Be Curious and Connect

Jon has over 20 years of experience working on international organisational change, and stresses the need for curiosity about the motivations of others, your own reactions and assumptions, and connecting across industries.

How does it feel to be selected for the Alumni 100 list?

"It's a very great privilege to be part of such esteemed company and to play a part in promoting the city of Edinburgh, its University, and the Business School."

What made you choose to study at the University of Edinburgh Business School?

"The University of Edinburgh has a fantastic reputation and Edinburgh is a truly great world city. Beyond this the course had the right balance of developing strategic leadership, innovation, and analysis. It has some really awesome staff that challenged thinking and pushed the cohort to be their best possible selves."

What are your memories of studying at the Business School?

"Being inspired by exposure to a range of ideas and thinking not encountered elsewhere. Balancing studying hard every week while maintaining a full-time role and family. Presenting on strategic leadership while one of the team was dressed in full drag..."

What key thing that you learnt at the Business School do you still rely on today?

"Be curious and connect–the greatest value is not in the business models but the approach and mindset. Question if there's a better way of doing things, be curious about your own reactions and assumptions. Connect across industries and use that to gather ideas to use in your own speciality. The world has no shortage of challenges. The time we have to make a difference to these is so short–choose one and fix it!"

Proudest work-related achievement to date?

"Two-fold. Being privileged to lead the technology and change function for a full service bank for international clients in my current role, including driving its cloud strategy, evolving the leadership team, and enabling more agile delivery. Any moment when active coaching brings an individual or group to become more than they thought possible–whether that's with my direct reports, graduate cohort, or individuals mentored over the course of my career."

What's the one thing you think current students need to develop or learn before entering the modern workplace?

"Mindfulness and self awareness–be aware of your own limitations and strengths, be curious about the motivations of others, and how you can bring these three things together to influence."