Henry Midgley

Warwick Business School

“Determined yet calm under pressure, I enjoy a good challenge and a good pun.”

Hometown: Christchurch, New Zealand

Fun Fact About Yourself: I once drove from London to Mongolia the long way – via Iran and Central Asia

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Canterbury, Bachelor of Commerce (Economics) & Bachelor of Science (Chemistry)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Chant West, Client Development Associate

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I was elected to the Emerging Leaders Committee of the Australian Superannuation Funds Association (ASFA). I organised thought-provoking events for under 35s working within the superannuation sector, bringing in respected leaders in the industry to inspire the next generation. As well as hearing from industry leaders, I helped my generation to build a network and a community vision to improve the pensions system for all generations in Australia.

Describe your biggest accomplishment at Warwick so far? It was being a Director of the WBS Case Challenge, a case study competition involving contestants from business schools across the globe. I am proud to have been selected from such a skilled pool of candidates within WBS to create a world-class event.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Respect. Our WBS classmates come from 39 countries, with a range of backgrounds, job functions and sectors. The whole class has been very respectful of others’ views and opinions, realizing the value in hearing from those with different experiences. This helps create a positive learning environment where all opinions are heard.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? WBS is a fantastic school for several reasons, but one of the main reasons I chose it is for the Leadership Plus module. The WBS MBA begins with Leadership Plus in the very first week of the course, immediately plunging students into challenges designed to turn a group of strangers into a high-performing team. The module continues with several more workshops over the year, encouraging students to reflect on their individual style of leadership, while encouraging discussion on how to avoid common mistakes. Most, if not all, MBA students aspire to be leaders, yet few of us have ever taken the time to review how we lead. Leadership Plus provides students with this insight, which I believe will make us all better leaders.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? WBS Case Challenge. As one of the Directors, I’m excited to get involved in the behind the scenes action, bringing together top teams from business schools around the world to present to industry professionals. I have an elective module on at the same time as the competition is scheduled, so I’m going to be busy juggling them both, but I’m excited to see everything we’ve worked towards come together.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I had been at my previous company for several years, so was looking for the next big challenge. I enjoy learning and had been thinking about further study for some time. After researching courses, I decided this is a good time to do an MBA, as it will help me build on my existing knowledge, while also providing me with the tools I otherwise would have taken years to acquire on the job.

What other MBA programs did you apply to?

Cambridge Judge

Oxford Saïd

How did you determine your fit at various schools? Living in Australia, I couldn’t tour the campuses or meet with previous alumni. I researched schools as much as I could online, but the main way I determined fit was through discussions with family and friends in Australia, New Zealand and the UK who know me and the universities well.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? Being interrogated by Turkmen border security in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. My brother, a friend of his and I had a car accident in Ashgabat on our way from London to Mongolia. Ordinarily, this would have resulted in our immediate imprisonment. However, we were fortunate enough to have the help and support of the British Embassy in Ashgabat. Two days later, I was called down to the lobby of our hotel to discuss our situation with the Turkmen Border Security and the police. Initially, they had insisted they would be confiscating our passports and imprison us for 2 weeks. By remaining calm and negotiating with them, I managed to keep our passports and avoid imprisonment. This has helped shape my calm demeanor. Now I know that however gloomy and unreasonable a situation I find myself in, remaining calm is usually the best course of action.

Where do you see yourself in five years? I’m currently interested in the automotive and finance industries; in five years I’d like to be leading a diverse, senior team making a positive difference in one of these sectors.