London Business School and Walpole launch their second MBA programme in luxury management
Walpole, the unique alliance of over 170 British luxury brands, and London Business School are delighted to announce the launch of their second MBA programme in luxury management, in association with Fairmont Raffles Hotels International and Farrer & Co.
Dedicated to nurturing the next generation of British luxury leaders, the programme will leverage London Business School’s rigorous MBA curriculum to develop the potential of 13 students aspiring to take up management positions in the luxury industry upon graduation.
Gareth Howells, Executive Director, MBA and MiF, London Business School, commented: “We are extremely pleased to be embarking on our second cycle of the Programme in Luxury Management, in collaboration with Walpole. At London Business School, our vision is to have a profound impact on the way the world does business, and the way business impacts the world, and we are excited at the opportunities this programme brings in nurturing our best talent in support of that vision.”
The students will benefit from a programme of workshops and mentoring provided by some of the luxury industry’s most experienced senior executives, including Jonathan Akeroyd, CEO of Alexander McQueen; Michael Ward, Managing Director of Harrods; and Mark Henderson, Chairman of the London Business School programme and Chairman of Gieves & Hawkes.
During their core studies as part of the full-time MBA, students undertake an extensive curriculum focused on ‘Tools & Techniques’, ‘Managing the Organisation’ and ‘Engaging with the World’; ensuring they have the right combination of knowledge and skills to be successful in this fast-moving business environment.
Students also select from a wide range of elective courses in their areas of specialism. The Walpole Programme in Luxury Management comprises a series of workshops with expert speakers on the following topics:
Workshop 1 | Luxury Fundamentals
Michelle Emmerson, CEO Walpole
Mark Henderson, Chairman of the London Business School programme and Chairman of Gieves & Hawkes
Stephen Alden, CEO, Maybourne Hotel Group
Sarah Jackson, Group Human Resources Director, Maybourne Hotel Group
Workshop 2 | Business Models in Service of The Dream
Jonathan Heilbron, Chair of the Walpole Brands of Tomorrow Programme and President and CEO, Thomas Pink Nick Temperley, Head of Diageo’s Reserve Brands in Britain
Workshop 3| Creative Process
Jonathan Akeroyd, CEO, Alexander McQueen Dr Mike Rugg Gunn, Head of Assessment, Blackwood
Workshop 4 | Value of the Brand
Frederick Mostert, Chief Legal Counsel, Richemont Anthony Misquitta, Partner, Farrer & Co, sponsors of the Walpole and London Business School Programme in Luxury Management
Workshop 5 | Retail & E-tail
Michael Ward, Managing Director, Harrods Beyond the workshops, students will be invited to pair up with companies selected to participate in Walpole’s entrepreneurial programme, Brands of Tomorrow; a programme dedicated to supporting the next generation of British luxury brands. The students and brands will work alongside one another to create a three-year business plan and a marketing strategy.
Students on the programme will also be assigned a mentor – a senior executive from within the Walpole membership. The mentor will provide guidance and networking opportunities to maximise learning opportunities. Furthermore, students will be required to undertake a series of activities and internships in order to gain relevant experience in the industry.
Michelle Emmerson, Walpole CEO, said: “We are delighted that Walpole member companies, including The Savoy, Gieves & Hawkes and Harrods – and their senior executives – are providing the opportunity for students to gain real experience into the luxury industry, as well as offering priceless mentoring and internships. I am thrilled to be a part of this programme, our goal is to encourage specialist learning, facilitate the exchange of exciting new ideas and help to nurture the next generation of leaders in our sector.”
Mark Henderson, Chairman of the London Business School programme and Chairman of Gieves & Hawkes, said: “This is an initiative I have championed from the beginning because I believe very strongly in our duty to nurture the next generation of talent in the luxury goods industry. It is not just the highly-skilled craftsmen and women of this country that we need to support, but it is the business leaders of tomorrow, who will be responsible for expanding this industry on an international scale. I’m thrilled that we have found such a bright and ambitious group of students and been able to pair them with some of the industry’s leading business leaders.”
