How WBS became part of BPA's leadership strategy

John Armstrong completed his MBA at Warwick Business School and is now Chief Executive of the British Pipeline Agency Limited (BPA). When it came to creating structured development for his senior leaders, he chose to come back to WBS. Here, he explains why.

What prompted BPA to invest in Executive Education?

We could see a real opportunity to create more structured development pathways for our senior leaders, pathways that recognised the pressures of day-to-day business but still encouraged people to invest in their own growth. We work in a complex part of the energy sector, and with the pace of change increasing, it is essential that our people keep developing too. As an SME, we were also keen for our team to learn alongside professionals from other sectors, broaden their networks and bring fresh thinking back into BPA.

Why did you choose WBS and did your own MBA experience play a part?

We were looking for a provider that could offer consistently high-quality programmes with both academic depth and practical relevance. What stood out with WBS was the combination of internationally recognised academics and experienced visiting practitioners. That meant the programmes were grounded in strong academic thinking while still feeling closely connected to the real challenges we face in business.

My own experience at WBS definitely influenced that decision. One of the things I valued most during my MBA was the chance to step back from the day-to-day pressures of work and spend time with people from very different sectors and backgrounds. It made me think differently about leadership, strategy and change, and that stayed with me. It is one of the main reasons I felt WBS could offer something genuinely valuable to BPA colleagues as well.

My continued connection with the School as an alum has given me confidence in the quality of what WBS delivers. Over the years, I've seen it continue to grow and strengthen its reputation, both in the UK and internationally, so I felt confident we were partnering with an institution that would deliver the standard we were looking for, and it certainly has.

What has the impact of Executive Education programmes looked like?

The programmes have shifted our mindset, particularly around AI, and have made us more confident in thinking boldly about how we develop our strategic position. More than that, they have helped create a sense that learning and curiosity are part of how we move forward as a business, which I think is incredibly important.

One clear example has been in AI. Colleagues returning from the AI programmes challenged us to think differently about why we were outsourcing innovation rather than building more capability ourselves. That sparked a broader internal conversation about ownership, innovation and where we want to develop expertise within the business.

The Finance for Non-Finance Leaders programme has also been particularly valuable in helping colleagues at different levels of the organisation develop both in their current roles and in preparing for what comes next. In a business with many technical specialists, it has been an excellent way of building confidence in the financial understanding that becomes increasingly important as people move into broader leadership roles.

Julian Coyne, Head of Finance & Risk at BPA, who completed the Business Impacts of Artificial Intelligence programme, said:

"I found the programme incredibly valuable because it helped turn a complex and fast-moving topic into something practical and relevant. It gave me the confidence to start using AI in my own work and to think more strategically about where it could create value across the organisation. Looking back, it's probably one of the most immediately useful executive education programmes I've completed because I was able to apply what I'd learned straight away."

How important is it for organisations to invest in continuous professional development and lifelong learning?

From my perspective, it is fundamental. In my own career, moving across operational, construction and safety roles taught me very early on that you never really stop learning. Each step demands something different of you, and that is even more true in sectors such as energy and infrastructure, where the environment never stands still, whether that is technology, regulation or the broader transition we are all navigating. You cannot rely on what got you here to carry you through the next decade. At leadership level, continuous learning is also about staying relevant. The demands placed on leaders today are very different from those of even five or ten years ago, and if you are not actively developing yourself, you can fall behind very quickly.

That said, people are busy both in and outside work, so development has to fit alongside real life. Learning should not feel like an extra pressure; it needs to complement both work and personal commitments. One of the things WBS has done well is deliver modules in a way that gives people flexibility to choose the right time professionally and personally, and to learn in manageable bursts.

What are the biggest skills or leadership challenges facing organisations today, and how can Executive Education help address them?

There are a few major challenges that stand out to me. The first is the sheer pace of change. Leaders are increasingly having to make decisions in areas where the answers are not clear, whether that is digital, AI or the energy transition. In my experience, that demands a different kind of leadership: one that is more comfortable with ambiguity, better able to balance risk, and more open to challenge. The second is building capability at scale. It is one thing to have a strong senior team; it is another to create real depth of capability across the wider organisation.

Executive Education can add real value in several ways:

• It gives leaders space to think, which is often what’s missing day to day
• It brings external perspective, which challenges your assumptions
• It helps build a common language and framework across teams
• And importantly, when it’s done well, it connects directly back to real business problems rather than staying theoretical.

For me, the best programmes are not just about learning, they change the way you think and the quality of the decisions you make when you return to the business.

Would you recommend WBS Executive Education to other employers?

I would absolutely recommend WBS Executive Education to other employers. It gives organisations a genuine way to invest in their people while helping them bring back learning that is grounded in both rigorous thinking and real-world business experience."

For John, the relationship with WBS is one that has spanned his whole career, from his own MBA to the development of his wider team.