Institution: Said Business School, University of Oxford (UK)
Course: Advanced Management & Leadership Program
I was introduced to the Industry Leaders Fund and Geoff Vogt by a colleague and fellow ILF Scholar back in March 2019. Geoff and I had several meetings to discuss the development options to take my leadership talent and skills to a higher level and faster than otherwise might have been possible. Having already completed an MBA, Geoff suggested the best option would be to study at Oxford University and complete the Oxford Advanced Management and Leadership Programme (OAMLP).
I applied for the grant in 2020 but due to COVID I was not able to attend the programme in person until at least 2022, due to personal and work commitments I decided the best time to attend the programme was in October 2023.
The OAMLP is an intense on campus three-week executive programme for senior leaders who want to learn about the latest thinking in global leadership, personal development and make a strategic impact on your organisation. We had over forty people from twenty-three countries on the programme so was a very diverse cohort of likeminded leaders. I found the course content to be very relevant including topics about purpose and your work as a leader, strategic alignment, organisational culture, and global innovations to name a few. The key programme outcomes are set up to give you a personal leadership playbook, purpose, and insights so that you can make a real impact on yourself, the organisation and society. The network you build of high-quality people from diverse cultures, industries and backgrounds is amazing, I have made lifelong friendships that I will cherish forever.
My organisation will benefit from my new way of thinking and enthusiasm, I will be able to develop exciting and innovative ways to grow the business. I now have the knowledge and the tools to create a strategic plan that will lead to sustainable and profitable growth.
Apart from the learning opportunities we had cultural and walking tours, group activities like a scone making contest, cultural diversity celebration, and group dinners at Oxford colleges all in a safe and historic environment. We had the weekends for rest and reflection, so I took the opportunity to explore the beautiful cities of Oxford and Bath with my new friends visiting museums, libraries, and other sightseeing activities. I would highly recommend this programme to anyone considering investing in their personal development and the future growth of their organisation.
I would like to say a big thank you to Geoff, Suzi and the ILF board for giving me this life changing opportunity, the Oxford experience is one that I will never forget and will help me drive wealth creation, both personal and corporate, now and into the future.
Stuart Rogers
Director / General Manager
Williams Metal fabrications
ILF Scholar 2020
