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Tributes to 'untiring advocate' Lord Sainsbury

Published

The community of Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, has shared its thoughts and respects in memory of Lord Sainsbury, a founding benefactor.

The School is marking its 25th anniversary this academic year and the generosity and support of Lord Sainsbury, who died on 14 January, aged 94, was a driving force behind our creation.

Sue Dopson, Interim Dean and Professor of Organisational Behaviour, said: ‘I would like to express the condolences of everyone at Oxford Saïd to Lord Sainsbury’s family and to highlight the pivotal contribution he made to our development. This academic year we appreciate the debt of gratitude we owe him for his outstanding generosity as we mark our 25th anniversary.

 

 

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Lord Sainsbury

Our students past, present, and future have and will continue to enjoy using the outstanding Sainsbury Library for business and management at our sites in Park End Street and Egrove Park (pictured). We also extend thanks for his work, through the Linbury Trust set up with his wife Lady Sainsbury CBE, in supporting the Linbury Scholarship, which, since 2018, has provided a unique opportunity for UK-based professionals in the arts, heritage and cultural sectors to study at Oxford Saïd. We thank Lord Sainsbury for his enormous support in helping us achieve our aims as a School and once again extend our thoughts and sympathies to his family.’

Oxford Executive MBA student, and Linbury Scholar, Adam Blanshay, is among those who have benefited from Lord Sainsbury’s support. Adam is Producer and Founder of Adam Blanshay Productions Canada/UK and co-producer of the show Moulin Rouge, which in 2021 won ten prestigious Tony Awards, and has recently opened in London’s West End.

He said: 'I am extremely saddened by the passing of Lord Sainsbury. His generosity has had a direct and lifelong impact on my life and career and without his support I would not have had the means to study at Saïd Business School. His legacy will live on through his philanthropy and the countless lives he touched. I am committed to producing works of excellence in the UK and abroad in his loving memory.'

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Wafic Saïd

Wafic Saïd, the School’s naming founder (pictured breaking ground at Park End Street), praised Lord Sainsbury as an ‘untiring advocate’ of Oxford Saïd.

He added: ‘Lord Sainsbury was a tremendous supporter and great benefactor of the Saïd Business School and his advice as one of the founding Trustees of the Said Business School Foundation was invaluable. I will always be very grateful to Lord Sainsbury for generously supporting the Business School in many ways, including funding the Sainsbury Library which is located at the School and is solely dedicated to business and management. I shall miss him not only as an outstanding supporter but more importantly as a true friend.’