AMBASSADOR
LANCASTER UNIVERSITY MANAGEMENT SCHOOL ALUMNI MAGAZINE
OCTOBER 2015
See ins LUMS n ide for e researc ws and h; a news, e lumni ve and ser nts vices
Xxxxxxxxxxx Leading the way xxxxxxxxxxxx towards a more xxxxxxxxxxxxx sustainable future
AWARD WINNING | WORLD RANKED | TRIPLE ACCREDITED
Welcome... I am delighted to welcome you to the latest, and newly-designed, edition of Ambassador. It is a pleasure as incoming Dean to join a community of staff, students and alumni which increasingly sets the benchmark for business schools in the UK. It is also daunting to follow Sue Cox as Dean, given her outstanding leadership over the past 14 years. LUMS and Lancaster University owe much to her vision and drive; which has been reflected in the ongoing successes of LUMS over the past year: • LUMS ranked 1st in the UK for ‘research power’ in the latest Research Excellence Framework, • The Lancaster MBA ranked 1st in the world for corporate strategy in the 2015 Financial Times Global MBA ranking, • The Wave 2 Growth Hubs initiative led by LUMS has seen £17.8m of business support funding distributed and will have created in excess of 4000 jobs by 2017. These successes reflect the underlying character of LUMS. It is a school which blends cutting-edge research with real impact, while delivering outstanding programmes which transform students’ lives. The new Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business, featured within, exemplifies this. That distinctive blend is equally evident in the research featured in this edition of Ambassador. The articles on airport capacity and congestion charging illustrate research which pushes the boundaries of academic knowledge and makes a substantive difference to people’s lives and the economy. Equally, exploring new and challenging assumptions is core to LUMS. Whether it is focusing on the potential impact of ‘smart drugs’ on behaviour and performance in the workplace or uncovering what football fans really seek from their TV viewing, LUMS research contributes to our thinking about the society within which we live. I hope this edition of Ambassador provides insight into current work at LUMS, interesting news and updates from across our alumni activities, and that it encourages you to get involved. Sincerely yours,
Professor Angus Laing joined LUMS on 1st October 2015, having previously been Dean of Loughborough University’s School of Business and Economics. He will continue his role as Chair of the Chartered Association of Business Schools.
Contents
2
LUMS News - End of an era, Research ranking,
6
Research - Working smarter? Performance-
Graduate jobs, Redevelopment project
enhancing drugs in the workplace
10
Sustainability In Business - Leading
14
Alumni News - New look, Scholarship
18
Events - Kevin Roberts guest lecture,
the way towards a more sustainable future
awards, ClickMechanic, Alumni award
Careers in investment banking, Events
4
Programme News - Latest FT rankings,
8
Research - London’s congestion charge,
Eradicate Ebola, Regional Growth Hubs
Premier League TV, Airport capacity
12
Alumni Interview -
16
Alumni News - A better way to connect
20
Benefits & Services -
Using marketing to help AIDS orphans
with the LUMS network
Study, careers, learning and business support
The articles printed here, to the best of our knowledge, were correct at the time of going to press. We reserve the right to edit material where necessary. Furthermore, the views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Management School or the Editor.
LUMS NEWS
End of an era for LUMS Dean
Professor Sue Cox OBE stood down as Dean of LUMS at the end of September, after 14 years in post. Professor Cox, the longest serving dean of a UK business school, said: “I feel very proud to have been Dean. LUMS is in a great place: we are in the top 50 of the Financial Times Global MBA Ranking and are ranked first in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) for ‘research power’. We are established as one of the world’s leading business schools; it is a good time for me to step down and for a new dean to build upon our achievements to date.”
ranging from input into the School’s Advisory Board to engagement with other alumni across the network that is now represented by LUMS Connect.” Professor Cox will retain a role at LUMS, along with work for external organisations.
LUMS top for ‘research power’ in UK research ranking
Much has changed in the time that Sue has led the School, as one of only a few female deans of leading business schools.
LUMS is the most research-intensive business school in the UK, according to the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF).
“We have come a long way since I arrived in 2001. Back then, we had around 80 faculty members, now we have nearly 250. In 2001, I was the only female professor, now we have 14. We have also recruited a large number of excellent international colleagues from around the world.
LUMS is ranked 1st in the UK for ‘research power’ (a metric that represents a combination of the quality and quantity of research) and 1st for the number of research-active staff, showing LUMS to be the leading researchintensive business school in the UK.
