I grew up in the USA, and studied literature and history at Yale University. I then moved to the UK for my PhD at Cambridge, in English and Indian History, with a choral scholarship at Clare College. I spent time as a semi-professional musician in London and New York; teaching Literature at New York University; and working in financial consulting. I completed my MBA at the London Business School in 2000, just before the first big internet bubble burst. After launching several entrepreneurial ventures in finance, television, and organic food, I returned to academia, first teaching Entrepreneurship at the European Business School in London and then running executive education programmes in Leadership at the London Business School. I came to Oxford’s Saïd Business School in 2008, where I teach undergraduates, MBAs, DPhils and executives, and conduct research on the management and leadership of cultural organizations.

I am the Director of Undergraduate Studies in Management and Senior Fellow in Entrepreneurship at Oxford’s Saïd Business School, as well as one of the tutors in Management at Brasenose.

I am part of a team of Brasenose tutors in Management: Eric Thun, Chris McKenna, and myself. Together, and in conjunction with colleagues in Economics, we teach “General Management” the 1st year foundation course for the degree in Economics & Management, and more advanced options in Years 2 and 3 such as Strategy, International Business, Entrepreneurship, etc.

General Management is a required class for all students reading Economics & Management. It is one of the three foundations for the degree programme as a whole (along with Introductory Economics and Financial Management). General Management spans two terms, Michaelmas and Hilary, and covers a very broad range of perspectives about what management is, how it is done, and who does it. We take an historical approach initially, looking at how the idea of management has evolved; then we look through various specific lenses, such as organisations, technology, the environment, culture, leadership, change, markets, operations, strategy, entrepreneurship, and governance, etc. Students attend lectures in the Saïd Business School (delivered by me and others) with all E&M student from other colleges, as well as weekly tutorials in college with their Brasenose peers. Weekly work during term consists mainly of readings and essays, as well as other activities like presentations, site visits, debates, etc. At the end of the first year there is an exam.

E&M is the most competitive programme at Oxford– and in the UK! We have the highest number of applicants for the smallest number of places. So it is selective, and the students who are admitted are very bright and promising. But that does not mean it is the hardest programme to complete; in fact, with ample support from tutors and lecturers and fellow students, most students in Brasenose do quite well. Also, Brasenose is often ranked the “friendliest” Oxford college, and the E&M cohort is a particularly friendly group within it: with 6 or 7 students in each yearly cohort, the E&M community comprises a healthy learning environment and a happily engaged unit. Crucially, this is not a course in “Business”, or a vocational degree in any way. So there is opportunity to explore ideas for their own sake, to develop general understanding, and to mature. Studying with Oxford E&M students and staff is a uniquely valuable experience that opens doors for the future.

My research concerns the management and leadership of cultural organisations. I look at museums, heritage sites, musical ensembles, and other entities where the arts and management intersect. I also work to translate this research into practice, through teaching, consulting, and executive education.

Projects past and present include topics such as:
– Leadership and the Humanities
– Museum Leadership
– Industrial Heritage, especially maritime
– Entrepreneurship and Islam
– Women’s Entrepreneurship

https://www.glam.ox.ac.uk/article/the-museum-leaders-report

https://www.glam.ox.ac.uk/oxford-cultural-leaders

https://www.economist.com/business/2019/12/12/what-businesses-can-learn-from-the-arts