Values Based Leadership in Today's Turbulent World

The world today is in a polycrisis. We face significant challenges - rise in hate, increase in inequity, global warming and increased risk with technology. However these challenges can become unprecedented opportunities if we lead through our values - compassion for hate, accountability for climate, responsibility for inequality, and morality for risk. Values based leadership is the way forward for a better world. Niren will share some unique perspectives on the importance of and the way to build values based leadership. As an additional incentive to come he promises to sing some Eric Clapton and Oasis together with you all!

About our speaker:

Niren Chaudhary was the Chairman of the Board of Panera Brands 2023-2024, one of the world’s largest fast casual restaurant companies with nearly 4,000 locations in 10 countries. Panera Brands is comprised of Panera Bread, Caribou Coffee and Einstein Bros Bagels.

Prior to becoming Chairman in 2023, Niren served as CEO of Panera Brands and Panera Bread. During his four-year tenure, Panera Brands strengthened its leadership in the fast casual segment by expanding its leading digital capabilities, which as of 2023 account for 51% of total sales at Panera Bread, while increasing its loyalty base to more than 53 million members and launching an innovative loyalty subscription model that resulted in 25% of all Panera transactions coming from Unlimited Sip Club members. Panera also increased its pace of innovation, strengthened franchisee partnerships and led the creation of a strong, people-first culture, resulting in industry-leading retention rates for GMs and associates, earning Black Box Intelligence’s Employer of Choice Award in 2022. Under his leadership Panera was also voted the Most Innovative Company by Fast Company in 2021 and rated as amongst the Top 20 Most purpose driven companies and Top 10 most sustainable companies in 2022.

Previously, Niren served as Chief Operating Officer and President of Krispy Kreme where he implemented a new operating model to elevate consistency across the global brand and created a path for enterprise value growth of 3x over 5 years. Prior to that, he spent 23 years at Yum! Brands serving in global leadership positions including Global President of KFC and President of Yum! India. KFC India and Pizza Hut India were rated as the most trusted brands during his tenure and the company also received the President of India’s award for their work on equal opportunity for hearing and speech impaired employees

Niren is guided by his deep passion for serving others and building future leaders. He spends his personal time sharing his personal and professional journey with students and professionals, often wielding a guitar to sing about his life or even a new Panera menu item. In addition, he dedicates his personal time serving on the Board of DKMS, a leading non-profit with the world’s largest stem cell donor registry. He is also an Executive in Residence at the Columbia Business school and a frequent guest lecturer at top Ivy league schools. Go forward Nien’s mission is to “be a catalyst to help unlock human potential “as a coach / mentor / academic / book writer and investor

Niren has faced some significant personal challenges with the loss of 2 of his daughters which has shaped him profoundly as a human and as a leader and deepened his commitment to live a life of service. The story of his family has been captured in a movie called “The Sky is Pink” and a documentary called “Black sunshine baby” on Netflix.

As a lifelong learner, Niren focuses on both formal and informal education. Formally, Niren holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from St. Stephen’s College in Delhi, an MBA in marketing from the University of Delhi, Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and is now pursuing a fellowship at Harvard under the Advanced Leadership Initiative. Niren is also an International Coaching Federation Accredited Executive Coach & mentor. Informally, Niren speaks 4 languages – Hindi, English, Dutch, German and is now learning Spanish. He holds a black belt in Shotokan karate and is an avid golfer, tennis player and musician with his own rock band. Niren is also a passionate and powerful keynote speaker at many corporate leadership events across the country.

TICKETS: will be released in January
WHEN:  Thursday 13 February 2025
5.30 pm – 6.00 pm: Wine reception and networking in Chetwynd Room
6.00 pm – 7.00 pm: Fireside discussion in Keynes Lecture Theatre
WHERE: King's College, Cambridge

Beyond Chocolate: Adrian Cadbury Life, Loss and Leadership

Scion of the great Quaker chocolate dynasty, Adrian Cadbury (1929-2015) was educated at Eton and Cambridge (taught by Arthur Pigou and Nicholas Kaldor at King's College), yet never quite fitted into the mould of the British establishment. As one of the most influential business personalities of the later 20th-century, he was a committed capitalist, but championed workers’ rights and backed numerous social causes. By his death, he had given most of his fortune away. To most people, however, his private life remained a closed book, overshadowed by a string of family tragedies and the eventual hostile take-over of his world famous family-owned business. The Cadbury Report, his pioneering work on corporate governance remains his greatest legacy (the Cadbury Archive is at the Judge Business School), but Adrian Cadbury’s career ranged far wider. With 2024 marking Cadbury’s 200th anniversary, this is his first biography, and one drawn from interviews with the family and those who knew him. He was a huge public figure of his era – but few at the time understood the tragedy in his life, or how hard-won were the successes he achieved.

TICKETS: tickets will be released in October.
WHEN: Thursday 21 November 2024
5.30 pm – 6.00 pm: Wine reception and networking in Chetwynd Room
6.00 pm – 7.00 pm: Fireside discussion in Keynes Lecture Theatre
WHERE: King's College, Cambridge

95 years young and UK's most successful employee-owned company: achievements, challenges and opportunities

Join us for an exciting evening with Rita Clifton discussing the UK's most successful employee-owned company, John Lewis, founded in 1864 and entrusted to employees in 1929. We will also cover Rita's own journey, including how she learnt to work with her imposter self rather than hide from it in order to succeed in her career.

Rita Clifton has been called ‘Brand guru’ by the Financial Times and ‘The doyenne of branding’ by Campaign magazine. Retail Week commented that she is 'A fabulous ambassador for business'. Alongside her board chairing and non-executive roles, Rita is a writer, keynote speaker, conference chair & practitioner on all aspects of brands, branding and business leadership.

Her career has included being a Vice Chair and Strategy Director at Saatchi & Saatchi, as London CEO and Chair at the global brand consultancy Interbrand and as co-founder of BrandCap. She is now a portfolio chair and non-executive director on the board of businesses including John Lewis Partnership, Nationwide Building Society and Ascential plc. Previous boards have included ASOS, Dixons Retail plc, Emap, Bupa and Populus Group. Her non-profit boards have included WWF (Worldwide Fund for Nature), the UK Sustainable Development Commission and Green Alliance. She was recently appointed Chair at Forum for the Future, the leading international sustainability organisation.

Rita is a regular columnist and media commentator, as well as author of the bestselling book ‘The Future of Brands’ and two editions of The Economist book 'Brands and Branding’. Her latest book 'Love Your Imposter' is about new types of leadership and personal branding, and has had great reviews.

TICKETS: tickets will be released in October
WHEN: Thursday 14 November 2024
 5.30 pm – 6.00 pm: Wine reception and networking in Chetwynd Room
 6.00 pm – 7.00 pm: Fireside discussion in Keynes Lecture Theatre
WHERE: King's College, Cambridge

Off the Beat-n-Track: Warner Music's Journey into the Emerging Markets

Join us for an enlightening and candid discussion with two seasoned music executives from the Warner Music Group as they delve into the challenges and triumphs of building a global music business in the dynamic, but occasionally volatile, emerging markets. Don’t miss the opportunity to gain valuable insights on how the music landscape is changing and how record labels are trying to build the creative infrastructure of the future (as well as some entertaining war stories).

About our speakers
Alfonso Perez-Soto is President, Emerging Markets at Warner Music and reports into Simon Robson, President, International at Warner Music.
His emerging markets brief covers Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, India and South Asia, the Eastern Mediterranean and Eastern Europe. These markets are home to 3.2 billion people – some 40 per cent of the world’s population – who are increasingly able to access music through a range of digital services that are being monetised for artists and labels.
Over the last few years, Alfonso has been instrumental in a number of investments and acquisitions within the Emerging Market regions. In India, Warner Music has acquired the management company E-Positive, invested in Divo, struck a deal with Sky Digital, signed superstars King and Diljit Dosanjh and launched 91 North Records. In the Midde East, Alfonso has led deals such as the investment in Rotana and HuManagement, the acquisition of Qanawat Music and the signings of leading stars such as Maya Diab and Dalia Mubarak. In Africa, Warner Music acquired Africori and inked licensing deals with Audiomack and Boomplay. And across Eastern Europe, Warner Music has partnered with leading Czech Republic hip-hop label Mike Roft, taken a stake in Hungarian record label Magneoton and expanded its partnership with Serbian record label, Mascom Records.
Alfonso has been a key player at Warner Music for many years. He first joined the company in 2005 as VP of Business Development for Latin America and US Hispanic Markets, while later serving as SVP, Business Development and Chief Commercial Officer for Emerging Markets. In 2018, he was named as EVP, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, before being made President of Emerging Markets in 2021.
Over the course of his career at Warner Music, Alfonso has played a pioneering role in the company’s digital transformation and global expansion. He has taken the vast knowledge and experience from his career in Latin America and is applying it across many developing markets. In particular, he has always sought to identify new business models, enhance key partner relationships and drive additional revenue for artists.
Earlier in his career, Alfonso held senior roles at Nokia, Telefonica and Universal Music Group.

Damien Yare is a seasoned executive in the music industry, currently serving as the Vice President of Business Affairs Warner Music Group’s Emerging Market Region. His career has spanned various facets of the music business including radio, live, talent representation and law, becoming a prominent figure in the industry known for his strategic insights and innovative approaches.
At Warner Music, Damien oversees the business and legal affairs operations across Southeast Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. Before his current role, Damien served as the Vice President of Business Affairs for Warner Music UK, where he counselled senior executives on key commercial arrangements and coordinated artist signing in addition to sitting on the A&R team of East West Records. In addition to his corporate roles, Damien founded and operated friends + family, a creative talent agency based in London. There, he provided management, business, and legal services to a diverse range of creative clients, including Grammy and Brit award-winning artists and producers. Prior to this he founded a live music promotions company putting hosting artists from Elton John to Snoop Dog and everything in between.
Damien is also an EMBA candidate at Clare College at the University of Cambridge, Judge Business School, as well as a qualified Solicitor in England and Wales and an Attorney at Law in New York and Florida.
With his extensive experience, deep industry knowledge, and strategic vision, Damien continues to drive innovation and growth in the music industry, making a significant impact on a global scale.

TICKETS: will be released in October
WHEN: Thursday 7 November 2024
5.30 pm – 6.00 pm: Wine reception and networking in Chetwynd Room
6.00 pm – 7.00 pm: Fireside discussion in Keynes Lecture Theatre
WHERE: King's College, Cambridge

Building a Better Future: Lessons from Social Enterprise Leaders

Details TBA

TICKETS: tickets will be released in October.
WHEN: Thursday 31 October 2024
5.30 pm – 6.00 pm: Wine reception and networking in Chetwynd Room
6.00 pm – 7.00 pm: Panel discussion in Keynes Lecture Theatre
WHERE: King's College, Cambridge

In Conversation with David Blood on how to address the urgency of the just transition to a net-zero world

About our speaker:
David Blood is a Founding Partner and the Senior Partner of Generation Investment Management. Previously, David spent 18 years at Goldman Sachs including serving as CEO of Goldman Sachs Asset Management. David received a BA from Hamilton College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

David is chair of Just Climate, Social Finance UK and World Resources Institute, and on the board of On the Edge Conservation.

TICKETS: tickets will be released in October.
WHEN: Thursday 24 October 2024
5.30 pm – 6.00 pm: Wine reception and networking in Chetwynd Room
6.00 pm – 7.00 pm: Fireside discussion in Keynes Lecture Theatre
WHERE: King's College, Cambridge

Scaling a Small Swedish Business into a Global Phenomenon

Join us for a fireside chat with Toni Petersson, serial entrepreneur and former CEO of Oatly! Toni oversaw Oatly for a decade, transforming it from a small Swedish oat drink company into a global, publicly listed phenomenon, now available in more than 20 countries worldwide.

TICKETS: will be released in October
WHEN:  Wednesday 23 October 2024
6.00 pm – 6.30 pm: Drinks reception and networking in Provost's Drawing Room
6.30 pm – 7.30 pm: Fireside discussion in Provost’s Drawing Room
WHERE: King's College, Cambridge

In conversation with Peter Barrett on toughest challenges at the boundaries of deep tech and hard science

Peter Barrett is the co-founder and general partner of Playground Global. He is drawn to the toughest challenges at the boundaries of deep tech and hard science.

Peter has been writing software since he was a teenager. At 19, his first security program caught the attention of the NSA. From his first company, Rocket Science Games, he’s had an adventurous career in technology from creating the first widely used video codec in the early 90s, building the world’s most popular IPTV platform at Microsoft, cloud intelligence for automotive at CloudCar, and now quantum and optical computing, robotics and artificial intelligence at Playground. He holds over 100 patents.

"We are witnessing a great acceleration in the development of consequential technologies with entirely new classes of computing, AI, and automation, driving innovation across material science and drug discovery,” said Peter Barrett, co-founder and General Partner at Playground Global. “In 2023 alone, we’ve seen Relativity Space launch the first 3D-printed rocket to space, Universal Hydrogen flew the world’s largest hydrogen-powered plane, and Amazon announced that it will begin testing Agility Robotic’s bipedal robot, Digit, for use in their operations. We’re thrilled to back these companies that are making an impact, today, and for generations to come.”

Playground Global is an early-stage venture capital firm investing in entrepreneurs who have developed breakthroughs in frontier technologies that will transform existing industries and create entirely new verticals. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, Playground invests across deep tech and science, including automation, infrastructure, engineered biology, and decarbonisation — all underpinned by the next generation of compute. Playground’s bench of technical and operational experts supports founders in developing their deep tech technical breakthroughs into transformational businesses. Playground has been an early – and frequently the first investor – in companies like PsiQuantum, Relativity Space, Ultima Genomics, MosaicML, d-Matrix, Strand Therapeutics, and Universal Hydrogen. Learn more at playground.vc.

Peter lives in Palo Alto with his wife, two children, a surly cat, and a friendly dog.

TICKETS: tickets will be released in October.
WHEN: Wednesday 23rd October 2024
5.00 pm – 6.00 pm: Fireside discussion in Provost’s Drawing Room
6.00 pm – 6.30 pm: Drinks reception and networking in Provost's Drawing Room
WHERE: King's College, Cambridge

In Conversation with David J. Roux 

About our speaker:
David J. Roux is the co-founder and co-managing partner of BayPine Capital. He previously co-founded Silver Lake Partners and held various leadership positions there, including chairman, co-managing partner and co-CEO.  David has also been chairman of Jackson Laboratories, an independent biomedical research institute. He began his career as a software entrepreneur and executive. David recently founded The Roux Institute at Northeastern University, a graduate school focused on digital engineering, computational biology and the practical application of artificial intelligence.  