“During my time as Dean I have been consistently impressed by the achievements of our alumni and I am delighted to see the alumni network grow. We are fortunate to have the support from our active alumni community,
2 | AMBASSADOR 2015
The REF judged the entire LUMS research environment to be world-leading in terms of vitality and sustainability. 80% of LUMS research activity was recognised by the REF panel as world-leading or internationally excellent.
Redevelopment project to bring LUMS buildings into 21st century An ambitious plan to redevelop the Management School buildings, recently announced by the University, aims to update existing facilities and give the School an inspirational new look.
Rise in number of alumni in graduate jobs or study Career prospects for LUMS graduates are on the up, according to the latest figures. Nearly 89% of LUMS respondents to the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education survey 2015 said they were either in graduate positions or further study after completing their first degree. The number achieving one of the two ‘positive outcomes’ has seen a steady increase over the past four years. Louise Briggs, LUMS Head of Careers, Alumni and Employer Relations, said: “The results are a great testament to the importance shown within LUMS to our students’ career development. “Our links with graduate employers – many of whom are LUMS alumni – the increasing amount of careers-related learning within the curriculum, and the focus on placements and internships mean that our students are competing for the very best graduate vacancies and succeeding.”
LUMS currently enjoys some great, modern facilities in the Hub and the Charles Carter Building. However, much of the School dates back to the early 1970s – a prime driver behind the University’s major investment at this time. “Our vision is that the redeveloped LUMS should represent us as a leading global management school, attracting top academics and high quality students from all over the world,” says Associate Dean for Finance and Resources, Professor John O’Hanlon. The project aims to provide a state-of-the-art, low carbon building which will support LUMS’s world-class research, create a welcoming environment, and be flexible enough to support the broad spectrum of the School’s activities. This is an opportunity for alumni to contribute to the future of LUMS. “Stakeholder involvement is key to the success of the project and we welcome your input as the project develops,” says Professor O’Hanlon. “Please do keep your eyes on LUMS Connect and our social media sites to hear how you can help.”
For more LUMS news, visit: www.lancaster.ac.uk/lums/news
WWW.LANCASTER.AC.UK/LUMS/ALUMNI |
3
PROGRAMME NEWS
A leader develops while helping eradicate Ebola David Otieno has put his leadership studies into practice, battling Ebola in Liberia. Here he shares his story. “A very big turning point for Africa” is how David, an epidemiologist, describes the Ebola outbreak that has claimed so many lives in West Africa over the past year. He has seen its devastating effects at firsthand. In December 2014 he went to work in Liberia, the country worst affected, as an emergency health delegate on secondment from the Kenya Red Cross.
Coinciding with this challenging assignment, David enrolled on LUMS’s new International Health Leadership Development Programme (IHLDP); a course commissioned by the Kenya Red Cross and the International HIV/AIDS Alliance to strengthen the leadership skills of humanitarian workers.
He and other humanitarian workers have helped the Liberian Red Cross and Liberian Ministry of Health implement strategies to
The course gave David some practical insights into how to manage both himself and others. “This is very much a global operation, and out
Latest FT rankings
19th
LUMS is typically ranked as one of the UK’s top business schools and among the world’s top 100. 1st
The Lancaster MBA, 1st for corporate strategy The Lancaster MBA is ranked 1st in the world for corporate strategy, and comes 1st in Europe and 2nd in the world for ‘aims achieved’ in the 2015 Financial Times Global MBA ranking.
12th
MSc Management, 12th in the UK Our MSc Management is ranked 12th in the UK, and 11th in the world’s 12-month programmes, as reported in the Financial Times Masters in Management 2015 ranking.
11th
contain and eradicate the virus and to help prevent further outbreaks. He has worked with local communities in the field, providing psychosocial support, and impressing on them the importance of safer burials and other hygiene practices.
MSc Finance, 11th in the UK Our MSc Finance is ranked 11th in the UK and 40th in the world in the Financial Times Global Masters in Finance 2015 ranking.
4 | AMBASSADOR 2015
PhD/Doctoral, 19th in the world LUMS PhD and doctoral programme is ranked 19th in the world, in the 2015 Financial Times Global MBA rankings.
here you meet people from all over the world,” he said. “Some are quite authoritarian in leadership, some are warm and some are diplomatic.” It was sometimes tricky to manage the tension between a more authoritarian approach, requiring all the appropriate permissions to be sought, and the often compelling need to act fast. On those occasions, he says, it can pose ethical dilemmas and you have to think very carefully.
“It has been a very positive experience that has taught me a lot as a humanitarian worker, but also as a human. I’ve made my mark, and I’ve a story to tell my grandchildren.”
