Sumedha Sharaff, founder of O&O Beauty, with WBS Dean Andy Lockett

Grad to be back: Sumedha Sharaff, founder of O&O Beauty, with WBS Dean Andy Lockett, ahead of her graduation speech

In front of thousands of new graduates beauty business leader Sumedha Sharaff vowed that while AI continues to revolutionise industries and jobs, the 'human thread' of the Warwick Business School community remains unbreakable.

The co-founder of O&O Beauty, of India, was one of three WBS alumni that gave a speech at the winter graduation ceremonies held over three days at the University of Warwick’s Butterfield Hall.

The ceremonies, which saw more than 1,500 Master’s, MBA and PhD students graduate, also featured talks from Nick Crossfield, CEO Construction Services at building firm Balfour Beatty, and Nadia Morozova, who held senior leadership positions at EY and TikTok before setting up the executive women’s network Chief.

The University of Warwick also handed out honorary degrees to WBS alumni Linda Jackson, former CEO of Citroën and Peugeot, who spent five decades championing electric mobility and diversity in engineering, and Sir Stephen Powis, the former National Medical Director of NHS England, who was knighted for his pivotal role in steering the UK’s healthcare system through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Inspirational: WBS alum Nadia Morozova with University of Warwick Vice-Chancellor Stuart Croft

Sumedha, who is also a Director in her family’s thermal management business Pranav Vikas, co-founded O&O Beauty with two other Warwick alum Mansi Agrawal and Pallavi Sharaff.

The New Delhi businesswoman, who graduated with a BSc Management Sciences from WBS in 2003, said: “As I look at the world today with AI, automation, and technology evolving faster than we can blink, I’m reminded that while everything around us changes, the human things remain the same. Empathy, curiosity, creativity, and connection will always matter. They’re what turn knowledge into impact and ambition into purpose.

“Warwick gave me more than a degree. It gave me confidence, curiosity, and friendships that have lasted a lifetime.

“It taught me how to work with people from all over the world, how to adapt, and how to build something meaningful from scratch. These enduring personal connections are why Warwick continues to mean so much to me.

“I co-founded this women-led brand [O&O Beauty] with two fellow alumni, a reminder that the University of Warwick community does not end at graduation, but it compounds over time.”

Nick, who graduated with a Full-time MBA from WBS in 1994, spoke of his transition from leading rail giant Alstom to driving sustainable infrastructure in energy and defence to his work with Balfour Beatty.

Day to remember: (l-r) University of Warwick Vice-Chancellor Stuart Croft, Balfour Beatty CEO Nick Crossfield, and WBS Dean Andy Lockett

“What drew me to that work is something that Warwick helped instil in me: a belief that ideas only matter when they make a difference in the real world,” he said.

“The combination of ‘intellectual curiosity’ and ‘courage to explore’ that Warwick gave me is what’s guided me ever since – ‘curiosity’ and ‘courage’ will get you everywhere!”

Meanwhile, Nadia, who completed a PhD on the underlying mechanisms of purchase decision-making in e-commerce in 2022, is Chief Analytics & Insights Officer at Enriched Insights, a consultancy she founded after spells as Global Chief Analytics Officer at EY and Head of EU Research & Insights, Marketing Science, at TikTok. She shared her perspective on the power of data and inclusive leadership with graduates.

She said: “Beyond all the amazing discoveries that my PhD research led me to, there was one standout lesson – always believe in what you do. Things may go not as planned and some unexpected challenges may wait for you around the corner, but if you stick to it, you may get even further than you initially envisioned.”

Discover more Change Makers who realised their potential with Warwick Business School.