events

Global Leadership Conference 2022 at University of Southampton Malaysia

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +0100

[2022/07/202022/07/21] Please join us for the Global Leadership Conference 2022 at University of Southampton Malaysia in two weeks!

Taster Lecture: MSc Accounting and Management

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0100

[2020/07/13] Watch our webinar to learn more about the MSc Accounting and Management programme at Southampton Business School.

Taster Lecture: MSc Project Management

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0100

[2020/07/10] Watch our webinar to learn more about the MSc Project Management programme at Southampton Business School.

Taster Lecture: MSc Business Analytics and Finance

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0100

[2020/07/09] Watch our webinar to learn more about the MSc Business Analytics and Finance programme at Southampton Business School.

Taster Lecture: MSc Entrepreneurship and Management | MSc Business Strategy and Innovation Management

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0100

[2020/07/08] Watch our webinar to learn more about the MSc Entrepreneurship and Management and MSc Business Strategy and Innovation Management programmes at Southampton Business School.

Taster Lecture: MSc Digital Marketing

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0100

[2020/07/07] Watch our webinar to learn more about the MSc Digital Marketing programme at Southampton Business School.

Taster Lecture: MSc Risk and Finance

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0100

[2020/07/03] Watch our webinar to learn more about the MSc Risk and Finance programme at Southampton Business School.

Taster Lecture: MSc Business Analytics and Management Sciences

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0100

[2020/07/02] Watch our webinar to learn more about the MSc Business Analytics and Management Sciences programme at Southampton Business School.

3rd Workshop Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Evidence (IQQE) using Social Simulation

Thu, 28 May 2020 00:00:00 +0100

[2020/05/282020/05/29] We are pleased to announce that the 3rd Workshop Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Evidence (IQQE) using Social Simulation, which will take place on 28 – 29 May 2020 at the Centenary Building Room 5017, University of Southampton, United Kingdom.

Don't Ignore the Qualitative, Stupid! Why Qualitative Data Matters in Simulations

Wed, 27 May 2020 00:00:00 +0100

[2020/05/2713:0016:30] The OR Society Simulation SIG and Southampton Business School Joint Seminar

Can we client better?

Systems thinking and Leadership Development Executive Education course

Over the course of five immersive days, we not only delved into the conceptual frameworks of systems thinking and leadership but also explored practical tools and techniques to apply to real-world challenges. The discussions were rich and, together, we examined how understanding the interconnectedness within organisations can lead to more efficient delivery and better decision-making.

By recognising patterns, feedback loops, and interdependencies, we can improve problem-solving and create lasting solutions. Additionally, being a systems leader means adopting a holistic approach, leading with a deep awareness of the larger system and fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation.

New Forest Business Partnership Brilliance in Business Awards

The University of Southampton Business School was proud to sponsor the ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ category. Director of KEE Professor Jeni Giambona had the pleasure to meet and interview the three outstanding finalists and present the award to the winner, Angie Beeston of Evolution 4 Business Ltd.

Angie hasn't just led a business - she's illuminated paths for countless others. Part visionary, part mentor, Angie has that magical ability to see the sparkle of potential in both people and organisations, even when they can't yet see it themselves.

LEiRs Seminar – Effective outcomes for major projects

This engaging discussion explored how clients can drive more effective outcomes for major projects. Emma-Jane delved into the current client model’s effectiveness in delivering outcomes and benefits in complex projects.

The seminar not only shared key insights but also invited participants to contribute their own perspectives, fuelling the ongoing research. This work builds on Emma-Jane’s influential pieces, "Let's Harness the Power of the Incomplete Client" and “Engineering Rebellion”, continuing her journey to reimagining client leadership in complex project delivery.

The Myth of Meritocracy: Rethinking Inequality in Organizational Studies

Executive Learning Workshops on AI and Digital Transformation

Please see below the details for all upcoming workshops.

1) Date: Thursday 13 March 2025, 10am – 4pm
Title: Digital transformation and the tragedy of the commons: how systems thinking can address thinking in silos and maximise benefits of GenAI

Description:Fostering the culture of continuous innovation and practical implementation of GenAI in an organisation requires getting teams from different organisational departments together with technologists, with an understanding of how decisions and actions of each team affect the entire organisation. This approach challenges the “tragedy of the commons” in an organisation, which is typically characterised by different teams acting in silos, in their own, short-term interest, competing for shared resources rather than collaborating for shared, long-term success. Through this highly interactive, one-day workshop you will learn how to engage stakeholders and increase collaboration within an organisation to maximise benefits of GenAI and build AI-related skills, applying systems thinking and systems approach.

