The world of politics has always been an intriguing one to us, so we were especially excited when Sam Gyimah, the Former UK Minister for Science, Technology, Universities, and Innovation, agreed to be on the 40 Minute Mentor.
Sam was born in the UK but raised in Ghana before returning to study PPE at Oxford University, where he was elected the first Black British President of the Oxford Union Society – one of the world’s most prestigious debating societies.
After starting out in investment banking at Goldman Sachs, Sam successfully transitioned into entrepreneurship, working in both Fintech and then a Logistic Training business which he scaled to £10m turnover and 70 staff in a 4 year period. His endeavours saw him voted the CBI Entrepreneur of the Future in 2005.
Following his entrepreneurial success, he was appointed as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister at the time, David Cameron, which was the start of an impressive and high profile political career.
In today’s conversation, Sam shares a wealth of valuable insights from his incredible journey from a comprehensive school education to Number 10 Downing Street.
During our fascinating chat we discuss:
- How Sam’s experience at Oxford University set him on the path for a career in business and politics, despite initially being attracted to a career in law
- What you need to know about working for a high-profile person and how to overcome the challenges of being in the public eye
- Why working in politics is like being in a constant asteroid shower and the core skills you need to develop to survive and thrive in that kind of environment
- Plus we also touch upon his take on how his former colleagues are coping with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sam was a great guest – open and honest, he shared some fascinating insights into the inner workings of parliament and what a career in government really entails.
So whether you’re plotting to enter the world of politics yourself, or simply want to know how Sam came to be known as one of the most influential people in the country, we’re sure you’ll gain a lot of insights from hearing his story.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, so please do get in touch at ku.oc.cmbj@semaj
If you want to find out more about Sam, check out his LinkedIn profile – https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-gyimah/?originalSubdomain=uk
You can find and listen to all of the 40 Minute Mentor episodes on:
