Request for Pioneer

Do you know of a fellow alumnus who has a story to tell or do you yourself have something youd like to share about the work you do or a venture you are involved in? If you think you can help, please get in touch - contact Audrey Chisholm with any news or information by emailing Audrey@gsb.strath.ac.uk

In the news

An article on the MBM appeared in The Times career section on January 19. "Similarities end with the student" looked at the differences between the MBA and pre-experience masters such as the MBM. Professor Colin Eden is quoted as saying that many alumni find their career progression is good enough with the MBM without the need to convert to an MBA.

An article entitled "Passport to a new career" appeared in The Herald on Janaury 19. The article profiled the Strathclyde MBA and also carried a profile of Anne Miller who graduated in November and has just taken up a position as chief executive of The Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow. She is quoted as saying, "Overall, I think the MBA has given me a much broader perspective on many aspects of management, reinforcing these skills, and increasing my confidence in my own abilities."

Stephen Koepplinger, who was USGSBs nominee for AMBAs Student of the Year 2005 and ultimate winner, has had an article published about his Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship to Australia and New Zealand in PE & Sport Todays winter issue. The article mentions the inspiration for his setting up of the charity After School Activities Programme (ASAP) and his AMBA award gained while studying for his MBA.

The Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) carried two articles mentioning Professor Gerry Johnson on January 27. "How to get Ahead in Publishing: Authors and Publishers offer their tips" quotes Professor Johnson as saying that the text should be well written and the subject must be represented in a way that helps students learn. Professor Johnson is also named in a list of successful academic writers.

Business plan competition 2006

Entires are now invited for the Oxford University Business Plan Competition 2006. Now in its ninth year, the competition has become a launch pad for entrants to raise investment successfully for their commercial venturs. Ideas must be original or a significant improvement on an existing business and must have recieved no more than £250,000 of funding so far. The top prize this year is £20,000 for the winning business plan, plus prizes for runners-up and for the best elevator pitch.

Entires are welcome from individuals, teams, new companies or existing companies creating spin-offs with an innovative idea for a science, technology, medical or design-based business.

The deadline for entries is May 19 and the finalists will be announced in June. Register interest online at www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/entrepreneurship and click on business plan competition.

Meet the counsellors

Continuing our pfofiles of counsellors overseas, we introduce Ellen Orr from our Shanghai centre.

Ellen got her MBA in 1986 from Harvard Business School. She worked for American Express Company in New York, Brighton and London from 1986 to 1991. She then became assistant to the chief executive of MAI plc in London before moving further east to Hong Kong in 1993 as regional broking services  manager. Her next career move was to take up the position of vice president, capital markets with Chemical Bank, again in Hong Kong. In 1998 she became deputy general manager in Beijing with China International Capital Corporation, a joint investment banking venture between Morgan Stanley and China Construction Bank and from 2000 became executive director in Shanghai, leading securities sales teams in Beijing and Shanghai, focusing on debt trading and distribution. From 2004 she has been mentoring high potential executives with foreign-invested companies in China, responsible for enhancing leadership skills, promotion potential and professional development of assigned staff. She has been involved as a GSB counsellor since October and is thoroughly enjoying it.