Understand the minds of successful entrepreneurs and great business people
LSBF Great Mind videos give you the chance to get to know a number of business leaders operating in Europe, Asia and worldwide. This video series has been designed to inspire students as well as to encourage a thought-provoking debate regarding higher education, entrepreneurship, career and the global business world. Amongst the business leader that have already joined in are Masroor Haq, VTB Capital’s International Head of Infrastructure Capital and Project Finance.
Watch all relevant videos below.
Masroor Haq from VTB Capital Plc
Actor Suniel Shetty talking about importance of education
Hear from Bollywood actor, producer and entrepreneur, Suniel Shetty about his journey towards success in LSBF’s latest Great Minds video. Shetty’s career spans 28 years and 120 films, starting with a major blockbuster film. Though the film was incredibly successful, Shetty was dubbed ‘wooden’. He soon realised he had not ‘mastered his craft’ and began performing death-defying stunts which opened him up to more acting opportunities. Throughout his discussion with LSBF, Shetty discusses the importance of education, practical knowledge and internships. In addition, he observes how the education system has changed moving from very general areas of subjects to students pursuing more specific strands of study.
Richard Branson on Education & Entrepreneurship
Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Group and one of Britain's most famous entrepreneurs, spoke to RT Hon David Blunkett MP, on behalf of LSBF, about what the role of higher education should be in entrepreneurship. Branson spoke about leaving high school at age 15 to pursue an entreprise venture and the need for universities to encourage students with entrepreneurial minds to continue learning and stay enrolled. He also discussed the idea of a university in which students can speak to mentors with entrepreneurial experience.
Deborah Meaden interview
Business education and entrepreneurship should be embedded in the education curriculum from early on - this is the view of entrepreneur and business investor Deborah Meaden, who was interviewed in a new video released by the London School of Business and Finance (LSBF) this week. Part of the Great Minds series of videos, the interview was led by former Education and Home Secretary Rt Hon. David Blunkett MP, who is also a visiting lecturer at the School. “When I was at school, I didn’t have the option of being an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship has to be embedded in the education system from early on, so students understand that there is an option,” she said.
Thomas Davies - Are You Ready to Be a Founder?
Thomas Davis, CEO and Founder of Temporall, spoke to Dinara Talibova as part of London School of Business and Finance’s Great Minds series about the challenges of running a start-up. Temporall was founded in 2017 and provides organisational intelligence to improve business performance. The company was Thomas’s first experience of running a start-up. He states: “One of the things you have to do as a founder is to find the right people that can work with you. I think one of the things we have done since starting the business is to understand our own identity.” Watch the full video to hear more.
Marc San Lopez - Focus on Skills and Learning
Hear from Marc San Lopez, Head of Education South Europe at Google, who spoke to Dinara Talibova as part of London School of Business and Finance’s Great Minds series. Throughout the video, Marc focusses on the importance of continuous learning stating: “you will be reinventing what you like and what you feel passionate about will change every year.” Marc also spoke about the overemphasis on getting a degree and graduating. He posed the questions: “What does graduation mean? Does it mean you stop learning?”. Marc believes that you should constantly be developing new skills and trying to add value to your life: “The more you manage to do it, the more successful you are going to be.”
Will Butler-Adams from Brompton Bicycle
Visibility is the most essential element of a successful business. This is the mantra of Will Butler-Adams, the managing director of Brompton Bicycle , the world-famous British folding bike-maker. According to him, profit, revenue and other variables play an important role, but “what you need in order to run a business is visibility”. An extremely successful business and a prominent example of the new generation of UK manufacturers, Brompton has gained worldwide acclaim due to the quality, resistance and flexibility of its bicycles.
Amy McPherson, CEO Marriott Hotels, Europe
Great business leaders know how to surround themselves with good people – that is the secret to a successful career in business according to Amy McPherson, the CEO of Marriott Hotels Europe. Having been recently interviewed for LSBF’s Great Minds Series, Ms McPherson spoke about the importance of soft skills to shape the careers of better, more effective leaders: “I think most people would say I’m a change agent. I love a challenge”, she told Nadim Choudhury, Head of Careers and Employability at LSBF. In terms of potential leaders, Ms McPherson said she looks for “really smart people that aren’t like me, that bring something different to the table,” adding: “Any success I’ve had is because I’ve surrounded myself with the best people.”