The 2022 IoD Guernsey Leadership Shadowing scheme saw Henry Whittaker, from Elizabeth College, awarded first place and a Distinction, the top accolade, at the annual awards evening.
Ten students were shortlisted from 42 participants for the finals night, hosted at KPMG, where they presented to a panel of judges and an audience of business leaders, fellow pupils, teachers and family.
Henry shadowed Glen Tonks (pictured together), Country CEO at Credit Suisse, who was also shadowed by last year’s winner, Lena Lenkovska.
Wendy Dorey, Chair of the IoD Guernsey branch, said: “Listening to today’s youth – the voice of the future – is vital for businesses, as showcased at this year’s IoD Annual Convention. All of the finalists shared thoughtful, well-researched views on the purpose of leadership – and what makes a good leader – at this year’s awards evening. I was impressed with the high quality of all their presentations.”
Four post-16 schools participated in the 2022 scheme. KPMG is the primary sponsor, along with Aztech Soccer, Source Recruitment who coordinates the student placements by matching students to leaders, and Orchard PR who provides presentation skills training. All of the sponsors are involved in judging and spend significant time and input contributing to the success of the scheme.
Rob Jones, long-standing leadership shadowing volunteer and organiser, said: “Shadowing gives students an introduction to leadership in real life as it is happening, it is not staged or theoretical. Successful shadowing requires significant effort from both the student and leaders alike.”
Noami Kewell from the Guernsey Grammar School & Sixth Form Centre was awarded second place after her presentation shadowing Lauren Gale at Utmost, and Daniel Troop from Elizabeth College was awarded third place for his presentation after shadowing Ben Rhodes and Mike Carpenter from Grant Thornton.
Linda Johnson, Advisory Partner and event organiser, said: “The Guernsey IoD Leadership Shadowing scheme receives huge support from the schools and local businesses, with many organisations hosting shadow students every year. It is a scheme that KPMG is extremely proud to continue to sponsor and support.”
Senior businesspeople across the island share their time and experience with students who spend two days with their allocated manager, observing their management style, identifying critical leadership skills and discussing career paths and opportunities. More information about the scheme can be found here.