TICKETS: tickets will be released in October
WHEN: Thursday 17 October 2024
 5.30 pm – 6.00 pm: Wine reception and networking in Chetwynd Room
 6.00 pm – 7.00 pm: Fireside discussion in Keynes Lecture Theatre
WHERE: King's College, Cambridge

Deconstructing and moving beyond the ‘Feisty’ Archetype: A Scholarly Examination of Black Womanhood Stereotypes

Kelechi Okafor, renowned author and social commentator, will join forces with Afua Hirsch, a distinguished author and documentary filmmaker, to share their personal journeys as Black women who are prominent figures advocating for social justice. The conversation will explore the unique challenges and opportunities they face while calling out societal injustices, particularly focusing on how their identities shape their activism and public presence.

They will highlight how their respective books have served as powerful tools for examining and articulating the complexities of race, identity, and systemic inequality. Kelechi and Afua will share insights on the creative and emotional processes behind their writing, illustrating how their literary works have not only amplified their voices but also contributed to broader societal conversations about race, womanhood and justice.

We will gain a deeper understanding of the intersection between personal identity and public advocacy, the impact of their work on public discourse, and the ongoing journey of navigating visibility and influence as Black women in the public eye.

TICKETS: will be released in October
WHEN: Thursday 10 October 2024
5.30 pm – 6.00 pm: Wine reception and networking in Chetwynd Room
6.00 pm – 7.00 pm: Fireside discussion in Keynes Lecture Theatre
WHERE: King’s College, Cambridge

About our speakers

Afua Hirsch is a bestselling writer and filmmaker, the author of four books including the award-winning Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging (2018) and Decolonising My Body, A Radical Exploration of Rituals and Beauty (2023). She co-presented Samuel L. Jackson's major TV series Enslaved in 2020, and Africa Rising, an ongoing BBC series exploring the art and culture of African countries. A journalist for more than twenty years, she is a former Guardian correspondent, Associate Editor at Vogue, and professor of journalism at the University of Southern California.

Kelechi Okafor is a Nigerian-born, London-based lover of words and esteemed wordsmith. Her love for words extends to creating fiction, articles, stage plays, and screenplays, as well as directing others on stage. She also shares her societal views through her award-winning podcast, ‘Say Your Mind’, one episode at a time, featuring respected interviewees from around the world. The podcast centres on conversations and events of global significance, viewed through an understanding that staunchly opposes colonialism, white supremacy, and heteropatriarchy. It serves as both a personal journey and a means to foster a community encouraged to think critically. Online, she is known as @Kelechnekoff, and her book ‘Edge of Here’ is now available.

E-Lab Annual Dinner 2024

Thanks to the continued generosity and dedication of our alumni and our sponsors, we have been able to establish a number of ambitious initiatives to help students gain entrepreneurial skills and explore careers in innovation and business, while keeping social, ethical, and environmental responsibility at the heart of everything we do.

The E-Lab offers a year-long programme for Cambridge students, starting before the academic year with an intensive residential week and then providing them with mentoring and practical advice throughout the year, culminating in the opportunity to receive seed-funding to take their ideas forward.

The E-Lab’s activities also include an Entrepreneur-in-Residence scheme, a two-year Research Associate scheme in Entrepreneurship, a number of visiting entrepreneurs, an exciting programme of weekly guest lectures/fireside chats, weekly hands on workshops, hackathons and webinars, and other activities more broadly within King’s College and the wider Collegiate University.

With our long history of bold thinking, King’s is firmly committed to the promotion of entrepreneurship both as an independent discipline and as an area of enquiry for students in all subjects. In addition to supporting over 60 students on the MBA, EMBA, MFin and MSt degree courses at the Judge Business School, we seek to bring great minds together from across the Collegiate Cambridge to exchange ideas and to encourage collaboration, creative thinking, and the making of a positive difference in society – some of the hallmarks of King’s.

The evening is an opportunity for us to thank people involved with entrepreneurship at King's: our alumni, our Residential sponsor, the E-Lab Senior Advisory Board Members, the Entrepreneurship Prize Judges, the E-Lab Committee members as well as former and current King's Entrepreneurship Prize winners, and contributors both to the Residential Programme and our exciting speaker series, and our Entrepreneur in Residence, Visiting Entrepreneurs and Fellows to name a few.

WHEN:  Wednesday 2 October 2024
WHERE: King's College, Cambridge (by invitation only)

A digital accelerator showcase from PwC and King's Entrepreneurship Lab

Cambridge Tech Week brings together world-leading experts, innovators and investors to fuel growth across the tech ecosystem, establishing Cambridge as a key place where global tech comes to meet.

King's Entrepreneurship Lab (E-Lab) and PwC are proud to present a digital accelerator showcase during Cambridge Tech Week. Join us for an exclusive afternoon where we will explore collaboration opportunities with the academic, business, and technology communities in Cambridge to drive transformative outcomes for your business. You'll hear from groundbreaking startups in AI, logistics, life sciences, and energy management, and enjoy a tour of the iconic King’s College chapel and grounds.

This event is part of the Cambridge Tech Week 2024 Fringe Events.

WHEN: Thursday 12 September 2024 (by invitation only)
 3.00 pm – 3.30 pm: Tour of King’s College
 3.30 pm – 4.30 pm: Panel discussion and digital accelerator showcase
WHERE: King's College, Cambridge

In Conversation with Eric Sim on how the "Small Actions" you take today can put you on the path to big career success tomorrow

The "small actions" you take today can put you on the path to big career success tomorrow. If these actions are innovative, intelligent and well-timed, they can make a lasting impact and help you navigate your career journey in the face of uncertainty and disruptions.

Eric Sim, a key opinion leader, shares practical and actionable tips to help you achieve your career goals. He draws these from his diverse real-life experience — from selling street food and training to be an engineer, to becoming a managing director at UBS Investment Bank. With over 2.7 million followers on LinkedIn, Eric Sim, CFA, is the author of "Small Actions: Leading Your Career to Big Success”, and a former adjunct associate professor of finance at HKUST (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology). Currently based in Singapore, Eric founded the Institute of Life to help young professionals achieve success in both work and life.

Eric will be in conversation with Jan-Patrik Reimann, CFE, a current EMAcc student (Darwin College) at CJBS. He is a law firm executive, member of the CFO Committee of the German Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and a former financial correspondent and lecturer at HKU (University of Hong Kong). He began his career in London, working on the JPMorgan “London Whale” US$6.2 bn trading loss investigations, before relocating to Hong Kong in 2013 where he held roles as a compliance consultant and the regulatory lead of a fintech startup. Born in Germany, he studied Chinese, psychology and law in Beijing, Glasgow and Oxford. 

This event is organised together with the Cambridge EMAcc and Executive MBA Programmes.

TICKETS: get you free ticket here
ZOOM WEBINAR: Join us online here
WHEN: Thursday 4th July 2024
5.00pm - 6.00pm: Drinks and networking
6.00pm – 7.00 pm: Fireside Discussion in LT2
WHERE: Judge Business School, Cambridge

In conversation with Liliana Pozzo on how to foster sustainability and innovation in Latin America

About our speaker:
Liliana Pozzo is the Advisory Services Manager of the Financial Institutions Group for LATAM & Europe at the IFC World Bank Group. She has led impactful advisory projects in the financial sector to enhance client business and value propositions, while addressing financial inclusion and climate finance challenges in their markets. Specific focus includes digital transformation and fintech ecosystem development; MSME and gender finance; climate finance including ESG, climate smart agri-finance, and climate risk.

Liliana will be in conversation with Jose Luis Lopez, an E-Lab Associate and alumnus of the Cambridge Judge Business School. He is also the President of the CU Mexican Society. Currently, he is a Senior Analyst at IFC World Bank Group for Latin America and Europe.


TICKETS: get your free ticket here
WHEN: Wednesday 3 July 2024
5.00 pm – 5.30 pm: Drinks reception and networking in the Provost’s Lodge
5.30 pm – 6.30 pm: Fireside chat in the Provost’s Drawing Room
WHERE: King's College, Cambridge

LLM (Large Language Models) x Law Hackathon

We're excited to introduce a new E-lab initiative, LLMs x Law Hackathon @Cambridge.

Event website with real-time information is available here.

In this one-day event, you'll brainstorm, develop, and present AI solutions to address legal challenges.

You'll benefit from:

ℹ️ Mentorship from top law and tech firms (find our sponsors here),

🛠 Access to sophisticated tools (over 150 language models including Gemini, the largest LegalTech data repository, and more),

👀 Exposure to academic and industry leaders,

🏆 The opportunity to win prizes (monetary, cloud GPUs, LLM credits, work opportunities).

Plus, you'll learn from your peers and experience product development in a relaxed, fun atmosphere.

The purpose of the event is to unite students, academics, law firms, tech firms, and the public sector, to innovate in the intersection between law and computer science.

Students with law, engineering, and business experience may find this opportunity particularly well-suited, but we warmly welcome all students with an interest in legal technology. No prior technical experience is required.

The event is organised in collaboration with Stanford CodeX (one of the most advanced research centres in computational law worldwide) and Legal Liquid Institute (think tank on legal innovation).

WHEN: Sunday 23 June 2024 (8am - 10pm)
WHERE: King’s College, Cambridge
TICKETS: you can apply to register for this event here. Note that registration does not confirm your place, please wait for confirmation.

Want to know more or get involved? Join the waitlist through our website.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme Entrepreneurship Prize Competition

The inaugural Cambridge Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme Entrepreneurship Prize Competition, run in collaboration with the King's Entrepreneurship Lab, is taking place on Wednesday 12th of June 2024. Five shortlisted entrants are asked to submit a seed investment pitch slide deck (expanding on their previously submitted business idea) and pitch their ideas to a panel of four Judges: Kamiar Mohaddes, Nadia Mohd-Radzman, Sheelpa Patel, and Bhaskar Vira.

A first prize award of $15,000 will be offered to the winning entry following the pitching. The Judging panel may also make other discretionary financial awards based on merit (for up to $20,000).

WHEN: Wednesday 12 June 2024
1.00 pm-4.00 pm
WHERE: Judge Business School, Cambridge

Unlocking Growth and Prosperity: Open Networks and AI for the Future Economy

Open networks are the game-changers. They are not just technology; they are the DNA of a more inclusive, collaborative, and competitive digital future. This workshop will act as a catalyst, accelerating the exploration and adoption of open networks to unlock a win-win for both people and businesses. These technologies hold immense potential to address pressing societal challenges in a cost-effective and collaborative manner, with their applications particularly promising in sectors such as sustainable energy, circular economy, transport, healthcare (NHS digitalisation) and education.

The workshop has been convened by the Innovation Hub for Prosperity at the Cambridge Judge Business School, with the support of four University of Cambridge institutions (King’s College Entrepreneurship Lab, Centre for Science and Policy, Bennett Institute for Public Policy, and Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership) and Amazon Web Services, bringing together the UK Chief Technology Officer, the Permanent Secretary of Trade and Business, and thought leaders such as Sir Geoff Mulgan and Cristina Caffarra, to explore the power of open networks to revolutionise green energy, circularity, healthcare, and more.

TICKETS: Registration is by invitation only
WHEN: Thursday 6 June 2024
 9.00 am – 2.30 pm
WHERE: Judge Business School, Cambridge

A Conversation with Paul Deemer (Head of Diversity and Inclusion at NHS Employers) facilitated by Henrietta Mbeah-Bankas (Head of Blended Learning at NHS England)

TICKETS: get your free ticket here
WHEN: Thursday 5 June 2024
6.45pm – 7.15 pm: Wine reception and networking in Chetwynd Room
7.15 pm – 8.15 pm: Fireside discussion in Keynes Lecture Theatre
WHERE: King's College, Cambridge

About the speaker:
Paul Deemer has been a HR professional for over 30 years. He has worked in local government, the voluntary sector and the health service – with particular experience in the fields of recruitment, employee relations, employment law and diversity. 

When working for Barnardo’s he took on the role of national equality and diversity  manager. After a short spell as a HR lead in an NHS trust, he was seconded into the Department of Health and Social Care’s Equality and Diversity Team to help them develop the first national strategy in this area. Paul currently works for NHS Employers – which represents and supports NHS trusts across England – and is helping NHS organisations to embed diversity and inclusion good practice across the NHS. He also works on various diversity working groups and initiatives – with bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Linguists and the Recruitment Industry Disability Initiative – and writes frequently about all aspects of diversity through various social media channels.

Paul was honoured to be named in the 2020 People Management Diversity Power List. He was also named in the Inclusive Companies Diversity Power List 2022/23.

Henrietta Mbeah-Bankas is a thought leader with extensive experience in the NHS with a current focus on how digital and innovative technologies can be used for health service and health education delivery. An innovative mental health nurse with expertise in teaching, healthcare professional education (nursing), research, policy, project management, service delivery and improvement. I have a proven track record of successful delivery of national projects at pace and scale in different positions.

This event is organised together with the Cambridge Executive MBA Programmes.

Wellbeing with LEGO

We are pleased to open the Turing Room (home of the E-Lab) every Tuesday during Easter term (from 23rd of April to 11th of June), for Lego building and delicious coffee/tea. The best build each week, judged by our Lego Master in Residence Monique Boddington, will win a Lego set!

WHEN: Tuesday 4 June 2024
11.00 am-5.00 pm
WHERE: Turing Room, King’s College

In Conversation with Marion Reimers on Advancing Gender Equality in Sports

About our speaker:
Marion Reimers is one of the most prominent figures in sports journalism in Latin America. In 2015, she became the first Mexican woman to be nominated for a Sports Emmy by the Television Academy. For 15 years she was part of FOX Sports Latin America, covering the most important sporting events in the world, including the UEFA Champions League. In 2019, she became the first woman to act as a commentator for the final. She is currently part of TNT Sports as an analyst and commentator for the UEFA Champions League.

Marion is, and has been since the beginning of her career, an activist and advocate for women’s human rights, women’s empowerment, and the elimination of violence against women and girls. Her role as a spokesperson focuses on the socio-cultural transformation of gender equality in the fields of sports and media. She has been a trailblazer for women and girls in fields where they have been historically excluded. Marion Reimers was appointed as a United Nations (UN) Women National Goodwill Ambassador on 21 October 2021.