Who is it for: The workshop is for managers, senior leaders, and any participant from industry interested in the topic.
Speakers:Dr Jelena Petrovic & Professor Jeni Giambona

2) Date: Wednesday 30 April 2025, 10am – 4pm
Title: Strategic leadership skills: How to get senior leadership buy-in for digital transformation

Description: Boards are expected to understand the opportunities and risks of genAI and play a critical role in shaping the right culture for digital transformation. However, many companies are unwilling to take risk to invest and change, despite a potential opportunity for revenue growth through digital transformation. This highly interactive, one-day workshop will help you assess your strategic leadership skills and learn about behaviours needed to influence board decisions and get senior leadership buy-in for digital transformation.

Who is it for: The workshop is for aspiring, new and established board directors, staff members that work closely with boards, and
any participant from industry interested in the topic.
Speakers: Dr Jelena Petrovic & Dr Richard Cartwright

3) Date:Thursday 12 June 2025 (tbc.), 10am – 4pm
Title: Is AI your enemy? Being the AI Savvy Leader

Description: Digital transformation concerns integrating digital technology in all areas of its business, which changes how an organisation operates and is expected to offer better value to customers. When people are reluctant to embrace digital transformation, normally it is not that they are afraid of technology but of what it could mean for their role. This highly interactive, one-day workshop focuses on AI as a leadership challenge. You will learn how, as a leader, you can help people embrace AI and digital transformation.

Who is it for: The workshop is for managers and senior leaders.
Speakers: Dr Jelena Petrovic & Dr Nicholas Dacre (tbc.)

4) Date:Wednesday 16 July 2025, 10am – 4pm
Title: AI and workplace wellbeing: Who’s taking care of you?

Description: AI has the potential to impact our sense of control and psychological safety at work, which could increase our work-related stress and adversely affect our wellbeing. In this highly interactive, one-day workshop you will have an opportunity to analyse organisational risk factors brought by AI and digital transformation, which affect your wellbeing at work, and learn how you can support your own wellbeing via coaching style conversations or self-coaching reflections.
Speakers: Dr Jelena Petrovic & Dr Yi-Ling Lai

For registration or further information, please contact Dr Jelena Petrovic, j.petrovic@soton.ac.uk.

Executive Learning Workshops - AI as a Leadership Challenge

Digital transformation concerns integrating digital technologies, such as AI, in all areas of business. As a result, an organisation will change the way it operates and is expected to offer better value to customers.

However, digital transformation is not just a matter of technology. What do Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital transformation mean for organisations in terms of leadership, governance, people, and culture? These are key questions for any business and some of the topics we are going to delve into in our forthcoming ELWs.

By developing competencies in these areas, companies can use AI more effectively, future-proof their workforce, improve agility, and seize new opportunities in an increasingly tech-driven economy. Digital transformation is here to stay and without the required skills across all organisational functions, businesses risk falling behind in terms of productivity, innovation, and market relevance.

The ELWs are delivered in-person by experts from academia, and tailored for managers, senior leaders, board directors, and industry professionals who are keen to explore these cutting-edge topics. By blending academic rigour with practical application, the ELWs will make a real difference to your organisation and help your continuous professional development.

Join us at the University of Southampton Business School for an enriching learning experience. Please see below the details for all upcoming ELWs.

Title: Digital transformation and the tragedy of the commons: how systems thinking can address thinking in silos and maximise benefits of GenAI

Date: Thursday 2 April 2025, 10am – 4pm

Description: Through this highly interactive, one-day workshop you will learn how to maximise the benefits of GenAI in your organisation by applying systems thinking. Organisations are typically characterised by teams acting in silos, focusing on their own, short-term outputs and competing for organisational resources, rather than collaborating for common, long-term success. Systems thinking is a holistic approach that shows why it is essential for all organisational stakeholders - including technologists - to work together to foster a collective understanding of how individual decisions impact the entire organisation. This workshop will provide an introduction to systems thinking and systems leadership, equipping you with the tools to engage stakeholders, promote cross-departmental collaboration, and drive a culture of continuous innovation. By applying these principles, your organisation will be better positioned to achieve successful digital transformation.

