Friday, 25 September 2026 marked a proud milestone for London School of Business and Finance (LSBF) graduates as they gathered at St Andrew’s Church in Holborn, London, to celebrate their achievements. Alongside family, friends, tutors, academic leaders and LSBF staff, they reflected on the work that had brought them to graduation—and the possibilities ahead. 

Throughout the ceremony, speakers returned to a shared idea: a qualification is not the end of a journey. It is a foundation for continued learning, thoughtful leadership and the courage to take the next step.

Principles for a changing world 

Keynote speaker Sir Tim Wilson, Professor Emeritus, offered graduates four principles from his own experience to carry into their professional lives: innovation, trust, resilience, and empathy.  

He argued that evolution of skills is “mandatory, not optional” in a world so prone to technological and social change, but cautioned that to succeed in their careers, graduates must earn and preserve the trust and support of others, learn from their own mistakes and setbacks, and appreciate the work of those around them. Recalling advice that he once received from one of his own mentors, Sir Tim listed ‘Please’, ‘Thank you’, and ‘Sorry’ as the most important three words for a leader.  

Explaining that having the resilience to learn from mistakes helps build strong judgement and wisdom, Sir Tim acknowledged that not everything will always go to plan: 

“Show me someone who has made no mistakes, and I’ll show you someone who has no courage.”

A launch pad for opportunity 

Alumni speaker Dr Austin Entonu, MBE, described graduation as a “starting line”, rather than the end of a race. Drawing on his own experiences of studying with LSBF for his ACCA qualification, as well as for his MBA, and on the career opportunities that followed, he spoke about the confidence, discipline and possibilities education can bring. He told graduates,  

“The qualifications you’ve received today are a launch pad, not a destination. Your degree will not define your future. What you choose to do with it will.” 

As Sir Tim Wilson had done in his keynote address, Dr Entonu acknowledged the pace of change in the world of work and encouraged graduates to embrace uncertainty, recover from setbacks and take opportunities even when they do not feel fully ready. He urged them to be ambitious, courageous and useful, encouraging graduates to apply the knowledge they have gained at LSBF to make a meaningful contribution to their organisations and wider communities.

The people behind the achievement 

This year’s student address was given by Sarah Jane Buttigieg, who reflected on her decision to pursue a Master of Science in Strategic Marketing. Graduating on Friday with distinction, her message to fellow graduates was to keep going, even when things become difficult:  

“There is no single timeline that we need to follow. What matters is that you continue moving forward. Be open to opportunities, challenge yourselves and trust your own abilities.” 

Sara Jane thanked her family, friends and colleagues for their support, as well as Dean of LSBF Dr. Shahnaz Hamid, her lecturers and the student support staff. She made special mention of her dissertation tutor, Mr Cormac Austin, for his unwavering guidance and encouragement.  

Nicola Peters, Head of Learning Quality and Operations for Professional Qualifications at LSBF, proudly congratulated two ACCA graduates and highlighted the years of perseverance and dedication it takes to achieve this qualification, often whilst working full-time.  

Looking beyond LSBF 

Over the past year, LSBF has continued to strengthen its commitment to providing career-focused education for ambitious professionals. Each graduating class contributes to the growing LSBF Alumni community and carries its learning and experiences into organisations, industries and communities around the world. 

The overarching message to this year’s graduates is that this is not the end of their learning journey, but the beginning of an exciting new chapter. As graduates move into their next stage, the skills, relationships and experiences developed during their studies at LSBF will continue to shape their personal and professional growth. LSBF’s Managing Director, Karina Kizhner, summed up the day perfectly:  

"Graduation is the best day in our calendar, and this year was special. Sir Tim Wilson, Dr Austin Entonu MBE and Sarah Jane Buttigieg each showed, in their own way, what an LSBF education can lead to. Many of our graduates studied alongside full-time jobs and family lives, so this moment was years in the making. We're very proud of every one of them." 

Congratulations to the LSBF Class of 2026. We wish all our graduates every success. 

Watch the Graduation Ceremony 

Relive the highlights and inspiring moments from the LSBF Graduation Ceremony 2026 here.