Yolande Sum

Now based in Hong Kong for the second time in her career, Class of 1991 FP Yolande Sum has made strides in the world of business since leaving the High School of Dundee thirty years ago.

She first began her career in the Retail and Consumer Goods industry in Hong Kong after graduating in Marketing from Stirling University, then moved into Management Consulting in London after completing her MBA at Strathclyde Business School. Since joining PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in 2008, she has successfully advanced up the ranks to Associate Director in Business Development and her current role as Clients & Insights Programme Leader for PwC China and Hong Kong.

What are your favourite memories from school? Did you have any subjects that you enjoyed the most and were there any staff who inspired you and supported you on your journey to where you are today? I benefited from HSD’s all-through school structure and joined HSD in Lower 1 Junior School, leaving in Form 5 Senior School (after achieving the necessary Highers qualifications to enter university). I do remember enjoying subjects like English, French, Geography and Music (especially running up to the top of the Girls’ school for music and flute lessons, choir and wind band practice!). I enjoyed the co-curricular activities/clubs and was very proud of my Librarian and Hostess badges back in the day! I also looked forward to playing tennis during the warm Scottish summers up at Dalnacraig and singing my heart out in the choir in St Paul’s Cathedral at the end of term Christmas service.

Have you ever attended any of our alumni events or been back to visit the school since you left? Being a full-time working mother of seven-year-old twins and having to think more often about my children’s education and future, has naturally brought back many memories of my own school life and the desire to reconnect with the School. I subsequently volunteered as an HSD Alumni Ambassador (for China and Hong Kong) to help contribute to the School’s alumni network and enhance international relationships. As my parents and siblings are based in Scotland and because I still affectionately regard Scotland as my ‘home’, we normally fly back twice a year. It was on one of these trips earlier this year that the School kindly arranged a Junior Years’ Individual Tour so that my children could experience first-hand what life at HSD (or ‘mummy’s school’) would be like if we decided to relocate back to Scotland in the near future. Having not set foot in the School since I left Form 5 in 1990, it was amazing to see how the School has evolved and its facilities modernised. You are now based in Hong Kong and have been for quite a while now. How did your career take you overseas? As ‘graduate milk rounds’ were taking place in my final year at Stirling University, I looked at the competition around me and it made me reflect on how I could differentiate from others. Having previously travelled to Hong Kong for family holidays, I remembered there were many multinational companies based out in the Far East and as I was already bilingual in English and Chinese, I targeted my graduate applications at multinationals in Hong Kong. Despite feeling anxious about the uncertainty ahead, I flew out to Hong Kong on a one-way ticket two weeks after Graduation and within that month, I was referred to Boots the Chemist for a role. This was the beginning of my career in Hong Kong, initially in Product Development & Procurement with

Boots followed by Account Management at Nestlé.

To remain competitive and relevant, I knew I would need to continue upskilling myself, so I decided to return to my roots in Scotland to study for my MBA at Strathclyde Business School. I then transitioned into management consulting with ACNielsen and Capgemini in London. A few years later, whilst taking a short sabbatical in Hong Kong, I was unexpectedly headhunted for an internal change management position for a newly established Business Development function in PwC. That was twelve years ago! You have been working for PwC for twelve years now and you’ve successfully progressed through the ranks, which is wonderful! I wonder if you could tell us a little more about your role and what your day-to-day responsibilities entail? In my current role as Clients & Insights Programme Leader, I regularly meet Board/Senior Management in client organisations together with senior PwC Partners to discuss how we can bring more value to the relationship and to help them meet their business needs or to overcome market challenges. Today, such conversations cannot be underestimated as many organisations are having to adjust their business strategy and re-prioritise due to the impact of geopolitical and macroeconomic risks (e.g. US-China tensions, UK withdrawing from the EU, interest rate environment, the global Covid-19 outbreak). Once we have these key insights, we make recommendations to leadership and act to deliver a more enhanced service/experience to clients, refine our go-to market and industry strategies, improve our service coverage and relationships at client, industry or broader market levels.

What would you say is the best thing about an HSD education and did it help prepare you for your life after school? HSD has always had a proven track record in academic excellence which I believe is fundamental in helping pupils to unlock their potential and strive for their best, regardless of background, ability and where they may find themselves in the future. From my own experience, the School’s traditional core values and strong sense of community/friendship, combined with active learning and problem solving in a high performing environment helped instil important attributes such as diligence, perseverance, discipline, ambition and self-awareness during my school years, and this better prepared me for life’s challenges after leaving school.

