Engineering quartet land prestigious scholarship

The latest recipients of a prestigious scholarship which helps transform engineers into UK business leaders have been announced.

Four young engineers are celebrating this January, having each been awarded a £50,000 Sainsbury Management Fellows (SMF) scholarship to study for an MBA at the world’s top business schools.

The scholarship was started by Lord Sainsbury of Turville in 1987 to increase the quantity and quality of engineers in senior executive positions in UK companies, combining strong technological skills with effective management skills to drive forward the country’s economy.

The quartet will join an alumni of more than 400 Sainsbury Management Fellows who have received world-leading business education through the scholarship programme. Since its inception in 1987, recipients have founded more than 300 new companies, worth more than £4.8 billion and created more than 20,000 jobs in the process.

Three of the latest recipients are now undertaking their MBAs, with one more set to start in August. The trio currently studying are:

• Hassan Nasir, BEng Hons – studying at INSEAD
• Joseph Agnew, CEng, MEng Hons – studying at INSEAD
• David MacDonald, CEng, MEng – studying at Imperial College Business School

Commenting on his scholarship award, Chemical Engineer Joseph Agnew said:

“I started to think about an MBA around three years ago. As part of my future career planning, my manager at the time advised me to speak to senior leaders within the business.

“It soon became apparent to me that an MBA was a common denominator between business leaders in the chemical industry, and that the right blend of business acumen and technical expertise is highly valued. I hope that through the MBA experience I can acquire a unique toolbox of commercial skills to ally with my technical know-how.”

After graduating with their MBAs, these SMFs will not only be able to call on their business school alumni for support, but also become part a prestigious network through the wider SMF community. And in turn, these newly graduated SMFs will share their knowledge and expertise with upcoming young engineers through a variety of activities, including mentorship.

These latest awards come just five months after eight other young engineers started their MBA studies after receiving the same scholarship. Applications are currently open for the next set of scholarships. To learn more, visit here.