Jose Luis Lopez is an E-Lab Associate and alumnus of the Judge Business School, University of Cambridge. He is also the President of the Cambridge University Mexican Society. Currently, he is an Innovation Senior Analyst at IFC World Bank Group for Latin America and Europe.

TICKETS: get your free ticket here
WHEN: Monday 3 June 2024
5.00 pm – 5.30 pm: Drinks reception in the Provost’s Lodge
5.30 pm – 6.30 pm: Fireside chat in the Provost’s Drawing Room
WHERE: King's College, Cambridge

Wellbeing with LEGO

We are pleased to open the Turing Room (home of the E-Lab) every Tuesday during Easter term (from 23rd of April to 11th of June), for Lego building and delicious coffee/tea. The best build each week, judged by our Lego Master in Residence Monique Boddington, will win a Lego set!

WHEN: Tuesday 28 May 2024
11.00 am-5.00 pm
WHERE: Turing Room, King’s College

Workshop and Brunch: Year-end special Workshop and Pizzas with Nethermind

You are warmly invited to a year-end special workshop closing the “Weekly Brunches” initiative, a series of events held every Saturday. These events aim to provide students with guidance, connections, and support in bringing their ideas to life over the year. The events begin with a brunch, followed by two streams of (1) entrepreneurial and (2) technical workshops. The objective is to bring together students who have diverse backgrounds but share entrepreneurial ambitions, and to support the best projects with opportunities for publication, hackathons, incubation, or other forms of implementation.

Julian Sutherland, head of formal verification at Nethermind, with experience with several major tech companies including Facebook, Google, and Microsoft, will discuss the increasing importance of formal verification for security, its financial implications, and the unique aspects of blockchain that not only benefit from formal verification but also contribute to its advancement and relevance across other fields. The workshop is especially suitable for students with technical background.

These events are co-hosted with the Cambridge Blockchain Society.

TICKETS: To attend the workshop, please message the Weekly Brunches Telegram group.
WHEN: Saturday, 25 May 2024, 12 - 2 pm
WHERE: King's College, Cambridge

Visit from the Thai Parliamentary Committee on Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation

We are delighted to be hosting the Thai Parliamentary Committee on Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation to discuss Climate Change and Innovation Policy (Kamiar Mohaddes), Innovation in Emerging Markets and Technology Regulations (Jaideep Prabhu), AI & Innovation Capabilities (Stella Pachidi), as well as Innovation and Growth: Insights from the UK and the Cambridge Ecosystem (Michael Kitson). Welcome remarks from Gishan Dissanaike (Interim Dean, at the Cambridge Judge Business School).

WHEN: Friday 24 May 2024, 09.00AM - 4.30PM
WHERE: King’s College, Cambridge

Pete Stavros (Co-Head of Global Private Equity at KKR; Employee Ownership Advocate) in Conversation with Gillian Tett

Pete Stavros is Co-Head of Global Private Equity at KKR. His role includes oversight across the business in Europe, Asia and the Americas and covers traditional large and mid-cap private equity, impact, core and growth equity. Prior to this role, Mr. Stavros served as Co-Head of the firm's Americas Private Equity platform. He is a member of several investment and management committees at KKR and has also served as Co-Chair of the firm’s global Inclusion and Diversity Council.

Gillian Tett is the Provost of Kings and was a chair of the editorial board and editor-at-large, US of the Financial Times. She writes weekly columns, covering a range of economic, financial, political and social issues and co-founded Moral Money, the FT sustainability newsletter.

TICKETS: get your free ticket here.
WHEN: Wednesday 22 May 2024
5.30 pm – 6.00 pm: Wine reception in Provost’s Lodge
6.00 pm – 7.00 pm: Talk in Provost’s Drawing Room
WHERE: King's College, Cambridge

Wellbeing with LEGO

We are pleased to open the Turing Room (home of the E-Lab) every Tuesday during Easter term (from 23rd of April to 11th of June), for Lego building and delicious coffee/tea. The best build each week, judged by our Lego Master in Residence Monique Boddington, will win a Lego set!

WHEN: Tuesday 21 May 2024
11.00 am-5.00 pm
WHERE: Turing Room, King’s College

Private screening of My Extinction followed by Q&A with Director Josh Appignanesi

What does it take for us to act on the climate crisis - especially if we're the kind of person who should already be acting? In this funny, relatable documentary feature, a concerned yet ineffectual dad finds the first step is letting those unbearable feelings of climate anxiety in, instead of pushing them aside. But as he meets others like him, he discovers how oil-backed propagandists funded our denial and paralysis. They set out to unmask the vested interests responsible, helping raise a generation's leading voices in vibrant chorus at the game-changing Tufton Street protest, including Zadie Smith, Mark Rylance, and George Monbiot. Selected to screen to delegates at the COP28 Climate Conference in Dubai, My Extinction is a revealingly honest account of how to feel your feelings, act on your privilege, and get active when threatened with extinction. You can watch the trailer here.

