MBA Class of 1999 Reunion
MBA alumnus Mano Manikkam shares his experience of running an alumni reunion.
2017 was filled with alumni reunions around the world, from Germany to Leeds to Nigeria. Group leader of the Singapore Alumni Group, Mano Manikkam (MBA 1999), shares his experiences of his most recent event:
MBA Class of 1999 Reunion
Singapore was the chosen destination for the MBA Class of 1999 to have their reunion. It follows a series of reunions held across various global destinations over the past few years, with the most recent event held in Leeds a couple of years ago. This is a continued effort by alumni to ensure that friendships, made nearly 20 years ago, are maintained. There is also the opportunity to network with friends and partners from all over the world.
As a member of the Class of 1999 and the leader of the LUBS Alumni Singapore Group, it gave me great pride and excitement to lead, organise and coordinate a successful event with members of my cohort.
The date was set for the LUBS Alumni Social and Networking Event at the CHIJMES location, which is a historic building complex in Singapore and is located within the Central Area of Singapore's central business district. The event was promoted to alumni through various social media forums including Linkedin, Facebook, Whatsapp and MSN Messenger chat.
15 alumni from 10 countries all over the world attended the event. The group thoroughly enjoyed the event and celebrated their memories of Leeds from over 18 years ago.
Early arrivals 'Meet and Greet'
A pre event social session was organised for the night before the main event, to welcome the early arrivals of the travelling alumni/guests. We had good social interaction over pre dinner drinks at the Fullerton Bay area followed by a sumptuous dinner at a British Indian Restaurant by Boat Quay. We then moved to the banks of the river, where we had after dinner entertainment.
Main Event – Alumni Reunion Lunch @ Harry’s Bar, CHIJMES
Welcome drinks were served as the guests arrived at Harry’s bar. The indoor/outdoor setting offered alumni the chance to mingle in a comfortable setting. Within minutes, the place was buzzing with lots of chatting and laughter (along with endless selfies to capture the moment!!) Lots of old stories were shared for all to reminisce and look back upon. Inevitably there were some serious work conversations and career journeys shared too, which provided new business connections for a number of the attendees. After lunch, we continued into the city for a photo tour of the historic location and also visited the top floor (70th) of the Swissotel Stamford to take in the fantastic panoramic view over the city.
Evening Social – Singapore River Cruise and Dinner
The evening was very special indeed as the team continued their bonding, moving to the Singapore River to enjoy a river cruise. The weather stayed fine and it was the first opportunity for most to explore the city via the river, in a Bumboat. After numerous photos along the banks of the river we arrived at dinner.
Dinner offered a great chance to put our taste buds to the test over local signature dishes, including the famous chili crabs (YUM!) and the famous Jumbo Seafood (along Clark Quay). The dishes kept coming and the group were very happy with the food! We went for further drinks at a number of bars in Clarke Quay and chatted through the night.
All good things come to an end!
Over the next couple of days, most of the travelling alumni gathered in smaller groups to continue their exploration of the city’s many attractions and make the most of their time together.
It was a fantastic reunion that alumni would add to their memories of Leeds. Setting aside personal/family/work time to celebrate the occasion with the rest of the cohort takes a huge commitment and is not a simple matter. The bonding and friendship shown across the group was overwhelming and admirable.