Who is it for: The workshop is for managers, senior leaders, and any participant from industry interested in the topic.
Speakers: Dr Jelena Petrovic & Professor Jeni Giambona

Title: Strategic leadership skills: How to get senior leadership buy-in for digital transformation

Date: Wednesday 30 April 2025, 10am – 4pm

Description: Boards are expected to understand the opportunities and risks of genAI and play a critical role in shaping the right culture for digital transformation. However, many companies are unwilling to take the risk to invest in change, despite a potential opportunity for revenue growth through digital transformation. This highly interactive, one-day workshop will help you assess your strategic leadership skills and learn about behaviours needed to influence board decisions and get senior leadership buy-in for digital transformation.

Who is it for: The workshop is for aspiring, new, and established board directors, staff members who work closely with boards, and any participant from industry interested in the topic.
Speakers: Dr Jelena Petrovic & Dr Richard Cartwright

Title: Is AI your enemy? Being the AI Savvy Leader

Date: Thursday 12 June 2025 , 10am – 4pm

Description: When people are reluctant to embrace AI, normally it is not that they are afraid of this technology but of what this “new employee” could mean for their role. Therefore, it is important that leaders focus on people’s reactions to AI, and not the other way around. In this highly interactive, one-day workshop you will learn how, as a leader, you can help people in your organisation embrace AI and digital transformation.

Who is it for: The workshop is for managers and senior leaders.
Speakers: Dr Jelena Petrovic

Title: AI and workplace wellbeing: Who’s taking care of you?

Date: Wednesday 16 July 2025, 10am – 4pm

Who is it for: Participants from industry interested in the topic.

Speakers: Dr Jelena Petrovic & Dr Yi-Ling Lai

For registration or further information, please contact Dr Jelena Petrovic, j.petrovic@soton.ac.uk.

Excecutive Learning Workshop- Digital Transformation and the tragedy of the commons: How systems thinking can help break down silos and maximise the benefits of GenAI

Workshop speakers/facilitators

Dr Jelena Petrovic and Prof Jeni Giambona, Southampton Business School

Dr Jelena Petrovic, Associate Professor (Principal Enterprise Fellow), Southampton Business School

Dr Jelena Petrovic is Associate Professor (Principal Enterprise Fellow) at the University of Southampton Business School, Chair of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Branch in South West London, and Knowledge Transfer Editor of Human Resource Management (a Financial Times Top 50 Business Journal published by Wiley). Jelena is interested in transforming knowledge and ideas into action and is actively engaged in industry collaborations through design and delivery of executive development programmes, knowledge exchange, consultancy, and research. Examples include Park Plaza Hotels, the NHS, Volvo Cars, the Guardian, BT, the CIPD, and Mercer (ORC Worldwide). Jelena has 30 years of experience in teaching, research, and consultancy in corporate governance and strategic international human resource management in the UK and internationally. She has received the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) and Emerald Publishing Group award for her PhD in Strategic Leadership and Governance, and was awarded the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Chevening Scholarship for her MSc in human resource management.

Prof Jeni Giambona, Associate Dean (Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise), Southampton Business School

Professor Jeni Giambona is Associate Dean (Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise) at the University of Southampton Business School. She leads the development of collaborations with both external organisations from all sectors and the wider public to further the development and impact of teaching and research. Jeni’s activities focus on the development and implementation of strategies for collaborative partnerships, impact and dissemination, on building relationships with external stakeholders and co-creation activities. Her role also includes developing, facilitating, reviewing and monitoring the delivery of the School’s executive education programmes, as well as the development of a lifelong learning strategy. Jeni works collaboratively with all external stakeholders, be them industry, government or other academic institutions. Jeni has core expertise in systems thinking and leadership development. She has run several developmental activities focused on systems thinking and systems leadership. She has also delivered invited talks on the topic to academic and industry audiences and spoken to media and government about the core principles and benefits of a systems approach in organisations.

Executive Learning Workshop- Digital Transformation and the tragedy of the commons: How systems thinking can help break down silos and maximise the benefits of GenAI

Workshop speakers/facilitators

Dr Jelena Petrovic and Prof Jeni Giambona, Southampton Business School

Dr Jelena Petrovic, Associate Professor (Principal Enterprise Fellow), Southampton Business School

Prof Jeni Giambona, Associate Dean (Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise), Southampton Business School

Executive Learning Workshop: How to get senior leadership buy-in for digital transformation

Speakers:

Jelena Petrovic, Associate Professor (Principal Enterprise Fellow), Southampton Business School

Richard Cartwright, Principal Enterprise Fellow and Help to Grow Programme Director, Southampton Business School

