LISTEN: Arden University's vision for tomorrow
Pictured (L-R): Dee Kanco-Hammond, Dilshad Sheikh and Sophie Poduval-Morrell
Welcome back to the latest episode of The Future Faces Podcast, the official podcast celebrating the talent, drive, and successes of young professionals across Greater Birmingham and the West Midlands.
In this episode, host Sophie Poduval-Morrell highlights the legacy of the BYPY Awards and introduces an exciting new partnership with Arden University, this year’s headline sponsor. In October, one outstanding young professional will be crowned Greater Birmingham Young Professional of the Year 2025 – and, for the first time, will receive a fully funded Executive MBA from Arden University as part of the prize.
The episode features in-depth conversations with Professor Dilshad Sheikh, Provost and Chief Academic Officer at Arden University, and Dee Kanco-Hammond, Head of Risk, Governance and Reporting at St. Mungo’s and Arden Executive MBA graduate. Together, they explore:
- The value of executive education in accelerating careers.
- Arden University’s mission to widen access to higher education and equip students with practical, employer-driven skills.
- How the Executive MBA combines academic excellence with real-world application, accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).
- Personal stories of balancing study, career progression, and family life.
Professor Sheikh shared Arden’s vision: “Our goal is to future-proof the careers of our students by embedding practical skills, industry insight, and professional accreditation into every programme. The Executive MBA is our flagship course, designed to produce confident, capable leaders ready to take on tomorrow’s challenge.
Dee Kanco-Hammond, who completed her Executive MBA at Arden, added: “Studying at Arden gave me the confidence and practical tools to progress in my career while balancing the realities of being a full-time working mother. If I can do it, anyone can.”
You can get in touch with Dilshad via LinkedIn, and Dee via LinkedIn.
Alongside the headline sponsorship, Arden University will also sponsor the Charity and Social Impact Award at this year’s Greater BYPY Awards, further underlining its commitment to empowering the next generation of leaders across Greater Birmingham.
The Greater Birmingham Young Professional of the Year Awards 2025 will take place in October, bringing together business leaders, young professionals, and employers from across the region to celebrate talent, ambition, and impact.
You can listen and subscribe to Future Faces: The Young Professionals Podcast now on the following listening platforms:
