Alumni summer newsletter 2022
Dear alumni,
Summer holidays are approaching – some might already be enjoying time off and some of us are finishing up the last tasks before the break.
We, the Henley alumni board, will also take a pause soon but before that, we wanted to say hello and look back at what the first half of 2022 entailed.
The three-year strategy of the Henley alumni and the priority activities for the operational year were presented and agreed in the Annual General Meeting on March 9. The event took place at the Olympic Stadium, followed by interesting presentations and a guided tour in the newly renovated premises of the Olympic Stadium. During the Annual General Meeting the alumni board and deputy members were elected, with Sari Grenman continuing her second term in the Chair role. A more detailed introduction of the board members can be found here.
Our strategic focus for this year is Sustainability for a better future, which has been reflected in the events organised during the spring.
The newly elected board had its strategy day in April during which it was agreed to have three working groups: (1) Events, learning & networking, (2) Communication & marketing, (3) Operations governance. These groups will work closely together and implement the strategy, they will also work in close cooperation with the Henley Business School Finland staff and coordinate alumni related activities. The board agreed key performance indicators for 2022, which will be followed up after each quarter.
The first face-to-face event of the year was organised on April 20 when the MasterClass took place at the Finnish National Opera. The topic could not have been more spot on: The New Normal – Complexity and Uncertainty. In addition to the topical presentation, most attendees appreciated and enjoyed meeting peers after the long pandemic time that has forced us to gather mainly online.
In May, we had an online event with a hugely interesting topic: The Finnish Sustainable Development roadmap and during the same week we launched the “Alumni Afterwork” in the restaurant Venn in Helsinki.
To finish off the events on the first half of 2022, we welcomed our alumni to hear “How to get the best out of the Henley mentoring platform” in the beginning of June. During the webinar you could get the best tips and of course ask questions. And maybe get excited to join the mentoring programme?!
We published two inspirational “Alumni in the Spotlight” stories during this spring. The first story presented Michaela Ramm-Schmidt, member and Vice Chair of our Board, and in the second story you can read about Asim Shaikh.
After this spring with lots of emotions, increasing inflation and the continuing war in Ukraine, strong demand persists; resilience and durability are still the elements that one needs to go forward. However, let’s not forget humility and kindness.
Have a relaxing and lovely summer and see you again in the autumn! To ensure you don’t miss seeing your alumni friends, please mark the upcoming events in your calendar: Summer event 2022 on 16 August 2022 and the next Afterwork on 8 September 2022!
Sari Grenman & the alumni board