If you could offer any words of wisdom to your school-age self, what would they be? If I could go back in time, my advice to my school-age self would be - to be more inquisitive and ask more questions; keep an open mind and think more broadly around what is written in textbooks by exchanging ideas with others; be more self-confident and adventurous. Having said that, I have no regrets as I believe that all my life experiences up until now have shaped me into the person I am today!

Say Hello to The HSD’s Alumni Playlist

Rewind to May 2020, when the country, and indeed the world, was still in the midst of lockdown, the School’s Development Office were busying themselves trying to create innovative projects that would lift the spirits of our Former Pupil and wider HSD community during these trying times.

Music has an ability to connect us all, hence the idea for our HSD Alumni Playlist was born. Hosted via the music platform, Spotify, we asked our alumni community to e-mail us with songs that brought back happy memories of their school days.

The response was astonishing, and we now have over 13 hours’ worth of music, ranging from classics by Vera Lynne, Pink Floyd, Beyoncé and TOTO, to songs by our very own FPs Ricky Ross (vocalist for Deacon Blue) and KT Tunstall.

There really is such a wide variety of music to explore – you never know, you might just discover a new favourite artist or track! You can tune into our playlist here: open.spotify.com/playlist/5l8xdcIvkgIdcPbtcmQzS4 (Please note that you may be required to create a free account with Spotify to access the playlist). If you would like to submit your own song choices to add to the playlist, please drop us an e-mail at alumni@highschoolofdundee.org.uk.

An Epic Triathlon Adventure Across Scotland in Aid of the Army Family

Having delayed our honeymoon, my wife and I had planned to take some time off work to go trekking in Nepal before heading to western Europe and attempting to climb the highest peak in every country. But Covid-19 burst that balloon. However, we certainly weren’t unique in our loss, and all things considered felt somewhat fortunate.

So, as junior doctors, we returned to work. But in lockdown we got itchy feet, wondering what we could do instead. We live in such a wonderful place and, counting our blessings, decided to go and explore it.

The details of the adventure were skewed by over-excitement, but after consulting trusty Google we decided on something unique: to run the West Highland Way, cycle the North Coast 500 and then kayak the Great Glen, linking three of the best known ‘routes’ of Scotland together.

Then, in June, a friend and colleague in the army detachment which I am a member of unexpectedly and suddenly passed away. The last thing we talked about the day before his death was our upcoming adventure. After deliberation, we decided to use the pre-planned adventure to raise money for The Army Benevolent Fund, The Soldier’s Charity. For over 75 years it has supported army members (both active and retired) and their families whenever they are in need. This support has continued in spite of, and due to, the coronavirus pandemic.

We set off as soon as lockdown lifted, leaving Milngavie just north of Glasgow for the first part of the 154km run. The first day started off well, but 45km in we tumbled into the northern shores of Loch Lomond, which were more remote and extremely rugged. With my wife, Kirsty, on a mountain bike due to a hip injury at points it was almost unnavigable.

The second day was a breeze in comparison, just over 50km on much better paths and with wonderful views. The highlight was the last 20km from the Bridge of Orchy round the bottom of the Black Mount and onto Rannoch Moor. Quintessentially Scottish! The final day on the feet started with the Devils Staircase (not as bad as it sounds!) over to Kinlochleven. The first 30km went well despite being the hilliest, but with 17km to go I lulled myself into thinking I was almost there… and then lost the mental edge. It was a pretty unforgiving finish! With the running done I was happy to get on the bike; although I wasn’t ready for the pace that Kirst was to set! The first day we cycled from Fort William (the end of the West Highland Way) to Plockton via the ferry over to Skye. The rest on the boat was certainly appreciated. Day 2 was seriously wet. Views were limited, which was a shame because we cycled the 640m climb up the Bealach na Ba (the longest hill climb in the UK) and then on through Torridon, finishing up in Aultbea. On another day I’m sure it would’ve been the highlight of the trip! After a good dry out that evening we started ramping up the distances as we reached Assynt. The focus shifts from the mountains to the horizon, and its seriously breathtaking, both because of the views and the ascent on the costal roads. For three days in a row we hit almost 3000m of ascent, but this was the worst of them!

