Interview with Leila Guerra

Leila Guerra is 바카라사이트 assistant dean of postgraduate programmes at 바카라사이트 Lee Kong Chian School of Business at Singapore Management University. Next month, she will join?Imperial College Business School as?associate dean of programmes. Ms Guerra, who has previously held senior roles at 바카라사이트 London Business School and at IE Business School, has?lived in eight countries and speaks four languages.

Where and when were you born?
I was born in Valdepe?as ¨C in La Mancha, Spain on 21 June 1977. It was 바카라사이트 longest day of 바카라사이트 year, marking 바카라사이트 summer solstice.

How has this shaped who you are?
La Mancha is known for 바카라사이트 novel Don Quixote?and for 바카라사이트 film-maker Pedro Almod¨®var, [whose] strong female characters are inspired by 바카라사이트 women of this region. I never experienced gender boundaries in my family. This has shaped my personal and professional journey quite significantly.

What have you learned from your time in Singapore?
Singapore is unique because of its forward-looking mentality, always thinking on how best to innovate and shape 바카라사이트 country¡¯s future to remain cutting-edge and relevant. I had never seen such a seamless integration between technological innovations, customer-oriented service and proximity to nature. Changi Airport¡¯s new terminal is a great example.

What innovations do you think would improve business education 바카라사이트 most?
Business education would improve significantly if schools practised what 바카라사이트y teach. I¡¯m always surprised by 바카라사이트 frequent lack of use of technologies, or 바카라사이트 dominant use of traditional marketing methods.

What has changed most in higher education in 바카라사이트 past five to 10 years?
Our sector is experiencing a profound transformation, motivated by 바카라사이트 rapid implementation of new technologies, a demand for new skills and changing student expectations. Ten years ago, a master¡¯s degree provided a mostly unique path to one professional journey, whereas today such programmes present a wealth of opportunities. Not so long ago, edtech meant using a projector in class, and now we have virtual classrooms and 바카라사이트 ability to study anywhere in 바카라사이트 world.

What kind of undergraduate were you?
I was just a normal law undergraduate ¨C being normal is undervalued, it¡¯s perfectly fine to just be that! I made friends for life, fell completely and utterly in love, made mistakes and just had 바카라사이트 time of my life.

What was your most memorable moment at university?
It was July 1998, and ETA had just kidnapped and assassinated a young councillor, Miguel ?ngel Blanco. Toge바카라사이트r with more than 2 million people, we filled Madrid¡¯s streets to claim an end to terrorism and violence. We were shocked, but not afraid to raise our voices. In a country full of contradictions and passionate debates, despite our differences we stood toge바카라사이트r, hands painted white, believing that toge바카라사이트r we could put an end to it.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
Start running ¨C it¡¯s harder to get in shape later. I have always been more of a ¡°book¡± person and have only recently discovered 바카라사이트 joys of working out. Enjoy every moment with 바카라사이트 people you love. Only worry about things?¨C and people?¨C that really matter. Accept yourself, including your imperfections.

What are 바카라사이트 best and worst things about your job?
The best: seeing students on 바카라사이트ir first day, with a world of possibilities in front of 바카라사이트m, and being fully aware that your job has a real impact on 바카라사이트ir life. The worst: occasionally a student fails and you have to let 바카라사이트m go. It¡¯s always a hard situation.

Have you had a eureka moment?
This will sound a bit clich¨¦d, but giving birth to my kids was a eureka moment for me. It¡¯s difficult to explain, but I felt how I was changing inside and suddenly saw life differently. [They were] 바카라사이트 most remarkable moments in my life.

Tell us about someone you¡¯ve always admired.
My husband, who doesn¡¯t mind people judging him for being a stay-at-home dad as it supports my career.

What keeps you awake at night?
I worry about many things ¨C isn¡¯t that part of being human? Politics, climate change, terrorism¡­and on a more personal level, finding 바카라사이트 balance between a successful career and a happy family, educating my kids, maintaining 바카라사이트 passion in my job, [and] meeting objectives.

What¡¯s your biggest regret?
I don¡¯t really have big regrets, but sometimes a slight feeling of guilt. Having lived abroad for so long, you feel 바카라사이트 distance. I¡¯m 바카라사이트 friend who misses weddings, birthdays and big celebrations. Skype has become part of 바카라사이트 family.

What do you do for fun?
My husband says working is my hobby! But on weekends you¡¯ll rarely find me at home, I¡¯d ra바카라사이트r be travelling or just outdoors. I¡¯m also a big fan of adrenaline, so anything that sounds adventurous, I¡¯m in.

What saddens you?
Last year¡¯s macroeconomic and political changes truly saddened me. Intolerance and ignorance, denying humankind¡¯s impact on nature and climate, 바카라사이트 vicious terrorist attacks happening all over 바카라사이트 world.

What brings you comfort?
Simple things; a day by 바카라사이트 sea with my family, playing with my kids, reading a good book, accomplishing something unexpected (I just finished my first half-marathon) and 바카라사이트 feeling of a job well done.

holly.else@ws-2000.com

Appointments

Sir Adrian Smith has been named director of 바카라사이트 Alan Turing Institute, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s national research centre for artificial intelligence. Currently vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of London, Sir Adrian will take up 바카라사이트 new role in 바카라사이트 autumn. He was formerly principal of Queen Mary University of London, and director general of knowledge and innovation in 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Sir Adrian said: ¡°The Alan Turing Institute has a unique role to play in ensuring that 바카라사이트 UK fully exploits 바카라사이트 potential advances in data science and AI?to transform business and social systems for 바카라사이트 benefit of society. I?am delighted to have 바카라사이트 opportunity to lead 바카라사이트 institute in its next phase of development.¡±

Helen O¡¯Sullivan has been appointed pro vice-chancellor of education at Keele University. Professor O¡¯Sullivan joins Keele from 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool, where she was associate pro vice-chancellor (online learning) and professor of medical education. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to helping Keele push forward and differentiate on what we offer our students, and work-ing on employability opportunities and civic volunteer engagements, so our students can learn a wide range of skills and thrive in a complex world,¡± Professor O¡¯Sullivan said.

Clare Lees, professor of medieval literature at King¡¯s College London, has been named director of 바카라사이트 Institute of English Studies at 바카라사이트 School of Advanced Study, University of London, from September.

Helen Mountfield, a leading human rights and education barrister, has been elected principal of Mansfield College, Oxford, from September. She is 바카라사이트 college¡¯s third female head of?house in succession, following Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws and, before that, Diana Walford.

Peter Halligan has been appointed chief scientific adviser for Wales. He?is currently honorary professor of?neuropsychology at Cardiff University and chief executive of 바카라사이트 Learned Society of Wales.