Meet James Owen, Global Chief Financial Officer, Profiles Division at Kantar and recipient of the School of Management’s 2023 Excellence in Achievement Award for Recent Graduates
“Everyone chooses to invest in an MBA for different reasons, but mine was to unlock that first C-suite role.”
James completed the course in 2017 – winning several prizes recognising his academic achievements and leadership potential – and went on to secure the CFO role at global management consultancy Egremont Group.
“The prestige of a Cranfield MBA is as strong as ever and I have no shame in sharing that it had a material impact on me getting the role vs a similarly qualified candidate,” he reflects.
“The alumni community is where the true power of Cranfield lies, and it is an honour to be considered a peer to some of the amazing alumni that have passed through the doors at MK43.
“I continue to be inspired by the likes of Steve Jollife at Top Golf, Sarah Willingham at Nightcap and Baron Bilimoria at Cobra Beer, to name but a few. Recently, we had two consecutive presidents of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) – of which I am a non-executive director and council member – who were Cranfield alumni.
“Our alumni community continues to go from strength to strength.”
James’s Cranfield journey included leading the team that won the prestigious Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) Europe that year and went on to compete at the global finals in the USA.
“On the first evening of the course, a colleague and I discussed how we would like to attack the VCIC, as we both felt that would be a fantastic learning experience for how the investment cycle works and something we may well face in our future careers,” he remembers.
“After forming a team and training for months, we won the internal competition to become Cranfield’s representatives, then became Cranfield’s first-ever European champions at the regional finals in Barcelona, before progressing to the global finals in North Carolina, USA. It was an amazing experience and I made some lasting business relationships which I count on to this day.”
James also spent two weeks in the summer of 2017 taking part in an International Business Assignment in Zambia.
“The first week was spent in rural Mazabuka, where myself and two colleagues conducted a thorough transformation consultancy for a local graphic design company, I Am Grafix,” he recalls.
“I shared a motel room with a large, wild iguana and it’s fair to say I’ve never experienced a working environment like it in my life, but what a rich and fulfilling week it was.”
Asked what advice he would give to new students hoping to follow in his footsteps, he said: “Once you’ve identified your target sector, have a laser focus on that from the first few weeks of the course. Do your research, reach out extensively to people in your network in that same space and get ahead of the game. If you get to Christmas without making material progress, I’m afraid you’re already too late. Take it seriously if you want to be treated seriously.
“To anyone selecting their IBA in the near future, I highly recommend choosing the option that is most out of your comfort zone. You will get far more out of it as a result.”
Reflecting on his alumni award win, he said: “It is a real honour to have won the award for excellence in achievement, especially given the nominations are submitted by fellow alumni.
“Cranfield School of Management still commands gravitas and prestige in the business world and I’m proud to represent our cohort in the boardroom on a daily basis.”
