LBS welcomes latest Laidlaw Scholars

London Business School (LBS) has welcomed 20 new Laidlaw Scholars from across the globe to its MBA, Executive MBA and Masters in Management (MiM) programmes thanks to a generous gift from the Laidlaw Women’s Leadership Fund to support the education and advancement of women in business.

The £3.69 million gift, the second such gift by the Laidlaw Foundation, provides tuition fee support to 20 women each year to help increase the proportion of women in senior leadership roles within business and on executive boards. The gift will fund 60 scholars over the next three academic years and was made to the School in November 2022 as part of LBS’ Forever Forward Campaign, which aims to double the number of scholarships available across the School.

To date, the Laidlaw Scholars programme has provided financial support to 80 outstanding scholars, supporting their ambitions to be the business leaders of tomorrow. It is one of a suite of scholarships supporting women at LBS and reflects LBS’s and the Laidlaw Foundation’s shared commitment to women in business and women’s initiatives.

The Laidlaw Scholars joining the School during the 2023-24 academic year are: Michelle Abou-Raad (MBA2025); Temi Aduroja (EMBA London); Shegufta Armin Ahsan (MiM2024); Daniela (Boquete Tudesco) Aguiar (EMBA London); Divya Chaurasia (MBA2025); Jiwan Dhillon (MBA2025); Josephina El Sokhon (EMBA Dubai); Midhat Fatima (MBA2025); Silvia Fernandez Mulero (EMBA Dubai); Cristina Hurtado Lezama (MBA2025); Phoebe Joel (MBA2025); Elene Murjikneli (MBA2025); Julia Niro (MBA2025); Ashley Ong (MBA2025); Aboshogwe Oshomah (MBA2025); Eliya Panchova (MiM2024); Carmen Schliesser (MiM2024); Xiaoman (Demi) Sun (MBA2025); Akankshi Vaishya (MiM2024); and Sabrina Yegela (MBA2025).

The scholars reflect a portion of the international diversity of the LBS community, with this year’s scholars coming from Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Georgia, Germany, India, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Spain, Tanzania and the United States of America.

The scholars were welcomed to the School at a lunch hosted by Lord Laidlaw and Laidlaw Foundation Chief Executive Susanna Kempe, who reiterated their desire for the scholarship programme and the Foundation to create systemic change.

“We are delighted to help advance the careers of 20 extraordinary women by giving them access to LBS’s world class education and networks. Supporting extraordinary women from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds to reach the C-suite is great for business and right for society. Each Laidlaw Scholar is committed to leading ethically, paying it forward to help other women achieve and driving positive global change. It is a privilege and a joy to help them make a positive impact on the world.”

Speaking about the value of her scholarship and her pleasure at meeting her sponsors at the lunch, Carmen Schliesser said:

“Meeting the very people who have had such a profound and lasting impact on your life is a privilege in itself. I have never experienced more gratefulness, strength, and drive in one room. The Laidlaw Scholarship has been life-changing, enabling me to break through the cycle of systemic inequality. It has opened the door for me to become a transformational driver of impact for others as well. In these challenging times, I firmly believe that empowering diverse leaders is our best path forward. Together, the scholarship allows us to create this exponential effect for lasting change.”

Aboshogwe Oshomah also expressed her desire to make a positive impact on the world of business, adding:

"As a Laidlaw Scholar, I'm not solely pursuing an MBA at one of the best business schools in the world; I'm joining a network of exceptional women committed to making meaningful impact. This opportunity fuels my desire to add value, lead, and drive positive global change"