For more information about the IHLDP, email: neil.ralph@lancaster.ac.uk
The environment facing David and his team has at times been a hostile one. “Sometimes you go into communities where religious people tell you that you can’t come in to work with them. Humanitarian workers are being kept away, sometimes they are being stoned. So you retreat, you work out a way to bring them on board through meetings, and when you start to work as a team, you begin to advance.” Although challenging, working in Liberia has been hugely rewarding and touching for David.
Regional hubs programme succeeds in delivering economic growth Latest figures speak for the success of the Lancaster-led Wave 2 Growth Hub (W2GH) programme, designed to promote economic growth through improved business support across England.
David Otieno (second right) and colleagues at the Liberia Ebola Treatment Unit in Grand Bassa County, Liberia
The impact and reach of the programme will continue long past its 2015 completion date. Its successes and the knowledge base developed will inform the wider network of Growth Hubs coming online and will see the continued use of several of the processes, knowledge exchange opportunities and tools provided on the W2GH programme.
Set up in 2014, with a £32m award to Lancaster University by the UK Government’s Regional Growth Fund, the programme has already created 2,244 private sector jobs (with more than 4,300 jobs predicted by 2017). More than 67,000 businesses have been engaged through the 15 regional business support units, known as ‘Growth Hubs’, set up by the programme. More than £17.8m has been distributed in grants to support SMEs, generating more than £64m of investment by the private sector.
Regional Growth Hub representatives
WWW.LANCASTER.AC.UK/LUMS/ALUMNI |
5
RESEARCH
Working smarter? Performance-enhancing drugs in the workplace Traditionally, drug use has been seen as a problem for employment – something which needs to be managed and eliminated through workplace testing, counselling or disciplinary measures. More recently, however, there has been growing interest in the potential of particular pharmaceutical products to increase productivity, positively affect motivation or commitment, and even improve safety. No drugs are licensed or marketed for performance enhancement purposes as yet, but this has not stopped an upsurge in media attention, as well as debates within management and various professions regarding the opportunities and dangers posed by such drugs. In 2012, a trial was conducted to see if Modafinil, a drug that promotes wakefulness and is prescribed for the sleep disorder narcolepsy, could improve the cognition of sleep-deprived medical doctors. It concluded that pharmacological enhancement might improve efficient information processing, flexible thinking, and decision-making under time pressure. There have also been moves to study the possibilities of regulated use of Modafinil
6 | AMBASSADOR 2015
and other stimulants to improve ‘alertness management’, and hence the safety, of longdistance lorry drivers, in an industry which has seen long-standing concerns about the illicit use of drugs and alcohol by employees. There have even been suggestions that there might be a moral imperative to use such drugs, if they become safe and legal within these contexts. Tellingly, a report in The Observer this year looking at students’ growing consumption of ‘smart drugs’ noted that, whereas students used to take drugs to get high, some are now taking them in order to achieve a higher class of degree and thus better compete in a competitive job market. These examples all show a change in attitude towards the use of drugs to improve performance. Not only do they show some acceptance and even interest by employers but, maybe more significantly, they seem to offer ways in which employees can themselves choose to enhance their abilities, either in order
Dr Karen Dale
Professor Brian Bloomfield
As this is ongoing research, we would be interested to hear from anyone who has had to deal with these issues in the workplace. All responses will be treated in accordance with the University’s Research Ethics Framework. Reference: Bloomfield, B., & Dale, K. (2015). Fit for work? Redefining ‘Normal’ and ‘Extreme’ through human enhancement technologies. Organization, 22(4), 552-569.
