The impact of your giving

Foreword

The end of the 2022-23 academic year brought my first year as Dean to a close. Discovering the University of Oxford’s unique ecosystem, and the important role that Saïd Business School plays within that, has been a great pleasure. We are so fortunate to be situated within such an exceptional university that affords us many opportunities for integration and innovation.

It is my absolute privilege to lead this inspiring, committed, and hard-working community of students, alumni, faculty, and professional-service colleagues who together achieve a great deal. The ambitious priorities that we have set for the next five years and beyond, which centre on becoming a benchmark brand among business schools globally, attracting the most academically talented students, and bringing research excellence to the core, would not be possible without the dedication of our community, and of course the generous philanthropic support of our donors.

Our supporters’ contributions are integral to the life and continuous improvement of the School. On behalf of us all, I’d like to express my thanks for your ongoing support. You are part of a dynamic and purpose driven community here at Oxford Saïd, striving to make a real difference in the world.

Professor Soumitra Dutta
Peter Moores Dean

Having joined the School in November 2022, it has been a great pleasure to spend this time getting to know our inspiring and diverse community. I have very much enjoyed meeting donors at the annual Rewley Lecture and Dinner, alumni at the London dinner, and at international events. It’s been fascinating to learn how the School supports our students with scholarships and experiential learning opportunities, and about the lifelong learning, networking opportunities, and ongoing careers coaching we provide to our alumni.

It’s incredibly exciting to join the School as it enters a new chapter of growth and development. Over the last six months, the Development and Alumni team has restructured and expanded to ensure that we’re able to deepen levels of alumni engagement, and secure the crucial philanthropic funds needed to support the School in meeting its strategic goals. As a member of our community, whether you donate money, time, or expertise, you are supporting this mission and for that we are incredibly grateful.

I look forward to meeting many more members of our community at events over the next year, and especially to launching a new series of global alumni and supporter events, Oxford Saïd: The Leadership Conversation, in anticipation of our exciting capital project and new home to Executive Education – the Global Leadership Centre – opening in 2025.

Kate Foley
Director of Development and Alumni Relations

Buildings

‘A 900-year-old University, meeting 21^st-century demands.’

Kate Foley
Director of Development and Alumni Relations

In October 2022 we celebrated the one-year anniversary of the groundbreaking at Osney Power Station.

The redevelopment of Osney Power Station will provide the new home for Executive Education, the Global Leadership Centre (GLC). The GLC has been commissioned to support high-level business and leadership education, with a range of formal and informal teaching spaces. It will also include 121 hotel-style bedrooms for executive accommodation, alongside leisure and dining facilities.

The project has made good progress in the last year, with demolition and asbestos removal completed, retention and restoration work to the original façade, as well as work on external wall repairs below the waterline. The piling and groundworks were completed in September, and the steel frame is currently being installed.

‘There has been a tremendous amount of progress made toward constructing the Global Leadership Centre in the past year. It is exciting to see the project evolve and to know that with every stage of completion, we are a step closer to providing our executive participants with a world-class education in a new state-of-the-art building.’

Eleanor Murray
Associate Dean for Executive Education and Senior Fellow in Management Practice

In August 2022, John McAslan & Partners, the architects behind the GLC’s innovative design, were among the winners of the prestigious Chicago Athenaeum International Architecture Award 2022.

The International Architecture Awards honour the best, significant new buildings, landscape architecture, and planning projects designed and/or built globally by the world’s leading architects, landscape architects, and urban planners. A distinguished jury of international designers selected more than 150 new buildings from 48 countries and said of the Global Leadership Centre:

‘The design ... is wholly transformational – an architectural intervention that produces executive education in an internationally communicative, functionally flexible, and place-sensitive environment. In short, a memorable world class building that serves the development of world class leadership.’

As the project’s completion date draws nearer, thought turns to the activity that will take place inside the building. Leadership development is the cornerstone on which Saïd Business School is built – we’ve been helping to develop the leaders of tomorrow since our inception. The GLC will provide the physical infrastructure needed to bring individuals and organisations together in inspiring spaces, where they can have an immersive and transformative educational experience before returning to their organisation and country with new insights, skills, and knowledge. With state-of-the-art digital tools allowing for flexible programmes that can incorporate face to face and remote learning, the GLC will allow contributions from diverse global teams and international experts, ensuring that Oxford Saïd can support more outstanding students on their leadership journeys.

Community giving

Broad community support is integral to the School’s ability to respond quickly to changing priorities or external events, and allocate funds to the area of greatest need. Our alumni contribute financially and by volunteering time, offering expertise, and working as global ambassadors.

In the last year, we’re especially proud to have expanded the Rewley Scholarship to Executive MBA, Diploma, and MSc Major Programme Management students, in addition to our current offering to MBA and MSc Financial Economics students.

‘When the Rewley Fund and Rewley Scholarship was launched in May 2022, it had a stated aim of expanding to the EMBA, Diploma, and MMPM programmes, which would be facilitated by increased alumni giving. We are therefore proud that through the School, we are able to deliver on this goal and add an additional seven Rewley awards for students on the EMBA, Diploma and MMPM programmes.’

