City Graduates Celebrate With Piper-Led Procession Through Spitalfields

PROUD graduates celebrated their success with a piper-led procession through London’s Spitalfields yesterday.

Fifty-three MSc and MBA graduates from GCU London – the post-graduate campus of Glasgow Caledonian University – made their way down Fashion Street from the university’s campus to Christ Church Spitalfields where the graduation ceremony was held.

Flanked by family and friends, the new graduates’ hard work paid off as they were awarded their degrees by Professor Pamela Gillies, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of GCU.

Speaking after the ceremony, Stephen Holt, Head of GCU London, said: “I’m delighted to see so many graduates here today, celebrating their successes over the past year. They have worked exceptionally hard to be get to this place and I’m very proud of each and every one of them.

“I wish them a lifetime of success in their careers and am glad that GCU London was able to play such an important role in their futures.”

Graduates also got a glimpse of what the future holds for them as they watched Arcadia chief executive Ian Grabiner accept a lifetime achievement award and honorary professorship from Professor Christopher Moore.

Mr Grabiner is the right-hand man of Arcadia chairman Sir Philip Green and controls the day-to-day running of Arcadia Group. He started his career in fashion in 1977 as a trainee manager with Littlewoods.

Of his award and honorary professorship, he said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have been awarded this accolade and am thrilled to be attending the graduation ceremony at GCU London as the industry’s stars of the future collect their degrees.

“There is so much talent among the students at GCU London and I’m excited about what they have to offer to the industry.”

Speaking about Mr Grabiner, Stephen Holt said: “It was a real honour to have Ian attend graduation with all the students and speak to them about his experience in the industry.

“He is a real inspiration to our students, particularly our Fashion and Luxury Brand graduates. Ian has been a major figure in the fashion and retail industry for years and I have no doubt that many of our fashion business and marketing students look up to him with a great deal of admiration and respect.”