Templeton Education and Charity Trust 2023-24

Templeton Education and Charity Trust (TECT)-funded activities are central to supporting the college activities of management students and fellows.

This aligns with the aims of the Templeton Education and Charity Trust ‘to advance education in business management’ as well as the Charter of the college ‘to further study, learning, education and research within the university and to be a college wherein men and women may carry out advanced study or research particularly in management studies’. Governing Body Fellow Richard Cuthbertson thanks TECT for their support.

Funding supported a range of activities during 2023-24

Anthony Limburg (DPhil Finance, 2020)

‘I study how the exponential rise of passive investing affects economies. Low-cost index funds have enabled investors to cheaply participate in the overall growth of the stock market, without the need for hiring skilled investment managers. These investments create inelastic demand for assets. In other words, passive investors purchase stocks and bonds without scrutinizing their price.

‘My research agenda focuses on the second-order effects of this trend. In one of my papers I analyse whether public companies try to exploit the inelastic demand by strategically joining popular stock indices. Another paper shows that banks exploit consumer demand for index funds by offering copy-cat products at higher prices.

‘TECT funding allows me to visit academic conferences to present my research, gather invaluable feedback, grow my academic network and represent Oxford internationally. I very much appreciate this support.’

Viktor Salenius (DPhil Management, 2020)

‘I am very grateful to the Templeton Education and Charity Trust for their generous support of my DPhil research, without which I would not be on track to finalise my dissertation as planned. My research examines innovation processes surrounding the transformation of traditional industries toward sustainability and carbon neutrality.

‘In particular, I am studying industry ventures located in the north of the Nordic countries that are pioneering some of the world’s first business models for carbon-free steelmaking and renewably produced hydrogen. These are energy-intensive technologies that need to be commercialised at a large scale in the upcoming decade as part of the fight against climate change.

‘Thanks to the generous support of the TECT, I have been able to conclude my empirical fieldwork as planned. I have conducted interviews with key stakeholders and undertaken fieldwork visits where the pioneering green industry supply chains are located. In this way, I have been able to study first-hand the local community networks and business support structures that are contributing to successful progress in these greenfield investments and innovation projects.’

Atswei Mensah (MBA, 2023)

‘I had an opportunity to attend a Women’s conference hosted by the Metro New York Chapter of the National Black MBA Association. This experience would not have been possible without the generous support of donors of the Templeton Education and Charity Trust. It was an incredible experience to connect with other professionals from financial services, including those from companies like Moody’s and Morgan Stanley, whose work aligns closely with my career in financial risk management.

‘Surrounded by an inspiring group of women, we spent the day engaging in powerful conversations about finding and elevating our voices, understanding the psychology of money, embracing entrepreneurship, integrating AI into our work, and the importance of building community. The sessions were insightful, and the conference provided new perspectives on topics I had previously struggled to fully connect with. I left with an expanded network and a new resolve to cultivate a supportive “tribe” to join me on both my professional and personal journey.’

Saksham Kapoor (MBA, 2023)

‘I used the grant support to partially fund the Switzerland trek co-organised by the Family Business and Office Circle, and the Finance OBN as part of the MBA. As one of the organisers of the trek, our goal for the site visits at various investment bankers, family offices, FMCG and social enterprises was with the goal of introducing 12 hand-picked members to the network we had cultivated. The trek had the goal of helping the students understand the opportunities the finance, family office and social enterprise world offered, along with introducing the firms to the skills and capabilities the students had built within themselves.

‘The funding was vital in helping make the trip more accessible and starting to build a relationship between the industry and the Saïd Business School. We are now working with the school to make the trip a permanent part of the school calendar and helping build deeper relationships for the long term. I am grateful to the trustees for the support they have provided (both financial and otherwise) in this initiative as we look to grow the prominence of the business school in industry.’

Yunus Isik (DPhil Management, 2020)

‘I am grateful for the support I received from the Templeton Education and Charity Trust during the 2023-24 academic year. This funding was important in advancing my work as a DPhil candidate at the Oxford Saïd Business School, where I study impact investing.

‘My research focuses on understanding how investors can support underrepresented founders and underfunded regions to foster inclusive economic growth. With the Trust’s support, I presented my work at several peer-reviewed academic conferences, where I received valuable feedback from top scholars, further improving my research to maximize its potential impact.’

Echika Obijiaku (MBA, 2023)

‘The Templeton Education and Charity Trust (TECT) grant made it possible for me to attend the “Power of You” Conference for Women by the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA)-Metro New York chapter hosted by Morgan Stanley in July 2024.

‘This conference was a movement that encouraged women to embrace their power, pursue their goals, and shape the future of business. I had the opportunity to participate in workshops covering topics such as negotiation, personal branding, wealth management, health & fertility talks for female professionals and leveraging social media for professional growth. It was also a great opportunity to meet incredible women from all around the globe. NBMBAA is a non-profit organization of black business professionals, students, and entrepreneurs. Currently, there are 40 professional chapters throughout the United States With over 13,000 members the organization represents a vast network of minority MBAs worldwide

‘I would like to express my sincere gratitude to TECT for this gracious opportunity given to me to enhance my MBA experience through this event.’

Tyson Rallens (DPhil Management, 2018)

Tyson Rallens received a TECT grant this year supporting his research for his DPhil in Management degree at Oxford. The grant allowed Tyson to travel to a conference at the University of Virginia’s Institute for Advanced Studies of Culture.

Tyson’s doctoral research applies a cultural lens to the domain of software development strategy at Google. Starting in January, he will build on this research, and the themes from the conference at UVA, in his new role as Director for Classical Leadership Programs and Partnerships in the Templeton Honors College at Eastern University.

Tyson says, ‘I am forever grateful to the Templeton Education and Charity Trust for this grant and for the stipend they provided (in partnership with the Clarendon Fund) for the early years of my doctorate.’

Thomas Gibson (MBA, 2023)

‘The Templeton Education and Charity Trust funding allowed me to travel to Cape Town and participate in the “Doing Business in Africa” elective of the MBA course. The experiential subject exceeded my expectations as we spent ten days engaging, learning and understanding about the intricacies of the history of South Africa, the current business context as well as how to appropriately engage with the emerging markets of the African continent.

‘Over this period, we met with business leaders, learnt from world leading academics and attended site visits across agriculture, technology and consulting industries. One of my favourite experiences from the trip was working with local entrepreneurs at a township in Cape Town. Their innovative ideas in restricted environments were amazing to learn about.

‘This time in South Africa sparked a desire to continue to learn and contribute to Africa’s growth story, and following my time in Cape Town, I joined a Nigerian energy startup as an advisor. During my MBA, I’d say this elective was one of my most favourite experiences and I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to attend with the grant – I extend my thanks to the trust for enabling this transformative experience.’