Analogue leadership in a digital world

Hamish Laing
Rowland Scholar
2014 – 2015

Hamish is passionate about sustainability and climate change, and in 2015 Hamish attended the Climate Talks in Paris, which he tracked via a live Google Doc.

He completed his Masters of Engineering at Imperial College London and returned to New Zealand to work with Aurecon as part of ther enewable energy team, analysing and providing design calculations for wind farms.

He now works as as a Renewable Energy Engineer with .

Looking forward, Hamish hopes to hone his skills in the Energy Industry and increase education around the risks of climate change. In his spare time Hamish likes to spend time being active in the outdoors whether it be hiking, cycling, climbing or skiing.

Hamish’s LinkedIn page

What has your Fellowship enabled you to do, explore, or gain that you wouldn’t have otherwise?

Above all this fellowship has given me the opportunity to learn and converse with many people around the world. London is a mixing pot of people and cultures and my masters course and work place both have people from more than 10 countries. In a world of states that threaten to become more inward looking this fellowship has for me been about the opportunity to explore ideas and share perspectives from all around the world.

What impact has your Fellowship had on your ability to lead in the 21st century?

To me, a key aspect of leading is being able to see the big picture and set a vision or direction. This is guided by the sum of our experiences and through the fellowship my experience has been greatly enriched. We live in a more globalised world than ever before and it is increasingly important to have a global perspective to guide decision making. Additionally, the opportunity to study at one of the top universities in the world not only provided skills and knowledge in my field but also the inspiration to tackle new challenges and continue to learn; two things I see as crucial for leadership in a fast changing world.

How do you imagine your Fellowship will impact on your personal and professional growth in the next chapter of your life?

I am looking forward to this fellowship group growing in both numbers and connections. I imagine the conversations, ideas and perspectives that will be gained from this diverse and inspirational group will be invaluable in both my personal and professional growth. I think it is important to build networks of support both personally and professionally and having other leaders to seek advice from, all with different backgrounds, will help me to learn and grow in my field.