NCL in Action Launch Day: Newcastle

With degrees in politics and history, Martin Farr teaches and researches contemporary history: the history of the present. He's broadcast and published widely, including books and articles on the First and Second world wars; British politics, parties, and elections; the media, US-UK relations, foreign and defence policy, popular culture, Margaret Thatcher, and tourism. 

An energetic introduction to the foundation of confident communication. This interactive session provides immediate tools for staying composed under pressure while helping to discover your authentic communication style. 

Skills developed: 

• Maintaining clear, concise communication under pressure
• Keeping cool when speaking on-the-spot
• Applying the fundamental principles of effective communication across multiple contexts
• Reflecting on, and leveraging, your personal communication style

This workshop will be delivered by Debate Mate, a world-leading communication consultancy, delivering training, events, and digital tools that enable people to speak well and disagree better. 

This interactive one-hour session introduces the fundamentals of change management and why it matters in today’s fast-moving world of work.

Drawing on accessible models and real-world examples, we’ll explore how individuals and organisations experience change differently, and why managing transition is as much about mindset as it is about process.

You’ll have the chance to reflect on recent changes in your own life, identify where you are on the change curve, and discover how developing a resilient, adaptive approach to change can unlock new opportunities in your career. 

Learning outcomes:  

• Understand core principles of organisational and personal change management, aligning with leadership and change modules within the #nclMBA.  

• Begin to identify your own change leadership style, an essential capability for future strategic roles.  

• Recognise how advanced study, such as the #nclMBA, builds on these foundational change skills to support high-impact leadership.  

With degrees in politics and history, Martin Farr teaches and researches contemporary history: the history of the present. He's broadcast and published widely, including books and articles on the First and Second world wars; British politics, parties, and elections; the media, US-UK relations, foreign and defence policy, popular culture, Margaret Thatcher, and tourism. 

Sameena Bashey is an executive coach and leadership consultant with over 30 years of experience in global HR leadership. She is the founder of Sameena Bashey Consulting Limited, specialising in executive coaching and leadership development. Through her work, she inspires leaders to unlock exceptional performance and enhance their impact on their teams, business, and careers.

Previously, Sameena held several Global Executive HR Director roles at General Electric (GE), leading major transformations across multiple sectors, including Oil & Gas, Power & Renewable Energy, Healthcare, and Financial Services (Capital). She left GE in May 2020 to establish her own consultancy, bringing her wealth of experience to support CEOs and executive leaders to navigate complex challenges.

She holds a degree in Psychology, a postgraduate diploma in Human Resource Management (FCIPD), and an MBA from Newcastle University. Sameena currently serves as Chair of Newcastle University’s MBA Advisory Board and sits on the International Advisory Board of the Business School.

Adrian Orchard is a Director in the Ministry of Defence.

His career started in the Royal Navy as a Fleet Air Arm pilot flying the Sea Harrier from aircraft carriers. Ade later commanded a Royal Navy Harrier squadron where he was awarded the OBE for leadership, and throughout this first phase of his career he was involved in the conflicts in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Ade has also held a liaison role in Washington DC at the Pentagon where he was responsible for championing the US-UK relationship on aircraft carrier cooperation. He returned from this role to command the 3,200 military and civilian personnel at the Royal Naval Air Station at Culdrose in Cornwall, including being deployed to support Sierra Leone during the Ebola crisis in 2015.

Leaving uniformed service and joining the Civil Service, he spent 2 years at Sellafield in Cumbria, leading one of their major projects supporting the nuclear decommissioning effort, before re-joining the Ministry of Defence in August 2023.

Sarah joined Lloyds Banking Group in 2012 and led the product management and development of a number of General Insurance product lines. 

In 2016 she became the Business Support Manager for the General Insurance & Protection Director and then led the Motor Insurance business from the end of 2018, adding to that the Commercial Insurance business a couple of years later.

She joined the Group Sustainable Business team in 2021 leading on external stakeholder and internal colleague engagement, before moving into the role of Head of External Engagement, where she has been actively managing and developing external relationships, leading on Board and Executive training and helping to drive forward the Group’s sustainability strategy. 

Sarah gained her MBA from the University of Strathclyde Graduate School of Business in 2004, having started her studies whilst working for Standard Life Assurance Company as a Graduate Management Trainee.