to better succeed in their career or to survive the demands of the contemporary workplace – demands increasingly heightened in a globalised 24/7 economic system. We have been researching how workplace changes are coming together with a growing awareness of the possibilities of pharmaceutical enhancement to fuel these developments. Earlier this year, we produced a report on smart/performance-enhancing drugs for the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), addressing the scientific research on the use of ‘smart drugs’ and the problems in trying to gauge their efficacy and their uptake among different professions, age groups and communities. In addition, our report outlined a number of the management and safety issues, both positive and negative, posed by the prospect of such substances in the workplace. Cognitive enhancement is far more complicated than implied by the notion of ‘smart drugs’. For example, although a specific drug might bring about an improvement in an individual’s ability to carry out a certain task, it might at the same time degrade their performance or ability to do something else. Similarly, a drug that might increase concentration on certain things could simultaneously decrease an individual’s
awareness of other, potentially important or safety-critical matters occurring around them. Such drugs can lead to a state of overconfidence in the user, while an individual’s over-concentration on a specific task could be detrimental in a team-working situation. Leaving aside these immediate difficulties, there is also the matter of potential health side-effects. Modafinil, for instance, can have potentially serious adverse effects in some people. Even if individuals experience no such reactions, there is little or no research on the effects of long-term use of this or other drugs that have become associated with cognitive enhancement. It is evident that the current crop of cognitive enhancing drugs offers no quick or simple solution for the problems of performance in the workplace. The history of management shows that the lure of new technological fixes for organisational problems is hard to resist, but resist it we must because in practice such developments often fail to live up to the hyperbole and, moreover, can divert attention from alternative ways of organising work. Please email: brian.bloomfield@lancaster.ac.uk
or k.dale@lancaster.ac.uk
WWW.LANCASTER.AC.UK/LUMS/ALUMNI |
7
RESEARCH
Premier League fans want big names, not unpredictability British TV audiences are less interested in watching competitive matches than they once were, instead favouring top talent, according to findings by a LUMS economist. Professor Rob Simmons, together with Dr Babatunde Buraimo of Liverpool University, examined the impact of unpredictability of outcome on the size of TV audiences, using data from the British Audience Research Board (BARB). Professor Simmons explains: “Our results confront traditional wisdom which attempts to maximise uncertainty of outcome in professional sports. The classic notion of a pure sporting competition in which the outcome is unpredictable has clearly been
London’s congestion charge makes roads safer The introduction of London’s congestion charge has led to a substantial reduction in accidents, according to research by LUMS economists Professor Colin Green and Dr Maria Navarro. When it began in 2003, London’s congestion charge was hailed as a triumph of economics, forcing those contributing to congestion to pay an explicit price. The resulting reduction in traffic congestion confirmed predictions that the charge would change behaviour. There was uncertainty over what effect the congestion charge would have on the number of accidents and the rate of accidents. Reduced congestion means fewer cars in central London and it was expected that this would lead to fewer accidents. On the other hand, less traffic also means that vehicles can travel faster, which could increase the chance of an accident and the severity of accidents that do occur (particularly dangerous in central
8 | AMBASSADOR 2015
London where cars, cyclists and pedestrians share the road). The study conducted by Professor Green and Dr Navarro shows that introducing the charge led to a substantial 40% reduction in the number of accidents within central London; a result matched by similar reductions in those killed or seriously injured. The rate of accidents was also seen to have decreased markedly. Essentially, a given trip into central London became safer as a result of the charge. Furthermore, the decline in accidents was seen not only in the congestion charge area, but also in adjacent areas; accidents decreased as fewer people drove through them to reach central London.
replaced by a preference for sporting entertainment delivered by superstars.” The team conducted a study of 631 out of the 660 Premier League games that were televised from 2000-01 to 2007-08. They studied the wage bills of every Premier League club for each of the seasons and they also examined the odds for every game to assess the unpredictability of each fixture.
relative wage’ – the two clubs’ wage bills compared to other teams – the greater the TV audience for the match.
For each of these 631 matches they added other factors into their analysis, such as how well each team was doing in the league, the day the matches were played on, and whether the game was a derby. The researchers found that until the 2002-03 season, if a match had a high level of uncertainty of outcome it would, on the whole, lead to higher viewing figures. By 2008 that was no longer the case. This coincides with an increase in the quality of talent – indicated by clubs’ wage bills – in the Premier League. The higher the ‘combined
LUMS experts lead new drive to unlock airport capacity and tackle congestion A major £2.8m project led by LUMS researchers is to find ways to address the UK’s airport congestion – without relying solely on new airport building and expansion. The OR-MASTER (Mathematical Models and Algorithms for Allocating Scarce Airport Resources) project, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), is being set up in response to growing concerns over airport capacity, rising demand, and the impact of congestion on the travelling public and the air transport industry.
For more on the latest research at LUMS, visit: www.lancaster.ac.uk/lums/research
“It will support policy makers and air transport decision makers in getting to grips with airport congestion and in optimally allocating scarce airport resources.” The work will build on the UK’s world-leading expertise in operational research to find the most efficient ways to schedule flights, developing and testing new models and solution algorithms that take into account all the factors involved in the allocation of flight ‘slots’. Over the six years of the project, OR-MASTER will involve close collaboration between Lancaster University, Queen Mary University of London, and a host of organisations around the world that will support the project providing real-world data, insights and expertise.
