Henley marks 25 years of the John Madejski Centre for Reputation with flagship conference
Former UK Prime Minister Baroness Theresa May delivers keynote address.
Henley today celebrated the 25th anniversary of the John Madejski Centre for Reputation (JMCR) with a major conference, bringing together influential voices from government, academia, business and the nonprofit sector to explore the theme: “Building connections and reducing polarisation”.
Hosted at the Greenlands Campus in Henley, the milestone event highlighted both the Centre’s long-standing impact and its future-facing research agenda. Attendees engaged with expert perspectives on how organisations can strengthen relationships, build trust and navigate an increasingly polarised world.
“Today is a really special day and it marks a quarter of a century of impact. Success in business and in life is built on trust, a good reputation and good relationships and the Henley Business School helps leaders to build trust and communicate for impact. It is great to be part of the centre and celebrate its successes with governments, nonprofits and multinationals.”Sir John Madejski, OBE
“I am really proud of the research and partnerships we have built over the years. It has been a privilege to work with such talented students and colleagues. In a world that is increasingly polarised it is motivating to be doing work on how we can build positive identities, reputations and relationships”Professor Kevin Money, Director of JMCR
About the John Madejski Centre for Reputation
The JMCR is a globally recognised research centre dedicated to advancing the understanding of reputation, stakeholder relationships, responsible leadership and impactful communication. Its work informs leaders across sectors exploring how reputation drives sustainable behaviour, supports resilient business models and enables communication for meaningful societal change.
The conference featured a distinguished line-up, including:
- Baroness Theresa May, former UK Prime Minister, delivered the keynote address on realigning the values of service and power to strengthen connection.
- Sir John Madejski OBE DL D.Litt shared insights from his life and his belief in building meaningful relationships and reputation.
- Professor Tom Oliver discussed the lessons ecological science offers for collaboration, sustainability and societal cohesion.
- Petrina Pakoe, Director of the Peninsula School Feeding Association (South Africa), presented a case study on how reputation research has supported deeper community relationships and wider impact.
- Gary Leboff, leading coach and performance psychologist, offered guidance on sustaining positive personal and organisational change.
Across more than two decades, the JMCR has developed a substantial body of academic research and a series of practical, real-world projects that support organisations in building trust, strengthening stakeholder relationships and drivingpositive societal impact.
Its applied work includes the development of relationship-based models used by companies, governments and charities globally, including an engagement with not-for-profit organisations in Cape Town, which helped inspire the creation of JMCR Africa in 2023.
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