Lord Karan Bilimoria, founder of Cobra Beer, delivers inspiring speech to Birkbeck Business School graduates
The students were graduating from the Help to Grow management course, a twelve-week course designed to give students new insight and practical capabilities in digital marketing, strategy, leadership, innovation, responsible business and financial management.
A cohort of 21 students graduating from Help to Grow, the Small Business Charter accredited course, as well as alumni, listened to an uplifting and fascinating speech by Lord Karan Bilimoria at their graduation event.
Lord Karan Bilimoria, founder of Cobra Beer, member of the House of Lords and patron of the Small Business Charter, spoke about the founding of his business, risks and challenges he faced including finding a name for the brand, and tips from his entrepreneurial career. He shared his passion for lifelong learning and outlined how education enabled him to propel his business forward. His speech prompted questions from the graduating students and alumni who were able to gain valuable insights in a range of areas such as marketing, time management, and entrepreneurial attitudes.
Professor Sally Wheeler, Birkbeck’s Vice-Chancellor, commented: “It was great to welcome Lord Bilimoria back to Birkbeck. Lord Bilimoria has had a long track record of supporting higher education in the UK in addition to his business career. He spoke fondly of business colleagues who studied with us and the uniqueness of our offer to working adults. It was great to have someone of his stature as a Peer and a business leader to visit Birkbeck and present the awards.”
Chloe McCulloch, Editorial Director at Assemble Media Group and Help to Grow graduate, commented: “I would thoroughly recommend Help to Grow for anyone who is looking to progress their own business or a business they work for. It enables you to create space and time to think about your own strengths as a business and also the purpose you have and goals you want to achieve. Getting together with a group of people from all walks of life and businesses really helps because you can utilise their perspectives to think differently about what you do.”
Dr Pamela Yeow, Head of the Centre for Professional Development and Reader in Management at Birkbeck Business School said: “It was fantastic to hear from Lord Bilimoria and for the alumni to get his insights from over 30 years of experience. These alumni are now part of the Birkbeck Business School network and that means they’ll have opportunities to meet other leaders and develop.”
After the graduates were awarded certificates by Lord Bilimoria, they joined alumni and Birkbeck staff to network over Cobra beer and canapes at the reception.
The Help to Grow management course, designed for senior decision makers in small and medium-sized businesses, lasts twelve weeks, is 90% subsidised by the government, and is delivered through online and in-person sessions. The graduates were Birkbeck’s seventh cohort to benefit from the course and the November 2024 course is now open for registrations.