Format
The programme runs over the course of 5 months with sessions twice a month. The separate sessions use facilitated learning with a combination of professional and academic leaders, and are designed to encourage active learning where participants learn from one another as well as from these experts.
Each module is designed around a theme particularly relevant to individuals in senior management and board positions, and offers tools or frameworks that can be put into practice immediately.
Each session will be led by specialists in the subject matter from the University of Edinburgh Business School and will also involve business leaders from a variety of backgrounds, depending on each session’s topic, with relevant skills and experience pertaining to each.
The level of teaching is 91 and above and each session is video recorded for the exclusive use of delegates for continued learning and in case a session is missed. The style of learning and delivery will be practical workshops, case studies, and group work to enable practical learning at all times.
Each session will have the same format:
- 16:30-17:00 Welcome tea & coffee with biscuits and fruit
- 17:00-18:15 Session
- 18:15-18:30 Break with tea, coffee, biscuits & pastries
- 18:30-20:00 Session
- 20:00-20:30 Drinks Reception (Session 1, 4, & 8 only)
Price
For details around the fees as well as discounts, please get in touch with the Executive Leadership Programme Team.
Programme
Session 1: Developing and Implementing Strategy (plus drinks reception)
Tuesday 27 August 2024, 17:00–20:30 - Surgeon's Hall, Deacon's Suite
Speaker
Colin Robertson CBE: Founder and Chairman of Robertson Campbell Investments, Vice Chairman NFI Group, Chair of NWH and Entrepreneurial Scotland
Colin Robertson is Founder and Chairman of Robertson Campbell Investments, investing in private equity,commercial property and manufacturing turnaround opportunities.
Recent acquisitions include controlling interests in Wessington Cryogenics, a leading cryogenic tank manufacturer for the storage of liquid hydrogen, helium, nitrogen and oxygen. Also Net Zero Facades, a cutting edge construction company which designs, manufactures and installs façade solutions that reduce overall project carbon footprints.
Previously, Colin was Chief Executive of Alexander Dennis Ltd (ADL) Britain’s largest bus and coach manufacturer for 13 years before selling it to NFI Group in May 2019 and joining their board of directors as Vice Chairman. He transformed ADL by spearheading its UK market dominance and significant international expansion by relentlessly focusing on customer needs, operational excellence and product innovation. This resulted in fourfold growth in turnover to £630 Million.
Academic Lead
Session Overview
One of the most important aspects of leadership is to oversee the development of a strategy that will guide the organisation to achieve its objectives. This involves assessing the availability of resources and capabilities along with an understanding of external constraints and opportunities.
As companies are eager to improve strategic thinking across their entire organizations, the challenge for them lies in building this leadership capability across an organisation. In this session we will develop a set of tools that will equip participants with an understanding of how to develop strategies that are sufficiently robust and flexible to cope with highly dynamic environments.
Through the network of participants, the course will allow participants to reflect on and learn from faculty and leaders who engage with strategy every day across diverse contexts.
Session 2: Creating and Leading Business Transformation
Tuesday 10 September 2024, 17:00–20:00 - Radisson Blu High Street, Canongate Suite
Speaker
Helen Page: Non-Executive Director, Bank of Ireland UK and The Artisanal Spirits Company plc, Chair of Label Sessions; Board Trustee, Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance and The SSPCA
With over 30 years’ experience across the financial Services, Retail, Charity and Food and Drinks Sectors, Helen is an experienced PLC Executive, Non Executive Director, Board Chair and Senior Brand and Communications Advisor to CEO and C-Suite with geographical experience across the UK, USA, Europe and Australasia.
She is a Non Executive Director of Bank of Ireland UK, The Artisanal Spirits Company and the Chair of Label Sessions. She is also a Board Trustee of both Scotland’s Air Ambulance and The SSPCA.
Helen’s plc executive career was predominately spent in financial services and retail, most notably as a member of the UK Executive Board of RBS Group for seven years where she held the position of Managing Director for Marketing and Innovation and CYBG/Virgin Money for almost 10 years where she became Chief Brand Officer.
She has senior executive and non-executive director experience of successfully completing two IPOs in both the UK and Australia, in addition to a banking demerger, the acquisition of Virgin Money and held senior accountability for the largest banking rebrand in the UK for over 10 years.
Academic Lead
Session Overview
Leading change has become one of the most important fundamentals of leadership at senior levels of the organisation. Technological advances have increased the speed and frequency with which change programmes have to be instigated. At the same time, the pressures on organisation leaders to accommodate multiple, often conflicting, interests have made the implementation of change difficult. It is thus of little surprise that most major change programmes face resistance and often fail.
In this session we will explore some of the imperatives that impact change, what often causes implementation failure, and how we can increase chances for success.
Session 3: A Plan for Living and Leading with Artificial Intelligence and Increased Technology Innovation
Tuesday 24 September 2024, 17:00–20:00 - Surgeon's Hall, Playfair Hall
Speaker
Catriona Campbell, MBE: Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at EY UK & Ireland
Catriona Campbell is the Chief Technology and Innovation Officer of EY UK & Ireland, and a Senior Leader in EY participating in Business Strategy and Leadership for their UK business of 20,000 people. In this role, Catriona harnesses the power of technology and drives innovation to help clients remain competitive in a disruptive environment.
A renowned behavioural psychologist and a leader in AI and human-computer interaction (HCI), previously, Catriona ran EY’s innovation centres in EMEIA (EY wavespaceTM) having earlier co-founded and sold to EY her London-based experience design firm Seren in 2001.
Since then, she has guided some of the world’s best-known brands towards digital success, earning a place in the BIMA Digital Hall of Fame thanks to two decades of outstanding contributions. She has worked with C-Suite leaders at Global FTSE/NASDAQ/NYSE and privately held companies, delivering digital transformations in Customer Service, Finance, Sales/Marketing, Supply Chain, HR and Operations.
Catriona earned her degrees from the Universities of Stirling and Glasgow, and also studied at the Sorbonne, Paris.
She is the chair of the Scottish AI Alliance, a collaborative initiative that aims to promote and support the ethical and responsible development and use of AI in Scotland and in 2022 wrote AI by Design, a book that introduces the reader to AI and its importance for our future, and explores how to design for a successful co-existence with artificial intelligence.
She was honoured with an MBE in the 2024 New Year’s Honours List for her services to technology and innovation, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts.
Academic Lead
Session Overview
Leadership is changing as a result of the ever-advancing use of data, technology, AI, and automation. With the increasing amount of data available, leaders need to be skilled in using data to make informed decisions. They must understand how to gather, analyse, and interpret data, and use it to identify trends, patterns, and opportunities – the importance of judgement and consultative business partnering becoming even more important. Leaders must also be familiar with the latest technologies and tools relevant to their industry.
In this session we will discuss how, as more automation and AI take over routine tasks, leaders need not be afraid of displacement or retraining in their teams but instead embrace this, whilst focusing on the human side of their organisations and interactions. Leaders must be able to leverage these technologies to streamline processes, improve efficiency, enhance productivity and be seen as inspirational, open-minded and progressive leaders of change - not blockers to change and innovation.
This means not only becoming skilled users of AI and digital tools and developing data skills, but developing emotional intelligence, empathy, and other soft skills that enable them to connect with team members on a personal level and build a positive high performance work culture.
Session 4: Driving Sustainability Effectively for Business and Environmental Benefit (plus drinks reception)
Tuesday 8 October 2024, 17:00–20:30 - Double Tree by Hilton Bread Street, The Penthouse
Speaker
Dominic Fry: Chair, Zero Waste Scotland and Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Dominic chairs Zero Waste Scotland and The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. He has had a successful career as an Executive and Trustee spanning retail, energy, the public sector, social mobility and the arts.
He has over 30 years of experience in senior, strategic communications roles working with the Boards of large, complex and high-profile organisations.
Most recently as Director of Communications & Investor Relations for Marks & Spencer, Dominic’s responsibilities included the communication of M&S’ ethical and environmental Plan A during a decade on the M&S Management Board.
Dominic combines strategic thinking with the conviction to get things done. He has proven influencing skills across issues, media, and reputation management, as well as a wide network of influential contacts in the UK and internationally.
Dominic has strong commercial experience and has been involved with successful fundraising campaigns for several charities as a Trustee.
Academic Lead
Dr Sarah Ivory
Session Overview
Sustainability, and some of its specific challenges such as climate change, have become board-level considerations, with policies and practices integrated through all levels of all types of organisations. But what does ‘ sustainability’ really mean and how should it be addressed? How does sustainability influence the quest for competitive advantage and commercial gain? Should it? Moreover, what is the role for those leading organisations? Is it as straightforward as appointing a Chief Sustainability Officer? Or is the sustainability asking for fundamental changes to how Boards approach their role?
This session will take an honest and critical view of sustainability and its relationship with organisations, leaders, and society. It will encourage you to ask (and answer) potentially uncomfortable questions about purpose, responsibility and impact.
Session 5: Building and Driving High Performance
Tuesday 22 October 2024, 17:00–20:00 - Surgeon's Hall, Playfair Hall
Speaker
Clive Miles: HR Director Barclays UK Every Day Money Management and Life Moments, BUK COO and Private Bank and Wealth Management COO
Clive is currently the HR Director for Barclays UK Every Day Money Management and Life Moments, BUK COO and Private Bank and Wealth Management COO (c25,000 Colleagues).
He has worked in a variety of roles, Transformation, Programme Management, Business Management and India Group HRD over his 12 years within Barclays Group. Prior to this he served for 16 years in the Armed Forces.
He has worked in a variety of Defence and Foreign Office support roles in Leadership, Strategic Planning, Counter Terrorism, Human Resources and Intelligence.
Academic Lead
Session Overview
Today’s teams, built on the foundation of empowerment and data-driven decision-making, require skilled team leaders. These team leaders understand how to coalesce a team around a purpose and allow team members to thrive, bringing forward their best in innovative thinking. Although team leaders now benefit from workplace technology to help integrate teams across locations and working arrangements, these changes require leaders with a vision and a management style suited to the new context. Finding the secrets to inclusive team performance across diverse team members in terms of age and culture, as well as increased concerns for employee wellbeing, psychological safety, and inclusivity, are significant concerns for team leaders.
We will begin this session by exploring your own teamwork experiences and then give you the opportunity to work across a team simulation. During this session, we will uncover some of the main challenges facing team leaders today with real-life examples of effective teams.
Session 6: Board Readiness and Governance
Tuesday 5 November 2024, 17:00–20:00 - Surgeon's Hall, Playfair Hall
Speaker
Angela Seymour-Jackson: Chair Page Group; Senior Independent Director at Trustpilot; Non-Executive Director Future Plc and Non-Executive Director Janus Henderson and Chair of their UK Hold Co and the UK and European investment company
Angela has extensive corporate governance experience. She is Chair of the Board at Page Group, Senior Independent Director at Trustpilot, and a Non-Executive Director at Future plc and at Janus Henderson where she also chairs their UK Hold Co and the UK and European investment company.
Angela was previously Deputy Chair at GoCompare Group and a Non-Executive Director at Rentokil Initial for nine years. Thus, Angela’s Board experience spans both listed firms in the UK and US, as well as both plc and private Venture Capital backed businesses.
In her Executive career, Angela held senior sales and marketing positions at Aviva and Aegon and was CEO of RAC Motoring.
Academic Lead
Professor John Amis and Judy Wagner
Session Overview
Being able to build strong and meaningful relationships at a senior level with the organisation, whilst building trust and credibility are important to your success. Ensuring you are well informed about your business, its sector, and factors that will affect its growth externally, are important to helping form strategic decisions that will ensure business success and hone your leadership abilities and standing amongst your peers, and in particular, with the Board.
The Board has a crucial role in ensuring good governance is prevalent throughout the business as this has a strong and direct link to performance of an organisation. But do we fully understand what good governance looks like and how it impacts on us and vice versa? What are boards looking for in terms of skills, experience and abilities to contribute to good governance; what are the potential risks we should be aware of - and how can we manage all this at the board table or in discussion with board members?
