Lord Sainsbury with guests at the EIBF Donors’ Dinner: Standing (L-R) Will Averdieck, David Falzani, James Raby, Lord Sainsbury, Ean Lewin, Nigel Wallbridge, Adam Bazire. Seated(L-R) Mike Gansser-Potts, Simon Bonini, Imoni Akpofure, David Weston, William Burton, Henning von Spreckelsen.
Engineers in Business Fellowship (EIBF), the registered charity and fundraising entity of the Sainsbury Management Fellows scheme, is aiming to raise £5 million to start building an endowment fund which will enable The SMF scholarships to become self-funded so that the scheme can continue long into the future.
The fundraising campaign is off to a flying start with over £2 million raised from the Fellows and supporters. To mark this great achievement, Lord Sainsbury hosted a ‘thank you dinner’ for the Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum donors.
Lord Sainsbury said, “I am delighted that the fundraising programme has passed the £2 million mark. This is excellent progress and it means that Sainsbury Management Fellows believe in the scheme and share my ambitions for it. I hope that next year we may see many more SMF donors around the table.”
The SMF community plays a critical role in supporting the development of the next generation of technology leaders for business and social enterprise. It does this by promoting business education for engineers, focusing on innovation, management, and governance and by developing a network of business-focused engineers who identify and illustrate the merits of engineering for the public good.
The SMF scholarship helps the brightest young talent to acquire business skills that enable them to take on leadership positions in industry or to start business ventures that create jobs and growth in the global economy.
Summing up the evening with Lord Sainsbury, Simon Bonini, Chair of the EIBF Fundraising Committee said, “As well as sharing a fabulous meal with SMF friends, donors really appreciated the chance to meet Lord Sainsbury personally and talk with him individually in a relaxed and informal setting. The Donors’ Dinner will now be an annual event going forward.”
As the SMF scheme approaches its 30th Anniversary next year, the EIBF Fundraising Committee has set the next target – to hit the £3 million mark in 2017.
Visit our EIBF page to learn more about the fundraising campaign. If you are interested in becoming a supporter, email the SMF Office.