The fourth day was much of the same as we cruised into Durness by 10am before making our turn east. The day turned out to be a good one, and the cravings to pop down to one of the lovely beaches for a surf was high. But with a hope to get ahead of schedule we beetled along the north coast, and then finished on the East Coast with some fish and chips. The final day was a variant of the NC500 (Mark Beaumont’s route) avoiding the busy A9 by going in land to Lairg. Unfortunately, the first 60km was all into a 30mph head wind, another new gift from the gods of the Scottish weather! With no hesitation we jumped straight into the kayak and breezed an evening kayak on the canal right to the mouth of Loch Ness, only to encounter the same battering wind having time to churn up some waves over a 20-mile run up. It was a battle lasting 90 minutes, but we made our peace and turned in for the night hoping for an improvement in the weather. The second day of kayaking provided little let up, with the first 6 hours into the head wind on what is a fairly uneventful, but wavy, loch! A pizza and coffee in Fort Augustus picked up our spirits and we got on the way again completing a fairly mammoth twelve-hour day, which we knew would be our penultimate! The last day was the best weather-wise – calm and hot! The paddle down Loch Lochy was gorgeous and we made it into the last stretch of the canal leading to Fort William, when Kirst psychologically clocked out too early and almost fell asleep paddling! After some caffeine related sustenance, we finished the final two hours, finishing in time for a late lunch and an early beer!

Nine and a half days of gruesome but captivating endurance took us to our finish line. The bruises took a while to settle, but the psychological motivation of raising money for a wonderful cause kept us going. People have said you must be incredibly fit, I deny that. We had a cause we were passionate about which engaged the mind, and an incredible support team who were the real unsung heroes. Maybe we’ll settle to be the support team next time though!

Callum Leese, Class of 2011

Keeping the Music Playing

What do you do as a professional concert musician when the concert halls of the world have shut down due to a ferocious pandemic?

That was the question Class of 1992 alumna Christina Lawrie was uneasily asking herself on February 23rd as she was heading home following a solo piano recital for Dollar Music Society, in the lovely surroundings of Dollar Academy. Christina’s violinist husband Marcus Barcham Stevens had been performing chamber music that same day with fellow members of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in the Queen's Hall in Edinburgh. Concert halls were full at that time and life was still relatively normal. Just four weeks later, the UK was locked down. However, in the hope of bringing some joy and solace to isolated music-lovers, the duo launched their #ConcertFromOurLivingRoom series on Christina’s YouTube channel, the first of which was broadcast on Sunday 22nd March at 4pm. Marcus should have been performing with the SCO in Eden Court Theatre in Inverness that same day. The first concert coincided with Mothering Sunday, and so was a Mothers' Day gift from the couple and their daughter, Mairi-Anna. The fortnightly concerts are free to tune into, but there is also an option to make a donation via PayPal. The repertoire is classical, along with some Scottish traditional music. Christina says “It has been lovely to recapture the tradition of the Schubertiade in our own home (although Schubert was arrested for the dangerously revolutionary activity of performing in a house concert!) Performing from our living room has given us a reason to keep practising, stay focused and has maintained our identity as concert artists. Many of our listeners e-mail us after every concert and it has been a delight for us to get to know them. I can't wait for the day when I can meet these lovely people in person and perform a live concert for them. In these strange times, I really think music has the power to nourish our souls.” Back in October 2015, Christina returned to the High School of Dundee to perform with the eminent British baritone Stephen Varcoe. The programme included Purcell's haunting Music for a While, the first line of which Christina says came back to her recently; “Music for a while shall all your cares beguile”.

To access the concerts, please visit bit.ly/35GEKXZ Alternatively, you can access the concerts via Christina’s Twitter account, where there is also information on how to donate in lieu of a ticket: www.twitter.com/piano_christina The photograph of Christina and Marcus was taken by their young daughter, Mairi-Anna, who has an avid interest in the world of photography!

Journalist FP Uses Voice and Passion for Global Good

Class of 2003 Former Pupil, James Blake, currently resides in New York working for the Ambassadorial Council for the International Crisis Group. His career has taken him on many adventures across the globe, something which has been hugely beneficial for his most recent career venture into the field of journalism. James regularly writes for Jane’s Intelligence Review magazine, Foreign Policy Magazine and other publications focused on humanitarian and human rights crises.