Richard Cartwright is a Principal Enterprise Fellow and Director of Help to Grow programme at Southampton Business School, a Chartered Accountant and Non-Executive Director. He began his career at KPMG, where he qualified as an ACA after completing a BSc in Economics at the University of Birmingham. Moving into academia in 2012, Richard joined Southampton Business School in 2015, specialising in teaching Audit and advancing student development through co-curricular activities. He has pioneered the use of ICAEW educational films in universities and presents sessions at UK and international conferences. Off campus, Richard serves as a Non-Executive Director at Places for People, a Governor at Motability, and an Independent External Member of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee at the National Audit Office and Abri Group. A former ICAEW Council member, he remains an active member of his professional institute. Richard was recognised in the 2018 Shaw Trust Power List as one of the UK’s most influential disabled people.

Lunchtime Seminar series-Are markets bad or are they just drawn that way?: Strengthening sustainability education for future business leaders

The seminar will offer a challenge to business educators to up their game on sustainability, despite recent headwinds. Professor Gary Kass (Visiting Professor in Sustainability Science, Policy and Practice) will outline the evolving relationships between business and sustainability, emphasising countervailing forces driving change historically, currently, and into the future. Gary will illustrate this by briefly describing the evolution of climate and nature as critical business issues. He will then outline the roles and responsibilities of business schools in relation to embedding sustainability in business and management education and will end the seminar with some thoughts about where this might be heading and how we might take the journey together.

Speaker’s biography

Gary is Visiting Professor in Sustainability Science, Policy and Practice at three leading UK universities (Imperial, Surrey and Royal Holloway). With nearly forty years’ practice, Gary is an environmental and sustainability expert and knowledge broker who strides the divide between academia and practice. He has worked both in the private and public sector. Among his various roles, he lead (shouldn't that be led, if it's the past tense of the verb "lead"? ) the Environment and Energy programme at the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology and held the brief for Public Engagement with Science and Technology within the (then) Department of Trade and Industry. Gary joined Natural England, serving as Deputy Chief Scientist, and Deputy Director for Foresight and Innovation, and served a short stint as Defra deputy Chief Scientific Adviser. Gary has worked widely in academia, including serving on the Natural Environment Research Council’s Innovation Advisory Board, the Research Excellence Framework Geography and Environmental Studies sub-panel, and he held a Fellowship at the University of Cambridge Centre for Science and Policy. He is now a member of the Office for Environmental Protection College of Experts, a Vice-President of the Institution of Environmental Sciences, Chair of the Institution’s Policy Committee, and an associate consultant at Socially Adept Ltd and Jigsaw Foresight Ltd.

Please register for the event using this link.

Lunchtime Seminar Series-Are markets bad or are they just drawn that way?

Speaker’s biography

Please register for the event using this link.

Is AI your enemy? digital transformation as a leadership challenge

Workshop description:

When people are reluctant to embrace AI, normally it is not that they are afraid of this technology but of what this “new employee” could mean for their role. Therefore, it is important that leaders focus on people’s reactions to AI, and not the other way around. In this highly interactive, one-day workshop you will learn how, as a leader, you can help people in your organisation embrace AI and digital transformation.

Key themes: leadership, workforce, change management, behavioural science, AI & Digital transformation

This is the third of a series of Executive Learning Workshops (ELWs) focused on AI as a leadership challenge, provided by the University of Southampton Business School, and led by Dr Jelena Petrovic as part of her HEIF-funded project in this area. The workshops are delivered by experts from academia, and tailored for managers, senior leaders, board directors, and industry professionals who are keen to explore the cutting-edge topics discussed in the workshops. By blending academic rigour with practical application, the ELWs will make a real difference to your organisation and help your continuous professional development.

AI and workplace wellbeing: Who’s taking care of you?

Workshop speakers/facilitators:

Dr Jelena Petrovic, Associate Professor (Principal Enterprise Fellow), Southampton Business School

Dr Yi-Ling Lai, Lecturer (Assistant Professor) of HRM and Organisational Behaviour, Southampton Business School

Dr Yi-Ling Lai is Lecturer (Assistant Professor) of HRM and Organisational Behaviour at the Southampton Business School. Yi-Ling had several years' professional experience in a global talent management consulting firm before her academic career. Yi-Ling has developed a strong interest in applying psychologically informed coaching approaches for the enhancement of leadership behaviours and workplace well-being via her management consultancy work. Following her PhD study in Occupational Psychology, Yi-Ling gained academic experiences in several academic institutions in the UK, such as Birkbeck College, University of London and University of Portsmouth. Yi-Ling’s research mainly focuses on in what way coaching approaches make impacts on individuals’ work-life, learning and development (L&D) and work motivation. She has published nearly 20 coaching or talent management related papers, 7 book chapters and one editing book since 2014. Yi-Ling has received the British Psychological Society (BPS) President’s Award 2024 which recognises her efforts into producing a body of outstanding research.

