Leadership Matters - Leading People

'Leadership Matters' is an event run by Aston Business School that provides alumni, (MBA) students and external guests with an opportunity to network, as well as hear from a panel of business leaders on 'best practice' and challenges.

The second event in the series focuses on 'Leading People'. People are at the heart of every business; organisations are required to manage the complexities of staff retention, workplace inequality, team productivity and communication. The challenge for leaders to effectively manage and develop their team is an ongoing task. Join us to find out how business leaders establish an inclusive and connected company culture.

The event will take place at Aston Business School and will follow the following format:

18:00 – Registration

18:30 – Panel discussion

20:00 – Networking

21:00 – Finish

The discussion will be hosted by Dr Keith Schofield, Associate Dean: International, Future Students and Produce Development.

Our panel members:

Guy Emmerson, Talent Acquisition Leader, Amazon

Guy has over 25 years of leadership experience in Recruitment, Operations and Talent Management across EMEA. He previously worked for Adecco for 18 years, and was responsible for running all operations of the private sector business for Badenoch & Clark across the UK, which included professional services, financial services and commerce and industry clients. For the last 2.5 years, Guy has worked for Amazon as a Talent Acquisition Leader, running multiple teams in 12 EMEA locations, supporting corporate hiring including expansions and helping to grow the business in line with customer demand. Guy completed an EMBA at Aston from 2018-2021, receiving a distinction.

Professor Carmen Watson, Chairwoman, Pertemps Network Group

Carmen has over 30 years’ experience in recruitment and is currently chairwoman of Pertemps Network Group, a £1bn turnover operation. She has steered the business through two recessions and implemented a strategy for growth which saw turnover increased tenfold with customer service at the heart of recruitment solutions services. She is responsible for promoting and delivering best practice in the field of attraction, recruitment and retention of talent on behalf of clients ranging from SME’s to blue chip organisations, servicing both the public and private sectors across the UK.

An active Board member of Race for Opportunity Carmen is a strong advocate for equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace and as well as heading up the ED & I committee within Pertemps she works proactively with external customers to help them achieve their objectives.

Daniel Gilsenan, Co-Founder, Gilsenan Lee Limited

Daniel is an organisational psychologist, psychotherapist and executive coach. His consultancy, Gilsenan Lee, exists to empower leaders to unlock innovation and performance by nurturing collaborative cultures grounded in emotional intelligence, psychological safety and trust. Through this work, he and his colleagues help organisations, teams and individuals explore, define and fulfil their purpose and potential, working with honestly, openness, and in congruence with their values and ethics.

Prior to turning his focus to psychology, his career was in senior management, strategy and corporate finance. His former roles include Global Head of Mergers & Acquisitions at InterContinental Hotels Group; Head of Business Development (in-house strategy & M&A) at Tesco; and M&A Director at Deutsche Bank. Over his career he has led dozens of international and cross-border transactions with combined value in the $10's of billions.