Ian Kaigwa Wamala graduated with a first-class degree in Business and Management from Kent Business School in July 2026. Here, he reflects on the experiences that shaped his time at Kent – including a KBS Challenge project that led to a paid summer placement with Barretts Kent – and his ambitions for the future.
1.Why did you choose to study Business and Management at Kent Business School?
“I want to have a company of my own one day. Although I live in the UK, my grandfather is a businessman in Uganda, and he has been my inspiration since I was young. Business and Management was the closest match to those aspirations.”
2. Which projects or experiences stand out?
“My first project was with a startup events company called EventsMeetsWorld. Adedapo Dalley, the founder, was very supportive and took me to some of his pitches, where I met other startup founders pitching their ideas to investors. I can’t thank him enough for that experience.
For the KBS Challenge, I did a consultancy project for one of the largest independent motor groups in Kent, Barretts of Kent, a family-owned motor group with seven franchises across the county.
We developed a framework to help them understand their marketing performance more clearly. When we gave our recommendations, the Barretts representatives were very attentive and called us back for a meeting to discuss implementation. It gave me real confidence that I have unique perspectives to contribute.”
3. Tell us about the placement at Barretts?
“Over the summer, my project partner, Rafael Owusu and I completed a paid placement with Barretts. Their marketing activity spans a range of channels, with performance data held across platforms, agencies and systems. I led work to bring this information together into a framework that could show conversion, attribution and return on investment, helping the business make better-informed decisions about marketing spend.
I led the project and set its direction; mapped the data journey through discovery sessions with marketing and data teams; and met senior leaders to understand the information they needed. We defined headline KPIs and developed a performance framework covering all seven sites, before presenting recommendations for Barretts to considers ahead of a move to a dedicated analytics platform.
I’m proud to have built something useful and seen how an organisation of this scale really operates.”
Barry O’Donoghue, Franchise Director at Barretts JLR and a Kent MBA alumnus, said: “Great work Ian Kaigwa Wamala and thank you to Khawar Naveed Bhatti for putting the programme on and introducing us.”
4. Were there any lecturers or modules that made a significant impact?
“Learning how Python works with Ricky Mak and how to programme your own models stands out.
During the entrepreneurship module, our marketing team wanted to include extra features in our ad campaigns which would have affected our profitability. I shared the impact with the team, and together we negotiated a reduction in ad spend. It showed me how important it is for teams to work together.
Asking practical questions of lecturers who had worked in investment management, banking and finance, and consulting gave me insights you wouldn’t find in a textbook. Special mentions must go to:
- Khawar Naveed Bhatti for setting up The KBS Challenge. It was the most practical part of my degree and led to a paid summer placement.
- Sue Tarrant for helping us understand Business Law.
- Epameinondas Katsikas for giving me the push to aim for higher grades in first year.
- Odafe Egere for helping us explore our entrepreneurial mindsets and helping us develop our ideas.”
6. How does it feel to be graduating with First Class Honours?
“It makes me so proud. I set out to get the highest grade possible, and for every assignment I asked my lecturers what was required to get a first. I’m glad to have achieved that, and I’ve now set a new standard for myself to reach for the stars.”
7. Which industries or roles are you keen to explore?
“I see myself being an industrialist one day, creating value from the natural resources that are abundant in Africa. But first, I’ll be working in consulting, helping companies use data to make better decisions and make processes more efficient and robust. The chance to bring a fresh perspective and come up with creative solutions to complex business problems is really exciting to me.”
8. What advice would you give to someone starting a Business and Management degree at Kent?
“Take advantage of as many extracurricular projects, challenges, activities and societies as you can. They move you from theory to practical skills, and those practical experiences, which are in abundance at KBS, will help you become career and business ready.”
Find out more about studying Business Management at the Kent Business School:
Business Management (Canterbury campus) January 2027 Entry
Business Management (Canterbury campus) September 2027 Entry
Business Management (Medway campus) September 2027 Entry