For more information, contact the Alumni Relations team on: Tel: +44 (0) 161 275 6485 Fax: +44 (0) 161 275 5862 Email: alumnioffice@mbs.ac.uk Web: www.mbs.ac.uk Manchester Business School Booth Street West Manchester, M15 6PB United Kingdom
From left: Motorola 8000 (first commercial mobile phone) Nokia 2110 (first text phone) Motorola StarTAC (first clamshell phone) Ericsson T38 (first bluetooth phone) Nokia 8110 (first WAP phone) Ericsson T68 (first colour screen phone) Sharp GX30 (first 1 megapixel camera phone) Ericsson W800 (leading mp3 phone) Blackberry 7100v (leading handheld computer phone)
network MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS SPRING 06 / ISSUE 12
Combining the strengths of UMIST and The Victoria University of Manchester
THE MAGAZINE FOR MANCHESTER BUSINESS SCHOOL ALUMNI
Celebrate!
This year's Alumni Reunion Ball is the perfect place for a great night out, whilst catching up with classmates. Held on Saturday 30 September 2006, the ball will be a night of great entertainment and fun with celebrations taking place at the Renaissance Hotel in central Manchester. The evening will be full of surprises and a night to remember, with great food, live entertainment and plenty of dancing until the early hours. You'll be able to catch up with your classmates, members of faculty and staff of the School. Following last year's successful event, when we welcomed over 170 alumni and guests - all of whom had a fantastic time - we're looking
forward to seeing more of you than ever. With a continuous flow of fresh ideas, the event will be one to surpass all others, and we would like to extend a special welcome to those alumni celebrating reunions from the classes of '76, '81, '86, '91, '96 and 2001. Tickets for the event will cost £50 and this includes a reception and an excellent three-course meal with wine. Accommodation is also available at the Renaissance Hotel at a special discounted rate.
And the fun doesn’t just stop there! We have an extended programme throughout the weekend, including golf on Saturday at High Legh Golf Club, other sporting events and social gatherings. We will also be arranging a night out on the Friday before the ball - for those of you who are in Manchester early. We hope you’ll be able to make it. Places are limited so please book your tickets now with Lisa Samberg at lisa.samberg@mbs.ac.uk or telephone +44 (0) 161 275 6485. Further details can also be found on the Alumni website: www.mbs.ac.uk/alumni
Contents
Editor's Welcome
Page 2 Celebrate
Welcome to the spring edition of Network magazine. This issue focuses on the media and telecoms industry and we hope you enjoy the exclusive interview with Andy Duncan, chief executive of Channel 4 (p.8).
Page 3 Editor's Welcome Page 4 News Home Page 5 World Academy of Sport Page 7 News Away Page 8 The Andy Duncan Interview Page 12 MBS Worldwide Page 13 Distance Learning DBA and Book Reviews Page 14 Working with MBS Page 15 Research Focus Page 16 Alumni Group News Page 18 Awards
Manchester Business School was delighted with the recent Financial Times ranking, placing our full-time MBA programme 22nd in the world, third in the UK and seventh in Europe. As with previous rankings, the School is particularly strong on the international experience of its programme, ranked sixth in the world and first in the UK. We are fourth in Europe and first in the UK for percentage of salary increase for our graduates.
Lisa Samberg, editor
As alumni of Manchester Business School, we would like to thank you for your continued support and for playing an essential role in helping to position the School among the world's leading business schools. As always there is a packed schedule of alumni events. Look out for the monthly Alumni Summary e-newsletter to find out what's on in your region. Please register your email address with us, so that we can keep you up-to-date with latest alumni news. Finally, we would like to thank all those alumni who've contributed to this issue - the magazine would not be a success without your input. We look forward to hearing your suggestions and receiving your contributions in the future.
Page 19 Alumni Diary Page 22 Alumni View Page 23 Contacts
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News Home Alumni Career Day The first Alumni Career Day, for undergraduate students, took place on Wednesday 29 March. A joint venture between MBS’ Alumni Relations Team, Undergraduate Services and the University Careers and Employability Division it was designed to give students a flavour of what our alumni achieve after graduating. Students had the opportunity to talk to Chris Charlton (BSc '05) who works for an ethical PR company; Larissa Clark (BSc '04) who launched her own business in the media industry; Victoria Hagan (BSc '04) already a high-flyer at HSBC and Abul Shama (MSc '01) who now works in HR after a successful career in sales and management. The students were inspired by their stories and benefited from their diverse expertise. However one piece of advice they all agreed on is that real business is very different from textbooks and there’s no substitute for rolling your sleeves up and getting down to some hard graft!
Abul, Victoria, Larissa and Chris at the event
MBS Student Launches Jewish Music Website An executive MBA student has launched a new company that will make Jewish music easily available around the world. jtunes.com is an online music download site set up by David Levine, currently in the third year of his part-time MBA. “There is a tremendous thirst for Jewish Music all over the world, wherever there are Jewish communities, but if you live outside of Israel or New York, there are no specialist music shops around. People are offered a very limited range of music in their book stores,” David explains. “Last summer I was looking for a new album and assuming this type of service was available, started to look. I found one site but that was very difficult to use, despite my strong technical background, and provided no copy-protection on the music itself. My only alternative would have been to wait weeks, or even months for the album to be available in the UK, and that’s what inspired me set up this business.
“Instead of having to ship CDs in from Israel or New York, I want to put a Jewish music store in every home that wants one. We’ve only been going a couple of weeks, with no real marketing beyond word of mouth, and we’ve already had hundreds of downloads. We have over 500 albums - about 70% of the entire market available on the site from all the best-selling artists, and some have agreed to feature our logo on their CD covers. “One of the most popular artists released an album at 3.00 pm New York time, and an hour later it was available to download from jtunes.com. The response from artists and customers alike has been very enthusiastic.”
David is working in partnership with an entrepreneur on jtunes.com. David initially approached him about the website, but has now left a “dream job” in Digital Media / Entertainment in Hewlett Packard’s Corporate Strategy Function to work as MD of jtunes.com. “Doing my MBA has really opened my eyes,” explains David. “I always saw myself as a corporate man, until I started exploring different models of entrepreneurship and analysing my own skills. Having set up this online store, I’m putting on a charity concert in Manchester the first performance by a Jewish artist of this status in nearly three years. I have made a complete change in my working life, and it’s tremendously exciting!”
World Academy of Sport The World Academy of Sport Executive Centre (WASEC) opened its doors at MBS in December 2005, with the first course launching in May. It provides a wide range of executive education and post-graduate programmes to meet the needs of sport executives. As the sporting world develops, research shows an immediate need for sport executives to have the latest business training, combined with a specialist understanding of the industry. There is also an increasing demand for training that allows executives to develop personally - learning directly from the expertise of industry leaders. WASEC Director, Chris Solly explains: “To succeed in the business of sport, with its developing economic and political structures, executives now need to be educated - not only in new management skills which are replicable across business in any industry, e.g. finance and marketing - but also sport relevant skills. These skills include bidding for and hosting major world-class events, supporting and managing athletes and managing relationships with organisations such as the International Sporting Federation. Those attending our specialist programmes will significantly improve their knowledge, understanding and expertise, giving them a much greater competitive advantage. The programme benefits from the participation of industry experts, who as Visiting Fellows, bring their practical experience to the teaching process.� The visiting fellows are world-leading experts in their respective fields - bringing a wealth of global industry knowledge and experience. They include former and current International Olympic Committee executives and leaders in the area of sports marketing and sponsorship.
