PUBLISHED 15 April 2024
The annual Headmaster's Dinner was held on Friday 12th April, with our Year 13s, their form tutors, the school and Sixth Form leadership teams and governors in attendance. The evening took place in the OAKS Hall, where our talented catering team, under the new stewardship of our executive chef, Tony, delivered a drinks reception and delicious three course meal, followed by coffee and petit fours.
Notable alumnus and Old Arnoldian, Andrew Jones gave an inspirational after-dinner speech in which he shared his advice with the students, as well as explaining how his school-days gave him the foundation, tools and skills which he feels have been instrumental in his subsequent success. His extensive resume includes working for four US multi-national companies, in varying capacities in commercial, general management, manging director and executive roles covering both global and regional roles in EMEA and APAC. This has included leading businesses of up to $800m in revenue; more than 25 years’ experience working at a Senior Executive level and time living in Hong Kong, China, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and the Netherlands.
Despite achieving so much, Andrew's humility and ability to relate back to his 18-year-old-self enabled him to connect easily with his audience. He spoke to the students about the macro challenges and opportunities which will affect them, whatever their chosen career path. He also shared his view on what sets leaders apart, making the point that leadership is not about hierarchy, but a capability which lies within us all. He noted the importance of humility, authenticity, courage, resilience, and in having a 'reality distortion field' - enabling them to have "a bold, audacious vision and inspiring your team to believe in it". He encouraged students to "have the courage to try something new, engage with more people and to create conversations", emphasising the power of networking.
He closed his speech by reiterating, "I did not meticulously plan my career trajectory. However, what drove me was an innate desire to make a tangible impact and deliver value", concluding with a quote from Nelson Mandela, "may your choices reflect your hopes and not your fears".
Head Student, Pippa M presented Andrew with token of appreciation relating to his Arnold school days and included some snippets from his school reports in her vote of thanks which brought the superb evening to a close. Headmaster, David Harrow reflected, "The Headmaster’s Dinner is always a genuine highlight of the year, and it is wonderful to see how they have developed over the years into the wonderful young people that they are today. With so many stories and memories along the way – many of them I met when I joined the school in 2019, when they were only in Year 9 - it is as heartening as it is bittersweet to gather them all together one more time, and to wish them well for the future."