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
network BANKING AND FINANCE WINTER 05 / ISSUE 11
Combining the strengths of UMIST and The Victoria University of Manchester
THE MAGAZINE FOR MANCHESTER BUSINESS SCHOOL ALUMNI
Let’s Party Aftershow The Alumni Reunion Ball, held on Saturday 1 October, was certainly a night to remember - with 170 alumni, partners and staff partying until 2am. After a drinks reception and a three-course meal, Professor John Arnold presented David Varney (MBA '71) with the University of Manchester Outstanding Alumnus Award for 2005 and Gordon Mandry entertained guests with anecdotes about working with Manchester Business School alumni. A 70's tribute band played old favourites from Abba, whilst those who took a break from the dancing enjoyed a sociable drink or two at the bar. The blackjack and roulette tables proved popular with those classmates that fancied a flutter. Throughout the weekend there was a host of other events taking place with drinks in the city centre on Friday evening and a round of golf during Saturday daytime. Brunch was held at the School on Sunday for those who were awake in time - this rounded off a great weekend of networking and entertainment. We look forward to seeing everyone at next year's ball - especially the anniversary years of 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996 and 2001. So get your diaries out and put a note under Saturday 30 September 2006 you have a party to attend!
Contents
Editor’s Welcome
Page 2 Let's Party
Welcome to the winter edition of Network Magazine. This magazine is distributed to over 20,000 alumni of the new Manchester Business School (MBS).
Page 3 Editor's Welcome Page 4 News Home Page 6 News Away Page 8 Profile: Patrick O’Bryan Page 10 The Gordon Mandry Interview Page 12 Working with MBS Page 13 Research Focus Page 14 Book Reviews and Calendar of Events
Over the last year, we have been liasing with faculty and staff from the former partner organisations, and we are now delighted to be able to extend our services to all alumni of the School. For those who are new to the School's alumni services you will receive Network, which is published twice a year, and have access to MBSNet - the online community site, which will put you in touch with all alumni throughout the world (read more about MBSNet, page 15).
MBS continues its commitment to excellence and the strengths of our programmes have recently been highlighted by the international business media - The Financial Times Executive Education Survey and the Forbes Return on Investment Survey. Thank you for your support and we hope that this may continue. As always, enjoy the magazine and we look forward to hearing your suggestions and feedback.
Lisa Samberg, editor
For those who already know us, we will continue to enhance our existing services and your networking opportunities will triple, leading to more alumni activities in all regions of the world. In this issue, we have added a new section 'Working with MBS' - including an exclusive interview with Director of the International Business Project, Gordon Mandry.
Page 15 Get Connected with MBSNet Page 16 Alumni News Page 20 Alumni Diary Page 22 Alumni View Page 23 Merchandise and Contacts
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News Home What Gems! Two academics from MBS have been singled out for high praise by publishers Emerald recently. Dr Sandra Fielden has been named as a leading editor in Emerald's 2005 Excellence Awards for the globally successful Women in Management Review. The Awards acknowledge the high commitment of editors and their efforts to raise and maintain
the standing of the Emerald journals. This is the second Excellence Award that Sanrdra has won. She was also named as a leading editor for the Review in 2002. A paper written by Professor Bernard Burnes was awarded a citation of excellence, after having been nominated as one of the best articles published in Emerald Management Reviews. His article, Kurt Lewin and a planned approach to change: a reappraisal was judged exceptional and outstanding by the judges, who review more than 20,000 articles each year.
Undergrad Team Reaches L'Oreal Brandstorm Final The winning team
Sweet Success A Lancashire-based company is now selling its products in Tesco stores - helped along by an encounter between Farmhouse Fare Managing Director, Helen Colley, and Tesco's Chief Exectuive, Sir Terry Leahy at Manchester Business School. Helen was a guest at Vital Topics, and took full advantage of the opportunity to question Sir Terry was about Tesco and the best way to get her upmarket puddings into the stores. “Send me a sample!” was Sir Terry Leahy's advice, so Helen sent the complete range of Farmhouse Fare's award-winning puddings (all 14 of them!) to the Chief Executive’s office. This was quickly followed by an invitation to meet with buyers, resulting in Tesco stocking two of Farmhouse Fare's luxury puddings in 180 stores from September, where they are the only branded hot desserts on Tesco's shelves. Helen explains, “It was too good an opportunity to miss. While our products are available in many other national stores, Tesco had remained elusive. At Farmhouse Fare we make superb, innovative products and I knew if I could get them in front of the right people, there would be a tremendous opportunity for us. We're delighted with the outcome so far, and hope to build on this for even more success in the future - and I'm very glad I went to Vital Topics that evening!”
Congratulations to Team WMN (Winifred Awa, Michelle Cowsley and Nayem Kabir students on the MBS undergraduate BSc marketing programme) who saw off fierce competition from the UK's top universities to reach the UK final of the L'Oréal Brandstorm Award, earlier this year. L'Oréal Brandstorm, now its 14th year, is a worldwide competition which allows students throughout the world to put themselves in the place of a L'Oréal international brand manager. Over a period of five months, Team WMN had
the opportunity work alongside L'Oréal and its advertising agency to devise new packaging and a communications campaign for the L'Oréal Paris hair care range, Studio Line. The competition culminates in an award ceremony, where the teams present their marketing campaigns. Team WMN dazzled the jury, which was chaired by Guy Farmer, general manager for Garnier/ Maybelline. However after much deliberation by the panel, the Brandstorm award was eventually given to a team from Nottingham Trent University.
Professor John Arnold said; “I'm very pleased for Helen and her team at Farmhouse Fare, and happy that we were able to help in some small way. It's gratifying when regional business people attend our events, and get to listen to and question business leaders like Sir Terry Leahy, but when they are able to use it to such a fantastic, practical end result as well, we're thrilled.”
Sir Terry Leahy
A&F Students in Lake District for KPMG Business Game Students from MBS' Accounting and Finance Group recently took part in the annual KPMG business game at the Burnside Hotel in Bowness-on-Windermere in the Lake District. The game, organised by KPMG and MBS staff was open to all second year undergraduate students. It was an opportunity for participants to grow their entrepreneurial skills by creating a sevenyear business strategy for a virtual company, with aim of making as much profit as possible. Prizes were awarded in various categories for achievement and for staff and students who made the weekend all the more enjoyable.
The winning team Oxygen
Top Chinese University Selects MBS as First UK Exchange Partner Manchester Business School has signed a partnership with Tsinghua University, one of China's top universities, as part of its prestigious MBA exchange programme. Tsinghua chose Manchester Business School's MBA programme for its first UK exchange partnership, after considering other leading schools across the country. Professor Alistair Ulph, vice president and dean of The University of Manchester's Faculty of Humanities, signed the agreement with Tsinghua University's vice president, Professor Xie Weihe, during a recent visit to China. The first students arrived at MBS in September.
MBS Academics Honoured by Key Academic Body
The two winning teams were Oxygen (Xiaoquian Liu, Hau Han, Xiao Li, Yunjie Ba) and Adaj and the Incredible Wingless Pigeons (Antonis Lytras, Despo Kleovoulo, Alikassim Khataw, Joao B Amdrim Toniato). Winners were awarded champagne, KPMG goodie bags and HMV gift vouchers. All students were also given opportunity to speak with KPMG staff about working for the company.
from 90 nations based in universities (including many members from MBS), and research institutions, as well as practitioner members working in business, government, and not-for-profit organisations. It is divided into streams and interest groups, reflecting the many aspects of modern management study.
