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We were very privileged to host a talk by Lord Michael Hastings CBE on Wednesday 28 February. He kindly also brought his son Reece to share his inspirational journey. Lord Michael's rich and varied career led to some incredibly powerful messages about the need to take risks and the importance of going outside your comfort zone in order to build resilience and better mental fortitude.

He urged his 6th Form audience to move away from the false security of a purely virtual world accessed by mobile devices and to re-establish real connections. This requires bravery, curiosity and open-mindedness. The role of his faith in his success and daily routines was also inspirational to hear. 

Year 12 student, Bryant, who had the chance to be part of an informal Q&A session with Lord Michael Hastings,  amongst other students, commented on the experience saying:

"Interacting with Lord Dr Michael Hastings CBE was truly delightful. His intellect and warmth made the conversation enjoyable and enlightening. He shared valuable insights and addressed queries.

"His kindness and genuine interest in the conversation left me feeling deeply appreciated. Also, his motivational energy was infectious, inspiring me to approach my endeavours with renewed vigour and determination. It was a privilege to converse with someone of his calibre, leaving me both enriched and motivated."

Maryam, who is in Year 12 at Westminster City School's Sixth Form, added:

"The informal discussion with Lord Hastings following the exchange of ideas proved to be very insightful to me and the talk was genuinely enlightening.

"As an aspiring lawyer, one of the main things I got out of the session was a deeper comprehension of key skills I should be incorporating into my life, such as asking a lot of questions. As this is something I have always personally struggled with and perhaps many more students can relate to such struggles, it was truly motivational to hear Lord Hastings speak about this and it is a tremendous confidence booster for me. Overall, this session has given me invaluable knowledge that I can use in both my personal and professional life."

Lord Hastings is currently Chair of SOAS, University of London, Chair of London Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Black Business Association. He is Chair of the Advisory Board of the Black Business institute, and is Professor of Leadership at the Stephen R Covey Leadership Centre, Huntsman Business School, USA.

He received a CBE in 2003 for services to crime reduction and community safety. He was conferred with a Life Peerage in 2005 and sits as an Independent Peer in the House of Lords.

Lord Hastings was formerly BBC’s Head of Public Affairs and its first head of Corporate Social Responsibility in 2003 before becoming KPMG international’s Global Head of Citizenship in 2006 and retired in 2019. Lord Hastings also sat on the BT Board for Responsible and Sustainable Business until 2016 and was a Board Member of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). He now serves on the Board of the University of Edinburgh’s Business School Climate Change Initiative and the Global Council of One Young World. He is the recent former Chancellor of Regents University London retiring in 2021.