WHEN: Thursday 16th May 2024
7.00 pm-9.00 pm Screening and Q&A in the Keynes Lecture Theatre (including popcorn)
WHERE: King’s College, Cambridge
TICKETS: get your free ticket here

Josh Appignanesi is a filmmaker whose work spans fiction, documentary and the space in-between. His six feature films released theatrically in over thirty territories and online in over a hundred, with his work gaining festival competition slots at Tribeca, Rotterdam, Cannes/ACID, Berlin and Sheffield, with festival awards at London, Edinburgh, Turin, and Kodak, BIFA and BAFTA nominations.

As director, his features include acclaimed docufictions HUSBAND (2022) and the surrealist psychothriller and “feminist odyssey” FEMALE HUMAN ANIMAL (2018), the Wellcome-funded parenting documentary THE NEW MAN (2016), ethno-religious comedy THE INFIDEL (2010) scripted with David Baddiel, and religious psychodrama SONG OF SONGS (2006). He also co-wrote US rom-com ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME starring Sarah Jessica Parker.

Most recently, climate documentary MY EXTINCTION (2023) released in over 60 UK cinemas and screened at COP28. He is pursuing future projects in the climate space.

He has directed talent including Tom Hiddleston, John Malkovich, David Tennant, Archie Panjabi, Omid Djalili, Claudia Jessie, Miranda Hart, and Richard Schiff, and collaborated with artist Martin Creed. Cultural figures like Zadie Smith, Hisham Matar, Slavoj Zizek, Chloe Aridjis, and John Berger have appeared in his films, often playing ‘versions of themselves.’

Widely reviewed, with interviews and op-eds on BBC Newsnight, BBC Radio, The Times, The Observer and The Guardian, his work has broadcast on BBC TV, Channel 4, MUBI, and BFIPlayer. Funders have included BFI, BBC Films, Channel4, Film London, Arts Council England, WellcomeTrust, and AHRC.

He teaches internationally and is Associate Professor at Roehampton University.

ACCLAIM FOR MY EXTINCTION

“Skewers middle-class attitudes to impending apocalypse” – Catherine Bray, THE GUARDIAN

"Jaunty, funny film-making" - Peter Bradshaw, THE GUARDIAN

''Reminds us working together is empowering'' - Susie Orbach, THE OBSERVER

“My Extinction is about the limits of language to address imminent catastrophe, but also the necessity of finding words to describe what’s happening, to tell stories that will convince and move and make a difference.” Lauren Elkin, ARTFORUM

“If you feel you should be doing more to limit climate change but never seem to get round to it, this British documentary will speak to you” - Ed Potton, SUNDAY TIMES

“… confronts the imperfect nature of being a climate activist” - Henry Bird, TIMES ENVIRONMENT NEWSLETTER

“An excellent look into the step-by-step process of realising and understanding climate change and its impact on everyday people” - Mae Trumata, THE UPCOMING

“Is Josh Appignanesi transforming into the next great documentarian? My Extinction reads like the opening chapters of an unfinished novel from an intellectual-turned-radical: heavy sociopolitical context, rich character development and instructions for the path forward. Essential viewing.” Quinn Hough, VAGUE VISAGES

Wellbeing with LEGO

We are pleased to open the Turing Room (home of the E-Lab) every Tuesday during Easter term (from 23rd of April to 11th of June), for Lego building and delicious coffee/tea. The best build each week, judged by our Lego Master in Residence Monique Boddington, will win a Lego set!

WHEN: Tuesday 14 May 2024
11.00 am-5.00 pm
WHERE: Turing Room, King’s College

Taxation in the UK for Entrepreneurs with Andriy Byelka [workshop]

Join us for a practical session on taxation, tailored specifically for entrepreneurs and business owners. This workshop is designed to demystify the complexities of the UK tax system and offer tips for optimising your tax obligations.

Speaker: Andriy Byelka, King's EMBA student and dual-qualified lawyer

In our workshop, we will delve into three fundamental taxes in the UK: Individual Tax, Corporate Tax, and Value Added Tax (VAT). Initially, we'll establish a foundation by exploring the basic principles of each tax category. Following this, we'll transition into a more practical segment, focusing on effective strategies for optimising your tax responsibilities. Key discussions will include the most efficient methods for extracting profits from your company, strategies to defer tax liabilities where legally possible, and approaches to fully leverage existing tax allowances and reliefs, ultimately maximising your hard-earned revenue. This session promises to be an invaluable guide for intelligent tax planning and savings.

WHEN: Thursday 9th May 2024
5.30PM - 6.30PM Workshop
WHERE: Audit Room, King’s College, Cambridge
TICKETS: get your free ticket here