Two decades after the ground-breaking ceremony for the Saïd Business School’s first building took place, the Chairman of the Saïd Foundation and the naming founder of Saïd Business School, Wafic Saïd, signed a Deed of Gift for £15 million to the School.

This donation will support the re-development of Oxford’s Osney Power Station into a Global Leadership Centre, a new teaching and residential facility for the School’s prestigious executive education programmes. Featuring state-of-the-art facilities and 121 bedrooms, the Global Leadership Centre will bring leaders from business, government and civil society together with academics from across the University of Oxford to re-imagine the future of business.

Dating from 1892, Osney Power Station has played an important part in Oxford’s industrial history, powering the first electric lighting in Oxford. John McAslan + Partners, which led the redevelopment of King’s Cross station, has been appointed as the project architect.

The ceremony took place at the School on 25th April and was attended by the Foundation’s staff and Trustees and staff of the Saïd Business School.

Signing the deed of gift alongside Mr Saïd were Professor Louise Richardson, Vice Chancellor of Oxford University, and the Dean of the Saïd Business School, Professor Peter Tufano.

Consistent with the values of the School, the project aims to capitalise upon leading-edge thinking on sustainable development to create a building that lives in harmony with its scenic waterside setting.

The target date for commencement of main works is early 2020 with building predicted to take approximately 24 months.

To view pictures from the signing ceremony please click here.