Royal Marine wins WBS Heropreneurs Award and full MBA scholarship

A former Royal Marines Commando who overcame a career-threatening injury and went on to become a senior manager at a fast-growing technology company has been named the winner of the Warwick Business School MBA Scholarship Award 2026. 

Dan Smith, of London, has secured a 100 per cent scholarship to study for an Executive MBA at WBS worth £69,980, while former Royal Navy Submarine Serviceman James Lemont, who is now Head of Business Line Operations at technology firm Skyral, was named runner-up and received a 75 per cent scholarship towards an Executive MBA.  

Dan, Director for Research and Development at Labrys Technologies, was presented with the top prize at the annual Heropreneurs Awards at WBS London at The Shard last night.  

In partnership with Heropreneurs, a mentoring programme delivered by the Forces Employment Charity, WBS offered serving or ex-military personnel, reservists and their family members the opportunity to win a full scholarship for one of its MBA courses. 

The WBS Award provides ex-servicemen with the tools and knowledge needed for the next stage of their transition out of the Armed Forces. 

Dan, who will join the Executive MBA at WBS London at The Shard, said: “Winning this award means a great deal to me. Although I feel like I have learned a lot over the last few years, I have found myself wanting to upskill further.  

"The Heropreneurs scholarship and the structure of the Warwick Executive MBA remove the main barriers to studying alongside a demanding full-time role, so I can reinforce my experience with formal training in strategy, finance and leadership.  

"As a veteran building a defence technology company, I intend to use the MBA to grow Labrys with partners in the UK and overseas, take on broader operational leadership and support other veterans making the same transition.  

"I am grateful to Warwick Business School, Heropreneurs and the Forces Employment Charity for backing me, and to everyone I have served and worked with.” 

In early 2009, a catastrophic parachute accident in training left Dan with multiple fractures to his back and legs, immobilised, and uncertain whether he would ever return to service.  

But after two years of rehabilitation, he successfully completed Royal Marines Commando training before serving in Afghanistan in 2012 as an operational linguist and cultural specialist. 

After leaving the Marines in 2017, Dan graduated from UCL with a first-class honours degree in Statistics, Economics and Finance, consulting internationally alongside his studies on programmes spanning counter-terrorism, counter-trafficking and counter-disinformation. 

As part of the Army Reserves, Dan supported the evacuation of British and Afghan civilians in 2021 from Afghanistan by the US and its NATO allies, before working as a financial analyst at Lazard, the independent investment bank, and joining Labrys Technologies as Chief of Staff in 2022.  

The company has supported evacuation and humanitarian operations in Afghanistan, Sudan and Ukraine, and was named Heropreneurs Tech Business of the Year in 2025. 

From Royal Navy submariner to AI leader

James impressed judges with a career journey that has taken him from the Royal Navy’s Submarine Service, where he served as a submarine medic, to the senior leadership team of an AI and digital twin technology company.  

He said: “I’m really proud to be part of this, and to be recognised alongside someone like Dan. For me it’s an achievement in itself.  

"Some people leave the forces as junior ranks and carry that mindset with them, as if the rank they left with is the ceiling. I left the Submarine Service as an Able Rate, and I hope this shows that rank doesn’t define what you can become.  

"Anybody can keep learning, keep pushing and become far more than their rank once they’re outside. If one veteran or leaver reads this and thinks ‘that could be me’ it’s been worth it.”

Alongside his role at Skyral, James co-founded Submariners United in Business (SUBS), a network that supports former submariners as they build successful second careers.  

Andy Lockett, Dean of WBS and Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, praised both candidates for their leadership qualities and potential. 

He said: “Dan stood out for his resilience, commitment to service, and his ability to apply technology and innovation to complex challenges.  

“His leadership journey, from overcoming serious injury to helping grow a business with international impact, embodies the values that the Heropreneurs Award seeks to recognise.  

“James’ achievements demonstrate what is possible through determination, ambition and continuous learning. His work supporting fellow veterans and his progression from junior rank in the Royal Navy to senior leadership in the technology sector will inspire many other veterans considering their next chapter.” 

The judges assessed finalists on leadership qualities, business impact, future potential and the contribution they could make to the Warwick MBA community.  

Professor Lockett added: “At WBS, we are passionate about developing Change Makers. Dan and James have both shown a remarkable ability to turn their experiences into positive impact.” 

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