Visiting fellow and member of the Academy Advisory Board, Richard Bunn, gives an overview of the significance of broadcasting as it relates to sport and major events. Richard started his broadcasting career in the UK and joined the European Broadcast Union in Geneva, where he developed long-term relationships with all the major International Federations. He was responsible for negotiating broadcast rights contracts for international sporting events and was the driving force behind the creation of Eurosport. Richard was awarded the Olympic Order in 2001.
Broadcasting and Sport Broadcasting major sporting events is big business. Revenue generated in 2006 by events as diverse as the African Cup of Nations in football, the Winter Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games, the World Cup and the Asian Games will amount to hundreds of millions of US dollars. The Olympics continues to lead the field in revenue generation - the Turin Winter Olympics generated a total of US$ 830 million from television rights and this will increase to more than US$ 1.7 billion for the Summer Games in Beijing 2008; and it is estimated that the broadcast rights for the football World Cup 2006 will generate a staggering US$ 1.1 billion. The diversity of these events, their live status and national interest practically guarantee a large audience - a broadcaster’s dream! This in turn influences the rights value and helps generate significant advertising revenue for commercial channels to pay for these rights, while strengthening the market position of all broadcasters showing the event.
Revenue generated by television rights gives people the opportunity to both participate at a local level through facilities and community programmes, while also being able to enjoy the major events at an international level. Without the income received from television rights, sport would be managed in a very different way and many people would be deprived of the extensive opportunities open to them. As broadcasting plays an increasingly important role in sport - broadcasters seek to have greater control - influencing the schedule of events, the timing and format of the competition, the construction of the venue and in some cases even the rules of the sport. New technology is also impacting on the way viewers consume sports programmes and how broadcasting interacts with sporting audiences. The number of channels, particularly dedicated sports channels, is constantly growing. Consequently, the demand for attractive events, which bring an audience, will remain very strong. As television companies demand more from sporting events, the business of sport becomes more intricate and organisers are finding it necessary to acquire expertise in specialised activities, including project management and marketing, to meet the expectations and fulfil their obligations towards broadcasters. The integration of these skills and new demands can only be managed by those who have lived the business and understand what it means to negotiate for, plan and organise an event. Skills are acquired by doing and, above all, by learning from those with experience. This changing environment inspired the creation of the World Academy of Sport as a provider of unique services that combine expertise from sporting industry leaders and academics. This will give the sport business community access to relevant and practical courses to meet the demands of this complicated industry.
for further information go to www.wasec.mbs.ac.uk
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News Home Emeritus Professor Celebrates 90th Birthday Professor Ronald Beresford Dew
Professor Ronald Beresford Dew - formerly a member of the University’s Court and Council, head of the University’s Department of Industrial Administration at UMIST (1963 - 1980), and founder and member of the Council of the Business School for ten years - celebrates his 90th birthday in May. As one of the UK’s leading management consultants in the fifties - at Production Engineering Limited (PE) - he was invited to become a visiting professor at UMIST, because of his industry knowledge and expertise. He continued to be a high-profile academic until his retirement in 1980. Network spoke to Ronald at his home in Norfolk, where he has lived since his retirement, to hear about the embryonic world of management consultancy and how his experiences shaped his time at UMIST. How do you think the business arena has changed since the fifties? The most significant change has been the decline of the UK’s heavy industrial manufacturing. We are now in a world of financial control systems and communications technology and this has had a tremendous impact on contemporary management skills, which are very different from those previously required. Today we need managers with disciplined minds who have the capacity to analyse and resolve problems fast, and to foresee opportunities for change.
You have to think in terms of university education and whether we are approaching this correctly or not? Are universities putting in place the kind of disciplines that will give future managers the capacity to cope with the rapidly developing business arena on a world scale. It’s no good learning skills today, that aren’t applicable to tomorrow’s business world.
We need more students taking high-level business degrees at well-respected universities. I believe there are too many organisations, awarding qualifications in business studies, that give students a superficial understanding of the subject far below the level you’d expect to get in a top business school, like MBS.
Initially you weren’t an academic. How did you find the shift from consultancy to your role in academia and what were the benefits of having that experience? I was very fortunate as I had a broad spectrum of skills, both academically and professionally. I am trained as a lawyer - with degrees from Manchester and Cambridge - and I was the first member of the Bar to become a chartered accountant. During the Second World War I spent four years in the Navy and then a year as a production manager in a factory. Following this, I worked as a consultant for 16 years - primarily to engineering firms - before becoming an academic. This shift was gradual - I was first invited to give some lectures.
With over 100 centres providing MBA programmes in the UK alone, what is your opinion of this competitive market? There is some danger that the MBA may lose its reputation for excellence if all kinds of programmes and schools are included under its umbrella. I believe that when and if business schools become financially independent, as in the US, the best will have even more scope to get better. Many of our alumni are now working in management consultancy. Fifty years ago it was a very small sector. Can you tell me what it was like to be a consultant during that time?
“Manchester is one of the top schools in Europe and has a glorious future.” I later accepted an appointment as a visiting lecturer in the University - delivering lectures across the Faculty. I was subsequently asked to accept an appointment as a visiting Professor before being finally asked to take over the Department on a full-time basis. The appointment might have been controversial - to appoint an outsider who had not had an academic career might have been very hard for the established Professoriat to accept. In the last ten years the proportion of undergraduates taking business related degrees has increased - what do you think of this trend and do you think that the Government should encourage more students to undertake business studies at undergraduate level?
Management consultancy started in the US and filtered through to the UK during the war to achieve higher productivity levels in factories. My old firm, PE, was started by three influential men who had a wide network of personal industry connections. After the war, the company expanded as the demand for consultancy in the manufacturing sector increased. As a result, PE began to examine other factors affecting large organisations such as human resources and financial issues. One thing that hasn’t changed is the importance of networks and successful personal connections - we lived on our reputation for delivering excellent consultancy!
News Away MBS in Berlin The spectacular Hotel Adlon Kempinski - in snowy Berlin - was the venue for Professor Dale Littler's lecture earlier this year. Speaking on the topic Disruptive Innovation and Sustainable Competitiveness: Exploiting Innovation to Shape Future Strategic Advantage, he held an interactive session with the audience.
Hong Kong
Clare Hudson with alumni in Hong Kong
“I loved it!” beams Clare Hudson, director of Career Management Services, speaking about her recent action-packed visit to Hong Kong. “Christina Siu and the team at MBS Worldwide all made me very welcome.”
On With the Show When MBA Admissions Manager, Helen Dowd, was delayed by snow, in New York, on her way to the Learn from Experience event in Lima, our Peruvian alumni group and MBA Marketing team had to react quickly - Antonio Roig (MBA '05), Gonzalo Carriquiry (MBA '01) and Joakim Johnsen (MBA '97), had already confirmed their availability to join the event - now they needed to host it too! Decisions were made on how to split the presentation, the MBA team advised them on the key messages, and emails were sent to all the registered candidates.
Over 35 people attended, including prospective students, alumni and the School's corporate contacts from some of the top companies in Germany.
Brandenburg Gate
The event provided prospective students with the chance to sample a typical MBS lecture, whilst networking - both before and after allowed them to ask questions on a one-to-one basis with staff and alumni who accompanied Professor Littler to the event.