Kathy Harvey
Associate Dean, MBA and Executive Degrees

Launched in 2022, the Rewley Fund and Rewley Scholarship is the primary vehicle for our alumni to give back to the School, and offers a way to make gifts of all sizes go further and have an impact in supporting tomorrow’s leaders.

Giving Day, an annual fundraising marathon held in June, received 443 gifts and raised £205,052 in support of the Rewley Fund. The incoming Rewley Scholars join an alumni network which will support them throughout their time at Oxford Saïd and beyond.

‘As a graduate of Oxford Saïd’s very first MBA class, I’ve seen the School go from strength to strength over the last 25 years. Alumni support is crucial to the School’s continuing success and I’m therefore thrilled to have contributed to Giving Day 2023.’

Markus Golser
MBA 1996

‘The Rewley scholarship is a testament to the alumni’s commitment to bringing diverse individuals to Oxford and enabling them to make a real impact in society.’

Tanishq Gupta
MBA 2022, Rewley Scholar

Total gifts: 443

Total raised: £205,052

Gifts from donors in 48 countries

 

Special thanks to our Giving Day champions:

Abdullah Aldubaikhi
Leo Tong Chen
Helio Cumbi
Ladi Delano
Soumitra Dutta & Lourdes Casanova
James Economou
Markus Golser
Sam Laidlaw
Tongzuan Li
Farell Sutantio
Ping Xu
Kazumasa Yoshihiro
Wanakaset

Scholarships

Scholarships remain a key fundraising priority at Saïd Business School, ensuring the School can attract the brightest and best students, and that financial considerations are not a barrier to further education.

The Mastercard Foundation AfOx Scholarship

Announced this year, the University of Oxford and the Mastercard Foundation have launched an innovative and ambitious partnership to provide 400 young African scholars with unparalleled opportunities to pursue Masters degrees at the University of Oxford, 40 of which will be through Saïd Business School. The scholars will receive full funding for their studies, as well as benefitting from a bespoke Leadership and Impact Programme delivered in partnership with the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, and tailored academic and social support throughout their studies. 

Oxford-Intesa Sanpaolo MBA Scholarship

We are delighted to be able to share the news that Intesa Sanpaolo have renewed their support for Oxford Saïd, committing to a fully-funded MBA scholarship with living allowance for a female MBA student each year for the next six academic years. Intesa Sanpaolo are long-time supporters of the School, with an ongoing partnership with the Centre for Corporate Reputation.

Leo Tong Chen Scholarships

Alumnus Leo Tong Chen (MBA 2001) has bolstered his support for the School by renewing the Leo Tong Chen Scholarship. The programme provides two awards on the basis of academic excellence for MBA candidates. 

‘The Leo Tong Chen scholarship was the deciding factor for me to join Oxford – not only did it make it possible for me to accept my MBA offer, but it has made me part of a community of supportive scholars at Oxford, giving me confidence and credibility in my journey.’

Vineetha Sivadev
MBA 2022, Leo Tong Chen Scholar

‘Scholarships are essential to attract the most talented students from a wide range of backgrounds whose unique perspectives enrich our School. The presence of scholars in our community only serves to enrich the experience for all, and as they go on to excel in their respective fields, strengthens our reputation as a top business school.'

Kate Foley
Director of Development and Alumni Relations

Research

Introducing… Pinar Ozcan

Pinar Ozcan is Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Saïd Business School, Director of the Oxford Future of Finance and Technology Initiative, and in October 2022 was named as Academic Director of the Entrepreneurship Centre.

The role will see Pinar lead and shape how students across the University are supported in pursuing their entrepreneurial ambitions, through an exceptional experiential learning experience, with a focus on innovation.  

‘Saïd Business School has a formidable track record of both entrepreneurship research, teaching and engagement with entrepreneurial ecosystems. I am looking forward to amplifying the voice of entrepreneurship at Oxford.’ 

Pinar Ozcan
Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Pinar specialises in strategy, entrepreneurship, and technology markets. Her current research includes AI and business models in fintech, open banking, digital disruption, and the rise of big tech platforms.

New funding for research on digital currencies  

This year, Pinar Ozcan’s research was supported with funding from Ripple Labs for a new project: An Ecosystem Approach to Fostering Central Bank Digital Currencies. Ripple Labs have long championed the work that the School does in advancing knowledge on blockchain and fintech, and have supported the School via the Oxford Future of FinTech Initiative.

New research on best practices in interorganisational data sharing

BMC Software are funding a research fellow, supervised by Pinar Ozcan within the Oxford Future of FinTech Initiative, to design and deliver research and insights into the different approaches that organisations can adopt in unlocking the business value of data. The research fellow will also give recommendations on best practice based on their findings.

Launching The Ownership Project 2.0

In February of this year, the Ownership Project 2.0 was launched – an initiative to develop actionable, research-based insights into how private capital owners can leverage their wealth to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The project, funded by a transformational £1.5 million gift from NextWorld Philanthropies, is co-led by Dr Marya Besharov, Professor of Organisations and Impact and Academic Director of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, and Dr Bridget Kustin, Senior Research Fellow.