Leading with Purpose: Bridging Theory and Practice in Modern Leadership

This engaging seminar will delve into the theory and practice of team leadership through the lenses of contrasting leadership styles. Led by Amanda Beable—Visiting Fellow at Southampton Business School and Senior Manager at Hampshire County Council—it combines academic insight with extensive real-world experience in leading high-performing teams. Amanda will explore diverse approaches to leadership at both the team and individual level, offering a unique perspective on the differences between leadership in the public and private sectors. Driven by a lifelong curiosity about what makes a successful leader, she will also introduce her formative PRIMER Leadership model—a practical, actionable framework for developing and sustaining high-performing teams.

Speaker's biography

Amanda Beable brings strong strategic transformation and leadership experience to her role as Head of Transformation & Business Services at Hampshire County Council. Her career spans a world-leading international energy company, where she was involved in high-value electricity trading, founding and successfully exiting her own business, and leading service and team transformation in local government. Amanda has led teams of over 150 people and is experienced in guiding teams through complex change and uncertainty. She holds an MBA with Distinction from Warwick Business School and is a certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt. Amanda brings a unique blend of commercial acumen and public sector insight, with a passion for building high-performing teams and delivering impactful, sustainable change.

Please register for the event using this link.

3rd Operations and Supply Chain Management (OSCM) Symposium on Blockchain Research: Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and Sustainable Supply Chains

In an era of accelerated digital transformation and global challenges, the convergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain Technology (BT), and Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) is redefining resilience, transparency, and operational efficiency. The 3rd OSCM Symposium will serve as a pivotal forum for elucidating the transformative potential of these technologies. The objective is to delve into how AI's predictive analytics and cognitive automation capabilities, combined with BT's immutable transparency and decentralized trust mechanisms, can be seamlessly integrated to reinvent sustainable supply chain ecosystems. By convening academic pioneers, industry leaders, and policymakers, we aim to catalyse actionable strategies that transform theoretical advancements into real-world solutions for a sustainable future.

Some of the keynote speakers include:

Prof. Suresh Sethi, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Eugene McDermott Chair Professor at the University of Texas at Dallas, Special Responsibilities Department Editor of Production and Operations Management (UTD24, FT50, ABS4);
Prof. Jason Choi, Chair Professor in Operations and Supply Chain Management at University of Liverpool Management School (ULMS), Co-Editor-in-Chief of Transportation Research Part E - Logistics and Transportation Review (ABS3);
Prof. Yu Xiong, Associate Vice President at University of Surrey, Director of Surrey Academy for Blockchain and Metaverse Applications;
Prof. Atanu Chaudhuri, Professor in Technology & Operations Management at Durham University Business School, Fellow of the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing;
Prof. Glenn Parry, Professor of Digital Transformation, Associate Dean Research at University of Surrey, CoDirector DECaDE: EPSRC Centre for the Decentralised Digital Economy;
Assoc. Prof. Steve New, Associate Professor in Operations Management, Saïd Business School at University of Oxford, Editorial Review Board for Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management (ABS3), the Editorial Advisory Board for Supply Chain Management: an International Journal (ABS3).

Special sessions include:

VeChain Demo & Roundtable: Blockchain and sustainability insights with VeChain and BCG consulting.
Funding Application Panel: Prof. Li Zhou (Greenwich), Prof. Bing Xu (Heriot-Watt), Dr. Hangfei Guo (Queen’s University Belfast), and Prof Enrico Gerding (Southampton, TBC)
Publication Workshop: Prof. Suresh Sethi (UTD), Prof. Jason Choi (Liverpool, IEEE TEM), Prof. Son, Byung-Gak (City, IJOPM), and Prof. Martin Kunc (Southampton, JORS)

Highlight:

The conference also includes a dinner honouring Prof. Suresh Sethi’s 80th birthday.