Clare met alumni and students in the region at the MBS Worldwide centre in Hong Kong, where she gave two presentations - job search strategy and working with headhunters. “The careers seminar was a bonus to many distance-learning students in the region, who don’t get careers advice as part of their support like full-time MBA students do,” explains Clare. “Alumni also attended, and I think it was a rewarding experience for both sides. I certainly enjoyed the sessions.” Christina Siu from the Hong Kong office said, “Clare was very positive and helpful to the audience. We have limited resources available to offer people careers advice, but the participants
It will be all right on the night...
“It was a very successful evening with a lot of positive and enthusiastic people” Joakim Johnsen (MBA ‘97) Candidates attending the event spoke on the importance and value of hearing alumni talk about their experiences during the programme. The remainder of the Learn from Experience MBA tour went to plan - Helen visited Monterrey and Mexico City and was joined at the presentations by members of our Mexican group. A big thanks goes to all members of our Peruvian and Mexican groups - in particular, Gonzalo
particularly enjoyed the interactive part of the session. We’d very much like to do it again.” Clare visited MBS Worldwide after doing MBA fairs in Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei and Hong Kong - even managing to fit in a whistlestop tour of Hong Kong Island with Alistair Smith (MBA ’06) who was on exchange there. “We visited the war graves, as I was there on Remembrance Sunday, which was very moving. Alistair also whisked me round to show me all the “must-sees” and we managed to fit in some shopping in Stanley Market, before relaxing in the Hong Kong Yacht club over a drink, which was very much-needed by then! After that, it was straight back on the plane and home.”
Carriquiry, Joakim Johnsen, Antonio Roig, Mario Trevino (MBA '04), Luis Carrera (MBA '03), Alfredo Gonzalez Saenz (MBA ‘04), Erik Gonzalez (MBA ‘03), Adrian Pardo Ostos (MBA ‘05) and Gerardo Vigueras (MBA ‘04). Helen Dowd entertains Mexican alumni
If you are interested in joining or hosting a similar event, please contact Fiona Fraser from our MBA Marketing and Admissions team fiona.fraser@mbs.ac.uk / +44 (0)161 275 6338.
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The Andy Duncan Interview “The heart of my job as CE is the successful transition of C4 into a truly multi-media, multi-platform, thriving organisation in a digital world.” Andy Duncan graduated with a BSc in management science from UMIST in 1984. Following 17 years experience in various positions at Unilever - including UK and European general management and marketing board levels - he moved into broadcasting in 2001 taking the role of director of marketing, communications and audiences, and executive board member at the BBC. In 2002, Andy led the launch of Freeview and became its chairman. Freeview, which took over the UK's digital terrestrial television service following the financial collapse of ITV digital, reached over four million homes throughout the UK in just 20 months, much of its success being accredited to him. It has subsequently sold over 10m Freeview boxes, and is set to overtake Sky as the UK’s biggest digital platform in the next 12 months. In July 2004, he was appointed to the role as chief executive of Channel 4, and said:“the heart of my job as CE is the successful transition of C4 into a truly multi-media, multi-platform, thriving organisation in a digital world.” Network spoke with Andy about life in the ever changing world of broadcasting.
What attracted you to UMIST and Manchester and what do you remember most about your time on the programme? I did business studies at ‘A’ Level and being so passionate about the subject, I wanted to complete a business degree. My main interests were marketing and consumer psychology, and UMIST was one of the few universities that ran management courses. I also liked the fact that the course gave me the scope to specialise a little in marketing psychology. Manchester was and is a pretty cool and interesting city and it felt the right time in my life to live away from home. What do you remember most about your time on the programme? Apart from it raining a lot and having some great curries in Rusholme, probably the music scene. It was a fantastic time and I saw many bands including the Smiths and early U2. I also joined the Hacienda where I saw one of Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s concerts amongst others. In fact I was one of their first members! During that first year I certainly didn’t do much work, spending most of my time either at the Students Union, the Hacienda or the Apollo
watching gigs, and playing sport. In general, I remember being taught a good mix of interesting topics, and particularly the marketing and psychology classes were excellent. Who inspired you the most during your time on the programme? Cary Cooper’s psychology lectures were really good and Roland Smith, a visiting professor, struck me as a very interesting character. Sport was also one of my real passions and I played hockey for the University as well as a lot of tennis - so some of the characters who were involved with the sporting activities were also a major part of my life. You have an outstanding track record in consumer marketing. What challenges did you face when transferring to broadcasting? In some ways it was a relatively easy transfer to make. I had 17 years experience from Unilever, and the issues and principles associated with marketing Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) are very similar to those in broadcasting. So understanding and communicating with those audiences was pretty similar. And a major
element of any leadership job is inspiring and motivating people, so this was also an easy step to take. The big difference is the products themselves. FMCG tend to have very long life spans, whereas programmes are often short-lived and some are one-offs. It could be argued that marketing is the creative hub of FMCG, however in broadcasting, although marketing still plays a strategically creative function, you’ve also got the programme making side, in which a whole group of people are effectively creating the product. The industry can be quite closed - by this I mean that many people who work in broadcasting have always worked only in this sector - so there is always the chance of someone coming in and being seen as an outsider. In that way it was important for me to settle in, get on with people and make a contribution from the outset, which was quite a challenge. But the team was very welcoming and it was an easy transition to make.
09
“Be prepared to work hard-it’s not all glamour and s
Your predecessors at Channel 4 were appointed because of their track record in media, particularly programme making. Did your background lead to a culture change within the organisation? Channel 4 has only had four other chief executives, and I think the skills and experience you need now are very different to those in the past. Each person has been right for their time, and I am proud to follow in the footsteps of people like Michael Grade and Mark Thompson. Today you need a real balance of skills and experience - having an absolute strategic vision and clarity of direction is essential. Financial skills, people leadership, strong brand skills and creative empathy are hugely important. If you have a balance of all these, it makes little difference what background you come from. The big challenge at the moment is transforming Channel 4 - from being a very successful single channel organisation - into a multi-channel organisation. We’ve taken E4 free to air, successfully launched More4 and we’re taking Film Four free to air later this year, so we’re well on our way to strengthening the multi-channel portfolio that embraces new technology. And of course, we’re taking the “4” brand family forward by working with new platforms - in particular broadband and mobile - to further develop Channel 4, E4, More4 and 4Docs and future projects such as Channel 4 radio. The BBC will make its final decision on the Manchester move soon - what impact do you see this having on the City and how will it affect broadcasting in general? It’s a great boost for Manchester - I was involved in the early discussions when I was at the BBC and was a great supporter of this idea. Having a very strong London base and prominent
bases in Belfast, Cardiff and Glasgow it’s a great idea to have a major hub in the North. The move will also act as a magnet for other initiatives for example, independent producers will either want to set up in Manchester or open offices there. From Channel 4’s point of view it’s great, because we source all our programming from independent companies and sometimes struggle to get enough good quality programmes outside London. This should help boost the independent sector outside London, which for us is very welcome. What do you think the future trends in broadcasting will be, and how is new technology changing the way in which people access the news and entertainment? The biggest shift is towards consumercontrolled programming. Traditionally a programme would be produced and the broadcaster would choose when and how consumers would watch it. The advent of
digital technology means we’re flipping this on it’s head and moving to a consumer-led world, where people can watch what they want, when they want and how they want. The first manifestation of this was the shift to multiple channels, and clearly when I launched Freeview at the BBC, it made free multi-channel viewing accessible to the vast majority of UK homes, just as Sky and Cable have done with their platforms, but the difference is this is now for free.We’ve now got this whole switch over process that’s being rolled out between now and 2012 - so people are going to have even more channels. The second is to drive towards consuming programmes on new platforms and we’re already beginning to see this, in particular with broadband and mobile. We’re moving towards an “on demand” world where people will be able to watch telly on the go, download programmes and watch catch-up services.
d showbiz parties - although there are quite a lot!”
Thirdly, there will be a move to what’s called ‘user generated content’. Although people will still be able to watch the great dramas, one-off films, entertainment programmes or comedy there will be more room for content that people make themselves. One of the great things about the internet is accessibility - it’s breaking down the barriers to entry - if your film or programme is good enough you can get it on the net and distribute it across the world in the blink of an eye. We have already launched 4Docs, and are planning 4Laughs later this year, both of which allow the audience to upload their content onto our websites. Ultimately, it’s about giving the audience control. What are your views on the future of interactive TV? I am very positive about interactivity growing, although I am sceptical about ‘red button’ technology. At the moment it’s quite clunky and slow, and our experience at Channel 4 is that basically people find it irritating and just too clumsy. We’ve also found it’s not a good way to make money or to deliver our public service remit, but I think the idea of interactivity via broadband and mobile is very strong and that’s going to see huge growth over the next few years. What are the strengths needed to succeed in the industry? It’s essential to be passionate about the programmes and content - I’m a huge fan of telly and radio, I love playing around on the internet and you have to have a buzz for what you are dealing with. The reality is that media and broadcasting is a huge part of our heritage
and what we do does make a difference to people’s lives, so having a sense of responsibility is also important. Diversity is one of the industry’s great features it has room for mavericks and brings together people from all walks of life. Be prepared to work hard as it’s a very tough and competitive industry. You’ve got to be prepared to deal with tricky characters, whilst you’ll always meet plenty of interesting people about the place, it’s certainly not a cosy environment and inevitably you have to deal with difficult issues at times. I think it’s the most exciting and dynamic industry there is, and people that work in it tend to love it - but maybe I’m biased! What advice would you give to those who’d like to break into the industry? It’s a difficult industry to get into, but if you’re determined enough you’ll find a way in - so be tenacious and don’t give up. Those who succeed are the ones who have a real determination about them. One of the good things is that it doesn’t matter how you get into the industry you can be a temporary assistant or a tea boy/girl or come in as a PA - it’s actually still one of the few industry’s that’s talent driven. We’ve got lots of examples of Channel 4 people who came in at quite a junior level and have subsequently gone on to quite big positions. It has plenty of glamorous moments, but mostly it’s about rolling up your sleeves and getting on with it.
Awards - Media Achiever of the Year - 2005 - Marketer of the Year - 2003 Interests Spending quality time with my wife Jocelyn and two daughters! I also play hockey and football every week, and golf and tennis in the summer. Music is a huge passion of mine, so go and see a lot of bands and regularly attend my local church. What was the last podcast you downloaded? Channel 4’s first ever podcast - a piece that John Snow did on Cannabis. And I never miss Ricky Gervais’ stuff as well - it’s always great! How do you access your media? I consume a huge amount of media - I have two Sky Plus boxes which are always full of programmes I ‘m trying to catch; lots of radio, the internet and I skim read most of the newspapers and magazines as well - it’s pretty essential in this job. Who is your favourite broadcaster? News - John Snow; Comedy - Peter Kaye and my favourite programme at the moment is Lost. On the food side, we are lucky to have the UK’s two top names with both Gordon Ramsey and Jamie Oliver. What’s your favourite gadget? That’s a tough one... I’d be lost without my phone and my ipod - and love my television. What’s your favourite food? I’d say a good curry’s hard to beat. What’s your favourite holiday destination? I like going to lots of places, particularly family holidays in the USA. What’s your pet hate? Office politics! Which famous historical figure would you most like to have dinner with and why? Nelson Mandela is an incredibly inspiring character - he is a man of real passion and integrity.
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MBS Worldwide MBA for Commercial Managers - BT Global Services Corporate Programme After two years of balancing a career and an MBA, commercial managers at BT Global Services are now preparing for the last leg of their programme. These professionals are now fast approaching the project stage of the programme - enabling them to put all of their learning and industry specific knowledge into practice - by addressing one of the many business challenges facing the company in today’s fast-changing telecoms climate. The MBA for Commercial Managers has been running since July 2004, and is an example of the continuing relationship between BT and The University of Manchester. The programme draws on Manchester Business School’s expertise in management education and expertise in commercial and project management (from The University's School of Mechanical Aerospace and Civil Engineering). This is reflected in its structure,
Maria Valle y Trujillo
Maria Valle y Trujillo is a business director at BT Global Services, Spain - the second largest operator in Spain’s data market. She currently works with the company’s second largest client - Caixa Galicia Bank, delivering Voice Over IP solutions where BT is positioned number one in the European market. What was the selection process for BT employees enrolling on the MBA for Commercial Managers? We were selected by BT, based on our skills and professional background. I prepared a very detailed resume and attended two assessment centres. I knew the programme required a high level of commitment - personally and professionally.
combining the core modules with electives such as commercial innovation, commercial strategies and tactics, risk and legal issues. The course is delivered by Manchester Business School Worldwide - specialists in delivering high-quality MBA education for professionals - blending self-study with face-to-face workshops. BT spends in the region of £61m a year on training and developing its 100,000 staff and has found this blended approach particularly beneficial. It enables them to release high flyers from the US, Europe and the UK to take part in an integrated programme, with minimum disruption to business operations.
through the application of new found skills to day-to-day operations. The MBA for Commercial Managers is open to all sectors and can be tailored by way of elective modules. Companies wanting to discuss their own management development requirements are welcome to contact Hormoz Ahmadzadeh, corporate development manager, MBS Worldwide on +44 (0)161 275 7244 or email h.ahmadzadeh@mbs-worldwide.ac.uk
Both employer and employee reap immediate practical benefits and return on investment
However I felt I had a great deal to offer - I’m fluent in Spanish, French, English and Chinese; have dealt with customers all my life and have worked in the telecoms industry for over 15 years. How has the programme helped your career? I had considered undertaking an MBA for some time, and believed that I would benefit more from this type of programme if I was able to draw on more extensive professional experience. The timing complimented my own career development aspirations, and I‘ve been able to reflect on my experiences working in France, Spain,London,and Edinburgh during the programme. The MBA has enabled me to speak the same language as the most senior people in business allowing me to talk about profitability and positioning and understand the issues! What are the current issues facing companies in the telecoms industry? In an industry where the only constant factor is the variable one - BT believes in progress, growth and possibility. Our aim is to help customers, make their lives and businesses better with products and services that are easy to use. The programme has been key in making this happen.
You are now approaching the project stage what will you be focusing on? There are two main strategies that telecoms companies follow to maintain a competitive position - mobility and Information Communication Technology (ICT). After consultation with my line manager, I have decided to work on BT strategy with BT Group London, focusing on how we will position ourselves in five years time in the mobile market. Comparisons will also be made to the future ICT market. The MBA has given me the toolkit and confidence to do this, providing us with an excellent opportunity to thoroughly research the BT strategy. What has been the highlight of the programme? Everything! It’s changed me completely and has enabled me to cover aspects I’ve never experienced before. More importantly, the whole team has benefited from my enrolment on the programme, which in turn has motivated each individual. I’ve passed on knowledge gained on the course and it has been applied across many other projects. It’s helped us to measure customer needs and take greater care of our clients. We identify technological issues and enhance user experience - the benefits are great!
Book Reviews The Distance Learning DBA The Distance Learning Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) - offered through Manchester Business School Worldwide (MBSW) - is now in its 3rd year and preparing for its first September intake, since its launch in 2004. Aimed at business practitioners - rather than those who wish to enter academic life - research topics are based on the practical application of knowledge of a particular management issue, as opposed to working on theory in isolation. All support material is available over the internet and students work with an academic supervisor from the School - via e-mail, telephone or through video conferencing - to get the most from the programme. The School’s extensive library and databases are accessible via the web or from local universities, and additional support is available through other MBSW centres in Hong Kong, Dubai, Singapore and Jamaica.
Professor Graham Hall, academic champion of the programme said: “It’s recognised that specialist knowledge gives a long-term competitive advantage and DBAs are an unequalled route to gaining such advantage.” Doctoral students spend around 12 days during the first year at Manchester Business School. The programme takes five years to complete whilst the structure is different to the full-time DBA, the final award is the same. The popular programme structure allows the application of research practice to the practical working environment - providing the basis for successful completion of the research process. MBS alumni will receive a 20% discount on course fees. For more information, please contact Annie Veale on 01248 672 279 or by email a.veale@mbs-worldwide.ac.uk
BIG IDEAS Jonne Ceserani There’s no room for complacency in today’s fast moving business world. Innovation and creativity are the lifeblood of any organisation. Yet few ever realise their full creative potential. They focus on the day-to-day practicalities instead of developing innovative strategies for the future. Big Ideas sets out to change all that. Highly practical and accessible, it seeks to help you to establish an environment that encourages creativity. It shows you how to: • Introduce creativity, innovation and change • Learn leadership methods that encourage creativity • Use tools & techniques for creative problem solving • Establish group environments that maximise creativity The concepts and methods described have worked for numerous international companies and could work for you. Big Ideas is a stimulating book from innovation maestro Jonne Ceserani. It will enable you to look beyond traditional views of innovation and realise your innate creativity and talent. Jonne, a BSc Management Sciences '76 from UMIST, can be contacted at jonne@powerandgrace.co.uk
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE IN THE US AND EUROPE Where are we now? Geoffrey Owen, Tom Kirchmaier and Jeremy Grant The economic history the last decade has witnessed two distinct phases: the stock market bubble of the late 1990’s, and its subsequent bursting in 2000, which brought to light Enron, WorldCom and other corporate scandals in the US and Europe. Both these phases called into question the effectiveness of current corporate governance mechanisms such as the role of the board of directors, executive remuneration and the nature of shareholder activism. This book is based on a conference that was held in London during November 2004, where a high level gathering of practitioners and academics in the fields of finance, law and public policy discussed the issues and boundaries of knowledge in corporate governance. It comprises, an overview of the themes that were discussed, together with some comments on unresolved issues where further research is needed, and summaries of the contributions made by conference speakers. Tom Kirchmaier is a lecturer in strategy at Manchester Business School.
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Working with MBS Let’s Work Together Since the MBS Alumni Association (MBSAA) AGM in November 2005, seven alumni have been actively involved in helping the School build alumni relations. Simon Hayward has been chair since 2002. Jerry Green was appointed last September as vice chair and is playing a key role in bringing together the alumni networks of all the former Schools. Alumni ambassadors: Alex Jelenje - class networks Patrick Reid - working with MBS Stanley Sia - regional groups Helen Vaid - senior alumni strategy Lee Williams - alumni services & communications
Many other alumni already work with MBS: • Over 150 alumni are supporting the recruitment of students. They participate in fairs, interview and advise potential students • Hundreds of jobs and project opportunities are forwarded every year to our career services • 40 alumni are mentoring our current students through Manchester Gold
Jerry Green (BA Econ Accounting & Finance ‘79) Vice chair of MBSAA. jerry@magnusuk.com
Simon Hayward (MBA ‘86) Chair of MBSAA. simon.hayward@ academee.com
Family status: Married with two children
Family status: Married with three boys
Current employment: Co-Founder and Finance Director, Magnus Ltd, a commercial property investment company
Current employment: CEO, Academee, a consultancy delivering organisational change through learning solutions
Reasons for being involved in MBSAA: To reconnect with the School and help build an even better alumni network for the future
Reasons for being involved in MBSAA: Glad to give something back and proud to retain involvement with MBS
Best memory as MBS student: I could say one of John Arnold’s accountancy lectures, but slightly more memorable were drinks with Tony Hope in the Plymouth
Best memory as MBS student: Three weeks research in California and Texas looking into the petrochemical industry
‘As alumni we should not underestimate the role we can play in the development of the Business School and its international reputation, helping our friends and ourselves in the process. There is so much potential in nurturing a collaborative
approach, particularly in these competitive and rapidly changing times. The dedicated alumni team in the Business School continues to develop the alumni network and services and our active participation is essential and appreciated. We are a part of an international community of some 20,000 alumni across the world, giving us a fascinating network of diverse individuals
Getting Involved How you can help? • Register on MBSNet and update your details • Become a mentor • Offer company projects/internships/job vacancies • Present your company on campus workshops, or presentations etc • Send your news to the Alumni Office • Set up and/or join your regional group • Participate in student recruitment - fairs/open days or career days etc How you can benefit? • Free access to MBSNet - online community site • Continued management education - lectures or short courses, etc • Access to a global community of over 20,000 well educated and experienced alumni and students • Access to regional/business interest groups and their activities • Recruitment/project opportunities for your company provided by specifically selected students • Career advice and counselling • Regular update on School news and events via e-newsletter or magazine If you would like to contribute to alumni relations activities and work with MBS, please contact Simon, Jerry or the Alumni Office.
across many industries - from NGO to sole traders. That community can collectively contribute both to its own well being and that of the School in many different ways, in addition to its individual members benefiting from many of the services offered to us’. Patrick Reid (MBA Exec ‘99) Ambassador - Working with MBS
Research Focus Revolutionary Business Thinking - Technology Regeneration in High-Tech Channels The business world often views technology as a disruptive force - heralding periods of both change and growth. In contrast, technology can also have a more sustainable flavour - after all Microsoft launched Windows in May 1990 and it is still powering desktop computers 15 years later! In all technology-led industries, channels play a vital part of the marketing mix - they are responsible for access to market and completing the customer proposition through value-add components and services. Strong channels are also beneficial for technology vendors and the success of Microsoft and Cisco is testament to this. Small to Medium Businesses (SMB), companies with 10 - 250 employees, play a vital role in the UK’s economy and are a rich source of new ideas and growth. Technology vendors are tapping into this market by actively building new SMB channels and the key question is how they can do it to maximise profitability. Dr Steve Moxey and Professor Chris Easingwood at Manchester Business School (supported by Cisco Systems, IBM and Vodafone) are conducting research to answer this question and examine the drivers of successful high-technology channel development. The first phase of research comprised qualitative interviews with 350 SMBs across the UK and has identified three key models: • Relationship - the partner is oriented around serving its customers. The business partner is the “trusted advisor”as seen by the end customer • Specialist - the partner is oriented around its skills and capabilities. The business partner is seen as the “technical expert” by the end customer • Fulfilment - the partner is oriented around low cost operational efficiency. The business partner is seen as the “box shifter” The research showed that the Relationship model dominates the SMB sector; with more than 80% of partners performing this role.
It also reveals a number of insights about how partner relationships are developed. For instance, it shows that the traditional lifecycle paradigm misses an important stage - technology regeneration. This is triggered when a business has to decide whether to adopt new technology offered by the vendor, or look elsewhere for an alternative solution. In the future it is likely that astute vendors may try to create a trigger points in order to stimulate technology regeneration in their channels. Four possible outcomes derive from these trigger points: • Status Quo - continues with current technology and vendor • Loyal Investor - invests in new technology from current vendor • Switcher - replaces current technology with products from a new vendor • Switch Investor - invests in new technology from new vendor The research project aims to understand what drives the four possible outcomes, as measured by a number of parameters that capture the quality of the relationship. The figure below shows preliminary results from 290 technology regeneration outcomes. It is surprising how few decisions are pure Switcher decisions - where the partner is looking for the same type of product with a better deal. Over 80% of decisions involve the acquisition of new technology capability.
This shows an important difference between technology channels and other channels - in technology channels, the old products and relationships are rarely discarded, instead new technologies and relationships are added. The intention is to build new capabilities, and to add these to old ones. The process is geological in nature, in which layers of new technology are built on the foundations of earlier decisions. When partners choose to acquire new technology capability they can either remain as Loyal Investors, buying from their current vendor, or they can exit to become a Switch Investor buying from a new vendor. If vendors are interested in recruiting partners then marketing activity should increase the chances of a Switch Investor decision. If vendors are growing business within an existing channel then the odds of a Loyal Investor decision need to be improved. To address these issues, Professor Easingwood and Dr Moxey are working on a Partner Recruitment Retention Model that is due for completion later this year. It aims to answer these questions by connecting decision outcomes to the underlying economic and relationship factors that affect the decision. Building on the earlier success of the project, two extensions have been proposed to replicate the technology regeneration research across Europe, to gain a better understanding of how cultural differences affect the process. The second phase will see a detailed investigation of the SMB customer and partner relationship to add insight to the theory.
For further information about this project, please contact Professor Chris Easingwood at chris.easingwood@mbs.ac.uk or Dr Steve Moxey at steven.moxey@mbs.ac.uk.
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Alumni Group News Introduction
Hong Kong
Alumni Relations is working closely with Stanley Sia (MBA DL ’01), honorary president of the Singapore Alumni Association and member of the Manchester Business School Alumni Association Board (MBSAA). Stanley’s role within the Board is to advise alumni on how to set up and effectively run a regional group.
The Hong Kong Alumni Association (MBSAAHK) joined the 9th Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Charity Fund Day on 22 January with around 50 alumni, students and guests showing their support.
Stanley Sia
London London follows North West’s lead The London alumni group have followed the North West’s lead by launching their own Business Network breakfast meetings.
Stanley explains some of the benefits of being involved with a regional group - both personally and professionally: “It’s nice for me to know when I’m overseas that I will be able to pick up the phone and meet someone who I’ll be able to connect with immediately because we are MBS alumni. Again, as a business professional being able to access guidance about local practices, gives you an immediate edge, especially if you are new to that country. At the back of our minds we can expect the same treatment when any alumnus wishes to operate in our country. This is especially relevant in an increasingly globalised world." The number of groups is steadily growing with new ones formed in Australia and India - as well as new contacts in Barbados, France and Indonesia. Several business interest groups have also been set up in the UK - the London group is now holding breakfast networking meetings and the North West Alumni Association has started a Property Investment Group - both meet once a month. Don’t forget - if you are interested in joining or setting up a regional or business interest group, get in touch by emailing lisa.samberg@mbs.ac.uk
In partnership with Parkwell Management Consultants - who will be sponsoring the meetings at their premises - the group will meet on the third Thursday of each month, providing a great opportunity to get to know each other and to make new contacts across a wide sphere of industries and professionals.
A Rickshaw team of seven members wearing bamboo hats participated in the race. The Hong Kong Association showed their support by wearing costumes, eye-catching make-up and carrying flags, as well as the MBS banner. All those who attended had a fabulous time. A total of HK6,208 was raised to support a variety of Hong Kong charities. The Rickshaw Race
For more information about the meetings, please contact Jessica Pittman, chair, LAA at Jessica_pittman@merck.com
Japan Professor Jikyeong Kang joined alumni for drinks, during her trip to Tokyo in April. The group also welcomed Kenichi Yokoya, who will be joining the MBA programme in Manchester later this year. The gathering gave Jikyeong the chance to catch up with alumni, whilst also allowing Kenichi to learn more about life in Manchester on the MBA programme.
Cyprus Evohia Restaurant in Nicosia was the venue for the Cyprus alumni group’s social gathering in March. It was a select gathering and the constant flow of wine ensured that all had a great time. The group - who are now meeting regularly discussed ways in which they could increase the number of alumni attending the event and agreed to actively ensure that the database of contacts is as complete as possible.
Jikyeong Kang in Tokyo
If you would like to attend a meeting or get more involved, please contact Michael Charakis (MBA ’01) on mcharakis@crccy.com
North West
Jamaica
Property Investment Group Launched
The Caribbean Chapter continues to be extremely active with a number of key events having taken place during the last few months.
The MBS NW Alumni Association launched the NW Property Investment networking group in April. The group meets on the first Friday of each month between 10.00 - 13.00 at the Business School - providing the opportunity for like minded alumni to share local and worldwide property investment opportunities and knowledge. The aim of the group is to provide advice, assistance and mutual support regarding property investment and development projects,
whilst swapping details of trusted property suppliers - including solicitors, finance, builders and property managers. All are welcome - whether you are new to property investment or have experience as a commercial property investor or manager.
For more information, please contact Alistair Nicholls on alistair.nicholls@alumni.mbs.ac.uk
Singapore The Fullerton Hotel was the venue for the graduation ceremony that took place in January. More than 50 graduands from the part-time BSc in Management, the BSc in Financial Services and Associateship and the distance learning MBA (MBSWW) attended the event. Members of the procession included Professor Ken Green (academic dean), Professor Paul Layzell (vice-president of University development) and Donna Waugh from undergraduate services. The Award for Outstanding Alumnus was also presented to Mr. Er by presiding officer, Professor Alistair Ulph, vice-president and dean of the Faculty of Humanities.
Spain The Spanish alumni group held a joint event with the Instituto de Empresa alumni office during March. The speaker, Ignacio de la Torre, equity sales director at UBS and associate professor at Instituto de Empresa gave an informative presentation on The Temple Knights and the Origins of Our Bank System. An extremely lively Q&A session followed the presentation, with MBS alumni enjoyed a few drinks in a nearby bar after the event.
Faculty and graduands
Following the ceremony, the Alumni Association in Singapore hosted an alumni dinner attended by alumni, Professors Ulph, Layzell and Green along with officers from the International Office and the Business School.
The Spanish group has also joined the Ryder Club - this Club provides access to activities prepared by alumni associations from schools and funding associations including such as: Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon, Chicago Economics, Chicago GSB, Columbia, Cornell, Darmouth Tuck, Duke - Fuqua, ESCP-EAP, Fletcher, Harvard HBS, IMD, Insead, London Business School, MIT - Sloan, NorthWestern - Kellogg GSB, NYU Stern, Princeton, SDA Bocconi, Stanford - GSB, Syracuse University, and Upenn - Wharton, amongst others.
The 5th Anniversary Banquet was held during November last year. Dr. Beverly Morgan of the Jamaica Competitiveness Cluster Programme, (a director of the Jamaica Exporters Association) addressed the audience of over 60 alumni, with an exceptional speech on The Renaissance of Corporate Jamaica: Implications and Imperatives. Those attending the event - held at the Hilton Kingston Hotel, Les Ambassadeurs Suite danced the night away to Sound of Joy. Michael Jones (MBA DL '94) was master of ceremonies, whilst Nicole Hoo-Fatt (MBA DL ’00) gave the vote of thanks. In February, Courtney Christie-Veitch (MBA DL ’97), president of the Jamaican chapter addressed the audience at the Annual Church Service organised by the alumni executives. Staff from the Jamaican Institute of Bankers, members of the Alumni Executive Committee (the Caribbean Centre for the distance learning programmes of MBSW) and other MBS alumni, attended the event that was held at the Church of St. Margaret. During his speech, Courtney brought the audience up to date on news from the School. And during March, Courtney was re-elected as president for a second term, at the Annual General Meeting.
The Alumni Executive
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Awards Sir David Varney Outstanding Alumnus Award 2005 Congratulations to MBS alumnus Sir David Varney, chairman of HM Revenue & Customs, who was given a knighthood in the new-year honours list. Sir David graduated with an MBA from Manchester Business School in 1971, and returned to the School last year to deliver one of the prestigious Vital Topics lectures. Sir David Varney
Mr. Er Kwong Wah
Professor Alistair Ulph, vice-president and dean of the Faculty of Humanities, had the pleasure of presenting the Outstanding Alumnus Award for 2005 to Mr. Er Kwong Wah (MBA ’78) during January at the graduation ceremony held in Singapore. Each year the award is presented to several members of our alumni who have achieved distinction in his or her profession, have given exemplary service to the University or the wider community, or have outstanding service of a personal or humanitarian nature, locally, nationally or worldwide. Another recipient, Sir David Varney was presented with his award at the Alumni Reunion Ball in October last year.
Sir David said:“I think these awards are an evaluation of a cocktail of performance which reflects the input of many hands. In my case, MBS was the catalyst of transforming a chemist and student politician into a wantabe manager who felt the good Samaritan parable was an inspiration.”
Mr. Er is executive director, EASB Institute of Management Pte Ltd, and also sits as an independent director on the boards of several private and public listed companies. A Governor of the United World College of South East Asia, he is also a member of the board of trustees of SIM University.
During his time in the civil service, Mr. Er served in various ministries and held Permanent Secretary appointments, with the Ministry of Education followed by the Ministry of Community Development until his retirement in 1998. Mr. Er has also held a number of public sector appointments, including membership of the Council of the National University of Singapore and was a board member of the Singapore and Ngee Ann Polytechnics. He’s also served as deputy chairman of the Singapore Sports Council, and chairman and director of various government-linked companies. Despite a very active career, he still finds time for community work, and is chairman of the Toa Payoh Central Citizens Consultative Committee and a member of the Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council.
Alumni Diary We are delighted to welcome our new alumni and look forward to receiving your news. This is your chance to let everyone know where you’ve been and what you’ve been up to since graduating from Manchester Business School. If you have news for the next issue, email lisa.samberg@mbs.ac.uk Arnaud Giblat (MBA '06) has joined Merrill Lynch in London as an equity research analyst at an associate level. He will be covering the Speciality Finance sector. Andrew Jones (Exec MBA ’05) will take up the role of managing director of Baerlocher UK as of 1 June. Andy joined the company in 1991 and has a broad experience of the plastics additives business. Subhashis Mishra (BSc (Hons) in Management '05) is working for L'Oreal on their general management training scheme.
Larissa and Simon
Larissa Clark (BSc (Hon) International Management with American Business Studies ’04) is currently working with co-graduate Simon Shenker running their own company tilllate UK Ltd. Tilllate is the leading nightlife website in Europe, and Larissa and Simon own and run the UK section of the brand. They got involved with the concept of the site while away on their placement year at the University of Florida - with regions in Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, London and Birmingham and 75 freelance photographers they are super busy but loving life! www.tilllate.com ... get out and play!
Koichi Okuma (PREST MSc ’99) joined Nihon Schering KK (Japanese Subsidiary of Schering AG in Germany) in Japan following his graduation. He has since moved to the Oncology Business Unit, and is head of oncology marketing and business development in Japan. Koichi is also a member of the Global Marketing Team for Oncology marketed products and pipeline. He married in 2001 and had a baby daughter, Fuki in January 2005.
Stephen Ainsworth (MBA '06) has joined Barclays Capital in London as an associate. Chris Charlton (BSc Management ’05) has been working for Koan since his graduation with a first. Koan is an ethical communications practice based in Manchester. Chris has recently been promoted to account manager, in record time, and will be taking on more responsibility on the client accounts he works on.
Lucy Knott
Lucy Knott (BSc International Management and American Business Studies ’04) is working at Accenture in London as an IT analyst, predominantly within the consumer goods and services sector, having worked on both the Diageo and Sainsbury’s projects.
Victoria Hagan (BSc International Management with German ’04) is working as executive trainee for HSBC in Canary Wharf, London.
Alexei Khabarov (MBA ’06) has joined Citigroup in London as an analyst. Chikomborero Chitsike (MBA ’05) has joined Linklaters in London, as senior strategy analyst for global business development. George Papadokotsolis (MBA '04) has joined Societe Generale in Paris, and will be covering the Greek market for equity derivatives and structured products.
Clare Briegal
Clare Briegal (Exec MBA ’93) recently came second in the Women’s Veteran Category at the Agecroft Rowing Triathlon on Sunday 22 January. The event involved a 3k row on a rowing machine, 15k cycle and 5k run - all held around the Lowry in Salford Quays.
She has also recently launched a new business ‘i love my’; designed to offer consumers advice from knowledgeable industry experts and enable them to make informed purchase decisions. Her first franchise is www.ilovemyduvet.co.uk selling luxurious duvets & pillows. Dagny Petursdottir (MBA '04) and Johann Wathne (MBA '04) returned to Iceland in April and are awaiting the imminent arrival of their first child. Marios Koumis (MSc Finance ’00) is currently working for Eurobank EFG in Greece and will shortly be marrying Sylvi Karozi (MA Human Resource Management ’00).
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Alumni Diary Frances and David Robinson
an hour from Atlanta. Since graduating with a BSc (Hons) Management Sciences in 1977, Stephen has earned an MBA and subsequently a PhD in Accounting and International Business. Arturo Busca (MBA ’02) has relocated from London to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Still working within DHL, he has moved to the global customer solution division (GCS) as head of GCS global pricing projects. Arturo and his team will help GCS Division to improve pricing and yield management tools and develop new ones, supporting the regional pricing teams looking after global customers. If anyone is interested in meeting Arturo, he can be reached at Arturo.busca@dhl.com
Frances Robinson (nee Wilson) (Exec MBA ’95) worked for IBM from 1997 - 2002 as a management consultant to their manufacturing clients. She has since worked as an independent consultant working on and managing several projects for a wide range of clients. She married David Robinson in April 2005 and as a result has moved from Sale, Cheshire to Carlisle. She would be pleased to hear from her former class and any consultants based in the north of England or Scotland. She may be contacted at mfranceswilson@hotmail.com Chris Brassington (Exec MBA ’99) is thrilled to announce that his company, Totem Communications Limited, received a commendation during February after being short-listed for the Technology Innovation & Growth Awards 2006, category Technology CEO of the Year - Private Firm. This category is for exceptional leadership in transforming or driving the business forward. The award recognises strategic vision, inspirational leadership and a real instinct for the business, its market and growth opportunities. Stephen Salter (BSc '77) will become chair of the department of Accounting and Finance (on 1 September 2006) at the University of West Georgia. The School has 10,000 students and is
Richard Scott (Exec MBA '04) has set up a consultancy business (www.richardbscott.com), assisting wireless and technology sector firms with European market-entry strategy and execution. Services have a strong delivery orientation and include route-to-market, distribution, reference clients - all focused on accelerating the client’s revenue generation in EMEA. Recent clients have included Vocera Communications, Colubris Networks and PanGo Networks.
