To the new EMBA VII Cohort, firstly I’d like to offer my congratulations to each of you, not only for getting through the very stringent admissions, but also for making a truly life-changing decision to pursue the EMBA at Oxford! The 21 months which lie ahead of you will soon prove to be equally extraordinary as the circumstances which allowed us to meet, if briefly, during your matriculation drinks last night!

Thinking back to January 2008, I can still relate to the anticipation you’re feeling, not only because I remember all too vividly how anxious I felt during this same time two years ago, but also because this January, I stand on a different sort of threshold, with a significant birthday approaching swiftly on the horizon (and for the record, it’s not 30!).

I’d like to think our anxieties are not so different. You stand on the threshold of a most challenging, captivating and rewarding journey. You have as much to look forward to as you have to learn. You will further define and improve your standing within the Oxford community, at home, and within and beyond your organisations. You have embarked on this journey during a tenuous recovery from a crisis of global dimensions… You will approach this crisis by grasping opportunity with both hands…And you will of course soon come to appreciate that 63 is a number just as meaningful as 40!

No doubt you will want some advice about how to navigate through the EMBA and the ancient if even arcane traditions at this fine institution.

Firstly, don’t panic! You’ll soon master the mechanics of the EMBA, so don’t distress yourselves with the series of induction lectures concerning plagiarism, the examination schools, proctors and group assignments, that you have been listening to throughout this past week.

Secondly, focus on people at least as much as process. Process is crucial in time management, which will take on an entirely new dimension as you will soon master the timing and mechanics of assignment submissions, exam preparations, managing logistics of travel, work and family…

As regards people, although you were all strangers to one another just a few days ago, it won’t be long before the unique character of your cohort emerges. The Oxford EMBA, now in its 7th year, is not unlike wine; each cohort brings with it its unique vintage. Together, all of you will define what it means to be EMBA VII…  

At SBS and beyond, we await with eager anticipation!