If you would like to present your research during the parallel sessions at the conference, we can accept your submission without peer revision. For detailed submission guidelines and a full list of conference themes, please see the attached "Call for Abstracts -The 3rd OSCM Symposium on Blockchain Research". If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our dedicated team: oscmc@soton.ac.uk

Clienting in Major Projects: Report Launch Event Highlights

In major projects, success hinges not just on delivery but on clarity of purpose and outcomes. Too often, programmes default to tracking activities rather than the benefits they are meant to deliver, causing value to fade under pressure. Effective client organisations counter this by continuously reviewing outcomes and aligning procurement strategies to reward progress against those outcomes, not just ticking boxes. This shift discourages adversarial behaviours like lowest-cost tendering and fosters collaboration.

This report presents the Major Projects Clienting Framework (MPCF) designed to help client organisations shift from purchasers of goods and services to orchestrators of delivery ecosystems. The framework is based on research conducted by Prof Jeni Giambona and Dr Nicholas Dacre, USBS, and it incorporates practitioner surveys, senior professional interviews and a workshop with industry leaders.

How can we client better through MPCF ?

The report presents practical ways for client organisations to move away from procuring outputs and start stewarding outcomes in major programmes. The proposed framework includes the following three main insights.

Client organisations should aim to develop all six dimensions (see Figure 1) simultaneously instead of adopting linear capability building. As an integrated system, the MPCF operates through constant interdependence, meaning that progress in one dimension can either enhance or limit advancement in others.
The client role should no longer be seen merely as that of a purchaser. Instead, it must evolve into that of a strategic orchestrator, someone who manages a diverse network of stakeholders. This expanded role goes beyond technical expertise, requiring capabilities in ecosystem coordination and outcome stewardship.
Client organisations are to reconsider how they define success, shape decision-making processes and reward performance across the delivery ecosystem. For sustainable transformation to take root, culture and procedures must change. Organisations need to embrace outcomes, clearly defined and linked to agreed requirements, instead of focusing purely on outputs.

The presentation of the framework was followed by a panel discussion chaired by Hannah Vickers, featuring thoughtful contributions from Martin Buck, Emma-Jane Houghton FICE, Associate Professor Nicholas Dacre and Professor Jeni Giambona. The engaging conversation and insightful comments that followed reaffirmed that the way we approach clienting in major projects is a topic of great importance, and that a shift towards orchestration is both needed and welcomed.

“In today's world, the challenges we face require a departure from traditional approaches to embrace systems methods that provide holistic solutions to systemic challenges. Clients are in an ideal position to orchestrate ecosystems, providing the leadership that convenes all stakeholder groups involved in infrastructure major projects. Our report presents an innovative framework accompanied by recommendations, diagnostic questions, and illustrative vignettes that demonstrate how orchestration can work in practice.”

Professor Jeni Giambona, Professor of Systems Thinking & Associate Dean (Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise), USBS

“Clients do not arrive with all the answers. The complexity, interdependencies and uncertainties inherent in major projects mean that solutions must be co-created across delivery ecosystems. The client's role is therefore not to specify every detail or control every decision, but to orchestrate the collaborative processes through which answers emerge from suppliers, users, regulators and technical experts. This orchestrating role recognises that effective clienting is about convening capability, not commanding it.”

Emma-Jane Houghton FICE, AWE

Read the full report and explore the guidelines here.

If you would like to share feedback or collaborate with us to explore how we can drive the shift in major projects towards a more joined-up approach and deliver better outcomes together, we’d be delighted to hear from you. Please contact Professor Jeni Giambona (j.giambona@soton.ac.uk)

Lunchtime seminar with Oliver Fisher HMRC

Seminar Title: Rewiring Complex Organisations

Synopsis: In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, organisations face the challenge of transforming deeply embedded structures while maintaining operational resilience. This seminar explores the journey from strategic vision to practical delivery. We will examine how to reshape culture, behaviours and mindsets, and align incentives to drive meaningful change. The discussion will cover the complexities of streamlining governance layers while navigating the disruptive influence of AI technologies. Join us to uncover actionable insights on how to rewire organisational DNA for agility and innovation without compromising stability.

Speaker's biography

Oliver is HMRC’s Chief Investment Officer, responsible for bringing together finance, delivery, commercial, and digital teams to drive HMRC’s transformation at pace, streamline controls and assurance, and ensure that £5 billion of investment delivers real value for the department and the public. Over the past five years, Oliver has led a £1.1 billion annual transformation portfolio, modernised critical national infrastructure, delivered £2.8 billion in financial benefits, and built high-performing, inclusive teams. Oliver began his career in Southampton and have since held senior roles in strategy, investment planning, and digital transformation. He is passionate about enabling a more agile government—ensuring that their work is responsive, innovative, and delivers meaningful improvements for citizens and society. Oliver is equally committed to inspiring and supporting the next generation of public sector leaders.