Professor Paul Sparrow and Dr Paula Hyde have both taken on new roles in the US Academy of Management. Paul has been elected onto the Executive Committee for the HR Division, while Paula has accepted a Chair in experiential learning.
Paul will chair the HR Division Committee until 2008 and follows in the footsteps of Dr Bill Cooke and Professor John Hassard who have also served on committees at the Academy of Management. Paula's role is part of the Management Education and Development interest group.
The Academy of Management is the world's leading professional association for scholars dedicated to creating and disseminating knowledge about management and organisations. It has over 15,000 members
The Academy holds an annual meeting at which MBS is always well-represented. This year was no exception, in spite of the long journey delegates will have to make to take part, as the conference in Hawaii!
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News Away Dr John Westwood and guests
MBS in Munich MBS hosted an event in Munich earlier this year. The event was in the city's Kempinski Vier Jahreszeiten Hotel, one of Munich's top conference venues. It was a joint project between alumni relations, career management services, central marketing, international business projects, and MBA and PGT marketing. Guests invited included German alumni, corporate contacts and prospective students from Munich's biggest companies. The focus of the
DHL Reunion Professor Jikyeong Kang recently had dinner with six DHL employees, who first worked for the company during the IB projects. They jetted into Brussels from around the world to discuss their continuing support of MBS. Roger Crook (MBA '87), chief operating officer, global customer solutions flew in from the US,
Pikay Goes West “Awesome!” That is how economics students at California State University Business School described the lecture given by Dr Pikay Richardson, during a two-week visit to three of California’s universities earlier this year. His lecture, The Euro and its implications for America and American business, was delivered to a packed audience at the university and marked the start of his visit, which also took him to Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Santa Anna. Pikay was invited to the Chico campus of the California State University to give three lectures to staff and students in the departments of Economics, International Trade and Finance. Pikay explained:“The emergence of the euro as international reserve currency and a challenge to
Roland Thomas (MBA '97), made the trip from Russia, Thomas Diefenbach (MBA '98) and Josue Estrada (MBA '03) jetted in from Germany and Alexander Vinokourov (MBA '01) arrived from London. Pablo Bradbury (MBA '03) who is working at the Brussels office also attended. The group met for pre-dinner drinks in the bar before eating at the Stockmansmolen Restaurant in Brussels, an old covered Mill close to the DHL offices.
evening was a lecture by Dr John Westwood on corporate strategy - Globalisation and the New Competitor - Playing to Win, not to Please. In an interactive session, the diverse audience discussed many different scenarios and real life examples from around the world. The team went on to have dinner with some MBA alumni, who were delighted to catch up with old friends and hear the latest news from the School. Following the event, several of those in the audience have gone on to apply to study at the School.
“The dinner was
testament to the effectiveness of the International Business Project” Jikyeong Kang
the hegemony of the United States dollar has not dawned on most Americans, and indeed throws up a surprising level of ignorance in the US and elsewhere. Since its introduction in 1999, the euro has more daily uses that the dollar and has increasingly grown to become a major international reserve currency. The weakening of the dollar in recent years has engendered a sense of confidence in the euro in all currency markets, to the extent that even the most zealous sceptics now accept that the euro is not only here to stay, but will in time prove a serious challenge the dollar.” The lectures proved to be a big eye opener for most of the students and generated keen interest in studies on the economic and monetary union of Europe. The visit also provided the opportunity for Pikay to raise the profile of MBS in California. Pikay has already been invited back to deliver two more university and community-wide lectures.
Dr Pikay Richardson
American Beauty Cecile Buckenmeyer, manager of the Alumni Relations Office, visited Los Angeles, San Francisco and Mexico in September as part of the World MBA Fair in Los Angeles. As well as meeting prospective MBA applicants, she was joined by alumni in LA and Mexico, including Grace Hu (MBA '04) and Robert Graham (MBA '90) and Jorge Boldrini (MBA '99), Luis Carrera (MBA '03), Cesar Vargas (MBA '05), Alvaro Bravo (MBA '04) and Alfredo Gonzalez Saenz (MBA '04). Whilst in Los Angeles, Cecile enjoyed a few hours relaxation time visiting 'The Walk of Fame' on Hollywood Boulevard.
Singapore Sling Dr Graham Hall, senior lecturer in industrial policy, gave a talk on How to achieve success in the small firm sector to a group of 17 alumni in Singapore earlier this year. He presented his findings on research conducted in Malaysia on two case studies, including results on issues such as: Why do majority of small businesses fail? Do you need a graduate in your management team? Does business training and networking work and what are the most important factors for survival? Graham identified key areas for success and failure - such as differentiation and low barrier to entry respectively.
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Profile Patrick O'Bryan (MBA '88) recently visited MBS to attend the Careers Safari - an event organised by Career Management Services - where MBA alumni speak to current students about personal experiences in their chosen careers. A director at UBS Investment Bank, Patrick has worked in financial markets for over 25 years and during his visit he spoke to Network about the industry.
How has investment banking changed over the last decade?
What core skills are required to be successful in this type of business?
The three main changes over the past ten years have been the globalisation of activities, the increasing application of IT and changes to the process of regulation. These resulted from market conditions, intense competition causing a major consolidation into key houses, and the opportunities provided by new technology. All three have affected intimately the conduct of day-to-day business, and have totally reshaped career prospects for those hoping to join the industry.
I think the following personal attributes are important: • A willingness to work hard with commitment and dedication, as this business is no easy option • The ability to sell yourself. This industry is highly competitive. You must know your own specific skills • Sieze every opportunity - it's not just what you know, but how you can apply that knowledge in every situation • Flexibility is key, as you may be asked to do a variety of tasks or move to different departments within the organisation very regularly • And finally, a little bit of luck never does anyone any harm!
In this highly competitive environment, what specialist skills could further improve career chances?
Investment banking is notorious for a combination of long hours and lack of personal life - is this true?
Firstly, you need to do a little soul-searching and decide where your greatest strengths lie for example; are you happier with words or numbers - taking risks or working methodically? This will help you identify and accentuate your unique qualities. Language skills are always an advantage, as is specialist knowledge of economics, science and maths, or a background in a specialist industry.
Yes, it's true. And it's not getting any easier. During your first few years in the business it's very difficult to have a personal life. With exams and travelling on top of the long days, it leaves little time for relaxing. However, from what I hear investment banking is not the only sector to which this applies. It's all a matter of balance, and most people manage.
Finally…. In the current job market, expertise in derivatives, strategy, and regulation are major strengths. A good knowledge of the major emerging markets can really enhance career prospects.
If you were graduating again, knowing what you know now, would you still take the same career path? Ha - that's a difficult question! For me, I have never envisaged taking any other path - my main reason for coming to Manchester Business school was to broaden my skills and apply them to a job similar to the one I had beforehand, and this was more than fulfilled by the course. When I graduated from the School in 1988 investment banking was still recovering from the '87 crash. The knowledge and skills I gained from the programme were invaluable in opening doors and progressing my career, particularly when analysing difficult sectors and markets and advising clients.