‘NextWorld Philanthropies’ generous commitment will enable the Skoll Centre to become the leading source of best practices for private capital owners to achieve impact.’

Dr Marya Besharov 
Professor of Organisations and Impact, Principal Investigator of the Ownership Project 2.0, Academic Director, Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship

In July 2023, AVPA were announced as partners of The Ownership Project 2.0. AVPA provided support for the project by co-hosting an African Family Offices Gathering in Cape Town, South Africa, which brought together African family offices to learn from their peers and explore their role in catalysing positive long-term change. The partnership between AVPA and The Ownership Project 2.0 exemplifies the collaborative power of the Skoll Centre's global network of researchers and practitioners.

Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship

The Skoll World Forum was held in Oxford in April, with guest speaker Al Gore returning to the School. Whilst progress has been made since his last appearance in 2016, with the need for urgent and immense climate action now an accepted fact, Al Gore’s optimism that we can change remains firmly in place. He posed that the central question about climate change is how we change – something the social entrepreneurs, activists, and innovators convened at the Forum are all attempting to answer.

Oxford Saïd is deeply committed to finding solutions to world-scale challenges like climate change, with the Skoll Centre at the forefront of this research. The School’s announcement in June of a global challenge for students and teachers with innovative solutions to combat climate change was therefore welcome news. In partnership with Burjeel Holdings, the competition invites students to present their proposals for addressing the climate crisis, and educators to submit their lesson plans that raise awareness of climate change and inspire students to think creatively about tackling the issue. The finalists will present their solutions at COP28 in Dubai, with the winners invited to a specially curated course at Saïd Business School. The competition aims to empower students to drive meaningful solutions to accelerate climate action.

‘We are thrilled to launch the Burjeel Holdings Oxford Saïd Climate Change Challenge, an initiative that sparks the transformative potential of the almost one billion-strong high school students and teachers around the world to have their ideas and lessons heard all around the world in addressing the generational issue of climate change.’

Dr Shamsheer Vayalil
Burjeel Holdings founder and chairperson

‘Climate change is the most urgent threat to humanity and our young people will be dealing with its impacts in ways we do not yet understand. We will only stop this crisis through bold thinking, innovation, and creativity.’

Professor Soumitra Dutta 
Peter Moores Dean

Rewley Lecture and Dinner

We were honoured to be joined by academic and economist, Sir Dieter Helm at the annual Rewley Lecture and Dinner in November of last year. Dieter is a leading authority on the economics of utilities and energy, and an expert on biodiversity. He spoke on ‘Net Zero, Natural Capital, and the sustainable economy', discussed the aims of the COP27 conference, and proposed alternative solutions to the global climate crisis.

New research on consumer sentiment towards climate change

Investcorp have entered into partnership with Oxford Saïd to fund a research project, led by Dr Amir Amel-Zadeh, to investigate consumers’ attitudes and behaviour towards climate-friendly vs climate-damaging products and create an index of consumer sentiment towards climate change. The project is part of a broader initiative exploring how businesses can modify their practises to progress towards sustainability targets, whilst still meeting business needs.

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship Centre

The Entrepreneurship Centre celebrated the 10^th anniversary of the Oxford Seed Fund, a student-led fund that provides capital for promising University start-ups, in June, holding an event with world renowned entrepreneur, Steve Blank.

‘The student-led Oxford Seed Fund has invested in some great companies over the last decade, spanning a range of industries and supporting both would-be investors and the founders, with an Oxford affiliation, and with a hands-on educational experience. Entrepreneurship at Oxford University is a real powerhouse of innovation and collaboration.’

James Murray
Head of Partnerships & Oxford Seed Fund

‘Universities like Oxford are key to a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem. Today, instead of being passive, more and more universities are becoming active in building an entrepreneurial community. They have internal incubators, maker spaces, their own venture funds. They connect to the community; they connect to venture capital.’

Steve Blank

In August, we were delighted to announce that the Oxford Seed Fund had raised £2.5 million from Oxford Science Enterprises, making it Europe’s largest, and one of the world’s biggest, student-led seed funds. The investment will create a five-fold rise in the start-ups that the Oxford Seed Fund can support, and better support the global impact of innovative students from across the University.

Creative Destruction Lab

CDL-Oxford launched their fifth stream, Space, this year. The Space stream will support startups focused on pursuing commercial opportunities that exploit the recent cost reduction of accessing space. The programme will bring together astronauts, entrepreneurs, investors, and scientists from fields related to space exploration and transportation, satellite communications, Earth observation, automation, and robotics. CDL mentors will work with these startups to sharpen objectives, prioritise time and resources, raise capital, build networks, and engage with experts working on the frontiers of research, with the ultimate aim being to enable humanity to benefit from space-based technologies.

A very topical subject, CDL Director, Sarah Barratt Ball, and CDL Space Stream Founding Felloe, Commander Chris Hadfield, were honoured to attend the launch of the Sustainable Markets Initiative Astra Carta framework with His Majesty, King Charles III, at Buckingham Palace. The framework sets out a roadmap for the global private sector to align their space-related activities with sustainability goals, in partnership with governments, international organisations, and other stakeholders.