ASTON

ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2019

THE BUSINESS ISSUE

A S T O N C H E Q U E S A N D THE FUTURE IN 1981 THE CITY OF ENERGY WELCOME Aston Alumni Magazine — 2019 WELCOME

06 Aston is my lucky place THE

22 The language of work BUSINESS

ISSUE 42 Get up and GO! 30 Six degrees of Aston

28 More Power to his elbow

12 Cheques and the city

26 The future of energy

WELCOME

As a recent Aston Law School graduate and future trainee solicitor at Latham & Watkins, I am honoured to join the Aston alumni network and CONTENTS guest edit this business issue of Aston In Touch. Currently, I am the SME Engagement Manager at the Aston Business School’s Centre for Growth as well as building my own media and broadcasting business, Talk About Ltd. This means my days are spent either speaking to business owners in 2019 – Alumni Magazine various sectors or learning about what makes a successful business. As a businesswoman and future international commercial lawyer, this issue of FEATURES REGULARS Aston In Touch greatly appeals to me. My time spent at Aston (both as a 06 Alumni profile – Xenia Zhang 16 Meet the exec – Mark Smith student and an employee) has shown me that business is not just a subject area but is all around us every second of every day. In this issue, Xenia 09 Five Questions for... GoCompare 32 In conversation... Gregor Townsend MBE Zhang (p. 6) beautifully explains how working as an international chef CEO Matthew Crummack and Professor Alec Cameron and food blogger has opened her up to different cultures. She emphasises 12 Cheques and the city 45 Alumni news – class notes the importance of being open to new experiences, people, and pursuing one’s dreams - even if they are unconventional. This same approach is 19 Gymshark just keeps moving forward IN PICTURES demonstrated by Arese Ugwu (p. 12) who successfully stepped into her 22 The language of work career as a blogger and finance author in Nigeria. Her work encourages 10 The year in pictures everyone to take advantage of opportunities no matter where they are. The 26 The future of energy 48 In detail insight into Mark Smith’s working life (p. 16) is just one of many examples Venandah Madanhi 28 History – James Watt bicentenary of how versatile Aston employees are. Alongside his executive role, Mark Guest Editor and Birmingham’s organises business conferences on the beaches of Cornwall. Passionate 30 Alumni profile – Dr Jack Carnell Executive Editor: Dr Annette Rubery Top 30 Under 30. Alumni News Editor: Aaisha Bibi ([email protected]) about agile working, Mark is definitely leading by example. Last but not 35 History – Aston in 1981 Features writers: Ben East; Anna Blackaby; least, we look at the amazing growth that Gymshark has experienced over Richard McComb; Annette Rubery 39 Illustration: Daniel Turner the years (p. 19). From an idea in Birmingham all the way to a brand that Making a game of rail disruption Photography: Edward Moss; Richard Battye Design: Digitronix Ltd sends products to customers across 131 countries, Ben Francis’s work 42 Crowdfunding is GO! Print: W&G Baird embodies what it means to be ambitious, hardworking, and innovative. [email protected] /AstonUniversityAlumni @AstonAlumni /school/16267 News in Brief incl. Development news News in Brief incl. AGA NEWS

NEWS Aston Alumni Magazine — 2019 NEWS Aston University is best in Professor Graham the UK for “value-added” Harding was one of the nation’s life-savers The Guardian University Guide 2020 has ranked Aston University as number one in the country for “value-added”, a rise of 22 places from last year. This score relates to students A professor of clinical neurophysiology from Aston who have entered an institution with lower qualifications University has been recognised for his exceptional – and are therefore less likely to achieve firsts or 2:1s – but contribution to keeping the nation healthy. Professor whose performance exceeds expectations. The Guardian Graham Harding (below, left), who passed away has also rated Aston as the 36th best university in the UK peacefully in October 2018, aged 81, was a neuroscience out of a possible 121 institutions. The number of students pioneer who developed the Harding flash and pattern who continue their courses has risen to ninth place – Breakthrough in analyser used to test video content for flashing and up 16 from the previous table. To calculate its rankings, stationary patterns which may cause harm to those the Guardian University Guide uses nine statistical brain-injury treatment who suffer from photosensitive epilepsy. Professor measures to determine university performance, which Harding was early to recognise the dangers of certain are then knitted together to determine an overall score. material broadcast on television and used in video games. Each year, millions of people worldwide suffer strokes or He drafted the original Office of Communications’ traumatic head injuries, resulting in swelling to the brain. (OFCOM) guidelines and became a consultant adviser Caused by water entering the brain through a protein to the Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre on molecule (aquaporin-4), this swelling is known as photosensitivity and televised material. He was also Doors open to new ‘cytotoxic oedema’. It can lead to death, disability and amongst the first in the UK to realise the potential of Students’ Union an increased risk of neurodegeneration with ageing. magnetoencephalography (MEG). In 2000 he led a A research project being led by Professor Roslyn Bill successful Wellcome Trust bid to secure the UK’s first has discovered that an existing drug, currently used in whole-head MEG system. As part of Universities UK’s healthcare to treat something completely different, After much anticipation, on May 1st 2019 Aston’s new MadeAtUni campaign he was named as one of Nation’s dramatically reduces the number of these molecules, Students’ Union building was opened by Sir Dominic Lifesavers – the top 100 individuals or groups based in stopping water entering the brain and preventing Cadbury at a reception attended by staff, students and universities whose work has made a life-changing swelling. This could save countless lives in future. alumni. The spacious building, named for Sir Adrian difference to our health and wellbeing. Cadbury (brother to Sir Dominic and Aston’s Chancellor from 1979 to 2004), takes the place of the much-loved

Guild building which has struggled to accommodate the Find out more: increase in student numbers over the past few years. aston.ac.uk/alumni/make-a-gift/brain The new building is adjacent to Chancellor’s Lake and “This is an incredibly open building with great flexibility; has a range of food and drink outlets, social spaces there are so many ways that the spaces in this building (including a balcony overlooking campus), prayer can be used, and the students will conceive ways of using and meeting rooms, a shop, and two halls for events. it that we haven’t even thought of. The Union is where The reception area includes a display of quotes from students come together and socialise with friends; they Aston helps staff alumni who donated to the project. At the launch, join clubs and societies and they develop leadership to support student Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alec Cameron, remarked: attributes. For many of us who went to university, we remember the stuff that happened outside the classroom mental health – in the students’ union, on the playing field, with our friends – and that’s the gift that we want to give to our students.” Amna Atteeq, President of Aston Students’ Aston University is supporting a new national project, Union, said: “This was a five-year plan and now it’s a backed by funding from the Office for Students, to help reality. Let’s look around and appreciate everyone’s hard university teaching staff support the mental wellbeing of work. I just want to say that I’m so proud to be part of a their students. The £2million project, led by the university that puts students first and makes this happen.” University of Derby, in collaboration with Aston A strong supporter of Aston University over five decades, University, Kings College London, Advance HE and Sir Adrian Cadbury bequeathed £500,000 in his will to Student Minds, will focus on how curriculum design, support the new building, which is already a vibrant place teaching and assessment processes can have a positive where students can relax, socialise and develop projects. impact on student wellbeing.

- 2 - - 3 - News in Brief incl. Development news News in Brief incl. DONOR NEWS

NEWS Aston Alumni Magazine — 2019 NEWS ‘Stained glass’ Recruitment giant funds technique kills medical scholars deadly hospital Meriden-based Pertemps, a recruitment agency with over bacteria 200 offices across the UK, is helping to fund four medical students as part of Aston's 50-50 Scholarship Campaign. The initiative targets hard-to-reach communities with Scientists at Aston University have discovered a technique the eventual aim of placing local students in medical Follow Aston University similar to medieval stained glass-making that can careers in the West Midlands region and beyond. completely eradicate the deadliest hospital infections Looking back to the first year’s achievements, chairman on WeChat 微 信 within hours. Using a so-called bioactive phosphate glass Tim Watts commented: “It gives our business enormous containing small amounts of the metallic element cobalt, pleasure to support students from diverse backgrounds the researchers were able to achieve a “complete kill” and we are of course delighted to see that they are Aston has an official WeChat page where you can keep of the deadly bacterial infections E.coli and Candida making great progress. Pertemps has a strong relationship up-to-date with your university, whether you live in albicans (a fungal infection associated with surgery), with Aston University and regard them as pioneers in so Birmingham or Beijing. Scan the QR code above to get as well as a near-complete kill of Staphylococcus aureus many areas of study and research. Seeing the students updates in Chinese on all the latest news and events. (the drug-resistant form is known as MRSA). Lead today, and hearing about their personal achievements researcher, Dr Richard Martin (a reader of Material and future ambitions, has been a source of tremendous Physics in the School of Engineering & Applied Science), pride and we all wish them the very best as they continue said the findings had significant implications, offering their studies over the next four years.” the possibility of cheap, antimicrobial implants and coatings to combat the most common sources of Aston University and infections associated with medical care. Aston helps digital Wesleyan join forces to intelligence firm win support less advantaged top training award youngsters

A digital intelligence firm has won the prestigious Princess A partnership between Aston University and Wesleyan Royal Training Award through partnering with Aston is supporting young people from less advantaged ‘Grandparent getaways’ University. Majestic.com, which supplies link intelligence backgrounds into medicine and providing development data to the digital marketing industry, was one of a small opportunities and project funding to students, employees, are good for the health selection of companies that were commended for their and partners of both organisations. Wesleyan is a outstanding training and skills development programmes financial services mutual focussed on supporting doctors, and their ability to generate exceptional commercial benefits. dentists, teachers and lawyers, and has a strong corporate With an ageing population in the UK, there are now The company, based in Birmingham’s Innovation Campus, responsibility ethos. It is passionate about developing more great-grandparents than ever before and Aston was chosen as one of 48 winning companies for its innovative growth and prosperity in the region and improving research is being used to promote a type of holiday and rigorous training scheme for talented students. access to higher education. The five-year partnership dubbed the ‘Great Grandparent Getaway’. It will benefit with Aston provides an annual subsidy for University several generations of family members and is aimed at projects that support enhancements in the fields of improving health and wellbeing. The Director of the health, education, social development and innovation. Aston Research Centre for Healthy Ageing (ARCHA), This year marked the first intake of Wesleyan scholars Dr James Brown (above), who is also a Biogerontologist into the Medical School and the first member of from Channel 4’s Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds, has Wesleyan staff to complete an Executive Apprenticeship been supporting Parkdean Resorts, UK, to reveal why we MBA with Aston. Zak Gurhan, a medical scholarship should consider a four-generation holiday. “A four- recipient, said “As well as the financial help, receiving the generation getaway can kick-start the process of scholarship has made me feel really proud and happy. improving mood, enhancing memory, bettering physical It made me feel encouraged to do my best and to keep function and reducing loneliness in older adults,” he said. working hard. It feels good that someone has invested in “All of these benefits can help to slow down elements me. I feel very lucky to be studying medicine at Aston.” of age-related decline.”