Career History Sun Life (now known as Axa), Canada Life (Great West), Shearson Lehman (Lehman Bros), Hoare Govett (ABN Amro), Klesch, IMI (San Paolo-IMI), UBS Warburg (UBS Investment Bank) Interests I have a young family who see very little of me during the week, so weekends and holidays are solely for them. What’s your favourite food? Italian, definitely Italian! We spend a week each year on a farm in Abruzzo where the grandmother of the house cooks the most fantastic food, all home grown!
What personal advice would you give to those who have just graduated and want to break into the sector?
Who’s your favourite composer? Mahler, always has been! I'm at the stage where my records are worn out, I'm having to replace them all with CDs!
Work hard and be flexible - seize every opportunity that comes your way!
What’s your favourite holiday destination? We don't have a particular favourite, we prefer to experiment. However, we have just returned from a month in New Zealand it was absolutely fantastic and we shall definitely return. The US is also a great place to holiday, especially with children, providing you stay out of the big cities. Try Sanibel Island, Florida - it's wonderful! What's on your drive? A SAAB 9-5 Aero. Jeremy Clarkson seemed to like it, although I don't know whether that's a recommendation! It's my third Saab, and each one has been a joy to drive as well as very comfortable. What's on your bedside table? Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. Frankly, I can't wait to finish! It's the second book of his I have read and I am not enjoying it one bit. I've some Trollope lined up to follow. What’s your pet hate? People who do things by half. I wish they wouldn't bother. Which famous historical figure would you most like to have dinner with and why? This is a difficult one. Assuming God doesn't do dinner, and Felicity Kendal is busy, it would have to be one of my former schoolmasters. He was a Polish count who lost everything in WWII and came here as a refugee. A dignified and highly intelligent man, he was also one of the most interesting characters I have ever had the pleasure to meet!
09
The majority of our alumni will have first hand experience of the IB project, but how did it all start? I've been associated with the IB project since it began some 30 years ago - when Jim Leontiades and I jointly started the project. We designed it with the Manchester Method in mind - it enables students to work in multi-national, live consultancy project groups and gives them an opportunity to apply all they have learned during the preceding 15 months. As many of you will remember, it exposes students to the unstructured, often multi-dimensional international business problems increasingly faced by senior managers. Back in 1973, the MBA programme was significantly smaller than it is today, and the students were less exposed to international travel, so for some of them this was the first time they'd been abroad. So what outcomes do the companies who offer projects achieve? I see it as a real opportunity for businesses to tap into first-rate research and get value for money. Companies get professional-level consultancy for a fraction of the price that they would pay in the external market. So what they are receiving is a very professional solution to challenges that dramatically affect the success of the business.
“The level of repeat business speaks volumes�
The Gordon Mandry Interview Gordon Mandry has been a key part of the International Business (IB) Project the cornerstone of the Manchester MBA programme - for over 30 years. Network catches up with him during his final year in the role, to discuss the opportunities and challenges the projects have presented. Have you seen a change in the type of companies that sponsor the projects?
Have you seen the type of projects change as the business arena has evolved?
Companies offering projects range from large multinationals, such as Proctor and Gamble (P&G), Siemens and AstraZeneca; to smaller organisations that can benefit equally from the expertise and advice on offer. For example, this year we have worked with four relatively small local companies. Many of the students prefer to work for smaller companies, as their recommendations have more direct impact on the business. We have strong evidence to show that smaller companies often implement the students' recommendations much faster than larger organisations. A recent project with Otter, - one of only two companies in the world who make thermostats for kettles - explored the feasibility of setting up a factory in China, and this was implemented within the space of a year.
The majority of projects involve some form of marketing investigation, but that is not always the case. In the last couple of years we've had projects with Barclays Bank and Eli Lilly that identified ways to improve the efficiency of their IT systems. We would certainly like to have as much diversity as possible, so that those students, who wish to concentrate, on finance or IT in a subsequent career can have as much benefit from the IB project as those who wish to focus on a career in marketing or strategy. Finance based projects are also popular and we have recently worked with Phillips, the Dutch electronics company, on its financial strategy and we have done other projects for companies that examined transfer pricing in an international context.
What level of commitment do companies have to give? Companies who take part in IB projects often rightly ask about the level of commitment they will have to give. As with the majority of partnerships; the most successful projects have clearly defined objectives and involve continuous interaction between the students and the companies. The projects that provide the best learning for the students and the best outcomes for businesses are those that are integral to a company's success. If a project is important, then the companies are prepared to spend time working with the students to ensure a successful outcome.
Many of the projects deal with company sensitive information, so how have you been able judge the level of their success? The level of repeat business speaks volumes. Of the 20 projects that we had this year, at least five came from companies that have provided projects in earlier years, and this repeat business is testament to the quality of advice that they obtain. Companies such as DHL and P&G have sponsored numerous projects - in fact, the catalyst for the P&G projects was an MBA alumnus, Rajesh Garg (MBA '95). He originally involved P&G with the IB Project, when he was finance manager at the company and within one month of joining Cadbury Schweppes, in the autumn of last year, they had also provided us with a project. It's gratifying to receive feedback from industry - Jikyeong Kang recently hosted a dinner in Brussels for a group of alumni working for DHL and five of the six guests had worked on an IB project for the company, before joining DHL as employees.
So, what kind of cost can the sponsor expect? The costs are flexible to suit all types of businesses and reflect the depth of project undertaken. To give you an idea, projects have ranged from as little as £10,000 up to £40,000 at the other end of the spectrum; however the typical input is usually in the region of £15,000 - £20,000. As this is a significant expenditure for any size of company, the School is totally transparent in its allocation of the funding and students are required to justify their budget to the sponsoring company. Having worked in consultancy for nearly 40 years, the cost benefit ratio of the projects is excellent and all companies receive excellent value for their outlay. Do many of our alumni get involved? Alumni provide some of the best projects, as they've been through the process themselves! They've also seen the difference it can make to organisations first hand and can apply this to the organisations they now work with, or indeed their own businesses. It's safe to say that one third of the projects from this last year came from alumni. This again is another measure of the success of the programme and the regard in which it's held.
If you are interested in sponsoring a project or would like to find out more, please contact Glenis Normanton on Tel: +44 (0) 161 275 6326 E-mail: glenis.normanton@mbs.ac.uk
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Working with MBS The Inside Story
Midas Touch
Deciding to study for an MBA is a huge commitment. Brochures and websites will give you the facts and figures - but to get a true flavour of what a school and its programme is like - who better to talk to than the people who know, its alumni.
Manchester Gold is the largest Higher Education employability, mentoring programme in the UK and is open to all current undergraduate, postgraduate and MBA students of Manchester Business School. Most mentors are alumni of the School who offer their time and support to help students in a range of areas from developing in-depth industry knowledge to defining their career goals. The Careers Services recognise and acknowledge the valuable contribution our mentors make and we thank them for their support. Yet it is not just the students that benefit, as the following testimonial from a mentor reveals:“The students are always very stimulating and being able to help them is very rewarding; I wish I’d had a mentor when I was at MBS; I feel that I am putting something back; and it allows me to be in touch with what happens at MBS”
Julie Chambers (MBA '02) said: “Alumni tell it how it is - they are honest and balanced in providing a living case study of what life can be like after the MBA. Prospective students seem to appreciate the opportunity to hear about the programme from people with first-hand experience. They have a lot of questions they want answering before they can make a decision about investing in the programme and it's also a good way for alumni to keep in touch with the School.” This year alumni from Asia, Europe, the Middle East, the Americas and the UK have played a vital role in promoting the Manchester programme with the MBA Marketing and Admissions Team at international MBA fairs and by talking to individual applicants. Both on and off campus, alumni are the face of the School. They give potential applicants the inside story about what the programme is really like - reliving their experiences at Brathay or the IB project! And for many overseas students, it's a great opportunity to find out about the practicalities of life in the UK and Manchester.