Project lead Professor Konstantinos G. Zografos at LUMS’s Centre for Transport and Logistics Research (CENTRAL) said: “Existing approaches to airport slot allocation do not consider all the real-world complexity involved. Therefore, there is room to improve airport capacity utilisation which will benefit airlines, airports and the travelling public.
WWW.LANCASTER.AC.UK/LUMS/ALUMNI |
9
SUSTAINABILITY IN BUSINESS
Leading the way towards a more sustainable future This autumn sees the official launch of Lancaster’s new Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business. Here, centre leader Professor Gail Whiteman explains the importance of the new centre and how her team will help the business community go green. “How to get the boardroom to make radical changes in its approach to social issues and the environment is the really big question,” says Professor Gail Whiteman, the Rubin Chair of Lancaster’s new Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business. Straddling Lancaster Environment Centre and Lancaster University Management School, the centre, which is being supported by The Rubin Foundation Charitable Trust for five years, will look at environmental sustainability, ethical supply chains, and how business can be a force for good. The centre is named after the Pentland Group, the company behind some of the world’s leading sports, outdoor and fashion brands, including household names such as Speedo, Canterbury, Berghaus, Ellesse and Boxfresh. Professor Whiteman, who is originally from Toronto, Canada, comes to Lancaster following a distinguished career in the private sector and academia. She sees it as the role of the Pentland Centre to act as a link between science and business, to help business leaders to understand what science is telling us about climate change and social issues and getting this message across in terms they understand.
Professor Gail Whiteman
“The Pentland Centre is trying to help businesses understand the environmental and ethical impacts of their supply chains – Pentland was an early mover on this,” she says. “My over-riding mission has to be to link the best minds in science, the best minds in business and local people to help deliver positive change. It is about boiling down the messages to make the science more understandable for leaders in business. “The messages need to tie in with their economic motivations as well. We are living in a market-based world. It has to be about offering solutions, not just criticisms.
“Our role is to support those businesses that are already convinced that climate change is an issue. We can provide the most progressive companies with the knowledge and solutions to support what they are doing.” Professor Whiteman says she is looking forward to working with colleagues across multiple faculties at Lancaster in order to scale up business solutions for sustainability.
Appointments to the centre include Lancaster’s Dr Jessica Davies. Dr Dmitry Yumashev and Jimena Alvarez transfer to the team with Professor Whiteman, continuing work on an EU-funded research project with British Antarctic For more information about the Pentland Centre Survey: assessing global economic risks from for Sustainability in Business, email: a changing Arctic. g.whiteman@lancaster.ac.uk
10 | AMBASSADOR 2015
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Professor Mark E. Smith
Skills and knowledge for our students Lancaster University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mark Smith, believes it is vital that students learn about sustainability. “Education for sustainable development is a priority objective for Lancaster, it’s very important. When creating new thinking and creating tomorrow’s citizens you must look at the issues that they will encounter.
Stephen Rubin
Hopes for the future Stephen Rubin, Chairman of Pentland Group, is hopeful that the new centre will play an important role in promoting sustainability. “Having worked in the area of sustainability for a very long time, it seems to me that there is still so much shorttermism in corporate life. “We have to realise that in the world we are living in, we cannot endlessly waste resources. We need to lay the foundation stones for those generations that follow. “It is my hope that the Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business can utilise academic and practical insights to scale up business solutions for sustainability, and to enable business leaders to make more courageous decisions.” Stephen Rubin will serve on the centre’s Executive Advisory Group.
“Issues around sustainability will be top of the political debate and should be considered as we prepare our students for life beyond the University. It’s got to be embedded: if our students don’t have the skills or knowledge in this area they will be less equipped for their futures.”
ALUMNI INTERVIEW
Using marketing to help AIDS orphans
LUMS alumnus Ian Govendir talks about how the things he learned as a marketing student at Lancaster have helped him set up his own charity, AIDS Orphan. Listening to Ian Govendir talking about the need for brand awareness, creation of traffic and strategic time windows, you could be forgiven for thinking you were talking to the head of a marketing agency, not a charity. As far as the LUMS alumnus and CEO of AIDS Orphan is concerned though, an effective charity needs to work like a top business. It was this strategy which saw him raise £12m in 12 weeks – a return on investment of £4 for every £1 spent on advertising – in his first job in the charity sector as Head of Individual Giving at the British Red Cross, in 1992. He also built up the charity’s donor database from 60,000 to 750,000 in two years. His clear-headed approach and passion to help the forgotten HIV-positive children orphaned by AIDS in Africa and India is key to the way Ian operates today – heading AIDS Orphan (www.aidsorphan.net), which he founded in 2009. He is also chair of another AIDS charity, Cara, and works as a non-executive director at the Royal Commonwealth Society.
