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interview With
LSBF Founder and Executive Chairman, Aaron Etingen
What was the greatest highlight of 2013 for you?
achievement for the group which we are all very proud of.
How would you describe your leadership style?
We had a number of exciting developments; including setting up a partnership with the online division of Cornell University, eCornell, and generally we started to become a lot more active in the US. A leading business school in Germany also joined our group. We made significant progress in building LSBF’s global infrastructure. We opened a new campus in Billiter Street, right in the heart of the City, spanning some 60,000 ft of Grade A space as well as a new building in Red Lion Street, and, internationally, in Singapore and Toronto, which are also now Grade A campuses. Not forgetting, the proud moment of meeting Her Majesty the Queen and receiving the Queen’s Award for Enterprise – a fantastic
Can you name a person who has had a big impact on you as an entrepreneur and explain how they have influenced you?
There is a difference between leadership style and management style. Politicians can be great leaders but they don’t need to be great managers, whereas in the world of business, one must be both a leader and a manager. In the SME environment when you run a medium size enterprise you need all sorts of qualities. In my case, I start with a vision of where we want to get to, then I bring a team on board to deliver the how and when, I like to empower people and give them the opportunity to express themselves and then I will challenge them to achieve superior results.
I am inspired by the likes of Walt Disney and Steve Jobs - even though some may disagree – they did not live to see the pinnacle of their company’s success but they could visualise it, innovate and create their own reality. These are the people who inspire me. What is the one character trait you believe every leader should possess? Leadership! But, in all seriousness, there are many qualities which leaders should have – integrity, loyalty, vision, the ability to make people feel part of something bigger.
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