think ahead

MA PhD (Yale)

Herminia Ibarra is the Charles Handy Professor of Organisational Behaviour at London Business School. Prior to joining LBS, she served on the INSEAD (2002-2017) and Harvard Business School (1989-2002) faculties.

An authority on leadership, Thinkers 50 ranks Herminia among the top management thinkers in the world. She is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Expert Network, a judge for the Financial Times/McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award, one of Apolitical’s 100 most influential people in gender policy, a Fellow of the British Academy, the 2018 recipient of the Academy of Management’s Scholar-Practitioner Award for her research’s contribution to management practice, and serves on the Governing Body of the London Business School.

She is the author of best-selling books including Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader and Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career. Herminia writes regularly in leading academic journals and business publications including the Harvard Business Review, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times and speaks internationally on leadership and organisational transformation.

A native of Cuba, Herminia received her M.A. and Ph.D. from Yale University, where she was a National Science Fellow.

Kurt Budge is an experienced senior leader with 30 years in the mining sector; wide ranging roles including frontline operations, corporate development, private equity, and, in his last role, 8.5 years as CEO of a dual listed explorer/developer.

Since May 2023, Kurt has qualified as a Forrest Yoga Teacher (Forrest with two ‘r’s, as in Ana Forrest, not forest as in trees), completed a Diploma in Coaching and Positive Psychology, and, in addition two courses with LBS, ‘The Business of AI’ and ‘Career Transition for over 50s’.

Kurt is building a portfolio of work that allows him to be in alignment - head, heart, and gut - provides healthy challenge, and enables him to learn and grow, while ‘bringing something to the table’ and making a meaningful difference in relationships and situations.

Kurt graduated with an MBA from LBS in 2004 and is fast approaching his 20-year reunion. He is a member of the School’s Alumni Council. In the Spring Term of his first year at LBS, Kurt and his wife Cécile lost their first daughter Colette after complications arose in labour. Kurt reflects that this had a profound impact on his MBA experience and some of his career decisions post-graduation. Previously, he graduated in 1992 with a master’s degree in mining engineering from The Royal School of Mines, Imperial College London

Sarah Gordon is a Visiting Professor in Practice at the London School of Economics’ Grantham Research Institute on climate and the environment, where she is leading a research and advocacy project on mobilising private capital for environmental and socio-economic policy priorities. Recent reports on this work are available here and here.

Before starting this role in 2023, she was the founding Chief Executive of the Impact Investing Institute, which was launched in 2019, with a mission to make capital markets fairer and work better for people and the planet. Previously, Sarah spent 18 years at the Financial Times, where she ran the paper's corporate coverage during the 2008-12 financial crisis and was Business Editor.

Before journalism, she worked in fund management in the UK and the US, and at the UN Conference for Trade and Development in Geneva. Sarah is a non-executive director of Social Finance, an advisor to the Big Issue Group and Big Society Capital, a member of the Leadership Council at Snowball Investment Management, and a speaker for Speakers for Schools. She is a regular speaker at events and roundtables with investors and policy-makers, run by the Financial Times, the Economist, ESG Investor, government departments, political parties and others.

Sarah has spent the latter part of her career building bridges between different parts of the investment chain, helping institutional and social investors, policy-makers, and regulators work together more effectively in order to deliver positive outcomes for people and the environment.

Russ Jones is an Artist and Painter working between Miami and London. His work explores the human condition through themes of connection, free will, and subversion. His work is best known for its innovative use of colour, technology, and interaction and has been shown globally, and is part of notable collections in the UK and Canada.

Since 2019, Russ has been creating work that allows the communication of ideas and topics that he believes are important for humanity to remember and consider. His studio has been involved in the creation of film media, digital apps, and large-scale public installations to facilitate conversations around topics of importance that may otherwise not be heard.

Russ graduated with an MBA from LBS in 2020. During his time at LBS Russ was able to study abroad at UC Berkeley where he elected to use as many credits and spare hours as possible in the Art school. Following graduation Russ spent a short stint at BCG’s London office but soon found significant interest in his creative endeavors.

Prior to LBS Russ served as an Infantry Officer in the British Army, leading counter-terrorism operations in the Middle East and East Africa. He credits the people he met and his time in the military as an important part of his wider understanding of the complexities of human nature and perspective in the modern world. he holds a Masters of Mechanical engineering from the University of Southampton and is a graduate of both Welbeck and Sandhurst Military Academies.