King's College London

“There is a big perception that business is only for folks that come from middle or upper class backgrounds, I can tell you I’m none of the above, and I’m an entrepreneur myself now,” says Rita Kakati-Shah, an entrepreneur, diversity strategist and King’s College London alum, recalling the early days of her career in finance. “When I walked onto the trading floor, it was all testosterone. But I stayed. And I made it my own.”

This is one of several moments discussed through the perspective of a stereotype-smashing Business School graduate in the latest episode of Office Hours, a podcast from King’s Business School, which sets out to answer the difficult – and often painful - question: Why do business schools give people the “ick”?

Taking inspiration from a viral student article in The Tab satirising “icks*” at King’s College London, the podcast uses the joke as a launchpad for a deeper conversation about perception, power and who feels welcome in the world of business education.

 

Host Cari Street speaks with Kakati-Shah and Professor Sally Everett, Vice Dean of Education at King’s Business School, to unpack the stereotypes that still linger - of white, male, finance-focused elitism - and what King’s Business School’s new I-LEAD centre for innovation in business education is doing to move beyond them.

“The perception of the business school is decades out of date,” says Professor Everett. “When people say ‘finance bro,’ they’re not thinking of this Business School where over half the students are women, where more than 70 nationalities are represented and where students are actively mentoring young people from disadvantaged schools.”

Professor Everett reflects on her own journey into business education as someone who didn’t study business initially. Kakati-Shah talks about raising children while navigating her return to work, only to discover she was now seen as “unambitious.”

The episode also showcases initiatives developed by King’s Business School’s I-LEAD centre and other institutions that place social purpose at the heart of the curriculum. I-LEAD: Innovation, Leadership, Education and Development is focused on student success and addressing the gaps between traditional academic practices and the changing needs of students, business and society in an equitable, inclusive and sustainable way. The vision is to equip the next generation of leaders with the capabilities and mindsets to tackle global challenges.

Among them, I-GIVE (Initiative for Growth, Inclusion, Volunteering, and Education) - a student-led mentoring scheme for underrepresented schools, real-world assessment replacing traditional exams and partnerships with South London charities supporting women’s empowerment. One segment follows students collaborating with the Bay Tree Centre, an educational charity for women and girls in Brixton, an activity that was organised in partnership with the business school’s Global Institute for Women’s Leadership which focuses on gender equality.

There’s also a candid discussion around radical solutions. Asked what they’d do with a magic wand, Professor Everett answers without hesitation: “I’d make education free”, Kakati-Shah suggests abolishing traditional lectures entirely in favour of experiential learning grounded in reality.

Listen to “Why Do Business Schools Give the ‘Ick’?” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and major platforms.

*Ick: used to express a feeling of shock or dislike that makes you feel sick.