In an increasingly crowded marketplace, feedback from applicants shows that the contribution made by our alumni really does make a difference and sets Manchester Business apart from its competitors.
If you are interested in getting involved in future marketing events please contact Jill Gainer from the MBA Marketing and Admissions Team at jill.gainer@mbs.ac.uk or 44 (0)161 275 6414.
For further information regarding Manchester Gold for undergraduate and postgraduate students, please contact Caroline Carlin-Nuttall on caroline.carlin-nuttall@manchester.ac.uk, and for Manchester Gold MBA Mentoring Programme please email Janet Colbert on janet.colbert@mbs.ac.uk
Ready For Take Off
fully appreciate all the support and help we receive from our alumni in our endeavours to showcase MBA students to potential employers. Recruitment activity remains high with the financial and consulting sectors still hiring relatively aggressively, whilst other sectors remain steady. The next few months are going to be interesting and challenging for the CMS team and I know we will all rise to the occasion in true MBS style.”
over as director of the department. Dee Clarke has also joined the team as career management advisor and specialises in financial services.
MBS alumni across the world play a vital role in enhancing the benefits that Careers Management Services (CMS) offer, by working with the School to provide student projects and placements. Over the past few months the CMS team has been catching up with alumni in Paris, Madrid, London, Milan and Asia to discuss ways in which they can benefit from working together. Clare Husdon, director of CMS, said:“This term our emphasis is on developing even stronger relations with our corporate contacts and we
It’s been a busy time for CMS with a number of changes to the team – Alison Edmonds is on maternity leave, looking after her son Samuel, who was born in November and Clare has taken
We are constantly looking for alumni to act as mentors, and if you are interested in becoming a mentor we would be delighted to hear from you.
The CMS Team
Research Focus MBS Leads Cutting-edge Economic Research Academics from Manchester Business School including Karel Williams, Adam Leaver, Julie Froud and Ismail Ertürk and their research partners Sukhdev Johal from Royal Holloway and Stefano Solari from the University of Padua - presented their research findings into the impact of financial markets on households and firms at the recent International Symposium of GERPISA in Paris. The research is part of the EU's, €2 million, European Social and Economic Models of Knowledge Economy project that involves 60 researchers from 16 academic institutions across the EU. The MBS team led a research agenda looking at the changing patterns of household portfolio decisions between 1980 and 2002 in the largest economies of the EU - France, Germany, Italy and the UK.
Smart Shopping Consumers are becoming more sophisticated in their expectations of the shopping experience and in order to meet these demands, retailers are increasingly investing in new technology. Research undertaken by Dr Andrew Newman, in collaboration with Brunel University, shows how this can give them a competitive edge. The last 30 years in retailing have been dominated by the rise of the 'experience economy'. In 1970 only 33% of household expenditure went on services, but by 2001 that figure had risen to 52%. Consumers are no longer interested in simply buying commodities, but in broader more engaging shopping experiences. So to generate loyalty and increase sales, retailers have to provide more stimulating environments to retain shoppers. Shopping centres understand this and are employing atmospheric cues, such as design, lighting and music to improve their image and create pleasurable moods to positively influence shopping behaviour. Consumer facing 'captive audience' television networks (CANs) are
The current pensions crisis, increasing house prices and the failure of predicted rise of equity culture in Europe, after stock market crash of 2000, have increasingly attracted the academic and policy interests examining the saving behaviour and decisions of households and individuals. The research team collected and analysed macro data from France, Germany, Italy and the UK. The results show that households have increased both their holding of financial assets and the share of risky financial assets in their portfolios, such as share-based investments and insurance policies. The findings question, as far as the household sector is concerned, the predictions of mainstream approaches that categorise European economies as bank-based, versus the capital market based of the UK and US; and draw attention to the convergence of these two models. The team also presented the findings of their work on the cultural aspects of giant firm strategy - this used a number of case studies to investigate
increasingly being used to capture consumers' attention by delivering varied messages via strategically-placed screens in stores and public places. The research is based on focus discussions with 51 shoppers where participants were asked in depth about their views of the CAN, its content and what factors most affected their choice of shopping locations. Results showed that 76% of shoppers responded positively, with the highest level of acceptance amongst 18-24 year-olds. There was a general consensus that the CAN created a sense of novelty and respondents rated the screens as contributing around 9% of their overall image of the shopping environment. So it's clear that CANs enhance the shopping experience, but do they encourage consumers to spend more? The good news for retailers is that the screens both encourage shoppers to spend longer in the store and increase their spending. The research showed a mean increase of 1.5% in like-for-like sales for retailers using CANs, and an associated return on investment through rental increases of around £0.6 million per year for shopping centre owners.
coins to go in the interaction between the management narrative, reported financial statements and the firm performance. This research will form the basis of a new elective on the Manchester Business School MBA programme - Strategic Finance: Governance, Financialisation and Firm Performance - and also be published in 2006 by Routledge.
Andrew concludes:“Successful retail strategy must deliver a mix of tangible and intangible factors - such as atmosphere - to meet the increasing demands of the sophisticated consumer. In deciding where to invest capital to improve the customer offer, retailers need robust evidence of the potential return on investment. This research may provide 'food for thought' for management wishing to investigate customer / client behaviours in other areas such as banking and professional services”.
Rodeo Drive
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Book Reviews CONVERTING CUSTOMER VALUE From Retention to Profit
RESEARCH CONCEPTS FOR MANAGEMENT STUDIES
Professor JOHN A. MURPHY Dr Jamie Burton, Robin Gleaves and Jan Kitshoff Many companies strive to build relationships with customers but few recognise variations in relationship value. This book, written by two MBS faculty and two MBA alumni, guides managers to discover, manage and nurture their most profitable customers. It identifies those ripe for improvement, accurately allocates service overheads, identifies cash flows for each customer relationship, identifies ways to motivate employees and communicate market feedback for continuous improvement throughout their organisation. Buy it and convert your customer value to design and deliver higher, more resilient levels of corporate profit.
MANAGING GLOBAL ACCOUNTS Professor NOEL CAPON
Dr ALAN THOMAS This book aims to relate key methodological debates in social research to specific management fields. It provides a thoughtful examination of five fundamental research concepts that must be taken into account by management researchers whatever the nature of their particular project: science, theory, data, validity and significance. Each concept is considered in depth and its role is examined in each of four major fields of management study: accounting, finance, marketing, and organizational behaviour. Dr Alan Thomas is visiting senior fellow in sociology and organisational behaviour at Manchester Business School.
A must read for CEOs, chief operating officers, managers of global programmes, marketing personnel with international responsibilities, global account managers and corporate procurement executives. It explores the challenge of dealing with the increased global complexity of customer relationships. A Manchester Business School graduate Noel Capon is the R.C. Kopf professor of international marketing, chair of the marketing division at the Graduate School of Business, Columbia University and distinguished visiting professor, Manchester Business School.
