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Four students will be heading to London next spring to attend the Institute of Director’s (IoD) annual convention as the winners of the 2013 ‘Directors of Tomorrow’ initiative.
Four students will be heading to London next spring to attend the Institute of Director’s (IoD) annual convention as the winners of the 2013 ‘Directors of Tomorrow’ initiative.
As part of the initiative – sponsored by the Ana Leaf Foundation and now in its fifth year – 11 A-level students were invited to join the island’s business leaders and politicians at the Guernsey Institute of Directors annual debate last month.
The students also had the chance to meet Guernsey-born journalist and Radio 4presenter Sarah Montague at an informal lunch with Mark Palfrey and Richard Le Tocq, Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Guernsey IoD.
Chosen by their teachers for their interest in business and current affairs, students from The Ladies’ College, The Grammar School, Elizabeth College and The College of Further Education all took part.
Immediately after the Guernsey debate the students were invited to write about their experiences and the key points addressed, for the chance to win an all-expense-paid trip to the Institute of Directors Annual Convention in London next year. The student’s blogs have all been posted online by JT, the debate’s technical partner, at: http://www.jtglobal.com/Global/Global-Landing-Page/Careers/Vacancies/IODblog/
In response to the high quality of blogs received, the judging panel – comprising representatives from the Institute of Directors – selected four students as opposed to the normal three. The winning blogs were authored by College of Further Education student James Lindsay, Ladies’ College student Chloe Page and Grammar School students Helena de Carteret and William McVean.
During the debate the students got a chance to voice their opinions from the floor, as moderator Sarah Montague tackled heated issues such as internet connectivity in schools.
Hayley de Putron, trustee of the Ana Leaf Foundation, is passionate about nurturing the island’s future business leaders.
“The Directors of Tomorrow gives our future business and community leaders an insight into local business and a chance to voice their opinions on the current issues that surround them.
“I was impressed by the intuitive comments that the students made during the debate. This year, in particular, they highlighted some key issues surrounding their education that might have otherwise gone unnoticed.
Because the level of the blogs this year were so high it seemed only fair to offer an extra student the chance to attend the 2014 IoD Annual Convention in London,” she said.
Mark Palfrey, the Guernsey Chair of the IoD, enjoyed reading the student’s blogs: “Each year I am taken back by the level of understanding these students show towards local current affairs, at such a young age. The way these students engaged with the debate on the night, which isn’t an easy task in front of some of the island’s top influencers, was astounding and their insights made a huge contribution to the event.
“Choosing the winners was difficult and I’m certain that each of these students is destined for success. For those attending the Convention next year, I am confident that the experience will be utterly inspiring,” he said.
The 2013 Institute of Directors Annual Convention took place at the Royal Albert Hall in London earlier this year and saw three local students join over 2,000 business leaders andan impressive line-up of speakers including Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group; Boris Johnson, Major of London; George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer; Dan Cobley, managing director of Google in the UK and Ireland; and US business magnate Jack Welch, who joined via satellite link.
