Oxford High School Careers Event 2021:

Set Sail for your Future –

opportunities & taking the lead

Thursday, 21st January, 6-8 p.m. Links for this virtual event will be shared via Careers Google Classroom,

for Years 9 to 13

1

Welcome

Whilst our Careers Fair in 2019 aimed to help students make informed

decisions about their future by encouraging them to seek out information

regarding courses and career paths, which interest them, our event in

2020 was of a rather different nature. Over 40 alumnae were hoping to

open your minds to what lies beyond your chosen university degrees and

to open your minds to career paths which you had not yet considered. This

year, we are grateful to over 35 parents and alumnae - with the support of

some external speakers - who would like to share their experiences and

stories about their professional journeys with you. There is an array of

linear and non-linear career paths on offer and now more than ever, it is

important to be open-minded, ready for challenges, and fearless in taking

leadership opportunities. Never expect to know what lies ahead, but

always be prepared to make well informed decisions.

Thank you

We would like to thank all panellists for joining us virtually this evening.

Your valuable insight and advice to our students is very much appreciated,

and we hope to welcome you back to Oxford High School soon. We would

also like to thank our current students and parents for joining us for the

event tonight!

2

Internet safety and technical information

It is always easier to speak to people face to face and our panellists would

appreciate seeing some face on the screen. However, please do ensure

an appropriate background and attire. If your connection fails, try to log out

and in again. Should we encounter technical difficulties at our end, we will

update the google links via the Google Careers Classrooms and will email

out the backup google meet links in advance to our panellists as a

precaution. We will endeavor to record most sessions and will share

recordings via the Google Careers Classrooms in the week after the event.

Do however try and tune in to the panels that appeal most to you. In

advance, thank you for your patience and understanding!

Welcome Talks: 6:00-6:30 p.m.

After a short welcome from our Headmistress, Marina Gardiner Legge,

we welcome Floyd Woodrow MBE CDM

Floyd Woodrow is a former Special Forces Soldier who had a full career with 22

Special Air Service Regiment (SAS). In regimental surveys he ranked in the top 1% of

SAS officers. He received a DCM, the second highest gallantry award for work in Iraq,

and an MBE for his work in Afghanistan. He has an international reputation for running

leadership and elite performance training programmes. Sectors include sports,

business, government, police, not-for-profit and education. https://floydwoodrow.com/

Closing Talk: 8 p.m.

At the end of the evening, please take the time to listen to Aduke

Onafowokan talk about opportunities and where from here:

Following careers in law and project management, Aduke Onafowokan launched

Inclusivitii to plug the gap between DEI aspirations and tangible DEI change in

organisations. As a public speaker, Aduke has delivered two TEDx Talks on Diversity

and Inclusion, spoken at global events including BRANDMINDS and Sustainable

Brands as well as at organisations including British American Tobacco, Amazon, Shell,

Royal Mencap Society and many more. Aduke is also an award-winning social-

entrepreneur through her work as the founder of The Sister Sister Global Network, a

registered social-enterprise contributing to women's empowerment through the

provision of accessible and empowering leadership and personal development

capacity-building programmes curated for women at different stages of their leadership

journeys. In 2020, Aduke was appointed Head of Women’s Empowerment at The

International Youth Federation to oversee global gender programmes. Aduke is

currently writing her first book, The Act of Inclusion, and writes regular columns for

Business Insider on Inclusion and Leadership.

3

Panel Session: 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Timings/access Google Meet

Link A

Google Meet

Link B

Google Meet

Link C

Google Meet

Link D

Admission 6.30pm

Start 6.40pm

Finish 7.10pm

Panel A.1

Jenner Institute

(vaccine

research)

Panel B.1

Business/Entrep

reneurship

Panel C.1

Law/Psychology

/Psychiatry

Panel D.1

Cyber Security

Admission 7.15pm

Start 7.25pm

Finish 7.55pm

Last person to leave

the google meet at

8pm

Panel A.2

Physics/Engine

ering/Material

Science

Panel B.2

Consulting

Panel C.2

Humanities/Lan

guages

Panel D.2

Opportunities

Links for all talks/panel sessions will be on your Careers Google

Classroom. Should we encounter any technical difficulties, we will

announce alternative arrangements via your Careers Google

Classrooms. You might need to refresh your classroom to see

updates.