- 4 - - 5 - Alumni profile: Alumni profile:

ALUMNI PROFILE Aston Alumni Magazine — 2019 ALUMNI PROFILE

Xenia Zhang: “ASTON IS MY LUCKY PLACE”

By Richard McComb

here was a look of disbelief on “Ten years ago, there was no such job as the faces of family and friends ‘Gourmet and Traveller’ in China. Lots of when Xenia Zhang (BSc people didn’t understand me,” recalls Zhang. Communications Engineering, “As my family had spent so much money T2008) proudly announced her plan to pursue to send me abroad to study, most people a career as a globe-trotting gourmet. Armed probably thought it would be better for with her degree from Aston University, a me to stay in a safe zone, get a job in an suitcase full of ambition, and boundless international company, and get married. reserves of energy, Shanghai-based Zhang dreamed of turning her love of fabulous “But for me, as Xenia, I think you only food and drink into a successful business. live once. If I didn’t do the things I really loved, I might have a lifetime of regrets.” Talk of such a project may have been greeted with an encouraging smile in the UK, but for a young woman in mainland China this was uncharted territory. What was she thinking?

- 6 - - 7 - Alumni profile: 5 QS MATTHEW CRUMMACK

ALUMNI PROFILE Aston Alumni Magazine — 2019 FIVE QUESTIONS FOR

AiT: You’re a keen runner Fast-forward more than a decade to 2019 Five Questions for... and recently ran the Newport and Zhang – founder, producer and host of Marathon as the character Gio Green Pepper and Red Pepper food and travel GOCOMPARE CEO Compario who fronts GoCompare’s show - can reflect on a whirlwind career that advertising campaigns. What has seen her film in more than 16 countries MATTHEW CRUMMACK was it like running in a giant and 51 cities. When Aston in Touch tracked inflatable opera-singer costume?! her down for an interview, Zhang was flying out on another gastronomic mission, this Matthew Crummack well in life, yet he hated school and MC: It was like running in a giant time to Puglia in Italy for a film project. graduated from Aston hated education. We lack great talent roast-turkey bag! It was very hot, University in 1993 with a locally that is supported outside especially for the first half when the The focus of her show has broadened degree in International of school and within the business, sun was out but I have to say the to include wider culture and travel Business and French. In notably in digital engineering overwhelming support from the other content, but her passion for, and belief addition to GoCompare, and mathematical functions. The runners and the spectators made the in, the power of food to create positive he has worked with many partnership with the University whole event a lot of fun. We raised life experiences is what drives her. leading brands including really helps us to take people who some great money for NSPCC Wales in the process. A very fun day and I Zhang says: “Food is more than just food. lastminute.com, Expedia, otherwise might not have had this have forgotten all about the pain that Food is a gift from nature, and coupled Nestlé, and Procter & opportunity to come into the business I went through now, so that’s okay. with the diligence and wisdom of local Gamble. He also sits on and to grow over a number of years. I’ll do it again some time, no doubt. people, it is transformed into something Aston University’s Business AiT: What type of person delicious. Food becomes part of us and Board, where he helps to would be an ideal candidate Aston University is keen to work with who we are. It helps to define us. bring successful alumni for Aston’s Business Board? organisations who would like to explore back into contact with degree apprenticeships and executive “Travelling around the world, visiting different MC: Someone who expects nothing the Aston community. education, and we can provide advice regions and trying different cuisines, we back from the work other than a sense Zhang picked up “real world” retail experience on using the apprenticeships levy. can learn about their culture and traditions of achievement that you are helping with part-time work at the House of Fraser and Aston in Touch: What sorts We’d also love to hear from those who from the local natural environment, eating your old university become stronger Selfridges stores in Birmingham; she boosted of activities do you generally could offer internships and placement- habits and cooking methods. It’s a wonderful and leave a better legacy. It is less about her communications skills – and let off steam undertake as a member of year roles for Aston students, or thing. In particular, I love to listen to local giving advice and more about opening – by joining the University basketball team, Aston’s Business Board? would like to undertake research. people as they tell the story of food.” and learned the movements of hip hop dance. doors to businesses and engaging them Matthew Crummack: In general, I am It is the emotional attachments and gestures around talent acquisition, research, When it comes to writing about food and on the lookout for Aston graduates knowledge transfer partnerships implicit in lovingly prepared dishes, rather “ travel, she has no doubt that Aston is her who ended up doing interesting things than recipe complexity and elaboration, and degree apprenticeships. I think you “lucky place”. Zhang finished a novel at in their personal and/or professional To find out more about any of which matters most, according to Zhang: only live university, sent the manuscript to magazines life. They will have achieved a AiT: Given your multiple these areas please drop us a line “For example, Shanghai’s classic dessert of once. If I in China and subsequently won writing particular goal which makes them commitments, what would you at [email protected]. glutinous rice dumpling in sweet rice wine didn’t do commissions looking at the student experience noteworthy as an example or a role say to similarly busy alumni always reminds me of grandma’s gentleness the things I in the UK. The work gave her confidence and model both to Aston’s current students who might want to volunteer and virtue. My grandmother liked cooking for really loved, I new ideas for content distribution, leading to but also to Aston graduates. I end for Aston, but might worry me since childhood. Even if the future years might have her setting up Green Pepper and Red Pepper. up spending time trying to connect about the time commitment? change and visual memory fades gradually a lifetime She has also written a book about Taiwanese those people back into the University. into black and white, childhood taste-memory MC: They say that the busiest people of regrets. food and articles for airline magazines. will inevitably stay bright and full of colour.” AiT: How did GoCompare’s degree get the most done. I get a lot out Her latest project involves filming in the Top apprenticeships [where students of meeting interesting and diverse Zhang’s time at Aston was hugely influential 10 Happiest Countries in the world – seven can combine university study individuals who have different in shaping her career, and she praises the down and three to go at the time of writing. and a paid job] in partnership experiences. It helps enrich my University for championing an outward- ” with Aston come about? professional life and helps me to get a looking, international perspective. “The best part of my job is the opportunity different view on what I might do with for new experiences and learning,” says MC: The inspiration came from one “I had classmates and neighbours from my own business. At a personal level Zhang. “I think we never stop learning. of the founders of GoCompare, Lee I find that it helps me as an individual South Africa, Japan, France and India. This After graduating, I learned drama, hosting, Griffin, who left school when he was experience taught me one thing: it’s like a Zen to become better. It requires you to piano, wine knowledge, coffee culture and 17 or 18. He went straight to work be disciplined with time and perhaps culture – everything in the world is equal. No business knowledge. I will always be a at a local business and subsequently matter where that person is from, we should use the time you might have gone for sponge, eager to absorb knowledge. Aston helped to found confused.com and dinner or coffee breaks and just be a treat them the same and love everyone and helped me to become a better person.” GoCompare.com. He has done very everything with our heart completely.” little bit more focused and efficient.

- 8 - - 9 - The Year in Pictures

BUSINESS IN PICTURES

01. SportInspired visits campus 05. We Don’t Need No Education

A trio of alumni from SportInspired In January Pink Floyd fondly 01 07 06 (left to right: Richard Raynes, remembered a gig they played at Courtney Laudat and Pete Thomond) Aston University exactly 51 years revisited campus in March for earlier, as a five-piece band. a trip down memory lane.

06. Mark Smith photoshoot 02. Aston Global Celebration

In March Aston’s Executive On April 26th we launched our first Director of Business Engagement, international alumni celebration, Mark Smith, took to the roof to be — The Year — marked by events across the photographed by Edward Moss world, including this gathering in for Aston in Touch (see p.16). Beijing, which was the first ever IN Aston Chapter to be formed. 07. New sculpture unveiled 02 on campus PICTURES 03. Graduation wedding bells Alumnus Neil Lawson-May and his It was a double celebration for Mishal son Jamie visited in March to see Yaqoob (Human Resource Management the installation of a new sculpture & Business) when her partner, Shallum (generously commissioned by Neil) by Sardar, popped the question in the Estonian artist Marko Mäetamm. 05 marquee following her graduation ceremony in April. 04 04. Day of GO!

In November, Aston launched its crowdfunding platform, GO!, with a 03 campus-wide event including student performances, tours, and a lunch for students and alumni (see p.42).

04

- 10 - - 11 - 04 COVER STORY Aston Alumni Magazine — 2019 COVER STORY

When Arese Ugwu told her friends she was thinking about quitting her perfectly good job in finance so she could write online articles about money – and maybe publish a book – they thought she was mad.

CHEQUES

and theBy Bencity East

rese Ugwu (BSc Business and Management, 2006) had a moment of self-doubt when she A went to her local bookshop in Lagos with a box full of her debut to sell – and the owner would only take five. But those five copies of The Smart Money Woman sold immediately. The owner wanted more. So did the supermarkets Ugwu had begged to take a box. Her “financial-chick-lit novel” turned from being a word of mouth hit to a genuine bestseller in Nigeria – and, at the time of writing, shooting has just begun on a major 13-part television adaptation. “It’s Sex and the City for the African girl, but with financial literacy lessons,” laughs Ugwu. “When I went to Aston I thought I knew what I was going to end up doing… but being a co-executive producer on a TV drama and a novelist was not quite what I imagined! It’s just so fascinating how life plays out.”

- 12 - - 13 - COVER STORY Aston Alumni Magazine — 2019 COVER STORY

Ugwu’s journey from Aston Business School “Writing The Smart Money Woman as a fiction to one of the most influential and interesting was a risk, but just preaching to millennials figures in financial advice in Africa is not about money, saving for a rainy day and not only genuinely fascinating – but hugely spending money on fabulous stuff wouldn’t encouraging too. After Aston, she went have interested anyone,” she considers. back to Lagos and began her burgeoning “It seemed to me that if I wrote something there is career in finance, got married and had a fictional which featured the kind of lifestyle baby. And then everything changed. people enjoy on Instagram, they’d be much still a secrecy more likely to see themselves and their “I was 27, I had a one year-old child, and my friends in the characters – and engage marriage fell apart,” she remembers. “It was about money with what I was trying to tell them.” really tough: in Nigeria you have to pay for rent two years up front; I had to buy new Which is, effectively, advice on how to furniture, everything was so expensive. And compartmentalise life into sections that at that point I starting thinking about women are adequately funded, and then ensuring who weren’t lucky enough to earn as much as that any wealth is built into assets rather me, or women who want to live a good life but than frivolously spent. It’s all perfectly do so from pay cheque to pay cheque, never reasonable, practical stuff, but in Nigeria it was really building assets that can protect them in groundbreaking for the simple reason that, the future. I instinctively knew that there was culturally, money isn’t seen as a women’s issue. an audience of African millennial women who were struggling with the same issues I was.” All of which has fed into the sequel to The “I came from Africa and was used to seeing Smart Money Women, published last April. black people everywhere,” she remembers. The Smart Money Tribe explores how female “Aston really helped me to build a more FIND YOUR PURPOSE friendship circles affect the way women diverse group of friends and experience To read more spend and save their money, and how other nationalities and cultures. about Arese Ugwu collaborative power can propel women to a and to order her “And I think that helped me look at life in a new level in business and the boardroom. books visit and make the most different way. It was a great time, and I loved it.” smartmoneyafrica.org “I want to smash this idea that when women Ugwu also says Aston made her incredibly or follow her of opportunities get together, all they talk about is fashion, disciplined and focused – which brings on Twitter gossip and entertainment,” she says. “But So Ugwu turned to blog posts. Her “There is a different mindset here,” she explains. us back to the whole point of The Smart @smartmoneyarese there is still a secrecy about money – when breakthrough article in 2014 was “A Chanel “Making money and protecting a family’s Money Woman. Zuri slowly learns to I’m with my male friends they’re constantly Bag Versus Stock Portfolio” for influential financial future is still seen as a man’s job. channel what she is good at into something talking about what deals they’re making, what African lifestyle portal BellaNaija.com, and Yes, women have become more entrepreneurial worthwhile, and backs herself to make they’re investing in and their businesses. much of the thrust of the piece – “I LOVE but culturally women are still thinking her life work for her financially. Chanel bags and trips to Europe as much about their money in terms of spending “So I think we need to understand female “The book is about finding your purpose as the next person but I also have financial rather than building and growing. Even economic power can be achieved together and making the most of the opportunities goals that demand that I invest today if if they bring a significant income to the rather than in personal silos; this book that come your way,” agrees Ugwu. I want to ‘Ball’ tomorrow” – eventually family they’re still thinking about making is about inspiring women to create their found its way into the vivacious character their homes more comfortable, extras for own money tribe, to see their friends as She has certainly done that. of Zuri in The Smart Money Woman. She the kids, contributing to school fees and the board of advisors in their lives.” finds herself struggling to pay the bills rent – but they don’t think about building despite a salary which should make her assets because that’s the husband’s job.” The bookshop in Lagos will definitely take comfortable, and re-evaluates her whole more stock this time, no doubt propelled life after watching her friends navigate their Ugwu understands more than most how by Ugwu’s wide-reaching influence across way through their careers and marriages. Nigerian women are more vulnerable to traditional and social media. The latter To reinforce the messages in this enjoyable lifestyle change if they have no assets to protect barely existed when she was studying at story, each chapter ends with a series of them. But The Smart Money Woman has a Aston, of course, but it was the physical financial lessons and recommendations. lot to offer women across Africa and around rather than digital network she made the world about dealing with money. “The there which proved so valuable. words might be different, but the ideas, dreams and barriers are often the same,” she says.

- 14 - - 15 - MEET THE EXEC Aston Alumni Magazine — 2019 MEET THE EXEC

Mark Smith is Executive Director of Business Engagement at Aston University. He works in Birmingham and lives in Meet Cornwall, where he has been a long-standing member of Agile on the Beach: a vibrant coastal conference that the explores the latest practices around agile working.

Aston in Touch: What attracted you to They’re the kinds of things you might Exec working at Aston University? associate with ‘old’, but at the same time it’s a very modern university and it cares about the Mark Smith: My connection with the people who study here and about the University goes back to my teenage years businesses that surround it. It has always when I was at school in Tamworth [in adapted to the changes in industrial and Staffordshire], and we were bussed over to commercial patterns. I think there’s a warmth metallurgy lectures on the premises at Aston. and affection for it in Birmingham. Although My first exposure to a university of any kind it doesn’t carry the name of the city any more, was to Aston University. The people at my it carries the name of a district next to the city school were all destined to work in and it very much feels like the city’s university. engineering. I was really impressed by the fact that the lecturers were genuinely AiT: Tell me about Agile on the Beach. approachable. They gave us tea and biscuits, MS: Agile on the Beach was set up by two and they stayed and chatted about friends of mine, Mike Barritt and Toby Parkins. engineering, about metals, about austenitic Toby runs a software firm called Headforwards steels and all these other things. I thought, down in Cornwall and Mike was running and “Wow, this is what university’s like”. I was working in a consultancy firm called Oxford about 14 and from that point onwards I Innovation at the time. They came together decided I was going to go to university. because agile working methodologies – Sadly, I didn’t come to Aston for a variety of a decade ago – were not very present in reasons, but when the opportunity came to Cornwall, nor was there a Cornwall software work here I was very proud to be able to join industry. I came in as a funder and as the team and I felt very privileged to be somebody running a developmental accepted into the executive. programme for executive education with AiT: It has always felt very friendly. Plymouth University called Unlocking Potential. I helped back the initial attendance MS: I think it has. We talk about Aston’s of Agile on the Beach in a conference of reputation for widening participation. To be about 60 people. In that ten years it’s grown honest, that’s a modern term for what Aston enormously. We take over the Performance has always done; it has always had a place in Centre of Falmouth University and it’s the community. It’s authentic. There are some called Agile on the Beach because we are lovely bits of the Main Building – parquet in Falmouth, which is a coastal town. flooring and traditional brass handles. Photograph: Edward Moss Edward Photograph:

- 16 - - 17 - MEET THE EXEC Aston Alumni Magazine — 2019

AiT: Do you actually hold the conference AiT: How is the University progressing on the beach? with degree apprenticeships? MS: Yes, we take them all down to the MS: Really well. I think the nicest thing beach where they can relax and just talk. about degree apprenticeships is that they fit For software we have many different tracks with Aston’s core philosophy. As you know, - team-building software, software almost three quarters of our courses have a craftsmanship, agile in business. We cover placement of some kind associated with a whole range of different areas and we them. So learning at work has been part encourage people to come and share their of Aston’s reason to be – since the start. practice. It’s a community of interests, but When the idea of degree apprenticeships people share a common interest in evolving or re-emerged recently it was nice because it moving forward agile practices. Every year 450 allowed us to take another route into people go away from Agile on the Beach having doing what we’re really good at. I think the swapped ideas from different industries. It’s a challenge with degree apprenticeships is fantastically rejuvenating thing to do. I’m proud making sure that people still feel part of the to have been involved in it since the inception, University when they’re in work. I think though I was not a founder of it. I’ve become people need to be reassured that degree someone who has helped build and grow it apprenticeship students are still part of that over that period and it’s a really nice part of love, warmth and affection that carries itself my life which appeals to my inner geek. around the University, even though they are working remotely four-fifths of the time. AiT: What do you think Aston The degree apprenticeship way of teaching is does best in terms of business remarkably flexible. The models that we use engagement? for degree apprenticeships in the UK could MS: I do think it’s very good be used overseas as well, to provide support at listening to the needs of to people around the world. businesses and it can react GYMSHARK JUST 460k Follow quickly. I think the most tangible example of that recently Mark Smith joined Aston University in 2018 has been the growth of the from Birmingham City University where he KEEPS MOVING cybersecurity degree from the was Director of Enterprise and Employability. Computer Science department. His career has involved working across diverse The degree has been supported areas including Government, regeneration and FORWARD across the University by online education, taking on big projects 10m+ engaged followers different levels of expertise and including establishing new airports and people have engaged with a wide fostering enterprise in inner-city areas. range of businesses to adapt and When Aston University student Chloe Lansbury deliver it in very short order. started searching for a placement, she was The best validation for this looking for a chance to start putting theory approach has been the fact that as soon as it was advertised, there was an unprecedented into practice – somewhere where she could be flurry of applications. I don’t want to give the creative and learn what she was getting into false impression that we always move quickly with her marketing degree. The last thing she because sometimes we are cautious, but I think, nonetheless, industry understands it expected was to be working for a sports clothing can come and talk to Aston University. We giant with ten million engaged social media can help businesses to deal with changing followers, owned by former Aston student Ben skills requirements, and we can help them Francis. understand what opportunities are out there.

- 18 - - 19 - WORKING LIFE Aston Alumni Magazine — 2019 WORKING LIFE

“Now my relationship with Aston is more Chloe also looks after Gymshark’s Linkedin from a talent point of view,” says Ben from one page and has enjoyed being involved in the of the company’s meeting rooms (all of which brand’s events, where she has had been given “I managed to get some work experience at are named for regions of Birmingham). the same level of trust as the permanent staff. Gymshark, mainly because I loved the brand “There’s a bunch of placement students “We did a workout event in Birmingham, and wanted to see what they were up to,” she working at Gymshark and also people who which was great, but then I’ve also had crazy explains. The Solihull-based company liked went to Aston but now work here full-time.” opportunities like a PR event in Los Angeles.” her so much that once the work experience was over, she had a placement offer on the The company’s social media has won them For Ben, having Aston placement students table. “I knew that Gymshark would be where plaudits in the marketing world, but as Ben on-board has been a positive experience, not I could really grow, use my creativity and be explains, the strategy has grown holistically least because they help the brand to stay given the freedom to learn in a dynamic along with the brand. “We’ve always done connected to its fans. what came naturally to us and social media environment.” “First and foremost, we learn a lot," he says. Chloe and Ben was somewhere we spent our time as kids so "I'm 26 now and people don’t realise how And it doesn’t get more dynamic than it felt natural to use it as a communication tool £100m quickly you grow up and you feel old Gymshark: one of the UK’s fastest-growing with the wider Gymshark family,” he says. Gymshark HQ Garden compared to uni students. The generation companies. Founded by former Aston student, Yet while other companies focus on Instagram Gymshark that’s younger will act in slightly different Ben Francis, its innovative clothing and and Facebook, Gymshark has turned turnover ways – whether it’s their taste, whether it’s the accessories are snapped up by fitness weaknesses into strengths, adopting less-used way they use social media or the platforms enthusiasts across 131 countries. One of the channels such as Pinterest to launch new that they use. So we end up learning a lot secrets of its success is that, unlike older products, and this has allowed them to grow from placement students. And the thing that I brands, Gymshark has tapped into a market their social media following to a point where really admire is that generally they’re very driven by millennials who want well-fitted, it competes with more established brands. handmade clothing that can be worn inside ambitious and they have no fear, which is and outside the gym. “Obviously we’re an online brand, so I think 131 something that is really important to us here sometimes it’s quite hard to know if you want at Gymshark.” Ben himself has an extraordinary back-story. that product, because you can’t touch and feel His grandmother taught him how to sew and it,” Chloe explains. “On Pinterest we try to put Number of he started out making all the clothes himself, across what the customer can’t always access. countries working out of his parents’ garage while That’s what Pinterest is all about really. Trying where Gymshark HQ at night juggling his degree at Aston and a job as a to show fans the details and bringing them Gymshark pizza delivery driver. Fast-forward seven years closer.” clothing and and Gymshark has a turnover of around accessories £100m and has launched pop-up stores from Since starting her placement, Chloe has taken are bought Gymshark HQ reception Dublin to Los Angeles. Ben was recently Gymshark’s Pinterest presence to new heights. added to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list and has Originally the brand had under 100,000 overseen the company’s move into impressive followers (“Which sounds big, but it was new premises on Blythe Valley Buisiness Park actually not that big in comparison to (known affectionately as GSHQ). The Instagram”) with around three million unique headquarters comes complete with a café that views of the content per month. One day always sells peri-peri chicken – because the Chloe’s boss asked her when they were going brand was built on dinners at Nando’s – and a to get to ten million views per month. “It was gigantic logo in the grounds, which fans like pretty daunting,” she says, “but it went up to to spot when flying in and out of Birmingham nine million, dropped to seven and then rose Airport. to ten…” At the time of writing Gymshark’s Pinterest page has over 450,000 followers.

Gymshark HQ interior To find out more about offering a placement or Chloe Lansbury internship Chloe on placement please visit: at Gymshark aston.ac.uk/recruit.

- 20 - - 21 - RESEARCH Aston Alumni Magazine — 2019 RESEARCH

THE LANGUAGE OF WORK Much of the work that“ we do is intangible, so communication is our way of making sense of what we do; how we contribute; what the organisation is; how we belong."

Dr Erika Darics of the School of Languages & Social Sciences ork is how many of us “With all the intensive knowledge work is interested in how words create meaning and status in the spend the majority of that we do, it can be hard to put your finger workplace – and how we can all learn to be better communicators. our waking hours and on the things you did during the day,” she the office is the site of explains. “The only way to make sense of Wcollaboration with others; the place where your work and your contribution is through we negotiate and establish our position framing it – in other words, through in the hierarchy. For linguists, the way we talking about it. It’s not as if a lot of us can communicate at work is not only fundamental show a piece of furniture and say: ‘This is to understanding the nature of what we do, it’s what I made’. Much of work that we do is key to how we perceive our value. Language intangible, so communication is our way influences the success of teams and has the of making sense of what we do; how we power to raise or bring down corporations; contribute; what the organisation is; how we it even impacts on our happiness. belong. This is especially important given that teams are now very fluid, working Look at almost any job advert and you across different spaces or countries.” will see communication as a required skill. Employers are now beginning to In these terms, a company can be seen realise its importance, and people like Dr not just as a building or an estate, or even Erika Darics, Senior Lecturer in Applied the corporate strategy, but the sum-total Linguistics at Aston University, are helping of human interactions happening within them to harness the power of language its walls – past, present and future. and translate it into positive action.

Illustration: Daniel Turner

- 22 - - 23 - RESEARCH Aston Alumni Magazine — 2019 RESEARCH

“Even the very reality that we live in is If you think about your work in a family “How do you draw a line between an email constructed through social interactions and frame, efficiency is not the main thing you send to colleagues sitting next to you those happen in communication. We make here, but caring for each other; working and then verbally adding something? Where sense of our reality and our worth through together. If you have these two deep cultures does one start, and where does the other communicative acts. The way we talk may clashing it will numb the team down and end? It’s more that our ways of interacting shift focus onto certain things more than prevent them from working effectively.” have broadened out. The problem is that others, and those ‘frames’ can change your for many channels online we don’t have Even in the context of email, we signal things work from being perceived as just part of established conventions and there are more without meaning to. Consider the collapse Dr Erika Darics is a Senior Lecturer in Applied the everyday grind to a very important possibilities of misunderstandings arising. of the Enron Corporation in 2001. As a Linguistics at Aston University and the author of contribution. The way both the company result of its unethical business practices, the “The important thing to understand with Language in Business, Language at Work (2018). talks to you about this, and the way that Federal Energy Regulation Commission online communication is that there are more teams talk amongst themselves, will affect seized the email folders of 151 high-ranking resources of meaning there. For example, how individual workers perceive themselves.” Enron employees and released them online, if you are used to receiving an email from Dr Darics undertakes a lot of her research simultaneously creating the largest, searchable your boss that ends with, ‘Best,’ or, ‘Thanks,’ If you are spending thousands on in companies, as an objective observer of email corpus in America’s history. This wealth and a signature, and then an email pops communication or cultural training in language and its effect on working cultures. of data has been dissected by hundreds up and says, ‘Kind regards’. You’re bound your business and nothing seems to change, At the time of writing she is engaged of researchers, providing insight into, to read something into that. Because the Dr Darics can provide consultancy or in a project with a charity who wants among other things, formal and informal pattern has changed you will assign meaning training, please get in touch with the to understand why its fundraising communication in the workplace. One study to it and think ‘What have I done?’” alumni office in the first instance on team is not hitting targets. found that only six per cent of emails sent [email protected]. Good communication rests on a solid by Enron staff had any greeting, but those “They thought it was to do with their foundation of shared meanings. The You can follow Dr Darics on Twitter with friendly greetings were most likely to be corporate communication efforts. It was problem, explains Dr Darics, is that @LinguaDigitalis. sent by women in junior positions, followed very clear in their brief that they thought communication is so complex that by men in junior positions. Powerful men it was because they’re not using Twitter you can’t have a tick-list to improve seemed just to open an email window and or emailing effectively,” she explains. “The your approach – you have to be able to start typing, often with the word: “Guys”. moment I started asking questions and adapt to changing circumstances. probing, the reasons came out clearly. The Language choices can be so revealing. But “If you want to become a more effective new leader kept talking about structure and in Dr Darics’ view, when it comes to studies Even the very reality that we communicator what is more important “ about how everybody should know their of communication, you can’t separate live in is constructed through is to understand the basic principles and place, and that the team should function the online world from the real one. to be a good listener and observer,” she social interactions and those like a machine, whereas the team kept adds. “If you understand how language happen in communication. referring to being part of a family. If you works, you have a toolbox to choose from, think about your work in the frame of a We make sense of our reality and you know how to position yourself machine, then your focus is on efficiency. so that the people you meet get the and our worth through impression of you that they should.” communicative acts."

- 24 - - 25 - BUSINESS Aston Alumni Magazine — 2019 BUSINESS IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE By Anna Blackaby THE FUTURE OF ENERGY?

or shoppers at Birmingham’s Bullring, This is where Grid Edge’s clever number- speed, footfall, car park activity and any other transforming them from passive consumers it's the place to get their hands on the crunching comes in. relevant information. In the case of the into active players. “There is a multibillion- latest fashions. But Tom Anderson of Bullring for example, local football fixtures pound market in the UK to try and balance F Grid Edge is a true Aston University baby Aston University artificial intelligence spin-out can have a big impact on how people plan a the grid and it will become more and more – part-owned by the University and with Grid Edge sees the shopping centre, with its Saturday afternoon’s shopping in Birmingham. important as we go through this financial backing from several Aston iconic silver-studded Selfridges building, decarbonisation,” he says. University alumni. The firm believes artificial Armed with all this data, Grid Edge’s AI slightly differently. intelligence (AI) is not just for the big energy technology can then predict what is likely to Grid Edge’s predictive technology means For him, the Bullring is not just a building, "We’re trying players – the consumer should get a slice of happen in the day ahead. By zooming in on "The Bullring building owners can be more flexible about it's also a giant battery – even if it's a battery to give them the benefits too. “That’s what makes us past days with matching conditions, a building is not just a when they consume power – and that is where you can buy a pair of jeans. Turn on the that predictive different,” says Anderson. manager can plan what to do similarly – building, valuable to others in the system. Anderson heating at the right time, for example, and you insight into or differently – to maximise comfort and it's also a giant predicts a shift towards a smarter energy Energy users have been the focus right from can use the building’s capacity to store and what’s going minimise cost and carbon emissions. “We’re battery – even ecosystem with tariffs fixed in real time its inception at Aston University’s European release that heat, helping the temperature stay to happen next trying to give them that predictive insight into if it's a battery according to the load on the wider network. Bioenergy Research Institute (EBRI), where its comfortable and keeping costs and carbon so they can what’s going to happen next so they can do where you can Building owners will be able to check in with cofounders Tom Anderson, Jim Scott and Dan emissions as low as possible. “It’s the same do something something clever about it,” says Anderson. buy a pair of the grid and their energy suppliers to get the Wright became friends. “We were interested functionality as a battery – consume power clever about it" jeans.." best prices by ‘bartering’ over when they in how you could apply machine learning, On the other side of the meter, energy at one point in the day and use it later on,” switch their heating on that day, for example. AI and optimisation methods – basically suppliers and grid operators face major says Anderson. “Our view is the customer should be the one complicated maths – to help consumers in the challenges, especially as more renewables calling the shots,” says Anderson. But as everyone knows, the great British energy system create more value, do a better come in. They aim to avoid the peaks and weather and the great British public behave job and be more empowered to take part in troughs of energy supply and demand that In a complex and connected energy market, differently every day so conditions inside that energy system,” says Anderson. could lead to harmful surges or blackouts. knowledge truly is power. constantly fluctuate. That means it's not For each client, Grid Edge pulls together a vast With its focus on energy customers, Anderson always easy to pinpoint the best time to pool of data on everything from temperature believes Grid Edge is ideally placed to help Grid Edge switch the heating or cooling on to exploit photograph: inside and out, the angle of the sun, wind clients take advantage of this need for stability, the building’s battery-like qualities. Edward Moss