12 | AMBASSADOR 2015
His career path has been an interesting one. Born into a Jewish family in London, Ian had already attended London Metropolitan University and had worked in consumer electronics at Sony UK for four years before deciding to up his game by coming to Lancaster University at 27 years old. His memories of his time at Lancaster, as a member of Fylde College, are of a very demanding course with weekly case studies and presentations, which he counterbalanced with enjoyable evenings spent in the bar with his multi-national fellow students. It was at Lancaster, where Ian graduated with an MA Marketing in 1987, that he learned a concept which has significantly influenced his professional approach: a quote from Harvard University strategy guru Michael Porter, about the existence of a 12-week strategic window of opportunity to capitalise on a business advantage. When he was later working at the Red Cross, Ian had the opportunity to demonstrate the power of Porter’s concept. He remembers going “hell for leather”, making use of TV advertising for charity – something which had only been done once before – and the satisfaction of seeing the figures.
Ian Govendir
That kind of intensity did not faze him after his Lancaster MA: “The Lancaster course really taught me how to work under pressure and how to write very quick reports. What I learned there about communication was very interesting, about marketing the intangible. In a charity that is exactly what you are doing.”
The catalyst for AIDS Orphan was born out of seeing child mercenaries and displaced children in Africa while he was working at the Red Cross back in the 1990s. He wondered what happened to those whose parents died of AIDS. None of the other agencies he saw were providing education and psychological support for children caught up in what he regards as one of “the largest unrecognised human disasters on the planet”. The idea was born, but it took until 2009, after Ian had worked as CEO of the British Lung Foundation and Head of Development at the National Deaf Children’s Society, to make it happen. Ian drew on all his skills and experience as a marketeer, as well as tapping into his vast
network of contacts, to set up the charity. His organisation’s achievements are already impressive and include an outreach programme in the Kibera Slum in Nairobi (started in 2010), a new counselling facility in Pune, India (since 2012), and a programme helping Northern Ugandan children to access lifesaving anti-retroviral drugs (from 2014). In Nairobi, the charity works in partnership with the Kenyatta National Hospital, which now has 99.9% HIV-free delivery of babies. At least five times a year, Ian goes to Africa and India to visit, monitor and evaluate each project. He raises money from trust funds, individuals and companies. The secret of successful fundraising, in his view, lies in the relationships he and his fellow workers build up. At one time Ian’s ambition was to be Director of the National Trust, but now he says: “I am looking forward to growing AIDS Orphan into a significant global player in this area of international aid and development.”
For feature interviews with more LUMS alumni, visit: www.lancaster.ac.uk/lums/alumni/news
WWW.LANCASTER.AC.UK/LUMS/ALUMNI |
13
ALUMNI NEWS
Ambassador’s new look Regular recipients of Ambassador will have noticed the new design of this year’s edition. This reflects the Management School’s new branding, launched in June following the Lancaster University re-brand earlier in the year and a period of market research into what would best fit LUMS’ ongoing development. The magazine format and content also take into account feedback received via our 2014 ‘Have your say’ alumni communications survey. Thank you to all alumni who responded. Your feedback on Ambassador, or any other aspect of our alumni activities, is vital to the ongoing relevance and value of this work. Please email your comments and suggestions to LUMSalumni@lancaster.ac.uk or share them via one of our various communication platforms detailed on this edition’s back cover.
Rob Day (left) with Emma Lindsay and Professor M
Scholarship rewards efforts of talented Marketing and Design graduate
Recent graduate Emma Lindsay was this year’s recipient of the annual Blueprint Interiors Scholarship for outstanding achievement in the BSc Marketing and Design. Blueprint Interiors Managing Director Rob Day, who graduated with a marketing degree from Lancaster in 1985, came to present the award at Emma’s graduation. He said: “Our involvement with Lancaster University, and in particular the Management School, in providing the Blueprint Scholarship reflects our desire to implement and encourage closer collaboration between education and industry.
“We firmly believe that learning is a lifelong process, the value of which is multiplied by the wider experience and practical application obtained in commercial practice. The study of design in a marketing context is embedded in our own interests and core beliefs; we are delighted to support the course and reward outstanding effort by the most talented and committed students.”
For more alumni news, visit: www.lancaster.ac.uk/lums/alumni/news
14 | AMBASSADOR 2015
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Maria Piacentini, Head of Marketing Department
Andrew Jervis (left) with Felix Kenton
The new way to book a mechanic “It’s well documented that the automotive repair industry is fraught with problems. Lack of transparency, poor quality labour, and wasted time taking cars to garages has all led to a large amount of mistrust in the industry,” says BA Management and Organisation graduate Andrew Jervis. It was to address this that Andrew, along with his friend Felix Kenton, founded ClickMechanic: an online marketplace for car repair, which allows users to book a vetted mechanic who will come to their home or workplace. The website also has an automatic quoting system to help users know if they are being offered a competitive price.
Rainer Hersch
Comedian Rainer Hersch honoured with alumni award Award-winning stand-up comedian, pianist and conductor Rainer Hersch, who graduated from Lancaster in 1985 with a degree in Economics, was presented with an alumni award during the University’s summer graduation ceremonies. His career since graduating has encompassed management in the Arts, radio and television broadcasting, stand-up comedy and, latterly, a uniquely creative approach to musical education and awareness through comedy.
Since its launch in 2012, ClickMechanic has been used more than 150,000 times for car service and repair quotes, and has seen rapid growth from early 2014.
Rainer has appeared on every major comedy stage in Britain (including 13 times at the Edinburgh Festival), and has performed in more than 30 countries.
The business received a further boost this year, having raised £320,000 in investment from angel investors led by former Just Eat CEO, Klaus Nyengaard.
He says his time at university gave him the freedom to discover who he was and what he wanted to achieve.
WWW.LANCASTER.AC.UK/LUMS/ALUMNI |
15
ALUMNI NEWS – LUMS CONNECT
A better way to connect with the LUMS network Over 1000 alumni, students and staff have already joined our new online networking platform, LUMS Connect. Have you? LUMS Connect combines the strength of the trusted LUMS community with a straightforward LinkedIn and Facebook integration, to provide a great online platform through which you can: • Reconnect with fellow graduates and expand your network • Get insights and support from alumni mentors • Keep up to date with LUMS news, events and photos • Share your updates and engage in discussions • Help others in the LUMS community At this stage, LUMS Connect is a pilot scheme for alumni and students of Lancaster University Management School degree programmes. A guide to LUMS Connect is available on the platform, or you can email LUMSalumni@ lancaster.ac.uk if you have any questions.
LUMS Connect in numbers (as at 22/09/2015)
1129 = active users 773 = mentoring volunteers 120 = updates and comments posted 2014 = graduation year with most LUMS Connect users 73 = jobs posted 49 = photos posted
16 | AMBASSADOR 2015
It’s easy to register! You can use your LinkedIn or Facebook account and sync it to automatically fill in your LUMS Connect profile or, if you prefer, you can register using your email address. You will also need to enter your LUMS degree details (the first LUMS degree you achieved if you have more than one). Please enter your details accurately to ensure a smooth registration. The contact and job details on your profile will also update your Lancaster University alumni record, so that you continue to get relevant communications and services from us.
To join LUMS Connect, go to: www.lancasteralumni.co.uk
WWW.LANCASTER.AC.UK/LUMS/ALUMNI |
17
EVENTS
Kevin Roberts on the ‘VUCA’ world and creative leaders
An enthusiastic audience of more than 150 alumni attended Lancaster’s Professor Sir Roland Smith CEO Lecture with guest speaker Kevin Roberts, Worldwide CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi. They benefited from Kevin’s many insights and challenges to traditional leadership and marketing. Giving his new take on the ‘VUCA’ world – Vibrant, Unreal, Crazy and Astounding – Kevin explained what he sees as the five characteristics of creative leaders.
Events fact 629 LUMS alumni have attended a Lancaster alumni event in the last 12 months
They: 1. Create other leaders 2. Provide rocket fuel in the form of responsibility, learning, recognition and joy 3. Stay in beta: having lots of small ideas continuously 4. Let emotion rip: it leads to action 5. Make things happen Drawing on examples from around the world, from sport, business, public awareness and charity, he illustrated his points with humour and striking images. He also drew on his Lancaster roots. Reactions from the audience were very positive, with many people echoing the key messages and how Kevin’s experiences and insights resonated with them.