● Panellists will each introduce themselves for ca 3 minutes before

offering the audience to ask questions for ca 15 minutes.

● Please keep your questions brief and ask them via the chat function

in the meet.

● Start your question by giving the name of the panellist to whom you

would like to address your question.

Should you have a question which does not get answered, please post this

on the google classroom or email it to c.strobel@oxf.gdst.net. Your

questions will be collated and forwarded to the panellists after the event.

4

Panellists

A1 Jenner Institute (vaccine research)

Dr Alex Spencer, Jenner Institute, University of Oxford

Dr Alex Spencer is an Australian born immunologist working on vaccine development at

the University of Oxford. Having always been interested in science with a human focus,

she undertook a Bachelor of Medical Science with an additional 1 year honours

research project, at the University of Sydney. This was followed directly by a PhD in

experimental medicine (Immunology) at the Centenary Institute, in the same laboratory

as her honours research project. Dr Spencer moved to Oxford in 2006 taking a position

as a junior post-doctoral researcher, which over the many years has progressed into a

senior scientist position as she took on more supervision, teaching and management

roles within the Jenner Institute and wider University environment.

Dr Amy Flaxman, Jenner Institute, University of Oxford

Dr Amy Flaxman’s research involves assessing immune responses to the Oxford

ChAdOx1-nCoV vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 currently in Phase III clinical trials. She leads

the lab team carrying out antibody testing post-vaccination. Here, Dr Amy Flaxman is

interested in the differences in antibody responses induced over time with different

doses of vaccine, in different age groups and how this changes with administration of a

booster vaccine.

Hannah Sharpe, The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford

Hannah Sharpe is a final-year PhD student at the Jenner Institute, University of Oxford.

She works in the Emerging Pathogens vaccine development lab and has been involved

with the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine trial.

Hannah’s undergraduate degree was in Biological Sciences at Oxford University. She

then did a Masters in Immunology before starting her PhD.

Helen Sanders, Jenner Institute, University of Oxford

Helen Sanders is a Research Assistant in outbreak pathogen vaccine trials at the

Jenner Institute. Helen graduated with a BSc in Biology and has worked on clinical

trials for vaccines against Malaria, Ebola, Rabies and MERS coronavirus. Now Helen

Sanders primarily works on the COVID-19 vaccine trial looking at T-cell immunology.

5

A2 Physics/Engineering Material

Prof. David Lucas, Dept. of Physics, University of Oxford

Prof. David Lucas studied Physics at Oxford University, and stayed to do research in

experimental atomic and laser physics. After his D.Phil., he did post-doctoral research

in ultracold atoms at the University of Paris, before returning to Oxford to work on

quantum computing experiments. (This basically involves doing experiments with single

atoms, and single photons of light, which he finds fascinating!) His research group

recently built the UK’s first “quantum network” experiment. He is a tutor at Balliol

College, where he teaches courses in electromagnetism, special relativity, and

quantum & atomic physics. He is joined by one of his DPhil students, Ms Beth Nichol.

Prof. James Marrow, Department of Materials, Oxford University

Professor James Marrow studied Natural Sciences at Cambridge, thinking he would be

a theoretical physicist. He found Materials Science much more interesting and

continued to PhD. Professor James Marrow completed his Postdoctoral research (at

Oxford and Birmingham) then became a lecturer at Manchester. He has been 'James

Martin' Professor of Energy Materials at Oxford since 2010 (Mansfield College). Prof

James Marrow has mostly worked on experimental research into how things break,

from aerospace to nuclear reactors, including bone and the next generation of Lithium

batteries. He particularly likes working with large scientific facilities such as the

Diamond Light Source synchrotron at Harwell. Why Materials Science? - it is at the

intersection between physics, chemistry, biology and engineering and it is about

making and understanding the materials that society needs to function. Prof James

Marrow is happy to talk about university courses in Materials Science, careers in

research and also 'James Martin'.

