Saïd Business School appoints first Poet Laureate, Dr Athol Williams

Dr Williams is a Senior Fellow of Management Practice in Strategy at Saïd Business School and an established South African poet. 

23 March 2026

Dr Williams said: 'Compassion, judgement, connection, are going to become more critical for leaders [...] Poetry is a powerful resource that leaders can draw on.'

Professor Mette Morsing, Interim Dean of Oxford Saïd, commented: 'Poetry pushes our students to wonder about 'reality', bringing tacit assumptions to light, and engaging curiously with worldly ambiguity.' Continue reading on the Saïd Business School website.