North London Collegiate School’s Post

A huge thank you to Oliver Wyman for hosting 65 of our Sixth Form students at their Baker Street offices for a #Surge session led by world-class facilitator Kent Valentine, and generously supported by Partners and #ONLs Rupal Sachdev Kantaria and Nikki Davis. The morning offered a rare opportunity to learn from some of the best strategic minds in the business and to see first-hand how strategic thinking drives successful entrepreneurship.    This week, Yr 12 student Georgia shares her recap of the special #Surge session, she writes:   On Wednesday, 8th October, we had the privilege of attending a session on ‘Which Way Forward?’ at Oliver Wyman. The session provided valuable insights into how the firm uses strategy to drive growth, efficiency, and performance transformation across a variety of industries, including agriculture and healthcare. It underscored the importance of adopting a clear, structured approach when tackling complex business challenges, highlighting the value of strategic planning in achieving sustainable success.   A key takeaway was understanding how a company’s vision and mission shape its purpose and long-term goals, defining both what the firm aspires to accomplish and how it aims to get there. We were subsequently tasked with developing a product centred on women’s health, using the Business Model Canvas as a framework to consider key concepts such as revenue streams, customer relationships, and costs. Through collaboration and critical discussion, we gained a deeper appreciation for the importance of a strong value proposition — a statement articulating why consumers should choose a product and the benefits it provides. Presenting our ideas to peers and engaging in constructive feedback further reinforced the essential role of diverse perspectives in developing effective solutions. Through this exercise, we recognised the great potential to create impactful products focused on women’s health and wellbeing. One particularly insightful lesson we learned, was the benefit of starting small, for instance, by launching a micro business to minimise risk and maintain flexibility to adapt and grow.  Overall, it was an engaging, invaluable experience that deepened our understanding of the strategic processes that underpin business development and the crucial role of planning and teamwork in driving long-term success.   We are deeply grateful to everyone at Oliver Wyman for such a valuable session on strategic thinking in business, one that perfectly captured the Surge spirit and pushed our thinking forward.   NLCS Ideas Hub Robin Street Hanisha Kotecha Vicky Bingham Jai Majithia Frances Mary Buss #NLCSSurge #MakingWavesSince1850 #Strategy #WomenInLeadership