Issue 257 - March 2016

Message from a Director…

50 Entrepreneurs

In the last edition of Forum, we reported news of Cranfield 50 Entrepreneurs, a new network bringing together the most successful entrepreneurs from our community of alumni and friends. Dr Shai Vyakarnam, director of the Bettany Centre, spearheaded the initiative to help inspire the next generation of start-ups by encouraging the network to donate their time to support and promote entrepreneurial activities across the University. The celebratory evening was held at the House of Lords and hosted by Lord Karan Bilimoria, co-founder and chairman of Cobra Beer, and himself an alumnus of our Business Growth Programme (BGP). Cranfield vice-chancellor Professor Sir Peter Gregson and School of Management director Professor Maury Peiperl spoke at the event, which included alumni from a host of start-ups spanning continents. Three of the Cranfield 50 Entrepreneurs who were at the event have since appeared in a Financial Times article. Tristram and Rebecca Mayhew of Go Ape! and Jamie Waller of JBW Group Ltd all attended the Business Growth Programme and appear in a piece on mixing study and networking.

Next year, Cranfield School of Management turns 50, marking the anniversary of the first MBA programme. While our anniversary year is still some months away, we’re already in an exciting phase, in which we’re planning some celebratory events and activities. I’m coordinating a project team of colleagues across the School to run the 50th celebrations, under the sponsorship of the SoM Executive and a steering group chaired by Emeritus Professor David Myddelton. There are three strands to the celebrations.

Firstly, we want to celebrate with our student and corporate alumni, faculty staff and current students across the globe, in as many locations as possible. Secondly, we want to use the anniversary as an opportunity to generate interest and momentum in Cranfield to attract new students, corporate partners, faculty, researchers and staff. And, finally, to grow support for the School through alumni and sponsor engagement in our activities and our future. We’re anticipating a 50th anniversary ‘treatment’ of our brand, encompassing a logo and special email signature, which I’d encourage you to use on your external messages to spread the word, so look out for all of this in due course. Most of all, we really want your help and to hear your ideas. This is a celebration for all of the School of Management community and we need for everyone to get involved. If you’ve got an idea for an event, please do get in touch with me. We need offers of how you can contribute to what will be an exciting year of celebrations ahead. Our achievements across these 50 years have been phenomenal and I hope that many of you will have the opportunity to be part of these lasting celebrations in 2017. I came here as a student in the 25th year of the School and I know that many of you have a long association with, and are very proud of, Cranfield School of Management.

Colin Hudson Director of Career Development

MoD boost to Executive MSc

Maury joins his five predecessors

Dr Neil Turner was pleased to welcome another double cohort of 60 students onto the Executive MSc in Programme and Project Management in Shrivenham this year. These are all military staff, and bring the total number of ‘in-flight’ students on the course to over 200. Dr Turner said: “This is great news for Cranfield, and the growth of the course with such investment and

Professor Maury Peiperl welcomed some familiar faces back to the School of Management at a CMDC lunch last month. Spanning over 30 years of School directors were Emeritus Professor David Myddelton (1985-1986), Emeritus Professor Leo Murray (1986-2003), Emeritus Professor Michael Osbaldeston OBE (2003-2009), Professor Frank Horwitz (2009-2013) and Professor Joe Nellis (2014-2015).

commitment from the MoD is an excellent sign that they see the benefits for their students and the wider organisation.”

The CRMI was buzzing with discussion as 45 associates from across the School recently joined CCED for the first Cranfield Associate Network day. Sarah Amies, Business Development and Commercial Manager, said: “The invitation to all was to come and gain a broader understanding of our business and strategic plans so they could consider how they might want to work with us going forward. Lively debate followed inputs from Maury, John Glen, David Butcher, Mary Mills and Michael Bourlakis, with useful feedback and suggestions on how we might build a mutually beneficial associate community across the School.” Concurrent workshops in the afternoon on Writing for Cranfield, Networked Learning and a client case study, gave the group further insights into the business and the potential opportunities. The day marked the launch of a new era in the School of Management’s associate approach. Work now continues on building the community and professionalising the practice, with the next Cranfield Associate Network day taking place on Friday 17 June. CCED launches Cranfield Associate Network