You can register for the event using this link.

Please note that this is an in-person event.

Sustainable Infrastructure Delivery: Leveraging Systems Thinking for Speed and Efficiency

We need to change how we deliver to do so more quickly , especially for the major changes in our energy systems that need urgent additions to our electricity transmission network – otherwise we will be stuck with expensive higher carbon power sources for much longer, all the while paying renewables to produce power than no one can use. Likewise for transport, places like Italy, Spain (and even the Faroe Islands) can deliver transport at a fraction of what the UK can do – enabling them to be able to afford much more of the great infrastructure that enables people to live more prosperously and happily – in France 80% of cities have a metro or modern tram network enabling them to thrive with easy accessibility to the best jobs, whereas in the UK less than 30% do.

Speaker's biography

Tim has been a Partner and Director at Boston Consulting Group for just over 2 years, after a career of 36 years in consulting engineering with Arup, latterly as a director and the head of its London office and before that head of its infrastructure design group. Tim’s professional life has been in the built environment – he is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and of the Royal Academy of Engineering. In 2011, he was awarded the ICE President’s Medal for producing the institution’s first significant thought piece on how to decarbonise the infrastructure sector and went on to be a lead writer for the world’s first standard for systems level reductions of carbon in infrastructure: PAS2080.  He also has worked on a wide range of major infrastructure and building projects and is a leading proponent for techniques that lead to better client outcomes – he was engaged by the UK government to produce its Value Toolkit and Construction Playbook, which are about not only ensuring that major projects achieve many broader benefits, but that they are also delivered on time and to budget. More recently he has been researching how to better deliver the big infrastructure projects that the country so urgently needs, disappointed by the serial failure that so many seem to face. In 2024, he was appointed Visiting Professor at Imperial College for Infrastructure Delivery.

Please register for the event here.

We look forward to welcoming you to the University of Southampton Business School for an engaging event designed to inspire thought‑provoking discussions.

Lunchtime seminar with Sam Stacey

This talk at the University of Southampton Business School will set out a bold vision for how the built environment could, and must, transform over the next decade. Drawing on Sam Stacey’s book, Brunel’s Bees, it will begin with a picture of construction in 2036: a system that will deliver not just buildings, but flourishing outcomes: health, resilience, productivity and environmental performance. It will then turn to the present. Despite technical capability, the sector will be shown to remain fragmented, risk-averse and locked into short-term incentives. These systemic issues will explain why crises in housing, safety and climate will continue to repeat.

The talk will then examine the disruptive potential of artificial intelligence. AI will not simply be presented as a tool for efficiency; it will be framed as a shift from labour-intensive production to data-enabled decision-making, with profound implications for value, skills and business models. This will create both existential risks and unprecedented opportunities for the sector. The implications for academia will be significant. If the built environment is to function as a coherent system, education and business schools in particular have a key role to play. We will need to evolve - equipping graduates with systems thinking, digital fluency and the ability to operate across disciplines. The conclusion will be clear: change will not be incremental. The conditions for radical transformation are finally in place, with profound impacts for us all.

Speaker's biography

Sam Stacey is a chartered engineer, occasional architect, and passionate advocate of positive disruption in construction. He has a unique perspective on the built environment, having served on the boards of the Construction Leadership Council, Building Research Establishment, the Construction Innovation Hub, InnovationRCA, National Platform for Construction and the Active Building Centre.

From 2018 to 2022, Sam led the Sector Deal for Construction on behalf of the UK Government. This four-year programme, realised as the Transforming Construction Challenge, was a key part of the UK's post-Brexit Industrial Strategy. He was previously a Director at Skanska UK covering innovation, design and industrialisation.

He is currently focused on advising governments, public agencies and corporations on construction strategy, sustainability and innovation. Recent engagements include the Qatar Foundation, Saudi Contractors Authority, Hong Kong Development Authority, Building & Construction Authority Singapore and the Government of New Zealand.

We look forward to seeing you on 9 June at the University of Southampton Business School.

Lunchtime seminar with Paul Eastwood

The UK is investing heavily in energy and nationally significant infrastructure, but critical engineering knowledge and operational learning are still often lost between delivery and long term operations. As infrastructure becomes more modular, repeatable and digitally enabled, this creates increasing challenges when assets need to be modified, replicated or expanded, often resulting in costly rework and relearning of past lessons.