Jill Faure, Ofcom

Jill Faure was a student at OHS between 1992 and 2001, after which she went to

Oxford University to study Engineering and Materials Science. After her degree, Jill

Faure joined Ofcom on its graduate scheme, as a technical specialist. She is now a

Principal Technology Advisor, working with colleagues from different specialisms to

develop policies on fixed and mobile broadband technologies.

6

Dr. Robin Tuluie, PhysicsX

Dr. Robin Tuluie is the founder of PhysicsX, which is a team of scientists and engineers

borne out of Formula One, who help companies solve their most difficult problems

using simulation, artificial intelligence and 3D printing. Robin is a theoretical physicist,

having had the good fortune to be taught by Nobel prize winners at Berkeley, which

gave him the best possible capabilities to understand how things really work, from

gravitation to racing cars to artificial hearts. Robin has worked as an Engineering

Director for Bentley cars, as Chief Scientist for Mercedes Formula One and as a

postdoctoral Fellow researching, by computer simulation, how the universe evolved

from the Big Bang until now. Robin loves all things Science and many things

Engineering, but most of all mentoring and bringing up bright young minds who will

surpass all of us.

7

B1 Business/Entrepreneurship

Jonathan Patrick, Consultant Connect

Jonathan Patrick read Biological Sciences at Oxford, before converting to law and

qualifying as a solicitor with city firm Freshfields. After a stint as a management

consultant, Jonathan started setting up and running companies focused on healthcare.

His first startup, JPen Medical, sent engineers to GP surgeries to test and calibrate all

their medical equipment. He sold that to a big corporation before establishing eSupplies

Medical, an "Amazon of Healthcare", which was sold to a listed company in 2016. He is

currently CEO of Consultant Connect, a communications company that covers over 29

million patients in the NHS.

Charlie Maynard, BDA Partners

Charlie Maynard studied Geography at Oxford University. He founded BDA in 1996 to

focus on Asian M&A, i.e. advising on large companies and investors on buying and

selling businesses. The company has nine offices globally, including seven in Asia.

Floyd Woodrow, Compass For Life

Floyd Woodrow is a former Special Forces Soldier who had a full career with 22

Special Air Service Regiment (SAS). In regimental surveys he ranked in the top 1% of

SAS officers. He received a DCM, the second highest gallantry award for work in Iraq,

and an MBE for his work in Afghanistan. He has an international reputation for running

leadership and elite performance training programmes. Sectors include sports,

business, government, police, not-for-profit and education.

Chris West, Nokia

Chris West is currently the Head of the Next Generation ERP programme for Nokia, but

spent over 20 years as a management consultant, specialising in SAP

implementations. He has worked for a number of organisations including EY, Logica

and HCL as well as smaller consultancies. Chris West was also part of the team that

created a consultancy organisation. His first degree was a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry,

and he has an MBA.

8

B2 Consulting: Management/Strategy

Dr Keith Stewart, Cap Gemini

Keith Stewart is a Vice President in Capgemini Invent where he leads the healthcare

consulting team, supporting clients design and implement their strategies and on their

operational improvements initiatives and digital transformations. A career consultant,

he has worked in several firms (both large and small) in the professional services

industry and with clients in the NHS, higher education and academic research and the

pharmaceutical/life sciences sector.

Keith Stewart studied Biological Sciences at the University of Oxford and moved to

consulting following his DPhil in Molecular Plant Pathology.

June Davis, Allied Health Solutions

June Davis has been a Director of Allied Health Solutions, a company focussed on

working in health and care strategy and workforce developments, for the past 9 years.

June is also Allied Health Professions Advisor (part time) for Macmillan Cancer Support

and a specialist advisor to the Care Quality Commission.

June Davis's first degree was a BSc in Nutrition with dietetics gained in 1992 followed

by a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in 2004. June Davis has 27 years

experience working in and with the NHS as a Dietitian, service and professional lead,

general manager for a number of service areas within the acute setting and senior

project lead for several large scale change projects across London.

