Institution: Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, UK
Course: Advanced Management & Leadership Program
November 2024
The Industry Leaders Fund (ILF) and its objectives were introduced to me by Andrew Downs and my Chairman within a short period of time in 2021. Working in a niche industry, which is predominantly based in Europe means that, for me, frequent access to industry and related peers is limited. Our industry is going through significant structural change. It is for these reasons that I applied to ILF for a high-quality leadership course that draws students from around the world and a wide range of industries.
I was awarded an ILF scholarship in 2023 to attend the Said Business School OALMP in November 2024.
Oxford University is recognised for its educational programs and the Said Business School is consistently highly rated as a global leader in business education. The course was an intensive, three-week live-in course which drew leaders and educators from around the world.
Our cohort was 47, representing more than 30 countries.
The course is built around a framework that considers each individual as a leader, their business and/or team, their industry sector and global issues. The content and educators are drawn from Oxford’s vast pool of research and experts; most of whom have contemporary real-world experiences. Because of Said Business Schools’ reach and reputation, we also had small group interactions with business leaders including Toto Wolff, CEO of Mercedes F1 and Simon Hill-Norton, the founder of Sweaty Betty.
The intensive live-in model was a powerful approach, ensuring there are minimal distractions to the learning and built a strong amongst the cohort. Oxford is also very committed to ensuring all alumni have ongoing support and resources from the university after the program finishes.
A program of this nature is a huge commitment of time and money and was an incredibly valuable experience with learnings and a network that are already paying dividends. The ILF is unique to South Australian Business Leaders, offering an opportunity for growth and development that may not otherwise be possible. I am grateful for their support.
Thank you to Richard, Suzi and the ILF board for supporting this remarkable opportunity.