Calendar of Events 2006 Date
Event
Contact
Saturday 21 January 2pm onwards
Graduation Ceremony (Singapore) Venue: Fullerton Hotel
Gabriel Lee E: alumni@mbs-worldwide.edu.sg
Wednesday 22 February 6:30pm for 7pm
AT Kearney Alumni Management Seminar Series (London) Lionel Anthony (MBS Management Course 1969)
Claire Smith T: +44 (0) 161 275 6514 E: claire.smith@mbs.ac.uk
Wednesday 8 March 6pm
Vital Topics (Manchester) Jason Harborow, chief operating officer, Liverpool Culture Company
Sue Huzar T: +44 (0) 161 275 7257 E: sue.huzar@mbs.ac.uk
Thursday 20 April 6:30pm for 7pm
AT Kearney Alumni Management Seminar Series (London) Ajay Kavan (MBA '93), marketing and strategy director, Homebase Ltd
Claire Smith T: +44 (0) 161 275 6514 E: claire.smith@mbs.ac.uk
Wednesday 10 May 6pm
Vital Topics (Manchester) Martin Beaumont, chief executive, Co-operative Group
Sue Huzar T: +44 (0) 161 275 7257 E: sue.huzar@mbs.ac.uk
Wednesday 31 May 6pm
Vital Topics (Manchester) Francois Carrard, chief executive, International Olympic Committee
Sue Huzar T: +44 (0) 161 275 7257 E: sue.huzar@mbs.ac.uk
Tuesday 27 June 6pm
Vital Topics (Manchester) Carolyn McCall, chief executive, Guardian Newspapers Ltd
Sue Huzar T: +44 (0) 161 275 7257 E: sue.huzar@mbs.ac.uk
Saturday 30 September 6:30pm
Alumni Reunion Ball (Manchester)
Lisa Samberg T: +44 (0) 161 275 6485 E: lisa.samberg@mbs.ac.uk
Get Connected with MBS We're pleased to announce the launch of E-mail For Life and MBSNet, the online community site for all Manchester Business School alumni. By spring 2006 all alumni will have access to MBSNet, giving you a fast and interactive way to let us know what you're doing and stay in touch with classmates and academics at the School. It also offers strong networking opportunities through the regional and business interest groups, which will provide platforms for developing sector specific business opportunities with like-minded alumni across the world. And it's good news for non-techies, MBSNet is simple to use and has been designed to guide you to the information you need, as fast as possible. We look forward to welcoming you to the site very soon. Business interest groups (autumn '06)
My profile
These groups will be platforms for exchanging business contacts, ideas and information.
This area, controlled by you, will hold your profile you can update personal details, photograph and CV, so that your classmates can easily get in touch.
Please contact us if you would like to create a sector specific group, such as investment banking, consulting, retail, entrepreneurs or women in business.
This is also where you can enter a forwarding address to activate your e-mail for life.
My class & buddies
Directory
You can see the name of all your classmates at a glance and access their profiles. Mini-biogs can then be produced for your class reunions. You can also create your own network of friends whom you contact regularly.
Advanced search tools are available to search our 20,000 strong alumni network. You can look for professionals in a particular sector or company, identify potential career advisors, or do research.
Regional groups
Message board & chatroom
You will be given automatic access to your relevant regional group, where you will be able to view the list of local alumni at a glance and group leaders will be able to send group mails and promote events.
Gives you the opportunity to chat with alumni in an open forum. As this area develops, we will plan regular chatroom events with both alumni faculty and students.
Schedule
Data protection & access rights
E-mail for life Q&A
autumn 05 Testing stage (among alumni group leaders)
You can choose access rights to your personal details in the Profile section:
What is e-mail for life?
autumn 05 Piloted with MBA and Executive Education alumni
• Do you want to share your details with MBA students who have access to an alumni database? (default is no)
E-mail for life is a forwarding system. You need to enter a forwarding address (private or professional e-mail account) to activate your e-mail for life. Messages will simply be forwarded to your existing account.
• Do you want to share your details with all School alumni?
What will my email address look like?
We do not disclose your details to any third party without your prior approval. You can change access rights to your personal details at any time.
John Smith's email will be john.smith@alumni.mbs.ac.uk If there are duplicates, the address will become john.smith2@alumni.mbs.ac.uk
spring 06 School-wide launch autumn 06 Launch of Business interest groups by end of 06 Launch of Career Management Module (online job posting and CV bank)
15
Alumni Group News Around the World
Introduction It's been a busy time for our alumni groups around the world - with new groups formed and the contacts made in Canada, Cyprus, Germany, Japan, Korea, Middle East and South Africa. We are also working with the alumni network to establish more groups in India, Mexico and Taiwan, to name but a few, and we look forward to bringing you more information over the coming months. With 20,000 graduates of the new School 40% being based overseas - there are increased opportunities for regional group activities in all countries. If you are interested in setting up a regional or business interest group, don't hesitate to get in touch by emailing lisa.samberg@mbs.ac.uk
Hong Kong
Korea
Professor Jikyeong Kang and Korean alumni
New York The New York group recently met at the Bohemian Hall and Park in Astoria for a summer meet and greet soiree. The location proved to be fantastic - for those of us in the 'big city' trying to find an outdoor location that serves up cheap cold brews and authentic Kielbasa is a rarity.With few exceptions the evening ended at 3am… reluctantly!
September marked a special milestone for the Manchester Business School Alumni Association Hong Kong - the first elected Board was inaugurated.
It is testament to the spirit of MBS, that the group fell right into step and quickly became friends, sharing stories of the past as well as current updates.The group including alumni and friends, was relatively small, but it made getting to know everyone very easy.
Professor Jikyeong Kang was the guest of honour at the annual dinner, and gave an excellent speech before presenting the prize awards. Over 100 MBS and University alumni, along with current students enjoyed the event.
I'd like to thank everyone who attended for making our event very special.There was constant chatter and laugher from 6pm to 3am.
It certainly was a memorable and enjoyable event.
Special thanks went to Richard Janda (MBA '87) for suggesting such a great place and helping to organise the event… we couldn't bring ourselves to leave.
Professor Jikyeong Kang is presented with a gift
Thanks also to Jim McLaughlin (MBA '04) and Julie for making the 7-hour trip from DC. And finally… to those who couldn't make it, we certainly missed you but we'll plan another soiree very soon! Pia Wolff-Minah (MBA '04)
North West The Business Network Group has gained a sponsorship deal with two leading North West - based business support companies Champion Accountants and Betesh Fox Solicitors. Each company has committed to support two meetings per year. The first meetings took place in July and October respectively. Gill Burns of Champion's Tax Planning Group talked about Tax Avoidance and Evasion whilst representatives of Betesh Fox talked about Buying & Selling a Business. Lee Williams, co-chair, Business Network Group said. “This is a great opportunity to provide the group with up-to-date financial and legal information that is relevant to their business needs. It's a great step forward and should attract other alumni as well as more potential sponsors”. Champion is a firm of Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors, with a growing network of offices serving the North West SME business sector. Established in 1971, they have developed from their traditional origins into a 'new breed' solutions provider, offering expert assistance across an unusually wide range of business needs. Betesh Fox is a full service city centre law firm. The specialist commercial departments provide solutions to all legal requirements a business or its directors and managers may face. The corporate section advises organisations and individuals on the sale and purchase of businesses, company matters, property transactions, employment law and inheritance planning. The commercial litigation section advises on and solves disputes through resolution and the civil courts. The firm also has discrete international commercial crime expertise, and specialist personal injury and matrimonial departments.
