New Master's Installation and Celebration 10 Oct:  Ironmongers' Hall
Mentor Training Workshop 22 Oct:  Plaisterers' Hall
Click here for our rolling calendar or here for City events

NL May 2016

 

WCoMC is a collegiate forward looking Modern City Livery Company; we maintain City traditions, share expertise and information between fellow members and give back to the community through our pro bono activities.

WCoMC News


Our latest City updates

What’s up?

David Peregrine-Jones, Master


The Master and Mistress Caroline at the Queen's Garden Party

The Second Warden, David Johnson, supports the Lord Mayor's collection for Charity on London Bridge

Traffic stopped, as David J. collects for the Red Cross

The Education Supper 

...on HQS Wellington

The Sea Cadets trophy - presented to the Company by Past Treasurer Satjit Singh. Winner: Acting Sub Lt. Ande Hurst

Presentation of the Urwick Prize 2016: for an outstanding piece of research relevant to management consultancy (see article)

 Tim Goodwin, Malcolm McCaig, Chris Dreyfus

Mervyn Bassett (the Beadle), Doug Prior

New Freemen


Chris Dreyfus

James Newell


Leon MacPherson

New Liveryman


Geoff Booth

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webadmin@wcomc.org

Your Master's Voice...

As you know, my theme for the year is “Given the challenges facing the UK, what can we, as management consultants do to make a difference?”. 

Whether it’s the Education, Transport or Health system, an important part is to understand the issue. We were given an outstanding example at our Education Supper from Paul Johnson, the Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). Anyone who missed it can find a more formal version here www.ifs.org.uk/publications as it formed the basis of an article he then had published in The Times

But knowing the problem is of course only the beginning. It seems that the rise of global companies such as Alphabet and Tencent and the increased use of Artificial Intelligence (or Cognitive Computing) will, in the future, put a much greater premium on numeracy. Yet only 20% of children go on to study maths after GCSE and far too many people in the UK claim that they are hopeless. For our Change Lecture in June, we have invited Conrad Wolfram to show us that this is a load of nonsense and that there are now far better ways for children (and the rest of us) to acquire a perfectly acceptable ability to deal with an increasingly numeric world. Will he convince you?  I look forward to your views!

And so to someone who takes her duties very seriously. At every livery dinner, the first toast is to Her Majesty. One of the privileges of being Master is that you get invited to a Garden Party at the Palace. Caroline and I were there the day after she had opened Parliament and l can report that she looked every bit as sprightly as one would wish. We tried to do the same!  (See pic...)

 David Peregrine-Jones, Master

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 A succession of 30 minute delays (72 hours in fact) - no suitcases; no briefcase and no briefcase contacts; no addresses; no telephone numbers; and no contact names at the other end....Liveryman Paul Squire sets off to find his hotel on a routine assignment in 1980's Iraq...

 

Only 6 meetings a year, he thought;  the schools have outstanding records;  brilliant Head;  capable Chair and 16 other governors - so why not?....

With his subordinating conjunctions freshly sharpened, Liveryman Gareth Rees gets caught up in the DfE tsunami....

 

For we consultants it is important that we focus on what affects a company's competitive position. Diversity is one thing that does....

Past Master Vicky Pryce sets out the economic case for quotas for Women....

 

Will another poor boy from East Lancashire NOT make it to dinner on "HQS Wellington" in four decades time?

Dr Simon Davey, Freeman and Chair of the Education and Schools Panel lays out the obstacles....

 

Liveryman Kulbir Shergill is recognised at the British Race Awards......

Here she is, amongst the Top 10 in the City                                                                                                        

Wines fine from Rhine....

Absolutely NOT singing drinking songs while travelling in a splitter van, Father of the Livery Calvert Markham steers the dutiful Wine Club through the Southern Rhineland....

 

A Charity bringing older and younger people together in secondary and primary schools....

To set up a YouTube channel for the Intergen programme, Liveryman Brian Ing needs 100 subscribers!  Callng on WCoMC members to SUBSCRIBE - even if only for the short term....      

The Livery is not purely a City of London affair.  The Brigantes Annual Breakfast took place at lunchtime this year in Cutlers' Hall, Sheffield.... 

Past Master Edward Sankey marches North....

 

Research predicts a major change to the business of management consultancy:  The Master presents the Urwick Prize 2016 ....

Notices:

- Change Lecture and Buffet Supper:  Tuesday 15th June at Skinners' Hall. Cost: £65.  Speaker is Conrad Wolfram: "How the teaching of mathematics can help UK plc to meet future challenges."  Together with panellists. Go here to book.... 

- Election of Sheriffs and Lunch:  Friday 24th June..... To Book:  as above, on the Events page.

- Celebration Dinner and Admissions Ceremony: Thursday 21st July. A formal dinner to celebrate the Company's pro bono achievements. To Book:  As above, on the Events Page.

- Driving Go-karts, picnicking and partying - with wheels and helmets replacing spurs and lances in the modern form of mediaeval tournament - thrills and spills of active engagement with the Livery and maintaining the honour of our Company. A hamper of good food will be provided and champagne if we win.  At Sandown Park on 19th June.More details on the Lord Mayor's Events website....     Contact:  David Johnson -  j111dmj@yahoo.co.uk

- At the Judges' Dining Room at the Old Bailey - The City of London Fairtrade Group invites you to Not Guilty, an ethical wine, cheese and chocolate tasting evening with Sarah Jane Evans, Master of Wine and Chairman of the Institute of Masters of Wine. On Monday 13th June, 6:00 - 8:00pm. Cost £30.  To book and pay: email -justshare@stmarylebow.org.uk  

-The City of London's annual Community Fair will be taking place in the Guildhall Yard on Saturday 16th July. Based on the idea of a village fete in the heart of the Square Mile, this provides an opportunity to showcase organisations and the work they do in and for the City.  Top class entertainent on the main stage and arena, plus activities for all ages to take part in. For further details contact:  will.cooper@cityoflondon.gov.uk

 - Check out the Carvery Lunches at Painters' Hall.  On 22nd June;  20th July;  21st September; 26th October; 16th November; 7th December.  For further details contact Nick Levens: nick@lifeskitchen.com

WORSHIPFUL INSIGHTS ....

Swinging into the summer golfing season, a Vicar, a Doctor and a Management Consultant were waiting for a particularly slow group up ahead. The Management Consultant exclaimed, "What sort of strategy is this? We've been waiting over half an hour!  It's an absolute disgrace." 

“They’re useless”, the Doctor agreed, "They surely can’t meet the entry qualifications. Got to be a sub-standard course…." 

The clergyman spotted a  Club official and called, "What's happening with that group ahead of us? They're surely too slow and useless to be playing, aren't they?" 

The Official replied, "The group is blind. They lost their sight saving our clubhouse from a fire last year, so we always let them play for free any time they want." 

The three golfers fell silent for a moment. The clergyman then said, "Dear me. That's so sad. I shall say some special prayers for them tonight."  The doctor added,  "That's a good thought. I'll get in touch with an ophthalmic surgeon friend of mine to see if there's anything that can be done for them." 

After ruminating for a few seconds, the Management Consultant turned to the Club official and asked, "Why can't they play at night?"

 

 

Send your articles and pics to:  elizabeth.consalvi@consultant.com -

                                                      - Editor  

 Issue 30:  May 2016

This newsletter is produced by the WCoMC Communications Group. Please let us know if you have any items to include in relation to any topics that come to mind! The opinions expressed in this newsletter represent those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Company.
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