“Our hope was to make it to Europe. We fled from violence in Syria. But we have run out of money and now hope to stay here in Turkey.” The husband, father of two children, told me of their journey as they fled from violence in Syria, which has experienced a ten-year long civil war. They faced the reality of finding shelter, jobs, education and learning a new language. This conversation took place during the start of the European refugee crisis in 2015; another crisis broke out earlier this year. The unnecessary violence, death and destruction continues. My professional career has taken me from Blairgowrie, Scotland, to New York via the plush offices of the International Monetary Fund, the United Nation’s headquarters in New York, and a visit to the White House in Washington DC, to refugee camps in Turkey, speaking to a young man who was refused asylum in the US after being trafficked and returned – still fearing for his life – to his home in San Salvador, El Salvador. I have also travelled to Syria, Lebanon and Myanmar.

But there is nothing I have found more humbling than hearing the hopes, dreams and expectations of a family that have fled violence through no fault of their own, but faced their own uncertain future with hope, a sense of humor and optimism. For me, it all began at Dundee High School. I enjoyed making good friends, I enjoyed the competitive sports and many of my classes. But I don’t think it was until I reached my final year that I found what I was good at. Several teachers helped me beyond the expected: one is now the Rector. Two others, Mr. Wilson and Mr. Rennet, have both since left. But they all instilled in me the need for critical thinking, intellectual curiosity and to follow my own path.

I studied International Relations at St Andrews University, something which Mrs. Hudson can certainly take credit for steering me towards. In my second year, I joined the Center for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence. In my third year, I was the sole student awarded on an exchange program at a small liberal arts college outside Washington DC. I was pushed from my comfort zone and forced to learn, adapt and “Americanize.” I spent four months at a non-profit, which looked at nuclear threat issues and global pandemics. During this time, I went to the White House and met with then Vice President, Dick Cheney, whom my college professor had worked for. I was unimpressed.

Returning to Scotland, I finished my degree and went to study a postgraduate program at the School of Oriental and African Studies in Near and Middle Eastern Studies. I struggled with Arabic, grappled with the Israel-Palestine peace process and ended up in Syria and Lebanon interviewing members of Hezbollah for my dissertation. The next five years I spent at a political and security risk consultancy in London helping large organisations mitigate the security risks to their staff and businesses. I learned a lot about terrorism and political violence as well as how to write. Then, I moved back over the Atlantic to Washington DC. I worked at the International Monetary Fund and advised them on security issues across the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. It was not uncommon for me to be woken in the middle of the night following a terrorist attack in Kabul as my colleagues sought my advice.

I moved up to New York and worked at the Humanitarian Agency International Rescue Committee. I was privileged to work on humanitarian emergencies across the world from Syria to the Central African Republic, helping people affected by conflict recover and prosper. A highlight was accompanying David Miliband, former British Foreign Secretary, to the United Nations and writing some of his speeches. Since then, I have entered the fields of journalism, speech writing and analysis. I write for a range of publications (some with a worldwide audience), get to travel across the world and meet and interview amazingly accomplished people. But my biggest satisfaction comes from work that I feel makes a difference to society; an op-ed which inspires collective action to help a country; an investigation that uncovers a human rights or corruption issue. Over the last few months, I won funding from the Carnegie Corp to work on a project to highlight untold stories and document on-the-ground realities in the Middle East and North Africa against the backdrop of Covid-19. To achieve this, I am working with The Soufan Center and Truepic. These stories and videos have been distributed across the media and to policymakers and humanitarian organizations across the world. More recently, I put together a report for the bipartisan Western Hemisphere Drug Commission on improving US policy to Central America. The report was presented to US Congress and the President in November. Additionally, I am also working on a book, along with my co-author Dr. Linda Lopez. The book is structured around how cities can rebuild post Covid-19 to become resilient to future disasters such as climate migration, security issues and help better integrate and protect vulnerable communities. I don’t know where I will be in five years’ time with my career. But I know that my mission is to help give a voice to the voiceless and use my words and writing to fight against injustices. Along with my parents and family, I owe Dundee High School a lot of gratitude.