Hi, my name is Susanna Kempe and I am the Chief Executive of the Laidlaw Foundation.

I am absolutely delighted to welcome you all here today.

Over the last year, I have seen a lot of your biographies and even some of your application essays that the business schools have shared with me, so to see you all here in person – albeit virtually – is an absolute delight.

Everything we do, stems from the belief that education has the power to change lives.

To break cycles of poverty, irradicate inequality, and empower a new generation of ethical leaders.

700m people, about 8% of the world’s population, live on less than $2.15 a day.

11% of the United States’ population, 37m people, live in poverty.

In the UK the figure is over 20%.

There is an absolute consensus that the fastest way to reduce poverty is to increase women’s economic agency. At the current rate of progress it will take another 134 years for women to reach pay parity.

On that stunning rate of progress, it will be 5 generations after the UN-SDG goal of 2030 when we actually achieve gender parity. There are not enough executive women. Only 12% of c-suite roles in the FTSE 250 are held by women. Only 11% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women. And the glass cliff is very real. An academic study showed that female CEOs are 45% more likely to be fired than male CEOs, controlled for performance.

We fund two women focussed programmes: Laidlaw Trailblazers at Trinity College Dublin and yours the WiB programme. In each, Laidlaw Scholars from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds benefit from the learning, access and accreditation that your business schools provide. As one of our LBS Scholars put it, her scholarship has made it possible for her to do in just two years, what it normally takes five generations to achieve.

Hannah is going to talk about the other programmes that we run: Laidlaw Schools Trust, Undergraduate Scholarships and Trailblazers.

I want to talk about you.

First of all – congratulations. You are now part of a diverse community of passionate and exceptional women leaders.

A couple years ago, Lord Laidlaw and I met some of the LBS scholars and asked them what their biggest ahha moment was from being at the School. One of the Scholars said, I realised I wasn’t dreaming big enough.

So as you listen to all the fabulous advice that you are about to hear from our amazing alumni, I’d like you to hold that thought in your head. And ask yourself am I dreaming big enough? What can this opportunity – being at a world class business school, and part of a very special group, realise for you?

Through the course of your programme, you will have so much going on, that it would be easy to lose track, of all those things that you wrote in your applications about being an ethnical leader. Please don’t. Embrace learning how to be an effective leader – and also an ethical one. Decent and dynamic. Both are important. Otherwise we are in danger of losing the argument to the leaders who move fast and break things, including people and the planet. Your Laidlaw business school teams are going to be providing opportunities just for you. Please show up. And show up for each other. A sisterhood that supports each other – now and in the future – will achieve extraordinary things.

Hannah is going to talk to you about our Elevate conference where you will all have the chance to meet in person, and the Laidlaw Scholars Network our virtual community. I’d love you to keep us posted on how you are doing. We look at the ROI of all of our programmes, so whether it is a society that you become President of, or a Fortune 500 company in 10 years time, knowing that is incredibly important to us. Plus we want to cheer you on and celebrate your success. I am often asked by scholars, how they can pay it forward. It is really straightforward. Lift other women as you lead. Intentionally and consistently.

John Anster, channeling Goethe said: whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it; Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. I have always loved this quote. I hope it inspires you to embrace every opportunity that this scholarship provides you.

Good Luck and Enjoy every moment.