businesses are connected. The product that we have at MBS is therefore much more attractive to people - as it really addresses this awakening interest” says Melissa.
This hasn’t phased Melissa, whose excitement about the opportunities and the potential for Manchester to succeed in a saturated market all comes down to innovation. “The approach that MBS has taken to programmes is very special. It’s the combination of our format - a blended model, short intensive residencies and overseas travel - that fits in so well with students’ busy work and personal lives. This model is flexible, as we already have a global footprint, making our programmes even more appealing.”
The recession has proved an opportune time for her and the team of six permanent staff to ‘set up shop’ among the skyscrapers in downtown Miami.
“The blended learning model, along with MBS being the only non-US school to be licensed to operate in the US sets us apart from the competition. Other European
schools have entered the US market by partnering with US universities to create instant brand recognition. We are different, in that we are building the Centre from scratch.” Melissa is currently in the midst of expanding the premises in Miami, to create a more efficient space, just across the street from its original location in South Biscayne Boulevard, which will allow further growth. “All of MBS’ Centres around the world are located in the heart of the business district and prestigious locations; we’ll still maintain that level of prestige in this new facility as we grow.” This will be especially important as the Centre implements its marketing strategy; targeting five core locations in the Americas: Toronto, New York, Washington DC and Texas, as well as South Florida. “Alumni support in these locations has given us a head start, so we want to target these locations and then grow the strategy outwards, as we continue to cultivate our reputation”.
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School news
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Find out more about the programmes offered in the Miami-Americas Centre at miami.mbs.ac.uk Melissa Holland
Network
School news
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Double honours for MBS professor John Hassard, Professor of Organisational Analysis, has been honoured with Paper of the Year Award 2012 by the Human Relations Journal. His winning paper, Rethinking the Hawthorne Studies: The Western Electric research in its social, political and historical context, was given the award because of its broad readership appeal, sound methods and a theory which advances understanding of human relations at work.
Another of John’s papers, Where are the Old Theories of Organization? was the most downloaded article in the world’s highest rated management journal, Academy of Management Review.
Sherry Fu
MBS takes the lead in Manchester-China Forum China Centre Director, Sherry Fu, has been appointed as an envoy for Manchester in an initiative to encourage businesses across Greater Manchester to explore opportunities in China and maximise the potential for growth in trade, inward investment, tourism and education. The Manchester-China Forum was launched at the House of Lords and Sherry was joined by alumnus, William Vanbergen, Founder
and Managing Director of BE Education to celebrate the government-backed initiative, the first of its kind for Manchester.
Standing out Michael D Parker CBE joined an illustrious group of MBS alumni when he accepted his award for the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year at The University of Manchester graduation ceremony in July 2012. Michael Parker with Dean Michael Luger
With over 40 years experience in the chemical and energy sectors, Michael has shown what it means to be an Outstanding Alumnus and an ambassador for the North West of England. Born in Liverpool and educated in the North West, Michael received a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University and, in 1972, an MBA from Manchester Business School. As a member of MBS’ Advisory Board he has helped shape the School’s strategy and direction. Currently Chairman of Liverpool Vision, an economic development and regeneration company – to which he was appointed in April 2008, the company enables Liverpool to complete and accelerate economic growth in one of the UK’s largest cities.
Michael was President and Chief Executive Officer of The Dow Chemical Company in Michigan, USA from November 2000 to December 2002 and a member of the company’s Board of Directors from 1995 to 2003. He was appointed as group chief executive of BNFL in August 2003 and stepped down following the successful dismantling of the business in June 2009. He joined the Invensys plc board as a non-executive director in 2006 and subsequently became the senior independent director. At the time of going to press, Adam Umarji (MBA, 2004) has been awarded Outstanding Alumnus of the Year for 2013 for his contribution to education. Adam helped to found the Essa Academy in Bolton and is a passionate supporter of MBS.
Network
Jennifer Zhu Scott
Alumni news
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World Economic Forum honours MBS alumna MBA alumnus, Jennifer Zhu Scott, has been selected as one of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders for 2013. Jennifer was selected from several thousand international nominees for her professional accomplishments and commitment to society. She said: “I’m honoured and deeply humbled to be selected by the World Economic Forum. The Young Global Leaders represent outstanding and committed individuals from diverse backgrounds and fields around the world. I look forward to joining this unique community to make changes through our collected actions and firmly believe my education and experiences from MBS have contributed to this honour.” This year, the World Economic Forum honoured 199 young leaders from 70 countries. They were chosen by a prestigious committee headed by Her
Top prizes for Manchester Social Entrepreneur Inspirational student Christina Taylor was awarded top prize in the Barclays School for Start-ups competition. Christina’s prize package includes unprecedented access to business training and support, including a year of one-to-one mentoring from a top Barclays executive, and tailored business software and support services. Currently studying on the Master of Enterprise programme, Christina also won the first prize of £10,000 in the social category of MBS’ Venture Further business start-up competition. Her business is Aspire Studios, a community dance school aimed at disadvantaged children. She commented: “The mentoring will be great and will help me decide what to do with the £10,000 prize money from the Venture Further competition. It will be
amazing to hear from influential people who have made a change to the world when I go to One Young World – a global forum of young leaders from around the world which is part of my prize package from Barclays.” Christina was one of 60 finalists, successfully pitching her business idea to a panel including former Dragons’ Den star Doug Richard and Barclays’ Managing Director for UK and Ireland, Ian Stuart.
Christina Taylor
Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan based on leadership experience, ability to overcome adversity and commitment to society. The 2013 honourees will become part of the broader Forum of Young Global Leaders that is currently composed of 756 outstanding individuals. Jennifer is based in Hong Kong and is the Founder and Managing Partner of Establish Asia, a venture capital fund-raising and advisory firm focusing on high-tech and new media.
Network
Alumni news
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Dragon floats on AIM Entrepreneurial alumnus Piers Linney (BA Accounting and Law, 1994) has successfully floated his company Outsourcery, which he co-owns with Simon Newton, on the AIM market with a market value of £34.6m. Outsourcery, which is based in Manchester, provides a range of cloudbased IT and communications services to larger enterprises and SMEs, with commercial relationships with large international companies. After studying Accounting and Law, and working in both fields, Piers’ business interests shifted to technology, communications, social businesses and eventually cloud computing. He recently joined the team on the BBC series Dragons’ Den as the fifth member of the panel and can be seen on UK screens later this year. You can read more about Piers in Your Manchester, the University of Manchester magazine.
Piers Linney
Jade Brodie
A winning idea Congratulations to alumna Jade Brodie (BSc International Management with American Studies, 2013), winner of the first Eureka! Library Innovation Challenge. The eight finalists, including two MBS students, all impressed the panel of judges but it was Jade’s idea of individual study desk log-ins which won her the top prize of £1,000. Jade, who graduated this summer, will see her idea become a reality when it is used in the Library after further development by the Innovation Team. Jan Wilkinson, University Librarian, said: ”It is so inspiring to see what a fantastic pool of talented students we have here at Manchester. This growing partnership with our students helps us to ensure that our services meet their needs.”
On the back page Unlike many alumni, Matt Smith’s most notable achievements have little to do with business. Matt made the back page of every national newspaper earlier this year having scored two goals to help Oldham Athletic beat Liverpool in the FA Cup. Playing non-league football before joining Oldham in 2011, and captaining the University of Manchester team prior to that, Matt says “it’s an unorthodox route which is different to most footballers.”
His unconventional route to professional football has lead to him being signed by Leeds United. The International Management and American Business Studies graduate added: “Having worked outside football, it makes you understand how privileged you are to be doing something you love.” Matt Smith
Network
Getting involved
Hellenic Alumni Association Boosting an alumni community in tough times In its fifth year of recession, Greece continues to face financial challenges, including high levels of unemployment. In recognition of the challenges faced by alumni in the region, the board of MBS’ Hellenic Alumni Association (MBSHAA) has established strategic partnerships with well-known recruitment agencies and consultants. The Group’s common background, through studying at MBS, has taught them the value of sharing ideas, networking and creating opportunities for enterprises and society. These basic principles have become their core strategy. “We came to the conclusion we need to provide a pragmatic, practical and effective way to cope with the reality that our alumni come across on a daily basis” says Vasilis Rallis, chairman of MBSHAA. “At the same time we realised that we have to enhance our network in order to help alumni find better positions and get advice from business experts. “We are constructing a collaborative ecosystem, where our members can share concerns, ideas and best practice and enhance their own network. In the last 12 months, the Board has organised seven
events including a social media workshop, dinner engagements with senior alumni and a marketing skills seminar, delivered by MBS’ Professor Pete Naude. “The events have been successful, practical and thought provoking. In essence, the positive experience we were aspiring to” says Christos Lytras, vice-chair of MBHSAA. The most successful event was the Manchester Career Workshop, with speakers from well-known organisations providing advice and analysis of the labour market from three different perspectives – recruiters, industry and entrepreneurs. Working under pressure in the area in recent years has also had a positive impact. Vasilis says: “Most of us are managing situations and people under severe pressure. This exposure has enhanced our skills and tool kit. Our members are re-calibrating their competencies and formulating a framework for handling extreme situations. We are now, amongst other things, crisis experts.”
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The Hellenic Board Vasilis Rallis Chairman MBA, 2001
Chrystos Lytras Vice Chairman MBA, 2004
Andreas Iliopoulos Member MBA, 2004
Eirini Spanoudaki Member MSc Finance, 2001
Ioannis Athanasopoulos Member MBA, 2007
To find out more about events organised by alumni, visit MBSNetwork Online: www.mbs.ac.uk/alumni
Scholarships with real impact MBS undergraduate Hamzah Patel (BSc Business Management, 2015) will spend ten days in Hong Kong this summer, meeting senior alumni on the donor-funded Global Graduates programme.
Hamzah will join 16 students who will visit one of four cities - Dubai, Hong Kong, New York and Singapore. Students will visit host organisations, meeting with alumni to learn more about their businesses, the working culture and business practices in their host cities and consider the wider global economic climate. It’s a double celebration for Hamzah, who is the first in his family to study at university and received The Peter Roberts Scholarship to enable him to attend.
“Learning I had been awarded a scholarship to attend Manchester was wonderful in itself”, says Hamzah. “To be given the opportunity to travel overseas and meet graduates in a variety of careers is simply incredible. I cannot thank the alumni and donor community enough.”
For more information about getting involved by giving visit go.mbs.ac.uk/support
Network
Investing in future leaders
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On a mission! Our School mission is to give everyone the opportunity to transform their lives and, in doing so, help them transform the organisations they work for and the wider communities in which they live. This mission is posted in every lecture theatre and seminar room; reminding both staff and students of the impact they can have. Gareth Wilson, 31, who graduates with an MBA this year, is just one of many who can testify to the transformational effect a Manchester education can have. Originally from Burnley in North West England, Gareth, who completed his Bachelor in Information Systems Engineering at Imperial College with first class honours in 2003, had always aspired to postgraduate study.
Alumni support has simply transformed my life. I cannot express how grateful I am. I was also fortunate to meet my benefactor, who has since become my mentor. During my studies I became a father for the first time, and without the financial support from the alumni community, my family and I would have struggled considerably. I am well aware how privileged I am.
Not one to be easily deterred (in the year prior to joining MBS Gareth ran six marathons in six days, and swam the English channel, raising over ÂŁ10,000 for cancer and brain tumour charities) Gareth successfully competed for a full fees scholarship funded by an alumnus of the School. Gareth is just one of several students to have benefited from alumni- and friend-funded scholarships in 2012/13. Scholarships are awarded to exceptionally talented applicants who may otherwise struggle to accept a place at the school.
Learn more about Gareth’s, and others’, stories at go.mbs.ac.uk/support. You can pledge your support and make a donation by completing the form enclosed with this magazine or online. Thank you.
Gareth Wilson
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Investing in future leaders
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Fully focussed Kathy Crofts is Assistant Marketing Manager (Loyalty Marketing) at Boots UK, working on one of the most cherished loyalty programmes in the UK the Boots Advantage Card. She applied for the Peter Roberts Scholarship when applying to study an MSc in Marketing. The scholarship is awarded to candidates of academic merit who demonstrate a social contribution to the community.
Having completed some modules in marketing during my BA (Hons) in Geography, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in this area. I was keen to study at MBS as I knew it was world renowned for its business courses, regularly rating highly in the rankings for the quality of teaching, one-to-one support and resources available.
In her application, Kathy detailed her academic achievements and highlighted her extra-curricular interests and hobbies which demonstrated her commitment to projects outside of school and university studies. “I described my time as president of the Geographical Society, while studying for my degree and my contribution to my local community, as an assistant at both a primary school and a ceramics club for the elderly.”
“ Receiving the scholarship provided the funding which enabled me to focus fully on my studies, rather than working part-time. I am so grateful for the opportunity and support – completing my masters has allowed me to fulfil my ambition to secure a marketing role in the retail sector.”
Did you know? • MBS awarded more alumni funded undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships in 2012/13 than ever before.
• A quarter of the University’s undergraduate students come from families with a household income of less than £25,000.
• We work with 56 primary and 129 secondary schools in Greater Manchester to encourage talented children to aspire to education.
Network
Group news
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MBS alumni – an eventful year
Alumni and guests in Kingston
Elaine Ferneley and Christina Fu receive donation from MBSAAC Board Members
Jamaica China (Hong Kong) Over 140 alumni and students travelled from as far as Singapore, Macau, Taiwan and Beijing to attend the 8th Annual AGM and Dinner in November. Albert Lee, former chairman of the MBS Alumni Association in China - along with his fellow
board members - presented a cheque to Professor Elaine Ferneley, MBA Director and Christina Siu, Hong Kong Centre Director - for HK$80,000 for the MBS Annual Fund which provides scholarships and bursaries for deserving students.
Alumni in Kingston celebrated their final graduation ceremony in the region with a lavish reception in September last year. Alumni and members of the business community socialised and shared memories of MBS. Operational activities for the Caribbean region were transferred to the Miami-Americas Centre in 2011. The Jamaican alumni group continues to thrive with regular events taking place.
Middle East embraces new alumni group Ajay Narain (MBA 1999) has been appointed chairman of the newly formed Middle East Alumni Group and has started as he means to go on, with a launch event in Dubai attracting nearly 100 guests. “Alumni groups are so important for networking and they help promote MBS’ values” says Ajay “I am delighted to be
appointed and see my role as a link between the Middle East chapter and the global alumni network.“ Following his graduation from MBS, Ajay joined LeasePlan in the Netherlands. He then moved to India as CFO in 2005 before relocating to the UAE during 2011, as general manager and country head.
If you are interested in setting up an alumni group in your region please contact us at alumnioffice@mbs.ac.uk
Ajay Narain
Network
Group news
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Full-time MBA class of 2007 enjoy their evening at the Ritz in London
Class of 2007 reunion MBA alumni celebrating their 5th anniversary since graduation, dined in style at London’s iconic Ritz Hotel last autumn. MBS colleagues were on hand to share School news and progress on the new building project.
If you are considering organising a reunion, please contact us at alumnioffice@mbs.ac.uk to discuss how we can facilitate this activity.
Lively 5th anniversary celebrations in Shanghai
This was one of a number of class reunions organised by Alumni Relations working closely with class members.
London
China (Shanghai) Alumni in Shanghai celebrated the China Centre’s 5th anniversary in January this year. Professor Michael Luger joined over 220 alumni, students and VIP guests in the elegant surroundings of the Swissotel Grand Shanghai. Centre Director, Sherry Fu updated on the Centre’s developments over the last five years, thanking alumni for their continuous support and encouragement.
Alumnus Piers Martin (MBA 2006) drew from his vast experience in the world of sport leadership when he spoke to over 50 alumni in London in March. His speech explored the parallels between sport and business management and his experiences from directorships for British Fencing, British Bobsleigh and British Taekwondo – roles which saw him take a leading role in the delivery of the London 2012 Olympics. Piers’ highlighted the ways in which business concerns increasingly encroach on the sporting world which lead to a lively Q&A.
Piers Martin
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Group news
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Alvaro Bravo and fellow alumni in Mexico
Mexico
Dubai The Middle East International Centre welcomed guest speakers Lisa Samberg, Alumni Relations Manager and Trevor McFarlane, Senior Editor EMEA, Economist Intelligence Unit at The Economist when they spoke to alumni and students earlier this year. Lisa gave an update on School developments
Alumni came together in Mexico City during April at Cantina #20. The event was organised by Alvaro Bravo (MBA 2005) and guests spent the evening reminiscing about their time at Manchester over drinks and dinner. Trevor McFarlane
before handing over to Trevor, who gave a guided tour of global economics, highlighting economic and political hotspots and trends.
The group have already discussed plans for the next reunion in Summer 2014.
Breakfast networking in Manchester
The evening concluded with an interactive Q&A session and networking.
Manchester Alumni Relations welcomed Enrique Gimenez (MBA, 1997), Aminu Ubala (MBA, 1997), Mustapha Sown (MBA, 1997), German Anitua (MBA, 2003), Alicia Arribas (MBA, 1997) and Jorge Gomez (MBA, 1991) to Manchester in May for a gathering of alumni associated with the Spanish Alumni group.
Japan This year’s Japan alumni reunion party had a double celebration. The afternoon event was attended by over 40 alumni including Yutaka Toda, the very first Japanese MBS student, who was celebrating his 77th birthday. In Japan this birthday is called ‘Kiju’ and has a special celebration to mark good fortune.
Yutaka Toda (centre) with fellow alumni in Japan
Alumni were joined by members of the Classes of 2013 and 2015 before spending time catching up with classmates old and new.
North West alumni and current students joined them for a weekend of activities in the region. The group enjoyed several business presentations, a tour of the School’s new facilities and lunch with staff and faculty members.
If you would like to become involved with an alumni group in your region, please email alumnioffice@mbs.ac.uk
Global Insights online lecture series Experience the breadth of industry knowledge in your global alumni network without leaving your desk Since 2012 world-class alumni at the height of their professions have delivered online lectures to students and alumni on a wide range of topics profiling sectors and experiences from around the globe. In addition to providing unique industry insights, the alumni share lessons learnt on their personal career paths and their experiences
at MBS, answering live questions from online participants that further highlight their specialist knowledge and the challenges they face. Lectures can be enjoyed live online from anywhere in the world or you canuse our “listen again” function on the Alumni.tv pages on MBS Network Online.
In addition to the recordings from the Global Insights Lecture Series, our Alumni.tv page hosts dozens of video and audio recordings of some of our most prominent alumni – acting as a library of information and insight from leaders who have pioneered in their field, including an exclusive recording of Sir Terry Leahy, ex-CEO of Tesco, delivering a Vital Topics lecture at the School in 2013.
Coming soon: Global Insights - Autumn 2013 Details of our October/November schedule will be released soon – visit www.alumni.mbs.ac.uk/events
Alumni Relations Manchester Business School The University of Manchester Booth Street West Manchester M15 6PB +44 (0)161 275 0528 alumnioffice@mbs.ac.uk www.mbs.ac.uk/alumni