- 26 - - 27 - BUSINESSHISTORY Aston Alumni Magazine — 2019 HISTORY

1: James Watt by Carl This year marks 200 years since Watt’s death. comprising over 8,000 objects in their original Fredrik von Breda, oil on canvas, 1792. He was a Scottish inventor, chemist and cluttered arrangements. In the West Midlands, Given by M.P. Watt mechanical engineer who went into the Watt commemorations have been led by MORE POWER Boulton, 1865. © partnership with Mathew Boulton in 1775, the Lunar Society: a modern incarnation of the National Portrait Gallery, London. making steam engines to pump water out of 18th-century Society, which originally met for TO HIS ELBOW mines. His multiple talents as an engineer, drink and conversation during the full moon 2: Gilded statue of inventor and entrepreneur make him an apt (this was less romantic than it sounds: the roads Boulton, Watt and figure for Birmingham, and Aston University, were better lit during the full moon, making This year marks the bicentenary of the death of James Murdoch by William Bloye and Raymond which stands on the James Watt Queensway, travel safer). Founded in 1766, it gathered Watt, whose ability to apply theoretical knowledge in Forbes-Kings, and which counts engineering as one of its together friends and prominent intellectuals, practical ways is still celebrated at Aston University. courtesy of Adam Jones (Wikimedia oldest subjects. Last year a team of specialists including Boulton, Watt, Erasmus Darwin, Commons). restored the world’s oldest steam engine – the Joseph Priestley, Thomas Day, Josiah Smethwick Engine – designed by Watt under Wedgwood and others. Today the Society 3: James Watt by the auspices of Boulton & Watt. It was installed works with like-minded organisations in 2 Alexander Wilson, after Unknown in 1779 on the Birmingham-Wolverhampton Birmingham and beyond to inform debate sculptor, albumen canal and saved water by pumping it back up through events and initiatives, with a view to carte-de-visite, 1860s. a series of canal locks at Smethwick. catalysing action and improving the region for © National Portrait the common good. The Society has for many Gallery, London. In November 2018 visitors to Thinktank, just years awarded a Lunar Medal to people who across the road from campus, could see the 4: James Watt’s have added to the vigour of the West Midlands historic engine operating again – almost 240 campaign chest, community. Fittingly, Aston University figures courtesy of Aston years after it first burst into life under Watt’s University. make up a good proportion of the recipients, hands. including former Chancellor, the late Sir Watt’s improvements to the steam engine – Adrian Cadbury; former Vice-Chancellor, by the introduction of a separate condenser – Professor Dame Julia King; Professor of would revolutionise production and make Clinical Science, Clifford Bailey and alumnus it independent of water, wind, animal and (and former Lord Mayor) Paul Sabapathy CBE. human power. But he would also invent the Watt died in Birmingham in 1819 and was first commercial copying machine and added buried in the grounds of St Mary’s Church, to our knowledge of energy, gases and Handsworth – the expansion of the church electricity. At the Science Museum in London over his grave now means that he lies within his workshop has been lovingly reconstructed, the building. Meanwhile, in Westminster exactly as it was left when he died in 1819, Abbey he is commemorated by a statue, carved by the great Regency sculptor Francis Leggatt Chantrey. The inscription says that 1 Watt “enlarged the resources of his country, increased the power of man, and rose to an eminent place among the most illustrious 4 followers of science and the real benefactors of the world”. In 1908 a unit of electrical power In an otherwise ordinary office in the Main Building is a piece of was named in his honour. For Aston University, 18th-century furniture – a kind of filing cabinet known as a campaign the real meaning of his genius was his chest. These pieces of furniture were so named because of their application of scientific knowledge for the association with the military; they can be folded or broken down and practical benefit of business and society. taken on the march or even on ships. Aston’s filing cabinet, however, has This is one of Aston’s founding principles – a special association: it belonged to the great industrialist James Watt, and something that continues every day, who probably bought it for the sake of convenience when he moved to beside the thundering traffic on the James Watt Birmingham in 1774. The cabinet was originally bequeathed to the James Queensway, in rooms across campus. Watt Memorial Institute in Birmingham but found its way to Aston University when the former institution closed.

- 28 - - 29 - 3 BUSINESSPEOPLE Aston Alumni Magazine — 2019 PEOPLE Jack went to Brooklyn Technical College in “I went to see the HR Manager who said Aldridge and signed up to do an Ordinary ‘We see you as one of our technical people Dr Jack Carnell is well known to staff, students and alumni as National Certificate in building construction. but not necessarily one of the future managers Head of the Engineering Systems and Management Group “I wasn’t studious at all, but I ended up doing of the company.’ So I said I’d go and get a job at Aston University. What is less known about him, however, is For me, quite well. The senior lecturer came to me and somewhere else. They relented and let me that he holds six degrees from Aston University, making him Aston said, ‘Have you thought about going to do the MBA.” university?’” (probably) the most prolific Aston alumnus of all time. university“ The three-year part-time course was at Aston is a theme Jack applied to three universities, including University’s brand new Business School. Jack park for Aston, though Lancaster had initially been a – now in his early 30s – passed and continued bright-eyed favourite. “I started a degree in civil engineering with his job. Despite taking a further four- clever at Aston in 1976; the size of the programme was month-long executive education course at students." vast with hundreds of students.” Jack opted for Harvard Business School in 1995, he was not the four-year sandwich course, which involved immediately promoted, so he undertook a part- a cycle of six months studying at university time PhD in water resources planning to “stay followed by six months in the workplace. busy”. After a couple of promotions, by the end At the end of the course he graduated with a of the PhD in 1999 he was Deputy Managing First. He decided to stay on for a Master’s Director, becoming Managing Director in 2004, degree but was determined to set himself a role he held for almost seven years. apart in the job market. But after all this time at the front of the firm he “I was looking for something that would make realised he needed a new challenge. “So, in 2010 me different to other students and chose a I left a fantastic job. I went home and hunted Master’s degree in mathematics. This was 1980 around for something to do. I thought, ‘I’m – a time when a calculator cost a small fortune,” going to change my career completely. I’m still he says. “There were no desktop computers. young enough.’” If you wanted to do anything analytical, you had He chose to do an access course in Psychology to type out your own computer code on paper by distance learning which got him onto the cards. As you can imagine, it was exhausting. Psychology degree at Aston. Then he started his “I didn’t really drink or ‘party’ as a student, so I own company teaching neurolinguistics (NLP) was always sober! I was also initially unattached courses and coaching. At the same time he (I met my girlfriend, now my wife, Maria, in undertook part-time teaching at Aston, which 1979) and just used to work, work, work. I gradually snowballed into a lot more teaching. became a compulsive student. Maria was hugely Eventually Jack passed the Postgraduate supportive and has been ever since. I wouldn’t Certificate of Education, followed by the have got the degrees without her. The maths Postgraduate Diploma, which led to as Master degree was so tough – the hardest thing I’ve of Education degree at Aston University, Jack’s 6 ever done in my life.” sixth degree here, which he completed last It did make Jack different, however. Now 24 year. He now teaches engineering leadership, years old, he returned to the water authority research methods and a range of subjects. and was quickly identified as the go-to person “One of the advantages of having a broad range for mathematical problems. He became a of academic qualifications is that I can teach DEGREES resources manager, working on the company’s widely,” he remarks. “For me, Aston university demand forecasts. While the experience made is a theme park for bright-eyed clever students Dr Jack Carnell a big difference to his ‘brand’, it was not without OF ASTON who you get to meet and teach. It’s great fun. I its problems. “It made me indispensable, but suppose, unless someone’s got seven degrees, I it also meant that I would never move into a might have done the most degrees here.” ack Carnell never intended to study at Aston at all, and certainly management role.” This became evident a few didn’t mean to become a compulsive student. He left school in years later, when the company decided to send And what if someone else were to come 1973 “with seven very poor ‘O’ Levels” and went to work in a selected staff on a Master’s course in Business forward? J Administration. Jack applied to the firm and bank. “I lasted about five weeks,” he says. “I had to get out. I picked up was rejected. “I’d be delighted,” he says with a laugh. “It’d give a local paper, and there was a job as a trainee draftsman with the local me some competition to go out and do another water authority. One of the conditions of the new job was that I went degree. Because, well, why not?” to college.”

- 30 - - 31 - IN CONVERSATION… Aston Alumni Magazine — 2019 IN CONVERSATION…

In April the head coach of the Scotland rugby team, Gregor Townsend (MBA, 2000), returned to campus to receive an honorary degree. He also caught up with Aston’s Vice-Chancellor to talk about the game and how his studies at Aston have influenced his work.

Alec Cameron: Welcome back to Aston, GT: I suppose there's two different forms of Gregor, it’s great to have you here today for planning. There's the macro planning of what the graduation ceremonies. I'm interested in a season's going to look like when on a exploring the links between your MBA here campaign. From our perspective, we have at Aston and the learnings you achieved from three campaigns throughout the year – that and how they apply to the role you have the Six Nations, the summer tour and the as a professional rugby coach. November tests. And once every four years, we have the World Cup. There's a lot of work Gregor Townsend: Firstly, I really enjoyed that goes in before you actually meet the the course. I was very interested in the players for your first session. And then management side of things – learning about there's the micro elements - meeting the the bigger picture of business and how the players; the meetings you have with the operations, the marketing, and financial side coaches; the review of the game; the preview; all work. Getting that basic education really the selection; what training sessions you're helped me as I became a coach. I started as going to have. The key is to make sure that an assistant coach, but it became much more your players have clarity going into the game relevant when I became head coach of – clarity on how they're going to win and Glasgow Warriors, managing a staff and clarity on what they’re expecting from you different departments. as a coaching group. And also, a key for me is You're in charge of to build a sense of optimism which will lead signing players, of the to success. succession planning, of making sure your budget AC: I mean, despite all the planning and is right. I definitely preparation, what we still see (‘we’ being the looked back on what I people who watch the games) is inconsistent learned during my MBA performances from teams, right? Sometimes at Aston University. At it works, sometimes it doesn't, although the the time, it was great to planning and preparation has been go through that process meticulous. How do you try and manage of learning. Our game out that variability which still seems to beset had just turned many of the great teams, with the exception, professional and it gave perhaps, of the All Blacks? me a real balance in my GT: Well, your plans are affected by what the life to have something I opposition do. I think Mike Tyson used to was very interested in have a quote: “Everybody's got a plan until In Conversation… and was able to do in my they get punched in the face”. Rugby’s quite own time. similar. The first tackle or the change of Photograph: AC: Obviously, there's a significant amount direction from what you were expecting GREGOR TOWNSEND Edward Moss of work involved in preparing a team for a from the opposition, and from your own test match in terms of selecting the players, team, then things might not go as well as MBE AND PROFESSOR analysing the opposition, developing the you planned. You've got to prepare players game plan, and then working out how to for that, and how we do that is push them implement it. Without giving away too many outside their comfort zone in training, to ALEC CAMERON secrets, what do you see as the key elements make it more relevant to what they're going of planning for what happens on the field? to experience. And for us, as coaches, we need to step back. Photograph: Richard Battye

