Business guru hails inspiring teachers

FORMER Oldham Hulme Grammar School pupil Damian Hughes will become a professor tomorrow.

And ahead of the big day, he has paid tribute to his former teachers who helped and inspired him.

The writer, international speaker and sports psychologist will be made a visiting professor of Manchester Metropolitan University in honour of his contribution to the business world.

The 36-year-old is the author of the books “Liquid Thinking”, “Liquid Leadership” and “Change Catalyst”.

A former Manchester United youth team coach, he was a human resource director for multinational company Unilever, where he led a turnaround in performance, before carrying out similar work in Africa and the US.

Thanking his former teachers, he said: “I will never forget the support and interest from the teachers at Oldham during my formative years.

“The teachers that inspired me were Peter Wood, Bernard Counsell and Andrew Marshall. They all encouraged me to believe in my potential and saw more in me than I saw in myself.

“It is a privilege to be recognised for my teaching and writing about leadership and business. It’s unbelievable timing, I will become a professor on the same day that my fourth book — called ‘Change Inspiration’. — is published.

“A professorship is a title which many people dream of achieving and in my case the title is proof that hard work and determination can be just as important as talent.”

Damian now has his own consultancy, LiquidThinker Ltd, and works with companies to bring about change by inspiring and motivating their staff.

In recent years he has delivered talks, staff conferences and team building for some of the UK’s leading organisations including Vodafone, WH Smith, British Gas, John Lewis, Greater Manchester Police, BskyB and Punch Taverns.

The experienced sports psychologist also works with members of the GB Rugby League team and Olympic boxers.