Alumni event photos can be viewed on our Flickr site: www.flickr.com/photos/lums-caer
Building a career in investment banking LUMS alumni working in investment banking shared their experiences and advice with students and recent graduates at a successful London networking and career insights event in June. The speakers were Greg Tilmant from Goldman Sachs; JP Morgan’s Jing Wang; Ashley Fisher from Mondrian Alpha Recruitment Solutions; Marisha Suri of Deloitte and Paul Bradley and Geoff Winchester who both work for St. James’s Place Wealth Management. It is clear that the financial sector has undergone many changes in recent years. The frank and honest insights shared by the event’s speakers gave the audience a real sense of what it is like to work in the sector today, as well as equipping them with tips for success. Head of LUMS Careers, Alumni and Employer Relations, Louise Briggs, who hosted the event, said: “As opportunities in investment banking and related careers continue to increase, this event was timely in connecting current students and alumni in Europe’s financial capital.”
Forthcoming events Check out our online alumni events listing for the latest details of LUMS and Lancaster University reunions and events. Forthcoming events include: London, 25th November: 2015 Professor Sir Roland Smith CEO Lecture: An Audience with Gavin Patterson, Chief Executive BT Group plc. Taipei, 15th January: LUMS Alumni and Applicants Event. Delhi, 12th February: Lancaster University Alumni Reception. Lancaster, 11th-13th March: Grizedale College 40th Anniversary Reunion Weekend. Note: The event details above were correct at the time of going to print but could be subject to change.
Alumni event details are included in our regular e-newsletters and are also sent via email invitation. Please update your contact details via LUMS Connect or by email to LUMSalumni@lancaster.ac.uk to receive the latest information.
Alumni groups Connect with Lancaster alumni groups around the world to expand your network and find out about events organised by our alumni volunteers: www.lancaster.ac.uk/alumni/groups There are currently Lancaster University alumni groups in Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Cyprus, France, Greece, India, Indonesia, Japan, Latin America, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea, the UK, the United Arab Emirates and the USA.
For more details about alumni events, visit: www.lancaster.ac.uk/lums/alumni/events WWW.LANCASTER.AC.UK/LUMS/ALUMNI |
19
BENEFITS & SERVICES
Study at LUMS Have you considered doing further study at LUMS or know someone who could benefit from our world-ranked teaching and life-changing student experiences? Take a look at our wide range of full-time and part-time programmes, with funding options available for UK, EU and international students: www.lancaster.ac.uk/lums/study
LUMS merchandise The Lancaster University Students’ Union shop stocks a range of Lancaster University and LUMS merchandise, including clothing, stationary and keepsakes. Use the code ‘ALUM10’ to receive a 10% discount when ordering online at www.shop.lusu.co.uk
Proof of degree
Careers
Duplicate degree certificates and/or transcripts can be requested via Lancaster University Student Registry: www.lancaster.ac.uk/sbs/ registry/DocOrders
Access CV and application advice, digital careers resources, vacancy listings and more via Lancaster University’s careers support pages for alumni: www.lancaster.ac.uk/ alumni/alumni-careers
20 | AMBASSADOR 2015
Access business information online... for free! LUMS graduates can get free access to the alumni edition of the EBSCO database Business Source®. This includes publications in nearly every area of business and full text sources ranging from general periodicals to trade publications and top management journals. For access details, email LUMSalumni@lancaster.ac.uk
Key Note alumni discount Business intelligence provider Key Note delivers thousands of comprehensive and easily accessible reports spanning every major market. LUMS alumni can access a 50% discount when purchasing one-off market reports or any company reports, people reports or leads lists. Email ccable@keynote.co.uk, quoting the code LUMS15CCALUM.
Tap into student talent and get your strategy right Easy to set up, student projects are a costeffective way to get insight into issues affecting your business.
Looking to recruit the best? Promote your brand and career opportunities to LUMS students. To find out how, visit www.lancaster.ac.uk/ lums/careers/employers
• Investigate changes up and down the supply chain • Review systems/processes for greater efficiency • Conduct a benchmarking review • Investigate consumer attitudes To find out more, visit www.lancaster.ac.uk/ lums/business/student-consulting-projects
For more alumni benefits and services, visit: www.lancaster.ac.uk/lums/alumni/benefits-and-services
WWW.LANCASTER.AC.UK/LUMS/ALUMNI |
21
Stay connected Keep in touch with LUMS and the alumni network to get the latest news and updates:
Website – www.lancaster.ac.uk/lums LUMS Connect – www.lancasteralumni.co.uk LinkedIn – Lancaster University Management School Alumni Facebook – /LancasterManagement Twitter – @LancasterManage YouTube – /LancasterManagement
Ambassador is available to view online in PDF format at www.lancaster.ac.uk/lums/ alumni/ambassador Published by LUMS Alumni Office Lancaster University Management School Lancaster, LA1 4YX, UK T: +44 (0)1524 510749 E: LUMSalumni@lancaster.ac.uk