- 32 - - 33 - IN CONVERSATION... Aston Alumni Magazine — 2019 HISTORY

As we get closer to the game we enable They were the ones taking the game to players to lead meetings, talk to each other England, and that's the wonderful thing and make decisions on the field. That should about sports – no game follows exactly get us into a place where, if the unexpected what people predict. To finish up a 38-all does happen, players can come together and was something I've never experienced as a say, “Right, this is what we need to do next”. player, and in a stadium like Twickenham, Every game tells its own story. The last one where we'd never won since 1983. It was we played was at Twickenham and we were great to see. 31 nil down after 30 minutes; getting that AC: Clearly there’s a lot of interest in back was a real credit to professional sport, rugby included, and the players. there's a lot of external pressures on players. TWO AC: Well, I was going to As we know, the Australian Rugby Union pick on that as a specific cancelled the contract of their star player, TAKES example. I'll assume it Israel Folau, for sharing his personal views wasn't a cunning ruse by on social media. How do you try and manage Scotland to lull England those external distractions on the team in ON into a false sense of terms of giving players appropriate freedoms, over-confidence by but also recognising there's a clear interest conceding a 31 to nil which needs to be managed and respected? lead, but many people GT: Yes, well, social media is an important would want to know element in life, but in sport, it's a double- what was said in the edged sword. It can be a real positive in changing rooms at connecting your supporters more closely half-time which enabled with the team. I know our marketing the team to come out department loves the use of social media, from a, by then, 31 to and it’s led to us selling out our last 14 games seven deficit and retain ASTON IN at BT Murrayfield. On the other side, the the Calcutta Cup with a interaction isn't always positive. I think you historic 38-all draw. There's that sense of the either set rules and you're very strong on role of the coach as the manager, the leader. what players can and can't do, or you give Is it about the psychological approach or is them the knowledge of what is acceptable, about going back to fundamentals; getting what is unacceptable, and what you trust people to focus on what needs to be done? them to do. That's a route we would take. GT: Yeah, it was going back to the We continually have to update it because fundamentals, exactly. At times it can be the there's always examples throughout the emotional side, and that's when, maybe, a world of people using social media and coach or a captain can be angry and appeal to getting called out, sometimes unwittingly. that change of behaviour on the field through We believe that updating our players with a psychological or emotional change. But on the perils and the pitfalls of social media that day, it was actually a calm changing and how to act – in the context of keeping room. My assistant coaches were doing a their freedoms and a certain amount of great job of just talking about how we have to trust – is the best way to do things. improve in certain areas. We talked about AC: Well, thanks Gregor for coming back to winning the second half and the process of Aston. Congratulations on your honorary doing that, and that sparked something degree, and best wishes to Scotland for because it allowed us to get a foothold in the the World Cup in Japan later this year. The 2019 Rugby game. Then our players were outstanding. It World Cup takes was not just their execution of the game plan, GT: Thank you very much. It's a great place in Japan from but much more than that – the fact that they honour. It's been 21 years since I've been September 20th to got confidence through scoring a try. here, and it's a huge privilege to be back November 2nd. and get this award. Thank you.

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Professor Malcolm Stevens OBE, FRS (then Professor of Experimental Cancer Chemotherapy at Aston University). Professor Stevens, who headed up the Pharmacy Department from 1983 to 1989, was part of a team of scientists at Aston who developed the revolutionary cancer drug, temozolomide. Professor Malcolm Stevens OBE

" he Vice-Chancellor of During 1981 there were intimations the trenchant criticisms levelled at the This extract is taken from Sir Adrian Cadbury, CH, DL (then Chancellor of Aston, Dr Joseph Pope, that an era of cuts was looming for the Government by the fiery Tam Dalyell, Professor Stevens’ memoir, The Aston University, a post he took up in 1979). retired from his office in university sector – ‘the quinquennium MP for West Lothian. Dalyell pointed Kestrels of Gosta Green (2019). September, 1979 and was of the python’ as Crawford later out that some 88% of Aston’s Copies can be obtained from Sir Adrian helped helped to steer Aston through a Treplaced by Professor Frederick described it − and advised all heads of graduates were studying engineering, Aston University’s alumni challenging political landscape in the 1980s and was a popular Crawford in July 1980. Crawford departments to prepare for major science and management and only office and proceeds go towards and respected figure in the University’s life. After stepping down (Fred) had previously studied funding reductions. True enough, on 12% social and human studies. He the Regius Chair in pharmacy as Chancellor in 2004, he continued his close relationship with part-time at Aston when it was a 1st July 1981, Aston’s day of infamy, also noted that Aston was at the time (please email alumniinfo@ the University, helping to shape campus through his College of Technology. He was an the Universities Grants Committee top of the league table for graduate aston.ac.uk for details). philanthropy, until his death in 2015. entirely different character from the (UGC) levelled a cut of 30% plus from employment and clearly targeting its avuncular and popular Pope, being a its recurrent grant, reduced the programmes to the needs of industry formidable intellect, but completely funded places for the home student and commerce which is ‘where our " irstly, I was invited to join There is no official job specification lacking in any 'touchy-feely' qualities. population by a commensurate bread and butter lie’. Several local the Council of Aston, and for a Chancellor. It’s an opportunity to (But then being cuddly is not amount, and removed all funding for Birmingham MPs weighed in to the from there I succeeded become involved and to assist where necessarily a characteristic one looks overseas students. The former CATs debate but it was observed that only Lord Nelson as Chancellor. you can – there are no requirements for in a V-C.) Crawford had [Colleges of Advanced Technology] 15 members were present in the FHaving been on the Council I in terms of making decisions. But [in previously been Chairman of the across the sector, such as Salford, House. Bruce George (Walsall) understood the working of the 1981] there were sudden cuts made on Institute for Plasma Research at Bradford, Heriot-Watt, all institutions commented that if Oxford or organisation. I very much admired the universities and, in my view, Aston Stanford University in California and of which I had a personal and fond Cambridge had been cut to the same Aston’s early leaders. Sir Joseph Hunt was very wrongly affected. First of all on arrival he articulated an ambition knowledge, were particularly mauled extent the entire chamber and I got to know very well; he was the cuts were limited to a small to transform Aston into a quality- in this cull, despite their degree galleries would have been packed. self-taught and a remarkable man. number of institutions, nearly all of driven institution − the Stanford of programmes focussing on the very I presented a bunch of woody And Peter Venables, the first Vice- which were the newest. I can’t the UK no less. He started well by science and technology disciplines nightshade, which I had picked from Chancellor, and his wife, Ethel, were remember all of the figures but the consulting all constituencies of the that the Government sought to a clump growing along the canal great figures. I knew George [Nelson, Vice-Chancellor [Sir Frederick University and set up many task encourage. To make matters worse the towpath on one of my runs round the Aston’s first Chancellor] because we Crawford] had to slim the staff by forces to scrutinise all aspects of the numbers of funded pharmacy Spaghetti Loop, to Dr Rhodes Boyson, were both involved with the pretty near a third, which is a past performance of departments and students were cut nationally, the Under-Secretary for Education, Aston prospectus Confederation of British Industry. horrendous task. I felt there was a their plans for the future; he also responding to earlier crass advice Science and Technology. cover from the 1980s. He was a very good engineer but also need to speak up about the impact made a point of emphasising that an from our own Pharmaceutical Society Unfortunately I couldn’t find any a very good administrator and was of the cuts to the Confederation of advanced IT status was to be a feature that too many pharmacists were Atropa belladonna, the related deadly able to represent the University in British Industry, which had supported of the new Aston and warned that joining the profession. nightshade. My bouquet had lots of public life. the Government. I appealed to the special care had to be taken in berries which contain solanine, an Minister, who was Sir Keith Joseph, To coincide with a debate on Higher appointing new staff, as errors of alkaloid which is claimed to increase to plead for some alleviation in the Education, especially the treatment of judgement made at that critical stage bodily secretions and lead to vomiting way it was carried out. Aston by the UGC, I joined a could take decades to pass through and convulsions. That would have delegation of Aston staff to lobby the system. All these imperatives were done nicely, but in a contemptuous ministers in Parliament on the 23rd enthusiastically welcomed by the staff gesture he flung my botanical offering July 1981. The debate was notable for − initially. into a bin in his office.”

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"I wasn't successful, but Sir Frederick This extract is from an interview – faced with this situation – did a carried out in November 2014 remarkable job." Reducing the staff for an article to mark the 50th to the extent that was required anniversary (in 2016) of Aston’s resulted in a shoal of letters from receipt of its Royal Charter. academic institutions saying that what was being done at Aston was challenging the independence of academics. What I could do was at least attempt to respond to some of those criticisms. I wrote something like 400 letters and tried to take some of the load of the academic outcry. Sir Frederick Crawford, The other thing was… I was Vice-Chancellor 1980–1996. somebody to whom the Vice- Chancellor could talk in confidence about the awful decisions that he had to make. So what normally would be a fairly honorary position became one where there was an opportunity to help – on two fronts.” MAKING A GAME OF RAIL DISRUPTION

For commuters, stranded on the way to work, it can be hard to have any sympathy for rail operating companies. Yet Professor Ben Clegg and colleagues from Aston Business School have developed a novel solution to help frontline staff to provide a better service.

The Right Hon. The Baroness Thatcher (then Prime Minister) and her husband Dennis visiting Aston Science Park in 1983.

