Dec. 15, 2015, Victoria, BC – Between David Foster, Kevin Roberts, and Jeff Mallett helping to celebrate the 25th birthday, it would appear too difficult to fit in more events to an already busy year, but a review of the many initiatives undertaken during the past 12 months highlights that the Gustavson School of Business still has many of its best years ahead.
Highlights from 2015 include:
- Celebrated for the entire year, the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business took advantage of their 25th birthday by hosting World Gustavson Day (June 11) with a keynote address streamed live to students and Alumni worldwide by Kevin Roberts, Executive Chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi, one of the world’s leading creative organizations. Roberts also spoke in person at UVic to 40 MBA students, providing them with his insights into the future of business practices. The full webcast is available: http://worldgustavsonday.hscampaigns.com/
- The 25th birthday saw the unveiling of the 25 Alumni to Watch who were shortlisted by a panel of judges. Each recipient was selected based on four criteria, including: having a global mindset and international perspective; being creative, innovative, risk-takers; being committed to sustainability and social responsibility initiatives; and providing a source of inspiration and motivation for others as a role model and leader in their profession and community endeavours. The full list of recipients may be found at: www.uvic.ca/gustavson/faculty/alumni.
- David Foster, the recipient of the 2015 Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year, spoke to a combined class of Gustavson School of Business and School of Music students, patiently taking selfies with each of them. Foster was then feted during the evening gala where we candidly answered questions from Dr. Peter Legge, chairman of Canada Wide Media Ltd. and long-time friend of Foster’s. Foster’s full interview is available: https://www.uvic.ca/gustavson/faculty/community/entrepreneurs/video/index.php
- An overview of, “20 Things I Have Found Helpful in My Adventure So Far,” in business by Jeff Mallett, principal owner of the San Francisco Giants, who presented to 300 undergraduate students. This was Mallett’s fourth visit to the University of Victoria where he engages and inspires students, challenging them to pursue excellence and innovation in their careers. In recognition of his ongoing support and mentorship to their students, Mallett was presented with an honorary professorship in business.
- The announcement of Professor Roy Suddaby as the Francis G. Winspear Chair at the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria. In 2014, Suddaby was recognized as one of the world’s most influential researchers in business and economics and was named to the Thomson Reuters group of academics who rank in the top one per cent of citations in their field.
- Adding to its existing knowledge about doing business in the Middle East and North Africa, the school appointed Sébastien Beaulieu as Adjunct Professor. Beaulieu is currently executive director, Middle East Relations, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development for the Government of Canada.
- The Sardul S. Gill Graduate School launched a new two-year Master of Business Administration degree customized for TELUS. The initial cohort is comprised of 20 TELUS employees and the customized MBA program allows students to specialize in leadership and strategy and is focused on developing future leaders within TELUS.
- The school also launched its first national, in-depth analysis of which corporate and product brands are most trusted by Canadians. The annual Gustavson Brand Trust Index was established to raise awareness of the role trust plays in the minds of consumers when making purchasing decisions. Among the most trusted brands in Canada are Tim Hortons, President’s Choice, Shoppers Drug Mart, Google and Canadian Tire.
- After months of preparation and three intensive rounds of competition, a group of Gill Graduate School MBA students at the University of Victoria, competed in, and placed first, at the Corporate Knights’ Business for a Better World case study competition during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
- Finally, the school’s Research Forum: Coaching, Currency, Canvases & Callings, featured research insights from professors Dr. Mark Colgate, Dr. Jen Baggs, Dr. Roy Suddaby, and Dr. AR Elangovan, attended by more than 100 members of the business community.