This session will lead you through how to have impact at senior levels within the organisation and operate most effectively with the Board. We will also examine the basic functions of good corporate governance and the role of board members in ensuring that appropriate structures and systems are in place. In so doing, we explore how strong ethical practices can be infused throughout the organisation, and why this can be problematic to attain.
Session 7: Managing Your Career and Fulfilling Ambitions
Tuesday 19 November 2024, 17:00–20:00 - Surgeon's Hall, Playfair Hall
Speaker
Carolyn Jamieson: Previous Chief Consumer Officer & Chief Trust Officer Trustpilot and current NXD with Ten lifestyle, SNIB, SEP and Dohop.
Carolyn has had a varied career, working internationally within the Technology sector. She has a particular focus on scaling fast growth companies to an exit event, having led the sale of Skyscanner to Ctrip in 2019 and subsequently working for Ctrip, and the IPO of Trustpilot in 2021.
She has held a number of Executive positions covering areas such as corporate development/M&A, strategy, legal, public policy and communications, in businesses operating internationally and in evolving markets. As a result, she has a particular interest in emerging international policy in an online environment, given her lobbying experiences in Brussels and Washington for businesses such as Skyscanner and Trustpilot.
Carolyn has also held a number of Non-Executive roles, initially focused on technology start-ups following the successful sale of Skyscanner, and more recently within organisations such as the Scottish National Investment Bank, AIM listed company Ten Lifestyle Group plc, and sits on the investment advisory board for Scottish Equity Partners.
She qualified as a barrister initially, subsequently developing expertise as an in-house solicitor, with a focus on Intellectual Property and Competition issues, and also holds an LLM in Intellectual Property from Edinburgh University.
Academic Lead
Session Overview
This session will focus on the keys to further developing one’s strengths by identifying any leadership gaps and development goals for the future. In piloting your own career with the support of others such as coaches and mentors, you will be poised to apply the learnings from this programme. We will bring together the lessons of this programme in the session to help you determine career development priorities by reflecting on what you should start, stop, and continue in your leadership approach. Through insights around cutting-edge leadership development techniques and compelling real life examples of successful career development, you will learn more about what employers, investors and shareholders are looking for in their future board members.
Session 8: Group Exercise on a Crucial Challenge (plus wrap-up drinks reception)
Tuesday 3 December 2024, 17:00–20:30, Surgeon's Hall, Playfair Hall
Speaker
Professor Susan Murphy
Susan’s current research examines leadership requirements, effectiveness, and development across different contexts and organisational levels and identifies ways in which organisations encourage “the leadership development mindset”; a method of accelerating leader development which includes effective succession planning and talent management, and at the individual manager level, by increasing leadership self-efficacy and identity, one’s developmental readiness, and use of mentoring and other networking opportunities. She has consulted with over 70 clients across a range of industries including the entertainment, mobile technology, biotechnology, banking, construction engineering, and energy-related fields as well as national and local government and other public sector organisations.
She is co-founder of the Executive Women’s Leadership Programme with Judy Wagner from FWB.
Academic Lead
Judy Wagner: CA FRSE, Co-Founder, FWB
A graduate of the University of Edinburgh, Judy Wagner began her career as a Chartered Accountant and worked in commerce before moving into the recruitment industry and becoming a director of a large UK-wide recruitment business, participating in an MBO backed by 3i plc. She then went on to co-found FWB in 1993.
Judy is a former Non-Executive Director of an Aberdeen based energy company, where she set up and chaired the Remuneration Committee, and was Chair of Erskine Stewart’s Melville Schools in Edinburgh. She is an Associate of The University of Edinburgh Business School and Joint Programme Director for the Executive Leadership Programme and The NXD Development Programme. She is Vice Chair of Salvesen Mindroom Centre, a leading charity that champions all forms of neurodiversity and a Fellow of The Royal Society of Edinburgh.
Session Overview
This final session will be a whole group exercise based on a crucial challenge for organisations. It will bring together all the learning from the programme’s individual sessions. Delegates will be required to work in groups with each group required to present to the programme delegates and speakers on their approach to their group’s challenge and their strategy for addressing this.