To begin with, please accept my best wishes for the New Year. The start of a new calendar year seems the perfect opportunity to look back on some of the resounding successes with which we ended 2025 and ahead to events and initiatives on the horizon.
On an institutional level, the Financial Times European Business School ranking was especially gratifying as it saw our Business School rise in Europe (to 34th), the UK (6th) and London (2nd). This ranking comprises an amalgamation of the Financial Times Full-time MBA, Executive MBA (EMBA), Masters in Management and Executive Education (open and custom) programmes rankings in which alumni took part. Our success is therefore a reflection of the huge strides you are making in your respective careers.
On a similar note, it was with great pride that we announced the winners of the second year of the Bayes Alumni Awards in December. Eight deserving recipients were recognised across a range of categories that illustrate the positive, tangible impact you continue to make on the world and society. This is encapsulated in no better a way than with the publication of the annual City St George’s Impact Report, in which you will be able to read about the life-changing effect that substantial alumni and supporter donations have on supporting our students.
The generosity of our alumni comes in many shapes and forms, so it is essential that we acknowledge the many of you to have volunteered your time and energy to support our Business School, the University and our students this year. Many of you will soon be receiving Volunteer Recognition Certificates as a sign of our appreciation for how you drove our global community in 2025.
International and widespread as this community of ours is, technology is an essential tool to keep us interconnected, so I would like to take this opportunity to flag the launch of our new Bayes Alumni Linkedin showcase page. Please follow and keep up the fantastic engagement levels we saw in 2025, which proved a record-breaking one. In a similar vein, the current academic year saw the start of a new series of alumni online events. Supply Chain, Strategy and Family Businesses were the topics tackled over the course of the first term and next month will see the next in the sequence, dedicated to Investment. Be sure to register here.
Nothing, of course, replaces face-to-face contact, and I am pleased to say that the Spring period will see alumni gatherings taking place across the world including in Europe, Istanbul and Dubai. Please do check the Events section of the Bayes Alumni newsletter for more dates for your diary. Further information and initiatives will also be arriving in your inbox in March, with the first bi-annual Events & Opportunities Listing of 2026.
Once again, please accept my thanks for the crucial role you play in keeping our community vibrant, diverse and mutually beneficial to all involved. I hope you enjoy reading about the various ways in which you all make a crucial difference.
Best wishes,
Professor André Spicer
Executive Dean, Bayes Business School