China
Hugh McDonnell
The Alumni Association in China held its annual dinner at the end of August at the Xing Guo Hotel in Shanghai. Over 26 participants attended a Vital Topics style lecture given by Rong Hui Gao (MBA '03) about the Pharmaceutical Industry in China. This was followed by a formal dinner.
Hugh McDonnell (Exec MBA '00) has recently launched a new website; 'WhichCancerCharities.org' The new site shows the latest results of his research into the performance of many of the 1,350 cancer charities in the United Kingdom between 1992 and 2004. Only £247m of £378m raised was spent on charitable causes in 1997 by 24 charities.
Ming Shu (MBA '05) collected feedback following the event and the consensus is that more events of this nature should be organised. Our network now welcomes all alumni of the new Manchester Business School. Bob Wu (MBA '01) Chair
Hugh started studying ‘performance of cancer charities' for his MBA dissertation. Although he had no experience in the voluntary sector, he decided to investigate cancer charities after two of his relatives suffered from the disease. Professor Gary Davies: Hugh's tutor, described his findings as “beyond the usual MBA dissertation, almost a doctoral thesis”. Hugh found that between 1992 and 1997 the money spent on charitable causes by the largest cancer charities as a percentage of their total income had fallen by almost 21 per cent.
• the application of strategic group analysis to a non-commercial industry sector • The use of four areas of patient care: awareness and prevention, diagnosis, treatment and aftercare as a structure for analysis and research • The study of new entrants to the sector With the encouragement and support from MBS, Hugh presented his findings to the cancer charities in Manchester. This presentation was followed by further publicity, including an article in the Financial Times and an interview on BBC radio. Hugh welcomes any feedback from MBS alumni. For further information or to get involved in the project, please contact Hugh either via the website or on hughmcdonnell@free.fr Hugh McDonnell
The site has three main objectives:
The graduating class
Spain Javier Martin (MBA '96), chair of the alumni association in Spain, continues to play a key role in the global alumni network. Recent events include an interactive presentation by Dr Kimio Kase (DBA '96) at IESE on the role of the CEO and the vision needed to drive company performance. It was well attended and after the lecture they enjoyed dinner at a nearby restaurant; giving them the opportunity to catch up on the latest news from the School. He also organised a less formal evening in a wine bar, where alumni met for some light-hearted chitchat and networking.
• to provide donors with unbiased information and analysis in a single source to assist with their choice of charity • to treat and analyse cancer charities as a sector as well as individual charities • to enable visitors to the website to find out more about the subject and get involved via this website Hugh is carrying out this venture on a voluntary basis. He explains,“I believe that as much money raised as possible by cancer charities should go towards patient focussed activities. The website enables interested visitors to purchase the research and any monies raised will go towards the running of the website and further research.” Hugh’s research is innovative in many ways such as: • the perspective on cancer charities as a sector rather than individual charities • the introduction of a key performance indicator, charitable efficiency, measuring the amount of expenditure going to good causes as a percentage of total income
17
Alumni Group News Canada Steven Edwards (Exec MBA '04) arranged the first gathering of Canadian Alumni at the end of October in downtown Toronto. Geoffrey Scott (MBA '89), Iris Bagola (MBA '01), Sha Bai (MBA '98) and Sydney Lee (MBA '94) met for a great evening - full of stories about life at MBS
Awards
and how the MBA experience is shaping their lives. They also discussed the many cultural differences between Canadians and Mancunians. They have now committed to meeting again before the end of the year - if you would like to get involved and meet with the group, contact Steven via email on steven.edwards@astrazeneca.com
Courtney Christie-Veitch, president (seated) with the Alumni Executive
Professor John Arnold and Mr David Varney
Outstanding Alumnus Award 2005 It was with great pleasure that Professor John Arnold presented Mr. David Varney (MBA '71) with the University of Manchester Outstanding Alumnus Award for 2005, at the Alumni Reunion Ball at the beginning of October. The Award is presented to a member of our alumni who has achieved distinction in his or her profession, has given exemplary service to the University or the wider community, or has outstanding service of a personal or humanitarian nature, locally, nationally or worldwide. Initiated in 1996 by our founding Universities, the first recipients of the Award were Sir Terry Leahy, chief executive of Tesco plc (UMIST) and Mr Barry Purves, film director (Victoria University of Manchester).
Jamaica Courtney Christie-Veitch (MBA DL '97) president of the Caribbean chapter, welcomed new members to the Association at their graduation ceremony in September. Courtney talked about several of the projects that the alumni had been engaged in since the Association was set up in 2000. He highlighted
the Professional Development Seminar Series, Grow Your Mind - launched in 2004 - where alumni members research and make a presentation on a topical managerial, economic or socio-political issue impacting the Caribbean.
David is executive chairman, HM Revenue and Customs. Following the Chancellor's 2004 budget announcement, David is responsible along with the respective Boards - for creating a single integrated tax department, incorporating the Inland Revenue and HM Customs & Excise. Previously, David was executive chairman of mmO2 plc, and former roles also include his position as a director of Shell International Petroleum Company.
The Association are planning their 5th Anniversary Celebration Banquet at the Hilton Kingston Hotel at the end of November. The theme of the banquet is Towards a Jamaican Corporate Renaissance: Imperatives and Implications.
David has, among many other commitments, been chairman of Business in the Community from 2002 to 2004, and in July 2003, he was named the new president of council for the Institute of Employment Studies (IES).
Anthony Wins Top Minorities in Sciences Award Each year Science Spectrum Magazine recognises the top minorities in the sciences. This recognition is via nomination by peers and recognises leaders in science and technology that make a difference in their respective fields. The honurees are researchers, business leaders and administrators from academia, government and not-for-profit institutions. These significant personalities from the sciences profession were honoured at a black tie dinner at the Baltimore Convention Center in Maryland earlier this year.
“It's a great honour and one that I am very proud to receive. It is always great to be acknowledged by your peers. In my current role as Business Area Manager for Stem Cell Biology, I lead Invitrogen Corp's global strategy for a new, controversial and rapidly growing field. This is an exciting position that requires me to draw upon all of the experience and skills that I have been developing throughout my career. This award lets me know that I am on the right path and doing a good job. I look forward to continuing developing and growing as a leader in this field”.
Anthony Johnson
It is like one big continuous IB project. MBS has given me the experience and confidence and network that I desired prior to matriculating in the International MBA programme. I frequently travel internationally and have had the pleasure of seeing numerous classmates in their home countries (Brazil, Portugal, England and Italy to name but a few).
As a result of his research experience in the area of neuroscience, pharmaceutical marketing experience and most recently, establishing himself as a leading professional in the new field of stem cell biology, Anthony Johnson (MBA '04) was awarded the 2005 Science Spectrum Trailblazer Award.
The skills which Anthony developed whilst studying developed whilst studying at MBS building effective teams, understanding and managing global cultural differences, strategic analysis of business markets, communicating to both internal and external stakeholders - are all crucial to his current role. “I work in matrixed environment and a global corporation.
Anna Makes it a Double!
Alumnus Honoured by American Marketing Association
Anna Goatman (MSc Marketing '04) had a firm route in mind when she joined Manchester Business School on the MSc marketing programme - to continue her studies on the PhD programme. Now in her second year of her doctoral degree - she has already won two awards for her work.
