Powerful Media’s Future Leaders 2022/23 list recognises 150 of Britain’s most outstanding Black university students, including law graduate Precious Odunaiya (LLB Law, 2022). She shares what leadership means to her, and how following your passion is everything.

Future Leader Anthonia Ezeudogu (BA Politics and Sociology, 2022) might be just beginning her career, but she already has a lot to be proud of. With a first-class degree and experience as a Welfare Officer for The Black Women Project already under her belt, Anthonia is now a Graduate Associate on the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) graduate programme. It’s clear to see why she’s named on Powerful Media’s Future Leaders 2022/23 list, recognising 150 of Britain’s most outstanding Black students and new graduates.

Paving the way for a new style of work, Lizzie Penny (BSc International Business with Spanish, 2005) explains why inclusivity at work matters for everyone and what drives the concept of ‘workstyle’.

Luisa Da Silva (MBA, 2019) is the Executive Director of Iron+ Earth, a worker-led organisation based in Canada that sits at the intersection of energy, environmentalism and thought leadership.

Iron + Earth was set up to empower energy sector and indigenous workers to recognise and transfer their skills to the renewable sector to help tackle the climate crisis. Hear Luisa’s captivating story about life as an international student and her advice for students and alumni alike who share her passion for saving the planet.

From Summer School to social justice, Patrick Olajide discusses his Warwick experience and why he puts ethics at the forefront of his work.

Elizabete Ludborza, who studied our Law with Study Abroad in English degree from 2015-2019, has set up her own legal tech startup Kaveat to help social media influencers and models to understand and negotiate legal contracts.

Despite originating from opposite sides of the world, Frank and Kate Dempsey (both MBA Business Administration, 2008) met through friends while studying at WBS. Fast forward 14 years and they live in Toronto, Canada with their young family. Discover their favourite memories of Warwick, why they chose to study at WBS and what the future holds.

"I'm currently leading Service Lines, in IBM Client Innovation Center in Middle East & Africa, and located in Cairo, Egypt. I started my programme at Warwick in 2012 with graduation in July 2016."

"I experienced a very unforgettable time in Warwick and gained a lot from the experience. I currently work as Compliance Risk Control Director and Board Secretary at a PE fund Ever State Capital in Shenzhen, China."

"I recently started my own company. It's only because of my studies at WBS and the interactions I had with so many international students that I was able to make the decision to become an entrepreneur. I was lucky to have participated in groups with people coming from all over the world, who gave me new perspectives and ideas of what's possible."

"I was in the first 3 year training course to go through Canley in the Sixties. Really loved it and moved down to London to teach for two years before marrying and moving down to Sussex. Even starting a family did not prevent me from teaching and I gradually worked up the promotion ladder to become a Primary Head in Lewes in East Sussex. After seven years in post I applied for a Primary Head position at the British School of Kuwait and worked there for four years before moving to a similar position in Fujairah in the UAE. I finished my teaching career there before retiring and returning to Sussex. I have loved every minute of my teaching!"

"After leaving Warwick in 1977 with a Mathematics BSc, I spent a year at Canley College of Education doing a PGCE in Mathematics and Physical Education, before deciding on IT as a career. Over my IT career I have held senior IT roles in leading UK & Global financial and legal organisations, and had many opportunities to represent these firms globally in many merger and industry forums."

"One of my favourite memories from Warwick is related to the Easter weeks when I joined an extra-curricular activity of Warwick Business School (WBS). I spent a few weeks taking the exciting challenge at the Shard and brought in-depth insights into business. Nowadays businesses are realising the importance of their people in defining their brand, and I learned from Warwick how to brand myself. Every physical interaction, e-mail and voicemail builds my brand, and thus I consider consciously the impression I make."

"I am an entrepreneur, best-selling author, qualified lawyer, career coach and commercial/creative consultant.

Before university, I was a full-time musician for a number of years, but after our singer quit, I joined Warwick to study Law & Business. I really enjoyed my degree, from the social aspects and my time running societies, to the broad mix of modules that I was able to study."

John Mason (Man.Sci. 1979-82), Paul Sullivan (Physics 1979-82) and Mark Rogerson (Man.Sci. 1979-82) are University of Warwick graduates who, in their final year, collaborated and performed in a rock band along with two fellow students. The five-piece called themselves "The Interviewees” and played at a few parties in the old SU building and featured in the talent contest organised by the Events committee in March 1982. That talent/song contest did end in controversy and the Warwick Boar issue of the following week famously carried the front-page revelation of result "fixing" allegations.

It was Frisbee that drew me to Warwick. The University Frisbee Club started in 1976 and must be one of the oldest clubs in Europe. It also had the only Disc Golf course in the country, albeit with wooden posts as targets rather than the basket with chains. The course has long since disappeared as it was incrementally dismembered to make way for new buildings. My love of flying discs never waned. It's many years since I played Ultimate but I'm still in touch with players from my era and subsequent years. I worked at the University from 1987 to 2017 in various roles including implementing two financial systems.

"I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the University of Warwick. I grew up in a small village in the countryside where I didn’t have the opportunity to meet people from different cultures, backgrounds, or other countries. Warwick has a strong international student base and I learnt a lot from meeting people from all walks of life and seeing the world outside of my sleepy Gloucestershire village!"

Neil remembers being a programme engineer on Warwick's radio station in the 1970s when it was based in ‘The Shed’ next to Rootes D Block. His job was to have everything ready for the radio presenter. On one occasion, the presenter for a pop music programme never showed up, so he had to go on instead when he had to scramble between the studio and the storage cabinet to find a new song to play before the one I had just launched was over.

"I started studying martial arts at age 65. Now, eight years later, I have black belts in eight martial arts and am a World Champion in taekwondo (sparring, forms & weapons), karate (sparring, 2017, 2018, 2019), kung fu (forms & weapons), Yang Style Tai Chi (forms & weapons), Sun Style Tai Chi (forms & weapons) and qigong (forms). My career gold medal count is 500+, hopefully with more to come."

"I think I was the first student Entertainment Secretary at Warwick. I helped to get the student discos off to a flying start with many top bands at the time, such as Cream, Pink Floyd and many others performing there."