Hannah Pring is one of these people. For her, the opportunity to support others, whether that’s working mothers or those affected by the war in Ukraine, was part of her motivation for undertaking the King’s Business School Executive MBA.

In March 2022, Hannah found herself taking a journey that would renew her sense of social responsibility. As news of the chaos following the Russian invasion of Ukraine unfolded, Hannah and her colleagues were driven by a desire to help those whose lives had been dislocated. They mobilised quickly, and not only did they collect aid for Ukraine, but they delivered it themselves. After a gruelling 40-hour journey there, and 40 hours back, she and her colleagues distributed vital supplies for affected people, including blankets, food, and clothes.

Yet the journey was not a moment of pride for Hannah. Rather, it left her humbled by the gravity of the situation and her feelings were not of satisfaction, but of deep reflection.

This strong sense of social responsibility has been a constant in Hannah's life, ingrained in her from a young age through fundraising at school. When Hannah started studying law at university, she secured a job as a paralegal through a professor. This experience made her realise that success often depends on who you know, rather than just your skills, motivating her to advocate for a fairer professional environment where talent is recognised regardless of background.

“I've always believed that anyone can achieve anything” she said, “the reality is that many people are held back by societal structures. Despite claims that success is only based on merit, these structures often hinder individuals from reaching their full potential.”

Inspired by this ethos, and by so many working parents she has met, Hannah went on to create and host “Miracle Working Mums”, a podcast she founded to champion individuals beyond the boardroom, share the challenges women have faced, and demonstrate that women don’t need to make sacrifices for either family or work to have it all.

Heading up compliance

After completing her degree, Hannah worked her way up through regulatory and compliance roles and is currently Head of Compliance at Lockton Companies, the largest family-owned insurance broker in the world.

“People have an idea of what insurance is… my role is so exciting, we insure airline fleets, satellites, and energy infrastructure, you name it! Whenever something happens in the world, I know it means an eventful day in the office.”  Hannah is ultimately responsible for ensuring Lockton’s compliance with laws and regulatory requirements.

Tailored learning and network expansion

Motivated by the desire to bridge the gender gap in professional spheres, Hannah began considering an Executive MBA in 2014 after being inspired by a TED talk highlighting the importance of hard skills and business acumen for women. “Doing extra training is good, but the real chance I had at getting ahead was by putting all my energy into turning the business of my company into my business.”

Hannah chose an Executive MBA at King’s Business School for three main reasons. The first was to do with how the programme is structured and tailored to accommodate her demanding schedule. She liked the flexibility afforded by the King’s Business School Executive MBA’s format, particularly the intensive weekends. These ensure she remains on track with her learning without compromising her professional commitments.

“It’s the ideal balance, allowing me to delve deep into coursework without impeding my work responsibilities,” she said.

The second reason was her desire to cultivate a diverse network outside her existing circles of former and current colleagues. She says of her classmates: “when we are running ideas past each other, we’re providing truly honest and unbiased feedback, which is incredibly useful to have – it’s an invaluable network. And we’ve done this in the classroom, and outside of King’s too.”

Finally, the cherry on the top of the King’s Executive MBA was that she was able to also secure funding after being awarded the Women Excelling in Business Scholarship.

Beyond theoretical knowledge, Hannah viewed her Executive MBA journey at KBS as an opportunity to tangibly improve her skills and apply them in practical ways. She is already finding that her learning is transforming her day-to-day: “I have always put together strategies as part of my role, and I’ve now got a toolkit that will not only improve the plans I’m putting forward but make it far quicker to do so.”

She is surely also having a deep impact on her peers: “I think I can be quite outspoken, and with that, I bring a tone of experience to the table and a lot of passion to back it up.”