George Raikos with his newborn son
Back to the Future
The class of ’75 held its 30th anniversary reunion dinner late last year. The event, organised by Les Watt and Quentin Spratt, was held at the Forest of Arden Hotel. A round of golf took place during the afternoon, followed by drinks and dinner and even more drinks during the evening. Gordon Mandry, representing the Business School, delivered one of his witty after dinner speeches to the gathering. For those of the group who were up and about the next morning, there was a rush to breakfast just before the restaurant closed. The class of ’75 have been meeting annually since 2000, when they came together for their 25th anniversary gathering, although contact between individuals and sub-groups has been constant since graduation. Over the years, both Les and Quentin have impressively maintained up-to-date emails for most of the class and their efforts have been rewarded with excellent participation at the events.
George Raikos (DipBA '92) and Katerina Stega have given birth to a charming baby boy on 9 November ’05 who, given time and God's will, will reach the age to travel to Manchester with his parents and get first hand experience of the Mancunian way of living.
John Lovering, the group’s PR star, was unable to attend the event, as were some of the Londonbased people, but Forest of Arden was chosen so that those North of Watford did not feel left out. And, the organisers live North of Watford... Tony Mash won the travellers' prize, as he works in Japan, lives in the USA, and came in to the UK for the dinner.
Class of '75 Alan Thompson
Andrew Fitzgerald
Ian Milligan
Les Watt
Brenda Smith
Chris Johns
Peter McCarthy
Quentin Spratt
Colin Tomson
Dave Cairns
Rob Butler
Rod Bath
Dick Townsend
Gordon Mandry
Rod Reeves
Tony Mash
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Alumni View
Television broadcasting in for an interesting ride ahead... Bhavneet Singh (MBA ’04), deputy general manager, Emerging markets for MTV Networks International, is in the thick of the changing media and entertainment landscape. Here he explores the impact of these changes for the broadcast television industry……
The broadcast industry today is facing incredible challenges and opportunities, inching closer to generational changes. These fundamental and unstoppable - changes will be the catalysts to slowly but surely redefine the traditional network business model, today reliant on subscription and advertising. The idea of one-to-many communication was (and still is) at the heart of the broadcasting industry. The network’s ability to deliver to the mass market audience was extremely appealing to advertisers. Network television became an extremely powerful medium around which the audiences revolved and the advertisers followed. The emergence of specialised cable ands satellite players in the mid-eighties triggered the trend of fragmentation as these new channels catered to specific needs and audiences by personalising content based on demographics and interests. However, in recent years, this fragmentation has gained a new momentum as a direct result of new media formats and changing lifestyles - changing both the way we consume content and when we consume it. We are now moving from an age of following the programme guide to creating one for ourselves. The consumer of today is tomorrow’s programmer!
A whole host of factors have resulted in this increased fragmentation with varying impacts across different markets depending on the stage of consumer uptake and technological evolution: • Increased distribution formats - terrestrial TV, cable, satellite and now IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) • Fragmentation of audiences across these new distribution formats • Growing demands from the consumer over the content, the delivery platform, eventually wanting control over their programming schedule • The enhanced willingness of the consumer towards paying for premium content and “pay per view” services (VOD, mobile TV, streaming broadband etc) However, the broadcast industry overall (and the media industry on a broader level) is now beginning to witness the benefits of fragmentation. As a result of the enhanced competition and increased choice of platforms, the overall media consumption and spending
across both traditional and new media forms is rising. This is not surprising; as investments in new technologies has positively impacted the consumer experience. Broadcasters are now looking towards these new formats to create a stronger connect with the audiences and providing them with their program of choice wherever they might be. Fragmentation has also meant delivering specific niche audiences, therefore a more targeted and effective advertising tool for marketers. All these developments and technological advances bode well both for the consumers and the industry. The consumers will be richer for a much better and more interactive experience. The broadcasters with quality content and strong brands will have more routes to reach out and customize their product for this even more demanding and elusive consumer!
Disclaimer: The opinions presented in the article are the personal views of the writer and are not necessarily endorsed or ratified by the writer’s employer.
Contacts UK Manchester Lee Williams (MBA '01) elw@whitworthassociates.com
London Jessica Pittman (MBA '04) jessica_pittman@merck.com
Paul Handforth (MBA '99) paul@celeritas.co.uk
Ida Huang (MBA '05) huangi2002@hotmail.com
INTERNATIONAL Australia Sami Lambe, (MBA ’00) sami_lambe@yahoo.com.au
Hong Kong Lai, Pui Ling Pauline, (MBA DL ’04) siufei2004@yahoo.com.hk
New York Larissa Hrabec (MBA ‘01) lhrabec@perriergroup.com
Barbados George Gleadall (MBA DL '98) ggleadall@trilonb.com.bb
India Piyush Seth (MBA ’04) piyush.seth@alumni.mbs.ac.uk
Malika Talati (MBA ‘01) malika@us.ibm.com
Canada (Toronto) Steven Edwards (Exec MBA '04) steven.edwards@astrazeneca.com
Indonesia Pamela Teo (MBA DL ’01) pamelateo@hotmail.com
China Mijia Wu (MBA ‘01) wumijia@hotmail.com
Jamaica Courtney Christie-Veitch, (MBA DL ’97) courtney.christie-veitch@boj.org.jm
Cyprus Michael Charakis (MBA ’01) mcharakis@crccy.com
Japan Tetsuo Iida, (MBA ’04) iida@isid.co.jp
France Timothy Griffin, (MBA ’88) timgriffin@noos.fr
Korea Edward Suh, (MBA ’03) egsuh@brio.co.kr
Germany Paul Baker (MBA ‘94) paul-david.baker@t-systems.com
Mexico Alvaro Bravo Bartolozzi (MBA ’05) paturrin@hotmail.com
Greece Christos Dimitriou (MBA ‘99) chistos.dimitriou@gr.pwcglobal.com
Middle East Fadi Alkaraan, Group Chair (PhD ‘04) alkaraanfadi@yahoo.com
North America Elizabeth Pia Minah (MBA ’04) eminah@gmail.com Portugal Joao Duque (PhD ‘95) jduque@iseg.utl.pt Scandinavia Louise Asp (MBA ‘00) louiseasp@hotmail.com Singapore Stanley Sia (MBA DL ’01) stanley.sia@citigroup.com Spain Javier Martin (MBA ‘96) javier.martin@bt.com South Africa Robert Stratton-Brown (MBA '01) Robert.StrattonBrown@afrox.boc.com
Christos Lytras (MBA ’04) christos_lytras@yahoo.com
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