This session explores how a more connected, requirements driven approach linking systems engineering, assurance and asset management can help preserve engineering intent across the lifecycle, improving repeatability, operational resilience and long term value from infrastructure investment.

Speaker's biography

Paul Eastwood is Founder and Director of Ackor Ltd, a Chartered Engineer and systems leader with over 30 years’ experience directing complex engineering and infrastructure programmes across nuclear, transport and other regulated sectors. His experience includes technical leadership roles supporting major nationally significant infrastructure programmes including Sizewell C, HS2, Sellafield and the Ottawa Confederation Line, helping organisations navigate complexity, align stakeholders and improve delivery confidence within highly regulated, multi organisation delivery environments.

events

Global Leadership Conference 2022 at University of Southampton Malaysia

Taster Lecture: MSc Accounting and Management

Taster Lecture: MSc Project Management

Taster Lecture: MSc Business Analytics and Finance

Taster Lecture: MSc Entrepreneurship and Management | MSc Business Strategy and Innovation Management

Taster Lecture: MSc Digital Marketing

Taster Lecture: MSc Risk and Finance

Taster Lecture: MSc Business Analytics and Management Sciences

3rd Workshop Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Evidence (IQQE) using Social Simulation

Don't Ignore the Qualitative, Stupid! Why Qualitative Data Matters in Simulations

Can we client better?

Systems thinking and Leadership Development Executive Education course

New Forest Business Partnership Brilliance in Business Awards

LEiRs Seminar – Effective outcomes for major projects

The Myth of Meritocracy: Rethinking Inequality in Organizational Studies

Executive Learning Workshops on AI and Digital Transformation

Executive Learning Workshops - AI as a Leadership Challenge

Title: Digital transformation and the tragedy of the commons: how systems thinking can address thinking in silos and maximise benefits of GenAI

Date: Thursday 2 April 2025, 10am – 4pm

Title: Strategic leadership skills: How to get senior leadership buy-in for digital transformation

Date: Wednesday 30 April 2025, 10am – 4pm

Title: Is AI your enemy? Being the AI Savvy Leader

Date: Thursday 12 June 2025 , 10am – 4pm

Title: AI and workplace wellbeing: Who’s taking care of you?

Date: Wednesday 16 July 2025, 10am – 4pm

Excecutive Learning Workshop- Digital Transformation and the tragedy of the commons: How systems thinking can help break down silos and maximise the benefits of GenAI

Workshop speakers/facilitators

Executive Learning Workshop- Digital Transformation and the tragedy of the commons: How systems thinking can help break down silos and maximise the benefits of GenAI

Workshop speakers/facilitators

Executive Learning Workshop: How to get senior leadership buy-in for digital transformation

Speakers:

Jelena Petrovic, Associate Professor (Principal Enterprise Fellow), Southampton Business School

Richard Cartwright, Principal Enterprise Fellow and Help to Grow Programme Director, Southampton Business School

Lunchtime Seminar series-Are markets bad or are they just drawn that way?: Strengthening sustainability education for future business leaders

Speaker’s biography

Lunchtime Seminar Series-Are markets bad or are they just drawn that way?

Speaker’s biography

Is AI your enemy? digital transformation as a leadership challenge

Workshop description:

AI and workplace wellbeing: Who’s taking care of you?

Workshop speakers/facilitators:

Dr Jelena Petrovic, Associate Professor (Principal Enterprise Fellow), Southampton Business School

Dr Yi-Ling Lai, Lecturer (Assistant Professor) of HRM and Organisational Behaviour, Southampton Business School

Leading with Purpose: Bridging Theory and Practice in Modern Leadership

Speaker's biography

3rd Operations and Supply Chain Management (OSCM) Symposium on Blockchain Research: Artificial Intelligence&comma; Blockchain and Sustainable Supply Chains

Clienting in Major Projects: Report Launch Event Highlights

How can we client better through MPCF ?

Lunchtime seminar with Oliver Fisher HMRC

Speaker's biography

Sustainable Infrastructure Delivery: Leveraging Systems Thinking for Speed and Efficiency

Speaker's biography

Lunchtime seminar with Sam Stacey

Speaker's biography

Lunchtime seminar with Paul Eastwood

Speaker's biography

3rd Operations and Supply Chain Management (OSCM) Symposium on Blockchain Research: Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and Sustainable Supply Chains