Sean Meehan (MSc '84) was co-recipient of the American Marketing Association Foundation 2005 award of the Berry-AMA Book Prize for “Simply Better” by Patrick Barwise and Sean Meehan.
Over the summer she attended the Doctoral Colloquium at the Academy of Marketing Annual Conference in Dublin, where she won the prize for the best overall contribution to the Colloquium. The conference includes presentations from leading UK Marketing academics and their participation and discussion with students regarding their research. She also won a prize for the synopsis of her presentation at the Manchester Business School Doctoral Conference at the end of the last academic year. Anna's research focuses on the adoption and use of Internet technology by charities in the UK and is supervised by Professor Barbara Lewis. Anna is funded by a studentship from the European Social Research Council.
“Simply Better” offers a 'back to the basics' approach to marketing by advocating that consumers want products that are 'simply better' in terms of quality, reliability and value. In their book, the authors outline an actionable framework for managers to be able to understand customer needs and to create reliable solutions to meet those needs. Professor Sean Meehan
The annual Berry-AMA Book Prize recognises innovative ideas and impact on marketing and related fields. The prize is in honour of the contributions of Leonard L Berry who has been identified as the most frequent contributor to the services marketing literature in the US.
Sean graduated with an MSc in Marketing from UMIST in 1984, researching with David Yorke. His early career was with Arthur Anderson and then Deloitte & Touche where he was director of marketing. He then went to the London Business School where he obtained his PhD and received numerous awards for it. He became a member of IMD in Lausanne a few years ago, where he is director of their MBA programme.
19
Alumni Diary 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 Peter Bradley (MBA '05) and Jane became parents to baby Evie on 21 June. Since graduation, Peter has started working for KPMG Transaction Services in Liverpool, as manager in strategic and commercial intelligence.
Corrie Gomez (MBA '05) has returned to Trinidad following graduation in July and is working for Clico Investment Bank Limited as assistant vice pesident of finance and accounting. Clico Investment Bank is a subsidiary of CL Financial Ltd one of the premier conglomerates in the Caribbean and has operations worldwide. Brendon Kirby (Exec MBA '05) and Rachel became parents to James Thomas during June this year, weighing 7lbs and 1oz. Following Brendon's graduation, the couple returned to New Zealand earlier in the year and Brendon is working for Telstra Clear Ltd, a telecommunications company. Anita Prabhu (MBA '05) is working as a consultant for Impact Plus (the largest independent management consultancy in the UK.) Anita said “I've sold the bike and now own an ‘adult’ mode of transport! Am working hard to fund future motorbike purchases, so if anyone needs some top rate cosultancy with potential for MBS alumni discounts get in touch and help fund this very charitable cause!”
Duncan and Sophie
Duncan Paul (MBA'05) married Sophie on 21 May in Cuil Bay, nr Glencoe, West Highlands of Scotland. They honeymooned on safari in Tanzania and then hit the beach on the island of Pemba Kelly Carroll (MBA '05) has joined the operational strategy and planning group of the UK marketing company at AstraZeneca in Luton/London. Stephen Evans (MBA '05) is managing director of Brainboxes Ltd (a leading UK developer of computer communications cards), based in Liverpool.
Andre and Monika
Andre Figueiredo (MBA '04) has joined Brasil Telecom as senior financial consultant at the beginning of September. The summer has been a very busy time for Andre as he also married Monika in Rio de Janeiro on 6 September. The ceremony and party took place in a very beautiful house in the middle of the Tijuca Forest. Baby Ramiz Sulaiman Mukhtar
Manoj Ranaweera (Exec MBA '05) has set-up ebdex Ltd, to reduce business inefficiencies associated with manual invoice generation and processing. ebdex interfaces directly with disparate accounting and ERP systems generating cost savings of 40 to 85% with immediate ROI from zero capital investment. Other MBAs involved include Stuart ScottGoldstone, Carl Allen and Rakesh Sinha. Alumni are invited to contact Manoj directly on manoj.ranaweera@ebdex.co.uk for special rates.
Abid Mukhtar (MBA '04) and Ana became the proud parents of a son, Ramiz Sulaiman Mukhtar on 11 August, weighing 7lb 13oz.
Bob Wort (MBA '05) is working as director of consulting services at a small company based in Salem, Oregon called Hittner and Associates an IT management consultancy.
Amit Takyar (BA Econ Accounting and Finance '04) is working as a trainee accountant for HM Revenue and Customs. Amit is based in Birmingham.
Yuqian (Annie) Zhang (MBA '05) has recently started work at Beijing Oracle Software Systems Ltd. as finance manager.
Juan Carlos Valverde (MBA '04) has recently joined KPMG as advisory services supervisor. Juan is working and living in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Alex Chueng (MBA '02) has recently joined PriceWaterhouseCoopers as a consultant in global risk management Solutions. Alex is based in Hong Kong.
Lee Williams (MBA '01) and Mark Albiston (Exec MBA '02) have joined forces and created Whitworth Associates. The company is a training and consultancy business specialising in delivering continuous process improvement through 6-Sigma, Lean and CRM tools and techniques. During July of this year, nine MBS alumni were involved when they hosted their first 'North West Process Excellence' conference at MBS. The audience comprised of over 40 delegates from service, sales & marketing and manufacturing operations, representing companies such as MBNA, O2, RBS Group, M&S Money, BNFL and Tesco. The day involved presentations and discussions with seniorfigures from Lloyds TSB Insurance, Johnson & Johnson and Goodrich Aerospace, as well as Mark and Lee, each sharing their experiences of applying improvement tools to optimise business performance.
Proud dad Manish holds the twins
Katrina Delargy (Exec MBA '01) and Heather Chatten (Exec MBA '02) have had an article “HR and the Parameters of Knowledge, Stress and Time” published in Strategic HR Review, July/August 2005, Volume 4, Issue 5.
Paul Gorman (MBA '01) recently fulfilled all of the criteria for the award of the CFA Charter. The Chartered Financial Analyst designation demonstrates competence, experience, standards and ethics in its holders and is a widely respected and global qualification for finance professionals. He is due to receive his charter in November.
Hideaki Wake (MBA '00) has joined corporate transaction Services in Accenture. Hideaki is based in Tokyo, Japan. Fran Williams (DipBA '00) is living in Tarragona, Spain, with her boyfriend Juan. She is working as a freelance management consultant in management psychology and management education, teaching at the Manufacturing Institute, Trafford Park. She is also an associate of Clare Forrest's consultancy, Structured Learning. Fiona Leteney (Exec MBA '99) has been asked to write a regular column in 'e-learning age' magazine on the subject of 'e-learning standards for interoperability'! Fiona says “An important but boring subject, my challenge is to get people to read to the end of the column! My first piece is published in the September edition; the next one will be in November. I will also be publishing the articles on my company website (www.feenix.co.uk) so that people can read them and decide if the novel (if not slightly risqué) strategies have worked and get people to read to the end!”
Manish Mehta (DL MBA '02) and Sonal have recently become the proud parents of twin boys, Rishi and Rahul, born during June of this year. Both mum and dad are being kept very busy indeed.