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t’s 8am on a Monday and your train has In association with Chiltern Railways, the broken down. You are now late for an Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), important meeting with your boss. As Focus Games Ltd. and colleagues at Aston crowds form at the customer information Business School, Professor Clegg has Idesk and people take to Twitter to vent their come up with a novel solution: to make frustration, nobody thinks much about the rail Quite often a game out of rail disruption. Fashioned staff who must provide accurate information people come like a traditional boardgame “like you get and practical alternatives at enormous speed. up to staff on for Christmas”, but with an added video Rail companies are measured on customer a platform element, The Rail Disruption Game is care via the National Passenger Rail Survey, and show designed to help frontline rail staff give so a failure to help does eventually have an them what is better advice during times of upheaval. impact on business, and consistently bad happening on “As you know, if you’ve been in a rail service will end up being reported to the Rail social media disruption, you don’t know what’s going Delivery Group: a self-policing unit of the and they might on and you just think, ‘I’m going to find Government which controls train operators. have more someone and ask them’. And of course, up-to-date “Rail operators can plan perfectly, but things everyone has the same idea, and there’s information always happen. It snows or there are landslides. three people at Marylebone Station and a because social There are floods, there are fires, there are thousand angry passengers approaching media can fatalities. Trains break down. That’s just life,” saying ‘What’s happening?’ Those staff are sometimes says Professor Ben Clegg. As the head of the under enormous pressure because things are move more Operations and Information Management always changing. They’re told something, quickly than Department at Aston Business School, he and ten minutes later it’s not true anymore. the company’s There is, says Professor Clegg, very little Although the game came out of an earlier sees rail disruption as less of a headache and information And then they get a frustrated research in this area because the focus has research project looking at big systemic issues, more of a fascinating problem. “What the systems traveller shouting at them. We wanted traditionally been on efficiently moving the results have been very practical – providing rail industry is predominantly trying to do to try to help them give the best trains around the network. He and his Chiltern with a bespoke training package and is to move metal boxes around a network advice at any particular time.” colleagues wanted to develop something that staff with the opportunity to experiment with to be in the right places at the right times. would help companies see things from the different situations and to share best practice And passengers are somewhat secondary passengers’ point of view, but they wanted Ben Clegg is Professor in a risk-free environment. Initially, Aston to all that. They just get on the metal boxes a solution that was more interesting than a of Operations ran six courses and trained up a facilitator but or they don’t. It’s up to them, but that’s not set of guidelines or a training manual. One Management at Aston then the Rail Disruption Game was handed really the spirit of running a quality service.” of the issues with training rail staff is that Business School, over to the company, who now run it in-house. they are located all over the country, so they has been Associate The game has been enthusiastically received also needed something portable. The Rail Dean for Enterprise by players and, in addition to the benefits Disruption Game is small enough to be set and is currently Head to employees, it has also delivered a great up on a table in any station and the only of the Operations number of improvement suggestions which technical requirement is a tablet device. and Information will undoubtedly benefit the rail operator. Management “The reason we’ve got this project is because In the future Professor Clegg hopes to apply Department. we’re specialists at making operations run similar solutions to different systems. “The better,” he explains. “The game is designed to same mechanics of the game could be used in help staff at railway stations, but there is also logistics companies and other transportation

a social media element. Quite often people companies, such as airlines,” he says. “But He is open to enquiries come up to staff on a platform and show them we hope that all train operating companies about business what is happening on social media and they in the UK – and beyond – will be able to use collaborations and might have more up-to-date information something like this for training in the future.” can be contacted on because social media can sometimes move [email protected] more quickly than the company’s information or +44(0)121 systems. However, the operator has people 204 3063. in control sitting at Banbury, who monitor social media and feed information to staff. We include that as part of the game.”

- 40 - - 41 - CROWDFUNDING Aston Alumni Magazine — 2019 CROWDFUNDING

There’s always been a lot more to Aston student life than Aston Tennis Club lectures. Whether joining clubs and societies, tinkering with Because the University doesn’t have its own their own technological ideas or dipping ambitious toes into tennis courts, the Aston Tennis Club (known entrepreneurial waters, what students get up to beyond the as the Aston Bulls) was spending time and classroom often plays just as big a part in future success. energy having to find funds for court-hire at a local venue. Its crowdfunding project raised enough in a month to guarantee court-hire costs for the rest of the year.

“The use of crowdfunding completely changed the outlook of the Aston Tennis Club last year. We were able to stop worrying about covering court hire and start planning events for our Photograph: Richard Battye members! When you achieve your crowdfunding target it feels amazing and it is also a great Get up and thing to put on your CV to show that you tried to make a difference to your club/society.” Day of GO! 2018 Liam Cavanagh, Aston Bulls GO! Tennis Club President 2018-19. Aston University Faruk Ojikutu Music Society Faruk was on the BSEEN programme where he worked on making his business idea One of the longest running societies at (Mechanlink) a reality. Mechanlink is an app Aston, Aston University Music Society and website used to connect vehicle owners to was desperately in need of a new drum kit. mechanics in their area, making it easier to Using the platform has encouraged find reliable mechanics, get diagnoses, quotes Photographs: Richard Battye Richard Photographs: members to think bigger. and write reviews. Faruk started developing his app and decided to make Mechanlink his “We’re over the moon that we’ve been able ow Aston University is helping more Crowdfunding has been around for a while, placement project. The next stage was to afford a brand new whole kit and all the students to make the most of these but it’s still new to universities. The idea is a marketing his business and that’s where bags and cases we need. We never expected opportunities. A brand new, student- simple one. Rather than having to wait in line crowdfunding came into play. N to raise so much money, we thought we driven crowdfunding platform called GO! for grants or submit applications to committees were going to have to buy second hand, allows individuals and teams to generate funds and funding bodies, students can make direct “The experience taught me a lot about so we’re thrilled” Angharad Baines, for their brightest ideas, using their own social approaches to those who they think will be marketing and some of the principles have AUMS President 2018-19. networks. This online tool, hosted by the most interested in helping their idea to become been implemented into Mechanlink's strategy. University, lets students start their own funding a reality, while social media enables them to This includes the power of content marketing, webpage and handle every aspect of the project promote the right project to the right people. emotional appeals in messaging and also being ! management and promotion themselves. Lots of interested parties making small relentless with marketing in pursuit of a goal. Aston also provides the background support philanthropic contributions has the potential Most importantly, I have learnt to use my own to ensure the donation processes are secure to add up to big successes. resources for maximum output – which is a very and easy to navigate, but the rest is up to them. important skill when working on a start-up. Unsurprisingly, given Aston students’ I believe every student should try crowdfunding. enthusiasm for innovation, it’s proving to Why not? Nothing should be holding us back!” be a great success. Faruk Ojikutu, BSc Accounting for Management.

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In November 2018 Aston held a Day of GO!, marking the portfolio of cryptocurrencies, and official launch of the University’s crowdfunding platform ALUMNI NEWS regularly speaks and blogs on the subject with a day-long event. Having already tested the at originalcryptoguy.com. Where has life taken you since you’ve been platform’s effectiveness with a small number of student His second book, How to Explain Bitcoin away from Aston? We’d love to hear what to your Mum, reached the Amazon projects, it was time to share this exciting opportunity you’ve been up to. Finance book chart and he is currently with the rest of the University. It was also a time to working on more publications. Jason lives celebrate the success of those students who had helped Why not drop us an email at [email protected] with his partner and two children near Wokingham, Berkshire. He still drops into to test the idea. with your story and a photograph? The best will be Aston from time to time and enjoys seeing included in the next edition of the magazine. the improvements the University is making. 1970s Alexander Lloyd (BSc Managerial and Administrative Studies, 1994) has worked Andy Bush chose to study German. The combination in the UK, Brazil, India and Italy for (BSc Mechanical of a science degree and knowledge of a extended periods in a variety of roles Day of Engineering, 1974) European language led to Carol securing related to the creation, negotiation and worked in the oil a job at the European Patent Office in management of international contracts. industry and then The Hague (on the western coast of These contracts have been across a variety diverted into the UK the Netherlands), and later in Munich of industries from specialist engineering, rail system and US military for a while. He (Germany). After almost ten years at major systems integrators, defence, then returned to pursue his career in the the patent office, she then moved to aerospace and IT Services. Alex now lives oil industry. Andy’s career enabled him to private practice in France and qualified back home near Neath in the South Wales explore the world; he is now enjoying his as a patent attorney. Carol is now a valleys with his wife and children. He is retirement. senior partner of a law firm, her work currently the Commercial Contracts focusses on intellectual property in the Director – Enterprise with the leading Peter C. Hille (BSc GO! field of the life sciences, particularly global satellite provider, Inmarsat. Civil Engineering, plant and animal molecular biology and 1978) was employed Gary Wood (BSc pharmaceuticals, and involves defending by construction Human Psychology, clients’ interests at the European level in The day was filled with activities both on Centre, and took trips down memory lane company J&P 1994; PgC, 1999; PhD, patent matters. Her Intellectual Property campus and online. Aston Tennis Club kicked with a visit to the archives of the old (Overseas) Ltd. in 2000) is a chartered firm has many well-known clients in Dubai after graduation which involved an psychologist, things off by launching its “New Balls Please!” Students’ Guild. the biosciences sector including Bayer, 18-month assignment building what is solution-focused life project, followed by a sensational flashmob Pasteur Institute and Vilmorin, as well Promoting GO! throughout the day helped now Abu Dhabi Airport. In 1980 he coach and broadcaster. Gary is also a keen performance from Aston Dance Club (which as academic institutions such as the the students’ projects enormously. Aston travelled to Florida USA to follow what writer and has published several books; had successfully crowdfunded for a new University of Columbia in New York. Tennis Club had already reached a quarter of was always a dream to become a pilot and sound-system earlier in the year). the first, Sex, Lies and Stereotypes, was its target by the end of the day, while Aston began training at the Florida Institute of inspired by a guest appearance on BBC The afternoon saw a specially orchestrated 1990s Christian Union, whose project had also gone Technology in Melbourne. After a year of Woman’s Hour. Following the success of performance by Aston Music Society, which training Peter worked for FIT Aviation as live, saw a massive boost in pledges, leaving it Jason Deane (BSc this book, Gary was given the opportunity took over Aston Business School’s Susan a flight instructor. He is now employed by within touching distance of its target weeks Managerial and to work on the Trisha Goddard show as Cadbury Lecture Theatre with its big band. Atlas Air Cargo as captain on the B-747, ahead of schedule. If you would like more Administrative Trisha’s resident life coach and has The performances were streamed live on an aircraft he has been flying since 1992. information or would Studies, 1993) joined published several books since. His latest Peter has loved working in the travel Aston University’s social media channels and Messages of support were shared on Aston like to contribute a the corporate world title, Letters to a New Student, is a industry and the opportunities it has received an amazing 53,856 views on University’s social media channels from the crowdfunding project, at Cable & Wireless refreshing take on study skills, reflecting brought to see the world. Instagram alone. Inspired by all the activity, Vice-Chancellor and the University’s teaching please visit the website following graduation, and then Microsoft. on all aspects of his work. It references go.aston.ac.uk. formative experiences at Aston, and brings Aston Drama Society chose to join in with the staff. Other highlights and activities from the 1980s On leaving, he set up a chain of internet fun, and launched its own project on GO! day included a cupcake giveaway in the cafes and games zones located in together psychological and coaching In November 2019 Aston Guildford, Reading and Richmond town expertise with media experience. Today, reception of the Main Building and a Carol Almond- Although the main focus of the day was to will hold its second Day of centres which later became the UK’s Gary works in private practice as a coach Champagne reception, hosted by Aston Martin (BSc raise awareness of the philanthropic platform, GO! and is anticipating an longest running internet cafes. After and a research consultant. Business School, complete with speeches, Pharmacology / it also gave alumni an opportunity to engage even greater response – selling this business, he became passionate drinks and canapés. Since the day many Physiology and with students. Throughout the day visiting for updates follow us about the global growth of cryptocurrency Chemistry, 1980) students have crowdfunded and some on Twitter and how it will inevitably shape the future. alumni enjoyed lunch with student project undertook a amazing ideas have been supported and @AstonAlumni He now owns mining operations both in leaders, were given tours of the new Students’ Complementary Studies programme brought to life. or Facebook the UK and Siberia, has a large and varied Union building and the Woodcock Sports @AstonUniversityAlumni during her time at Aston, in which she

