With the end of 2022 soon approaching, we are looking back at some of the incredible achievements of UCL School of Management’s talented students and alumni over the past year. It was difficult to narrow it down to only a few, but we have compiled a list of our top 10 student achievements in 2022.
ucl mba student shortlisted for interior designer of the year award
In September 2022, UCL MBA student Wren Loucks was recognised in the Brit List Awards as a result of her work with Be-Kin, an interior design studio she founded that focuses on creating spaces that stimulate wellbeing and purpose.
Encompassing Wren’s passions, Be-Kin’s mission combines mental health advocacy with luxury interior design and supports social sustainability. Discussing her nomination for the awards, Wren told us, “I’m thrilled to be shortlisted for Interior Designer of the Year at the Brit List Awards 2022! It’s an incredible honour, especially being shortlisted with other designers and studios I really admire.”
UCL SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT ALUMNA RECEIVES grace hopper award
Information Management for Business (IMB) alumna Mariam Sharangia was presented with the Grace Hopper Award earlier this year in the ‘Emerging Leader’ category. The annual award, named after computing pioneer and US Navy rear admiral Grace Hopper, puts a spotlight on individuals, organisations and initiatives that focus exclusively on promoting women’s participation in the ICT sector.
Since graduating, Mariam has returned to her home country of Georgia where she became the Head of Strategic Development at Georgia’s Innovation and Technology Agency. She has gone on to become a Fulbright Scholar and a contributor to Forbes Woman Georgia. She’s also recently started an exciting new role at Meta London.
double dutch alumna jointly crowned ‘young entrepreneur of the year’
In April, MSc Technology Entrepreneurship (now MSc Entrepreneurship) alumnae Joyce and Raissa de Haas were jointly crowned ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ at the 2022 Business Champion Awards. Based in Canary Wharf, the annual event is designed to celebrate the best of British businesses, which included the twin sisters’ internationally celebrated company, Double Dutch Drinks.
Joyce and Raissa founded Double Dutch Drinks in 2015 before receiving the UCL Bright Ideas Award for most-promising start-up. They have since gone on to secure millions in funding and now sell their range of tonics and mixers through retailers in 24 countires worldwide.
UCL School of management alumna carries the baton in 2022 commonwealth games
Earlier this year, UCL School of Management alumna Slaviana Pavlovich was selected for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay. Nominated by JP Morgan Chase & Co. for her outstanding work in the field of digital technology, Slaviana carried the relay through Rugby to mark the momentous occasion.
Discussing her achievement, Slaviana told us, “I was honoured to be nominated by my employer, JP Morgan and Chase, who were the Official Banking Partner of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Participating in the Queen’s Baton Relay was the opportunity of a lifetime for me and I am so grateful to everyone who helped make it possible.”
THREE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT STUDENTS NOMINATED IN FORBES 30-UNDER-30 LIST
This year, three UCL School of Management alumni were named in Forbes’ annual 30-Under-30 list. MSc Technology Entrepreneurship (now MSc Entrepreneurship) alumnus Nii Cleland appeared in the Social Impact category alongside his business, Flair, a technology company that uses surveys and other data points to measure racial bias within companies. Fellow MSc Entrepreneurship graduate Diana Florescu appeared in the Media and Marketing category after founding Grai Ventures, a Romania-based venture studio that partners with European startups and provides expertise on media, design and branding.
Also featured in the Social Impact list was Information Management for Business (IMB) graduate Dean Celaj. Dean went on to found Akademi.al in 2019, an organisation that seeks to provide equal access to high-quality education to Albanian-speaking students. In total, fourteen members of the UCL community have feautured in the list, which includes UCL staff, students and alumni.
ucl mba student wins silver in the amba and bga student of the year award
In January, UCL MBA student and System Chief Medical Officer at Adventist Healthcare Patsy McNeil won Silver in the 2022 AMBA & BGA Student of the Year Award. The awards bring together the leading lights of the global business education community to celebrate excellence among Business Schools, students, graduates, suppliers, and employers that share AMBA & BGA’s values of ambition, impact and integrity. Pursuing an MBA is difficult at any stage of life, but doing so whilst leading a hospital chain in Maryland (MA) through the pandemic is nothing short of spectacular.
Patsy has also led by example on the UCL MBA, helping to foster a sense of community in the programme and inspiring others to pursue their studies and maintain excellence in the workplace. Amongst all of her study and work-life requirements, Patsy still found time to go the extra mile and participate in the UCL MBA Circle - a contemporary issues discussion group for students, led by students - as well as taking the time to lead keynote talks for her medical professional peers to ensure she shares her knowledge with as many people as possible.
UCL school of management alumni secures £9.5 million in funding for artificial labs
In September, UCL School of Management alumni and founder of Artificial Labs, Johnny Bridges, has recently secured £9.5 million in funding in a Series A fundraiser that saw investment from major firms such as Force Over Mass, Mundi Ventures, No. 9 Investments Limited, and MS&AD Ventures.
Founded in 2013, Artificial Labs is an algorithmic underwriting platform that uses cloud-based tools and machine learning techniques to provide commercial insurers and brokers with power over their data. Having previously secured contracts with the likes of BMW, Artificial Labs has established itself as a major player within the insurtech industry.
student team finish in the top three at the international executive challenge
In April of this year, UCL School of Management students competed virtually in the International Executive Challenge 2022 and placed in third in the competition. The all-female team comprised of Julie Wouters, Emmy Vanherpe, Wiam Kebbou and Tsvetina Chelebieva competed against 15 teams from around the globe in this annual leadership case competition.
Hosted by the Stephen R. Covey Leadership Centre, the International Executive Challenge provides students with a chance to solve the complex, real-world problems that face high level company executives. Fellow competitors included teams from the US, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands and the University of Cambridge.
ucl mba student launches the ucl sustainability lab
In November, UCL MBA student Tom Weston founded the UCL Sustainability lab with support from sustainability expert, Professor Paolo Taticchi. A new student-led and student-operated initiative, the UCL Sustainability Lab aims to provide a collaborative, sustainability-focused platform for students and industry partners to tackle grand business challenges and build an impactful link between academia and industry.
The Lab is an opportunity for students and companies to collaborate and delve into the complex issues surrounding sustainable innovations to better equip an organisation and solve these vital issues whilst considering the practical implications on different sectors of the business and strategic business model.
phd student publishes paper in the strategic management journal
Earlier this year, PhD student Joe Ploog co-authored a research paper alongside his academic advisor and Associate Professor Joost Rietveld that was published in the Strategic Management Journal. Entitled ‘On top of the game? The double-edged sword of incorporating social features into freemium products’, the paper focuses on freemium products and examines why some become superstars while others flatline.
In 2018, Freemium products made up over 75% of all apps on the App Store and include popular games, dating apps, ride-sharing apps, and online communication platforms. In order to be successful, the co-authors argue, freemium products require widespread diffusion, which is often enabled through the incorporation of social features, such as multiplayer, virtual collaboration or ride-sharing.
Keep your eyes peeled for more of our students’ fantastic achievements in 2023! Watch this space…
