What if leadership were about putting people first?
On 9 December 2025, Bob Chapman, Chairman of the global engineering firm Barry-Wehmiller and a passionate advocate for human-centred leadership, engaged in a conversation with two Oxford undergraduates: Pembroke College student Maria Hope and New College student Angwyn Loynes. The hour-long discussion spanned a wide range of topics, from building organisations and cultures that care to how universities in the 21st century should teach leadership. Hosted by the Oxford Character Project as part of its Oxford Future Leaders Programme (OFLP), the conversation brought together two generations in an intimate setting to explore what it means to lead with character in today’s world.
The discussion centred on the idea that leadership is most effective and meaningful when it prioritises care for people and community, rather than focusing solely on business performance. This emphasis resonates strongly with the Oxford Character Project’s core mission: to cultivate leadership grounded in character, purpose, and human flourishing, particularly in times of complexity and uncertainty.
The OFLP offers Oxford undergraduates with demonstrated leadership potential the opportunity to engage directly with distinguished leaders and to reflect on their own experiences and values. Through conversations like this one with Chapman, students are encouraged to develop not only their analytical skills, but also their values, qualities that underpin good leadership.