Leadership series
Throughout 2022, our university is set to host a series of interactive interviews with prominent figures from within the Leicester community. This programme of events, hosted by senior members of the university’s management team, will explore how strong institutions are built through effective leadership. From the Covid-19 vaccine rollout to the shutdown and reopening of the arts, the university will shine a light on the matters facing Leicester and the wider country today.
This new series for 2022 will feature speakers spread over the year. As the only higher education institution in Britain to be a global hub for the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals initiative, we are committed to further developing our city through wider engagement in public debates.
This page will be routinely updated with the latest updates on speakers, plus the broadcasts of previous events.
Leading a business in a pandemic with Eileen Richards MBE
Location: tbc
Date: tbc
Time: tbc
Covid-19 has made the past two years particularly testing for many business owners across the country. Lockdowns, combined with post-Brexit legislation changes, supply chain issues, staff shortages and the government’s furlough scheme have presented new challenges for industries to overcome.
Eileen Richards MBE DL is one such entrepreneur who, perhaps more than most, understands the challenges that Leicester businesses have faced during the pandemic. Her award-winning recruitment company, E R Recruitment Ltd, has established partnerships with some of the region’s largest employers and this puts Eileen in a position of understanding the needs of businesses and employees during a turbulent time.
As a business owner, Eileen has had to ensure her company is running as efficiently as possible from home. Client expectations, her staff’s physical and mental well-being and business essentials have all had to be managed amidst a backdrop of recessions and economic uncertainty.
The series is part of our commitment to further engage with the city through wider public debates. As the only higher education institution in Britain to be named as a global hub for the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals initiative, we feel it is imperative to host meaningful conversations that will benefit the community as a whole.
Professor Heather McLaughlin Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research and Academic Staff Development and Dean of Business and Law, will host the evening with Eileen Richards and explore the qualities needed to successfully lead a business through a pandemic.
This event will be open to the general public and delivered in front of an audience, as well as live-streamed on the university’s YouTube page.
There will be an opportunity for the audience members attending, both physically and virtually, to ask Eileen questions after her initial conversation with Professor McLaughlin.
Proposed schedule:
- Chair to deliver a short introduction
- 30 minutes of conversation between the chair and the speaker
- 25 minutes audience questions
- Post-event drinks reception at the in-person events
Eileen Richards MBE
With more than 25-years of experience in the recruitment industry, and having worked across multiple disciplines in the city, Eileen Richards is a household name with local businesses in Leicester.
She is the founder and director of the award-winning Eileen Richards Recruitment LTD, and co-creator of the East Midlands Chamber’s Enterprising Women network, which marks its 25th anniversary in 2022. Her commitment to championing local industry and retaining talent within Leicester saw Eileen inducted as the new president of the East Midlands Business Chamber for 2020-21.
Eileen is no stranger to 51Âþ» and is a passionate supporter of our Leicester Future Leaders and BrightER Future initiatives. She became a Pro-Chancellor here at 51Âþ» in 2021 and works with our Careers Team, to create new work experience opportunities for our students in Leicester.
In 2019, Eileen received her MBE for services to female entrepreneurship. She has also won the Niche Business Woman of the year award and the Leicester Mercury Business Woman of the Year.
Away from the world of recruitment, Eileen is a Trustee for Leicestershire & Rutland charity Hope Against Cancer and is a Committee Member for Wooden Spoon, which funds life-changing projects to support children and young people with disabilities or living in disadvantaged households.
Leading as Shadow Secretary of State for Health in a pandemic with Jonathan Ashworth
Location: tbc
Date: tbc
Time: tbc
Continuing our series, Vice-Chancellor Professor Katie Normington sits down with the Member of Parliament (MP) for Leicester South, Jonathan Ashworth, to discuss the challenges both he and his constituency have faced during Covid-19. For a large majority of the pandemic Jonathan Ashworth served as the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, advising the Labour leader Sir Kier Starmer on national data and holding the Government to account.
Leicester was the first city in the UK to have an enforced regional lockdown and Jonathan Ashworth’s entire Constituency fell within the affected area. Working with the City Council and local agencies he had to ask for additional support for the City and its businesses and represent the views and concerns of his constituents during an unprecedented time.
In this 60-minute interactive conversation, our Vice-Chancellor will explore what qualities are required to juggle the needs of the nation alongside the needs of your constituents. It will also delve into some of the pressures and successes Jonathan Ashworth has enjoyed while serving the people of Leicester South for more than a decade.
As the only higher education institution in Britain to be a global hub for the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals initiative, we are committed to further developing our city through wider engagement in public debates.
This event will be open to the general public and delivered in front of an audience, as well as live-streamed on the university’s YouTube page.
Jonathan Ashworth MP
The Rt Hon Jonathan Ashworth is MP for Leicester South and the Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. He was for over 5 years the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care including for the first two years of the pandemic.
He previously worked for Gordon Brown in 10 Downing Street and the Treasury. He is also a Policy Fellow at Cambridge University's Centre for Science and Policy.
Upcoming events
Akram Khan - tbc
Past events
Ms Michelle Gyles-McDonnough – Thursday 23 June 2022
As Britain’s only higher education institution to be named as a global hub for the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, 51Âþ» Leicester travelled to the home of the UN, New York, to gain greater insight into what can be done to make countries more sustainable.
In this special event, Vice-Chancellor, Professor Katie Normington sat down with Ms Gyles-McDonnough, the UN’s Director of the Sustainable Development Unit to discuss global decision making, her leadership style, the pressures of championing an international political agenda and the need to achieve a greener future.
Angela Hillery – Tuesday 17 May 2022
Pro Vice-Chancellor Sustainability and Dean of Health and Life Sciences, Professor Simon Oldroyd sat down with Angela Hillery, joint CEO of the Northamptonshire and Leicestershire NHS Trusts, to discuss managing patients’ expectations and staff wellbeing throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
Angela Hillery shared an insight into her leadership style and some of the innovative solutions to help manage patient care during lockdown, including new messaging services such as ChatHealth.
Professor Ivan Browne – Wednesday 2 March 2022
Professor Ivan Browne, Director of Public Health at Leicester City Council spoke to our Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Kaushika Patel about the challenges of leading a city through one of the biggest public health crises in modern history.
Professor Browne also spoke about exploring ways to better engage Leicester's younger population in a healthy lifestyle and growing up in the city he would eventually help lead.
Sir Peter Soulsby – Tuesday 22 February 2022
Vice-Chancellor Professor Katie Normington opened this series of events with a 60-minute interactive conversation with Sir Peter Soulsby, Leicester’s first directly elected Mayor.
Taking place in the impressive Hansom Hall, the pair discussed the contrasting information surrounding Leicester’s regional lockdown, how studying at 51Âþ»’s predecessor Leicester Polytechnic ignited Sir Peter’s passion for politics and the pride he feels when representing the city.
Leadership Series - Sir Peter Soulsby: Leading a city at a time of crisis