Philip Norstrand, Galderma

When Philip Norstrand grew up, he was very interested in technology, so chose to

study electrical engineering. After a year or two, Philip Norstrand realised that he didn't

want to focus his career on R&D, so he also studied economics. When he graduated (in

1999, at the height of the first dotcom boom), all of the consulting firms were hiring

engineers, and he was offered a job at McKinsey. The four years spent in consulting

was a very good way to start his career, a very good learning experience, and it

enabled him to move into the pharma industry. Today he leads a global aesthetic

medicine franchise at Galderma in Switzerland.

9

Rob Kenny, Communications Chambers

Rob Kenny is a consultant advising clients such as Facebook, Netflix, Google, BT and

the BBC on issues of strategy and regulation. He has 20 years of consulting

experience, and has also worked for large telcos, running strategy and corporate

development.

He has lived and worked in the UK, Hong Kong, and the US. He studied Mathematics

and Management at Cambridge.

10

C1 Law & Psychiatry/Psychology

Gilly Bloom, Ofsted

Gilly Bloom is a government lawyer currently working at Ofsted, advising across most

of their remits - schools (both maintained and independent), further education and skills

and social care. She studied law (jurisprudence) at Lincoln College Oxford, trained as a

solicitor at Slaughter and May in the City and then qualified and worked as a corporate

finance lawyer in New York before returning to the UK to work as a government lawyer

(and start a family). Gilly has worked for a number of different government departments

drafting legislation and advising ministers and policy colleagues across a range of

policy areas. While her children were small, she took a sabbatical from government

legal work to set up a film and TV practice with her husband.

Alice Vickers, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Alice Vickers, OHS alumna, has been a senior lawyer and diplomat at the Foreign

Office since 2017, currently posted to the UK Mission to the EU. Prior to that she

worked at BEIS and the Home Office. Alice started her legal career with 8 years as a

legal aid family lawyer, specialising in domestic abuse. Her degree was in American

History, subsequently she did a law conversion and an LLM in Human Rights (part time

while working).

Helen Lamprell, Vodafone

Helen Lamprell read Law at Cambridge and qualified at Linklaters. She moved to

Vodafone after 7 years. At Vodafone Helen worked initially on international deals

including in India, Turkey and the US. She is now a director for Vodafone in the UK

dealing with everything from crisis management to public relations, sustainability and

government affairs, not forgetting legal and regulatory.

Pepita Torbrand, Bounce-Coaching

Pepita Torbrand is a Chartered Psychologist (BSc, MSc, CPsychol), Registered

Coaching Psychologist, Educational Consultant and Performance Coach (MISCP). She

is the Director of Bounce-Coaching, offering 121 online coaching to increase students’

wellbeing, motivation, and academic success by reducing unhelpful thinking habits,

self-sabotaging, procrastination, maladaptive perfectionism, and self-doubt. Her

coaching practice helps students develop resilience and increase confidence;

optimising their academic performance, as evidenced by her academic research. Her

company is an Education Partner with Dulwich College International. https://bounce-

coaching.com/

11

Professor Seena Fazel, University of Oxford

Professor Seena Fazel trained as a medical doctor, and then as a psychiatrist. His

particular area of specialism is in the area of forensic psychiatry, which involves the

assessment and treatment of people with mental health problems who have committed

serious crimes. He has been conducting research in this area for many years and lead

a research team studying the mental health of prisoners and the risk of adverse

outcomes (including violence and suicide) in people with severe mental illness. He has

given evidence in his capacity as a forensic psychiatrist in some high profile cases,

including in the UN-sponsored Khmer Rouge Tribunal.

12

C2 Careers with a degree in Humanities/Languages

Jenny Butterworth, Mandarin Chinese and Business, Newcastle University

Since graduating from OHS, Jenny Butterworth has now also graduated from

Newcastle University, where she studied a joint honours degree in Mandarin Chinese &

Business. Jenny spent a year abroad in Haikou, on Hainan Island in China, where she

studied Mandarin at a partner University. Jenny is currently working at HelloFresh, a

company that has grown rapidly throughout 2020, where she is exploring a career in

Human Resource Management, with plans to relocate to Shanghai at some point in the

future.

Lizzie Westley, Geography, University of Exeter

After leaving OHS, Lizzie Westley quickly discovered that her course at UCL was not

the right environment and in her second year changed to the University of Exeter. She

is now in her final year of her BSc in Geography with Spanish and is looking forward to

pursuing a career prospect in sustainable engineering, consulting or finance.

