Blue Sky Alternative Investments Founder and MBA Mark Sowerby has become Bond University’s newest Honorary Adjunct Professor at Bond Business School on the Gold Coast.
Mr Sowerby built Blue Sky from a small Brisbane start-up into an ASX-listed company with a market capitalisation in excess of $500 million and more than 80 staff.
He was Queensland’s first Chief Entrepreneur In August, was recognised as Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year for Queensland in 2015 and received the University of Queensland’s Alumni Excellence Award.
“Mark has already made a valuable contribution to Bond on many fronts, and we look forward to formalising our relationship with him,” Executive Dean of Bond Business School Professor Terry O’Neill said.
Professor O’Neill said the appointment was a win for the university’s business school, describing Mr Sowerby as an outstanding role model for students.
“His reputation as a pioneer and innovator is an excellent fit with the Bond Business Commercialisation Centre and our Entrepreneurship Program,” he said.
“He is currently personally mentoring one of our students, has been a generous supporter of our Indigenous Scholarships Program for many years, and regularly welcomes Bond students in internship and work placement roles in his Blue Sky offices in Australia and New York.”
Mr Sowerby said the professorship was an opportunity to engage more deeply with the university, its students and alumni.
“I continue to be very impressed with the quality of education on offer at Bond University, the calibre of its students, its research and close ties to industry, and its absolute commitment to give back to the community,” he said.
“I’m also very excited by the work Bond is doing around entrepreneurship, and look forward to working with the University to help build more and stronger pathways for young entrepreneurs from university to industry.
“I am a firm believer that investing and mentoring in young start-ups is crucial to successful growth, especially here in Queensland, and as Honorary Adjunct Professor at Bond I will have an even greater opportunity to do this in the future.”