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2000s L’Oreal and Apple, after which he founded launching and embedding Yammer, a taught her about all the different aspects of and internship experience and is currently the award-winning video tech business social media platform, into her business HR and gave her the opportunity to work employed as an associate software Jacqueline Jeynes One Minute City and London’s street-food area. Following the programme she moved on a number of projects. She is currently engineer at Clearswift, an information group Kothu Kothu. Nelson has been an into the public sector working at an adviser at Société Generale working on security company in Reading offering (PhD Health and Rianna Carter Safety, 2002) found ambassador for national enterprise Northampton College and in the NHS. a new government initiative: the innovative data-loss prevention solutions. campaign StartUp Britain, and a Now she is the internal communications apprenticeship levy. Dimitriya advises and Kanisha that her PhD in health Yuvin Wijesinghe (BSc Business and “ contributor to the guest lecture series manager at Kettering General Hospital, businesses on how best to utilise their levy Warrican have been and safety in small Management, 2018) Entrepreneurship. He has been recognised leading on communications for their 4,000 funds and to align that to their business participating in firms supported her moved to Hanoi, by Virgin Media Business as one of the top staff members. strategy. Her degree has given her a good the Doing Politics, role as the national policy chair of the Vietnam, as a 30 young innovative founders in the understanding of politics (both national Changing Society Federation of Small Businesses and the Ahmed Khan management trainee country. He is a thought-leader on and international), economics and history, programme which Health and Safety Committee. As a (MSc Business after graduating. He start-ups and tech, contributing to which she finds useful in her role. placement visitor, Jacqueline’s links to Management, 2012) was offered a job at trains black and publications such as the Guardian, the Aston University are very much alive. lives in Dubai, helping Monique Malcolm- Expo Freight, a global logistics provider, minority ethnic Telegraph and startups.co.uk, and was Jacqueline has published several books on small and medium- Hay (BSc Business ranked in the top 25 freight forwarders. women to be active recently featured in a Bloomberg Health and Safety in small firms and is sized enterprises to and Management, During his time at Expo Freight, Yuvin citizens and take documentary on the entrepreneurial currently working on her new title, Forget perform better, and helping people to 2015) is an ICAEW has focussed on developing client relations leadership roles in mindset. Brexit – Just Manage your Risks! (more kick-start their dream businesses through chartered accountant and bringing in new accounts to the the political and details can be found on her website Monica Bagga (BSc his consulting firm. Ahmed deals with all working as a business business. He now oversees the business civic sphere." pencoedpublishing.co.uk). Her love of Computing for aspects of business including consulting, restructuring services senior consultant at development for both North Vietnam and writing is also shown in her reports on Business, 2010) market research, operations management, PwC. As part of her mission to educate, the Philippines. Yuvin handles many trips around the world which regularly graduated from Aston digital transformation, deals and empower and inspire, Monique global clients on a daily basis, mainly in feature on website Silver Travel Advisor, as the only female out contracts. As well as developing corporate spearheaded the creation of New Gen the garment industry, which has provided for whom she has covered press visits to of 180 candidates to relationships in the United Arab Emirates, Accountants (NGA), a non-profit him with a good opportunity to practice India, Italy and Hungary. As an art have achieved a first-class honours degree. Ahmed is part of business networking organisation which provides advice and what he has learnt throughout his time at historian, Jacqueline also tutors on As a computer technology and data groups and business councils where support to more than 200 individuals in Aston University. Aberystwyth University’s art history enthusiast, she completed an industrial business is generated through referrals. the UK who are pursuing accountancy as a distance-learning modules. Rianna Carter (BSc Sociology and Social placement at Oracle Corporation in career. After being awarded a first-class Kelvin Oba (MSc Policy, 2018) and Reading. She then secured a three-month honours and founding Aston’s Teach First Naveed Ahmed (BSc Economics and Chemical Kanisha Warrican internship in Computer Science at Aston Society, Monique remains an active Management, 2009) completed a one-year Engineering, 2013) (BSc Sociology, 2018) University, exploring NHS datasets. Soon member of the alumni community, work placement during his time at Aston, secured a graduate have been afterwards, she completed a two-year mentoring students via the Aston working for one of the UK’s top energy role at Honeywell participating in the graduate scheme at Phoebus Software Professional Mentoring Scheme. Having suppliers: E.ON. After graduating, he UOP as a process Doing Politics, Ltd., working as an analyst programmer. undertaken a placement at the University continued his career in the energy control and instrumentation engineer. Changing Society programme. This Then, at Poundland’s head office she was of Florida, been seconded to the PwC industry, working for RWE Npower for He has since worked worldwide with programme trains black and minority involved in projects where she shared data Dubai office, and volunteered in both two years and then Centrica for five years. refineries utilising UOP technologies, ethnic women to be active citizens and insights, provided faster reporting and Brazil and Kenya, Monique now considers In 2016, Naveed moved abroad to contributing to their success stories and take leadership roles in the political and demonstrated key performance indicators herself to be a global citizen who is Barcelona to study a master’s degree in getting good feedback from customers and civic sphere. As part of this programme that allowed the organisation to grow from endlessly giving back and empowering International Trade, Finance, and colleagues. Kelvin is also a published they have created their own micro social 400 to over 850 stores. Monica is now those around her. Development at the Barcelona Graduate author; after the success of his first book, campaign, Let’s Talk Melanin. This working as a senior business intelligence School of Economics, graduating in 2017. Emotions and Belief, published during his Alikhan Uzakov (BSc challenges society’s beauty standards by developer at Interserve PLC, providing At the beginning of 2018, he secured a time at Aston University, he has published Computing Science celebrating body diversity amongst young intelligent analytical solutions to drive the place on the 222 Future Leaders Program his second book, Poems About You. and Mathematics, black women. In order to raise awareness, business forward. at SHV Group and is now currently Kelvin continues to work as a dedicated 2018) was union they mentor secondary school girls, write working in its business unit, Primagas Elizabeth Grosvenor engineer as well as building his own chairperson of the blogs and post on their social media Spain, as a commercial analyst. (BSc Business and brand, Created by Kelz, that covers his Aston Students’ pages (including their Twitter account Nelson Sivalingam Management, 2011) many creative sides as an author, travel Union; an Aston University course @letstalkmelanin). They also invite black (BSc Business and was awarded the blogger, and content creator, to name representative; worked as a professor’s women to write to them and share their Management, 2009) is Billington Cartmell but a few. assistant; helped to teach the story. To conclude their political prize at Aston programming language Java to first-year programme in March 2019, Kanisha and the co-founder and Dimitriya Valkova (BSc Politics with University for advanced marketing students; participated and won several Rianna showcased their campaign at the CEO at HowNow, an International Relations, 2014) went on to communications, and after completing her hackathons (in Birmingham and around Town Hall in Birmingham. The co- AI-powered learning work in learning and development, for degree she embarked on the Graduate the UK) and received an award as a founders are continuing to grow Let’s Talk experience platform backed by the founder Amazon, Goldman Sachs and now for the Talent Acceleration Programme at BP. Student Employee of the Year 2018. Melanin into a movement which changes of MyVoucherCodes.com; the founders of French bank Société Generale. Her passion During this programme she was the Passionate about innovative technology the way that people view beauty standards Thomson Online Benefits; tennis player for Human Resources started while she internal communications lead for business and cyber security, he runs an IT blog and black women’s bodies. Andy Murray and a former McKinsey was completing her industrial placement Read more entries on the website: change and IT projects across the business, medium.com/@uzakov and has a Partner. Nelson started his career at in her third year at Aston. The placement bit.ly/2XD3Bed websiteuzakov.io. He has versatile work

- 46 - - 47 - IN DETAIL Aston Alumni Magazine — 2019 Meet at London’s leading business members club and meeting space. Work at a collection of innovative, design led spaces and watch your business grow.

NEFES

Join The Clubhouse with a flexible membership option as an Aston alumni and we will waive the joining fee saving you up to £1,000 The brainchild of Hannah Janisch, a student of Industrial Product Design, Nefes is a portable communicable disease biomarker analyser. Put simply, this compact unit can detect distinctive biomarkers in the breath, helping people to diagnose diseases and speed up treatment, even in the most challenging of situations.

Because it is non-invasive and highly portable, Nefes could assist medical professionals in CALLING ALL ALUMNI developing countries – for example, in the wake of natural disasters – to reduce the chances of infections spreading and becoming problematic JOIN ASTON’S BIGGEST GLOBAL outbreaks.

The data collected by the device can be further ALUMNI CELEBRATION! analysed once connected to a computer. 22 — 30 APRIL 2020

With a network of almost 100,000 alumni situated across 167 different countries, Aston Global Celebration gives you an opportunity to connect with other alumni in your country, share fond memories of your time at Aston and celebrate your achievements.

If you would like to volunteer to host an Connect with your local Aston graduates event in your country next year, or would by joining an Aston Alumni Chapter. Hannah Janisch like to connect with other Aston alumni in For more information please visit: Industrial Product Design your area, please get in touch with us at: aston.ac.uk/alumni/chapters [email protected] - 48 - Here to support you throughout your professional life Wherever you are in your career journey we’re here to help

Masters courses (online and on campus) The Aston MBA (full time on campus, part time and online) SCHOLARSHIP *Scholarship applies to all Aston University standard taught masters and FT MBA programmes % FOR ASTON for all Aston continuing students/graduates. Some 20 GRADUATES online programmes are excluded.

PhD and DBA Executive Development Support for small businesses (through the Aston Centre for Growth)

To find out more visit www.aston.ac.uk/alumni Or email [email protected]

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