Henley Business School celebrates 70 years by hosting Young Leaders Forum

Entrepreneurs share advice and business experiences with future young leaders

Investment banker Niamh Corbett, pictured far left, speaks about championing gender equality in the boardroom (HenleyBusinessSchool/YouTube)

Henley Business School has celebrated its 70th anniversary by hosting 36 of the brightest young leaders who debated what successful leadership looks like in the digital age.

The school - which is part of the University of Reading - saw dynamic entrepreneurs Jamal Edwards MBE, Paul Forkan founder of Gandys Flip Flops, and investment banker Niamh Corbett share their advice and business experiences with young leaders.

Mr Edwards, 25 - who founded youth broadcaster SB.TV at the age of 16 - talked about how his self-belief and motivation got him to where he is today. He said: “It’s important for young business leaders to take risks and focus on what’s happening now.

Youth Leaders Forum:

“Don’t let the past shape your choices and don’t think too much about the future.”

Mr Edwards also owns Just Jam - a subsidiary label of Sony records - and his company, SB.TV, is an online broadcaster which has attracted millions of hits for its artists, including Professor Green and Ed Sheeran.

He started SB.TV with a video camera he received as a gift and, speaking about the Henley partnership, he said: “It’s important to be part of campaigns like this, and I am pleased to be partnering with Henley on the Young Leaders Forum and hope some of the advice I’ve shared helps other young people get their business dreams off the ground.”

Annie O’Brien, property manager at Burlington Estates, attended the event, and described how listening to the speakers at the Young Leaders Forum was “inspiring.” She said: “The positivity left me feeling really motivated and some of the advice Jamal passed on will help me make business decisions.”

Mr Forkan shared his business journey and told of how the loss of his parents in the 2001 tsunami drove him and his brother to set up a fashion business that would give something back to other orphans.

Ms Corbett gave her take on negotiating the male-dominated world of investment banking. She now champions equality in the boardroom.