University of Teesside - Chancellor talks business

Dec 11 2006 By The Journal

This year's annual Teesside Business School lecture at the University of Teesside departed with tradition. Instead of the usual talk to an invited audience, the University's Chancellor, Lord Sawyer of Darlington, discussed the theme of politics and leadership on stage with Teesside PhD student Alex Gillett, in the style of a TV interview on the sofa.

Lord Sawyer drew upon lessons from his life as both a trade union leader and general secretary of the Labour Party, to inform current issues of leadership. The audience asked questions after the discussion and a lively debate ensued. Lord Sawyer was born in Darlington in 1943 and worked in the engineering industry until 1971, when he became a full-time official for National Union of Public Employees (NUPE) and secretary of the Darlington Trades Council.

He rose through the NUPE ranks and became Deputy General Secretary of NUPE/UNISON from 1981-94. Lord Sawyer was Chairman of the Labour Party from 1991-92 and General Secretary from 1994-98. He is currently Chairman of the Notting Hill Housing Group and the Royal Mail Partnership Board and a Director of the Britannia Building Society. He was made a life peer in 1998. Lord Sawyer was installed as Teesside's Chancellor at Middlesbrough Town Hall in April 2005.

Lord Sawyer's discussion with Alex included:

* The start of his working life as an apprentice in an engineering factory, and how this inspired him to become involved in the trade union movement;

* The Labour Party's 18-year period in opposition and the problems Neil Kinnock experienced as opposition leader in Margaret Thatcher's era;

* His current role in the House of Lords.

Lord Sawyer said of his role as University Chancellor: "Deep down it's a great honour. How many people get the chance to do this? You cannot go to the job centre and ask `do you have any vacancies for Chancellor?'

"As someone who left school at 15, I was shocked to be invited; I assumed the university wanted someone who had high academic achievement.

"The university has transformed this town and the wider area. Universities are like modern knowledge factories. The University of Teesside is a good place to work and its leadership is good.

"The best leadership advice I can give? To value your people as much as you can, never underestimate the importance of valuing your people."

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Alex Gillett, 28, from Nunthorpe, will complete his Business PhD at the University in 2008. He began his studies at the University with a short summer school course and has gone on to achieve two degrees from the University, a BA (Hons) Business Studies and an MSc in Marketing Management.

His parents and grandparents were in the audience. Alex shadowed Lord Sawyer in London for a day, including visits to Canary Wharf and the House of Lords.

Alex said: "I was nominated by the Business School to take part in the lecture. It was a brilliant responsibility to be involved and being able to ask the Chancellor questions, I really enjoyed it."

Alex said of his day shadowing the Chancellor: "It was my first time in the House of Lords and wasn't what I expected at all. Although it's grand and ornate with a real sense of history, it's also a major place for networking."

Nigel Evans, Acting Dean for Teesside Business School, added: "The Annual Business School Lecture is a long-standing and very important feature of the Teesside Business School calendar which has attracted some excellent speakers in the past.

"It was the first time we had tried this new format and Alex rose to the challenge admirably. David Dimbleby has been in post for a long time now, maybe Alex could take over!

"Lord Sawyer took us on a fascinating journey, taking us from the shop floor, to the worlds of politics and business, to his new role as Chancellor. In all of these posts he has demonstrated clear leadership characteristics."