Prof David Rueda, Politics, University of Oxford

Professor David Rueda was born in Sevilla and grew up in San Fernando, Cádiz. At the

age of 17, he left Spain to do the International Baccalaureate at the Armand Hammer

United World College of the American West. He did his BA at Franklin and Marshall

College, an MSc at the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London),

and his PhD at Cornell University.

He is Professor of Comparative Politics at the Department of Politics and IR and

Professorial Fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford University. He is the author of Social

Democracy Inside Out (Oxford University Press, 2007) and, with Daniel Stegmueller, of

Who Wants What? Redistribution Preferences in Comparative Perspective (Cambridge

University Press, 2019). Dr Rueda’s current research focuses on the causes and

consequences of inequality, the determinants of redistribution preferences, the role of

the welfare state in times of crisis, and insider-outsider politics.

13

Alice Murray, Christie's

After her time at OHS and following a degree in French and Spanish at Edinburgh

university, Alice Murray joined Christie’s auction house 10 years ago. She is an

Associate Director and Specialist in Modern British Art where she undertakes

valuations and sources business for the five annual auctions in the category. She was

responsible for setting up and launching the inaugural online auctions of 20th century

British Art, making Christie’s the first major auction house to hold e-commerce sales in

this area. She headed the Impressionist and Modern art online sales for the company,

but now focuses her expertise in developing the market for British artists at auction

from 1900 to now.

Nick Thomas, Writer and Journalist

Nick Thomas was at MCS and went on to read English at Pembroke, Oxford, where he

worked for Cherwell, the OU student newspaper. As a freelance journalist Nick Thomas

has worked for a number of national papers, in Arts, Politics, Humour, and Comment.

Along the way he has also been a playwright, theatre director, novelist, and

screenwriter.

14

D1 Cyber security and Data Analysis

Dr Arlen Anderson, Ab Initio

Dr Arlen Anderson did a PhD in Theoretical Physics specializing in quantum theory and

general relativity. After many years as a post-doc and research professor at

universities in the US, UK and Canada, he left physics to work for Ab Initio Software.

Ab Initio is a multi-national software vendor who supplies high-performance parallel

computing software to business, with customers in a wide range of industries, including

telecoms, banking, retail, and the internet. Arlen is a "field consultant" who does pre-

and post-sales work with customers around the world on large, bespoke applications,

using algorithms he and his group have developed for "fuzzy matching" and other

analytics. Arlen was recently made co-lead of a group developing Ab Initio capabilities

for data scientists doing AI/machine learning.

Rebekah Davidson, Synopsys

Rebekah Davidson, OHS alumna, completed a BSc Mathematics at Queens University

in Belfast, and then completed a graduate academy in order to upskill in Cyber

Security. She has recently graduated from a Masters in Applied Cyber Security and

now works as a vulnerability analyst at Synopsys in Belfast. Here she helps to explore

any vulnerabilities within Open Source applications and assists clients in identifying

where they are vulnerable to cyber-attack, and how they can mitigate these risks.

Cindy Hau, Ofcom

Cindy Hau is a current cyber security graduate associate at Ofcom. She has previously

studied at Brunel university to gain her undergraduate degree in mathematics and

statistics with management studies. Her interest in information security started after

studying an encryption module at Brunel, which has later led her to studying a master’s

degree at UCL in Information security.

15

Emma Smith, Vodafone

Emma joined Vodafone in 2015 and is responsible for Cyber Security globally. She

studied economics, qualified as an internal auditor before finding her passion and

moving to work in Cyber Security. Before Vodafone, Emma spent 13 years at

RBS/NatWest bank and 6 years at Royal Mail. Emma is passionate about security and

protecting customers, employees and citizens from cyber threats. Cyber Security is so

important in the digital and connected world that we live. As a profession, cyber security

is exciting, still quite new and a growing field. Emma loves the blend of technology,

people and behaviours, strategy and operations that her roles give. People with cyber

security experience are in high demand across all sectors and this is likely to continue

to grow. Emma believes that the best teams and companies are formed with a diverse

mix of people. She works hard to create an inclusive culture, working to get more

women into technology and cyber and is an LGBT+ sponsor in Vodafone.

