CHAIRMAN’S LETTER
OR Chairman’s Letter Nick Walford (B’69)
C
OVID-19 - a catalyst and accelerator
innovative sector in business, more so than
2018 hired Andrew Cook as Chief Development
for change” was how I began my
even tech. There are no monopolies or patents
and Commercial Officer. Further progress has
report last year, and it has certainly
in football. Other clubs copied the La Masia
been made this year in the appointment of Jess
been a turbulent year on many fronts but not
Academy and have caught up and gone beyond
Smith and Lia Rothman who were hired in April
just as a result of the pandemic. Change is
Barca which is why a business, like football,
and September respectively to support Andrew
something which human beings do not always
which starts every year with zero points must
across the OR Society and OR Foundation.
find easy to do. When leaders, in whatever
look to innovate.”
arena, talk of the need for change, those
Staying with the Society’s structure, as this
benefitting from the status quo feel uneasy
As Steve Jobs said “innovation is the ability to
year’s President Rachel Bacon (A’86) has had
and consciously, or sometimes unconsciously,
see change as an opportunity, not a threat.”
her time in office nearly halved by Coronavirus,
resist or slow down the required momentum for
we asked Rachel if she would like to extend her
change, even when the evidence of the need to
I see my responsibility to make sure that the Old
period in office for another year. I am pleased to
do so is clear. Often there is a failure to even
Reptonian Society is not old at all, but rather
say that she was delighted to accept and so Nick
recognise the need for change at all.
adaptive and in touch. For those who have
Smith’s (B’69) period in office as President will
attended and heard me speak at the OR Society
be pushed back a year to 2023.
A recent article in the business section of
General Committee Meetings, or the AGM or at
the Times by Graham Ruddick talked about
OR Sports Night or who read The Arch you will
We want the OR Society to be a community
businesses not being as good at innovation as
be aware that my message since taking over as
which as many ORs as possible feel is a
they think they are. He refers to a quotation
your Chair in November 2018 is the need for the
valuable part of their lives. This starts with our
from Jack Welsh, the former boss of General
OR Society to adapt, change, innovate ( choose
OR Society School Liaison Officers and current
Electric who died last year, that innovation was
whichever word you are most comfortable
teachers, Anna Parish and Nigel Kew, who will
“not a big breakthrough invention every time.
with!) to reflect more accurately the nature of
ensure we have a constant link with pupils to
Innovation is a constant thing. But if you do not
the school now and of those ORs who have left
establish early awareness and understanding of
have an innovative company , coming to work
in recent years particularly since we became
what the OR society can offer, particularly the
every day to find a better way, you don’t have
fully and extremely successfully co-educational.
help ORs can provide them in considering and
a company. You are getting ready to die on the vine.” Or as Darwin expressed it “adapt or die”.
finding out about potential careers. Recent ORs Now, if you are still with me, let’s move closer
are of course the lifeblood of the OR Society
to Repton. In the last year Repton has been busy
and so it is crucial that recent leavers are aware
We have seen the consequences in the last year
innovating under the excellent leadership of
of the benefits they can enjoy by being active
of organisations which fail to adapt or change.
Mark Semmence. Repton Prep and Repton is
and engaged ORs. Unfortunately, the last two
Organisations that cause climate change, or that
now a through school with pupils from 3-18. We
years Leavers’ Balls did not take place in July as
face accusations of institutional misogyny like
continue to develop our network of international
planned. The OR Society was delighted to host
the police, or institutional racism like Yorkshire
schools. The school’s investment in technology
these events on the 10th and 11th of December
County Cricket Club and more widely in cricket
prior to the pandemic paid off in its ability
and made a financial contribution to ensure that
overall.
to deliver online teaching effectively when
these leavers are aware of the OR Society and
the pandemic struck. The impact of all this
encouraged to be active participants.
Innovation is a much-used word and is
innovation is, I suspect, why Repton is now full,
The Society is keen to keep in touch with ORs
an excellent example of a more positive
with 630 pupils and 396 at Repton Prep.
when they are at university and when they first
expression for change. Ruddick makes reference
start working, by organising informal drinks in
to Simon Kuper, a frequent contributor to the
Recognising that engaging effectively with an
the major cities. Please do get in contact with
Financial Times, who “wrote an excellent book
alumni community requires extensive skills
the OR Office at Repton if you would like to get
called Barca about FC Barcelona, describing
and expertise, we reviewed the structure and
involved with these events.
European Football as just about the most
capability of the OR Office in Repton and in
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THE ARCH
