Luke Spill

Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford

“Travel mad, music lover, dedicated to making an impact on the independent music industry.”

Hometown: London, UK

Fun Fact About Yourself: I starred in the film Finding Neverland when I was six years old alongside Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, and Dustin Hoffman.

Undergraduate School and Major: University College London, Economics BSc

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Generative Ventures, Investment Associate

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Oxford Saïd’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Their focus on helping us develop a wider perspective on business decisions to create a positive impact on our industries. I believe a business is greater than the sum of the daily tasks, and because of this I wanted to be in an environment that pushed me to increase the scope of my work. I am using my MBA as a year to develop my own business to help support independent music artists. The idea that I can build my business in a way to create a positive impact on the lives of individuals connected to my industry was vital for me.

What course, club, or activity has been your favorite part of the Oxford Saïd MBA experience? The Oxford Saïd Entrepreneurship Centre has been the most valuable part of my experience so far. The team and events that have already been hosted in the first few months of the course have pushed me to think deeper in my own company development, connected me with truly inspiring people who keep helping me week on week, and have allowed me to develop parts of myself I was not expecting to this year.

What is the most “Oxford” thing you have done so far as a full-time MBA student? I am a part of Merton College, and the college hosted this year’s White Tie winter ball. It was a spectacular event that saw a large group of the MBAs dressed in white tie tails and ball gowns for an evening of dancing in one of the oldest university colleges in the world.

Oxford is known as a place where world collides, be it in the classroom or the dining hall. What has been the most interesting interaction you’ve had so far as an Oxford MBA student? Recently, I had dinner with a group from the MBA, and during the dinner there was a discussion about religion. There was the most incredible spectrum of religious followers in this particular group so the conversation had a lot to cover. I learnt about the crossovers of Islam and Christianity, questioned the interpretations and ideas of different religious texts and prophets, all in the most open and inquisitive environment. I felt I learnt a lot, but more than that, I was so impressed by the way a potentially divisive conversation was so easily had by new friends from around the world, brought together by the MBA.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: One of my proudest achievements was while working at Universal Music Group. I led the release strategy for Rema’s track “Calm Down”, which earned a Triple Platinum Brits Award with over 1.8 million sales in the UK, as well as countless other international awards.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far? As mentioned, I have been using the MBA to incubate a business to support independent artists. I have been lucky enough to participate in many entrepreneurship activities and competitions so far on the MBA. A highlight for me was being chosen as a finalist in the Oxford Saïd Entrepreneurship Centre’s pitching competition in November. As part of the final, I had to pitch my business to 300+ founders, investors, and CEOs visiting Oxford for the Oxford Saïd Entrepreneurship Forum (OSEF). This was the first time presenting my plan to a room this large. The pitch went fantastically, receiving incredible questions and ideas to think about, as well as praise and confidence that my idea is worth pursuing and that I can effectively tell the story of why it matters.

Oxford Saïd is considered a mission-driven MBA program. What social issue resonates most with you? How do you plan to use your career path to address this issue? My work this year is particularly focused on one niche industry and a particular group of people. I believe music is one of the most important things people have in their day-to-day lives. I know it always has been for me. I have seen first-hand the power music has on the world. I’ve seen people in tears listening to their favourite songs or seeing their favourite artists live. I have also unfortunately seen how large companies, especially those outside of the music industry, have commoditised music to the point where it is harder than ever for independent artists to thrive and keep making the art we love. I am trying all I can to change this and help independent artists of the future. This is my particular social issue focus, and Oxford has been incredible in supporting me on this.

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