Zulekha Samiullah, Mathematics and Physics, University of York

Since leaving OHS, Zulekha Samiullah has gone to York to undertake a BSc in

Mathematics and Physics and is now in her final year. She is a Laidlaw Research and

Leadership Scholar, Digital Creativity Labs Research Scholar, has experience as

Technology Director at York Community Consulting and is happy to talk about her role

as University Manager with High Fliers Research in association with the Times. She is

launching a set of guides focusing on student communication and professional skills

and has gained experience as Research Intern with York Students in Schools. A

Mathematics Student Ambassador, she still makes time for being the College Squash

19/20 captain and University Womens’ 1st Team player.

16

D2 Opportunites/How to Improve your CV

Anoushka Patel, Dyson

Anoushka Patel, OHS alumna, is an Undergraduate Engineer at the Dyson Institute,

currently working in New Product Innovation. At Dyson, she is a member of the Global

Engagement Council, and a sustainability champion for Global functions. Anoushka is

also an Arkwright Undergraduate scholar, and incoming Morgan Stanley Spring intern.

Sesha Nicholson-Lailey, University of York

Sesha Nicholson-Lailey, OHS alumna, is a student of apparently discordant subjects;

her checkered past involves an Art and Design Diploma. She spent two seasons at

London Fashion week, has undertaken work experience across genetic engineering,

archaeological interpretation, the careers service here in Oxford, and even a brief stint

in the public sector as a Civil Service Fast Stream intern. She might still be known to

some of you as Head Girl (2017)!

Currently a second year natural scientist at the University of York (Archaeology,

Biology, Chemistry, and Environment) Sesha is someone with a passion for inclusion

and diversity and making the most of opportunities in the most unlikely of places.

Jahkini Bisselink, Jahkini Consultancy

Jahkini Bisselink is both a Gen Z member (born in 1999) ánd a Gen Z expert. She

founded her own consultancy firm in which she helps companies and organisations

understand the world of Gen Z, aiming to promote an intergenerational dialogue.

Jahkini has worked at the United Nations as a youth representative from the

Netherlands (2017-2019). For this role she has spoken with more than 4000 young

people and has given multiple statements at UN conferences like the General

Assembly. Next to that she is studying religious and political science, finishing her

master’s degree in 2021. https://www.jahkini.com/

17

Harry Beard, Prospect 100

Harry Beard is a co-founder of Prospect 100. Prospect 100 is on a mission to create the

home of youth recruitment, aimed at 16-25 year olds via their global competitions and

digital in-bound recruitment platform. Prospect 100 works with brands ranging from

ViacomCBS and GUESS to Depop, Kyra and Humane Society. Previously they have

hosted global competitions in fields ranging from music and fashion design through to

technology and sustainability, ensuring their young winners receive mentorship from

figures like Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and Guy Holmes the ex manager for

Michael Jackson. Harry studied 'Real Estate' at The Royal Agricultural University for 1

year before pausing studies to pursue Prospect 100. https://www.prospect100.com/

Amira Harb, University of Oxford

Amira Harb, OHS alumna, is an experienced recruiter and enjoys working with people

to achieve results through effective communication, building diverse relationships and

providing a high level of customer service at all times. Amira has worked across several

industry sectors including education, diplomatic missions, consultancy, due diligence,

journalism and healthcare. Amira graduated from SOAS, University of London with

BA(Hons) in Arabic & Management and is CIPD Level 5 qualified. Amira is currently

working as a Senior Recruitment Consultant for the University of Oxford's Temporary

Staffing Service: https://www.jobs.ox.ac.uk/temporary-staffing-service

18

Advice for Networking in a virtual environment Making a good impression:

• Be well presented, choose an appropriate background

• Keep your language professional – address the speaker by title via the chat function

• Take notes during the talks to allow you ask questions at the end or later on in time.

• Express your appreciation for their time

• Don’t just ask about their current job, but about their whole career – how did they get to where they are now? What do they want to do next? If you had to do it all again…?

Enjoy!