Working together

Cardiff Business School has welcomed six business leaders from Wales’ public, private, manufacturing, artisanal and social enterprise sectors to launch its inaugural Public Value Entrepreneurs in Residence (PVEiR) Scheme.

The entrepreneurs, Andrew Cooksley, CEO of ACT Training, Eifion and Amanda Griffiths, Owners and Directors of Melin Tregwynt, Allan Meek, Managing Director of SCS Group, Yaina Samuels, Founder of NuHi Training, and Zoë-Lisa Blackler, Director of the Blackler Group, were selected from a competitive application process to help enhance the School’s capacity to support entrepreneurial and innovative thinking.

The welcome event was an opportunity for the School to introduce faculty members and update on its unique public value strategy.

“A first for our School”

Professor Martin Kitchener, Dean of Cardiff Business School, said: “I’m delighted to welcome our PVEiRs to the School to set the course for our collaboration with these exemplars of what is becoming an increasingly diverse Welsh business community.

“We are launching a brand new, exciting initiative. A first for our School. And one which I hope will benefit the entrepreneurs, but also our students and faculty as well.”

“Develop better leaders in Wales”

Working alongside academic staff, the entrepreneurs will also have the opportunity to feed directly into the School’s public value strategy, which aims to deliver social improvement alongside economic development, recognising the role that business and management has to play in tackling some of the grand challenges in contemporary society.

Following presentations from Dr Jane Lynch, Director of Student Experience, and Dr Sue Bartlett, Director of Employability and Skills, discussion turned to how the entrepreneurs might work with the School’s student and graduate community.

Andrew Cooksley said: “I’m really looking forward to having an impact with the students, in terms of what they are going to do later on in life when they go off into the big wide world.

“Hopefully they’re going to go out there and create some jobs, create some wealth, improve communities and, more importantly, live really great successful lives.”

“Breaking down those barriers”

Building on some of their existing relationships with the School the business leaders will contribute to outreach and engagement work in the local and wider communities.

Yaina Samuels said: “It’s about breaking down those barriers and making stronger connections with community members who feel that University isn’t accessible to them.”

To close, discussion turned to how the entrepreneurs might advise on the development of relevant aspects of the School’s public value mission.

Amanda Griffiths said: “I think for me public value means putting something back...”

“Either on a small specific level, or on a nationwide scale as Cardiff Business School is trying to.”

Learn more about the diverse range of experience and expertise of our PVEiRs.