The article discusses the impacts of poor stress, time and knowledge management and how they can compound to create a vicious circle of poor performance. It explains how a proactive approach to stress prevention and effective time and knowledge management can create the opposite effect: a virtuous circle of high individual and organisational performance. -
Daniel McDougall (PREST MSc ‘00) after graduating, he went to London to work as a project manager for three years. He followed this up with a year in South Korea working for the British Council, and managing to go to the third-fourth play off game of the Football World Cup. He started a doctorate at MBS in September 2002 and is currently writing up a thesis on Knowledge Management. After completion in a few months he will be heading off to the Far East with his wife (married April 2005) to seek new opportunities.
Lee and Zoe
Lee also married married Zoe Hill, MD of Hills Books on 19 August in Workington. They will be living in Poole, Manchester and Cumbria. Jan Cilliers (Exec MBA '01) has recently joined Imperial College London as Professor of mineral processing in the department of earth sciences and engineering. Steve Durrant (PREST MSc ‘00) is currently working in the field of overseas development as the country director for ASB Deutschland in Sri Lanka focusing on delivering rehabilitation assistance to victims of the Dec 2004 Tsunami in the Country of Sri Lanka.
Fiona and Katrina Delargy have also co-authored an article called “The Tip of the Iceberg” on the links between Knowledge Management and e-learning which was published in the May 2005 edition of 'e-Learning Age' magazine. For those involved in e-Learning for the past five years or so, the technology is now sorted and available... or thereabouts! The talk of improvements tends to revolve around wider bandwidths, which will improve the richness of the media and complexity of the animations and graphics. However this may still only achieve a shallow level of knowledge or skill transfer e-Learning on it's own is only the tip of the iceberg.
21
Alumni Diary Alumni View Boom Time for Foreign Exchange Markets
Ninfa and Panos with their best men and partners
Ninfa Grazzini (MBA '99) and Panos Babalis (MBA '00) married during July of this year in Lucca, Tuscany. A number of MBS alumni attended the wedding, and best men were Nikos Tzinieris (MBA '00) and Dimitris Hatzisarros (MBA '01). Software Systems Co., Ltd. As Finance Manager. Nicholas Frobisher (MBA '90) and Melinda became the proud parents of a baby girl, Isabella, on August 6 of this year. Dave Roche (MBA '87) has worked for a number of overseas businesses since graduating. In 1996, he joined forces with his current business partner and established Imajica Ltd, which is a leading website and multimedia design business. Dave is based in Aberdeen. Imajica is approaching its 10th anniversary and offers a range of new media services to help promote and grow businesses. These include corporate identity, design for print, websites, and multimedia. The company also specialises in online marketing and promotion. The company provides high quality services to over 60 clients located throughout the UK. Key clients include, Shell, BP, Frederick Warne Group and the Stewart Milne Group:
Paul Gorman(MBA '01) of Barclays Capital provides interest rate and foreign currency risk management solutions to UK companies. Here he explores the latest financial market trends and especially the recent explosion of activity in foreign exchange (FX) markets. One of the most important trends in financial markets in recent years has been the surge in interest and activity in FX markets. The 2004 Triennial Central Bank Survey of foreign exchange and derivatives market activity showed a surge of activity in traditional FX markets. Average daily turnover amounted to $1.9 trillion in April 2004, a rise of 57% (at current exchange rates) since the previous survey in 2001. Between 1998 and 2001, FX market activity declined markedly, perhaps because of the advent of the Euro; the consolidation in the banking industry; the growth of electronic broking and mergers in the corporate sector. This was compounded by the events of the late 1990s in Asia, Russia and with Long Term Capital Management, which resulted in higher risk-aversion and a global withdrawal of liquidity.
If you are interested in the services provided by Imajica, please email Dave on dave@imajica.com
Since 2001, clear and persistent trends developed and volatility increased, leading to opportunities for increased returns and a growth in hedging activity. “Real money” managers and leveraged investors (such as “hedge funds”) became increasingly interested in foreign exchange as an alternative asset class to equity and fixed income, rather than a risk in their underlying investments that they needed to manage. The options markets and the massive increase in the emerging markets continue to offer opportunities for profitable trading.
Dom Wilson (MBA '85) has recently been appointed as dean of the University of Wolverhampton Business School and Professor of strategic management. He and his wife Sally (MBA '85) and their five children are happily living in Church Stretton in the beautiful hills of South Shropshire.
Foreign exchange has also become of significant strategic importance to companies in their costs, sales, profitability, accounting, cross-border mergers and acquisitions and investment decisions. With the smaller and more flexible hedging instruments available today, even
Dave said “The quality of our team and considerable experience allows us to develop stunning, leadingedge designs and technical solutions that impress our existing clients and continue to attract new ones in this competitive market place”.
small and medium sized companies are able to minimize their FX risks. The market is dynamic, always interesting and its ripples are felt throughout the world. It is the most liquid and mature market in the world, with low barriers to entry and is generally the fastest to respond to news and data. In the past it has been seen as 'commoditised' or 'non-strategic' compared with other areas of Investment Banking. However its breadth, complexity and growth opportunities have enabled participants to differentiate themselves and today it is frequently critical and often central to financial and strategic decisions.
Paul Gorman
Merchandise
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
Take a piece of Manchester Business School with you wherever you go with our fantastic MBS merchandise! Our range includes desk-top essentials such as calculators and business card holders, practical accessories like key rings, compact mirrors and highlighter pens, and high quality casual clothing - including a rain jacket - essential for the legendary Manchester weather! The gifts are ideal for visitors, clients or friends, and they're a great souvenir of your time at Manchester Business School. To check out our full range visit www.mbs.ac.uk/merchandise and order online, or call into MBS West room 2.24 from 9.30 am - 1.30 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday. For more information contact: Sue Huzar Tel: +44 (0) 161 275 7257 Email: sue.huzar@mbs.ac.uk www.mbs.ac.uk/merchandise
Canada (Ontario) Steven Edwards (Exec MBA '04) steven.edwards@astrazeneca.com
Korea Edward Suh (MBA '03) egsuh@brio.co.kr
China Mijia Wu (MBA '01) wumijia@hotmail.com
Middle East Fadi Alkaraan (PhD '04) alkaraanfadi@yahoo.com
Germany Paul Baker (MBA '94) paul-david.baker@t-systems.com
New York Larissa Hrabec (MBA '01) lhrabec@perriergroup.com
Greece Christos Dimitriou (MBA '99) christos.dimitriou@gr.pwcglobal.com
Malika Talati (MBA '01) malika@us.ibm.com
Christos Lytras (MBA '04) christos_lytras@yahoo.com
Portugal Joao Duque (PhD '95) jduque@iseg.utl.pt
Hong Kong Lai, Pui Ling Pauline (MBA DL '04) siufei2004@yahoo.com.hk
Scandinavia Louise Asp (MBA '00) louiseasp@hotmail.com
India Piyush Seth (MBA '04) pseth75@yahoo.co.uk
Singapore Stanley Sia (MBA DL ‘01) stanley.sia@citigroup.com
Jamaica Courtney Christie-Veitch (MBA DL '97) Chair, Bank of Jamaica courtney.christie-veitch@boj.org.jm
Spain Javier Martin (MBA '96) javier.martin@bt.com
Japan Tetsuo Iida, (MBA '04) ISI-Dentsu, Ltd. iida@isid.co.jp
South Africa Robert Stratton-Brown (MBA '01) robert.strattonbrown@afrox.boc.com