It also encouraged me to use plain English. That has certainly stood me in good stead for a career at an international law firm, where clients frequently present you with difficult legal and commercial problems to which there is no clear-cut textbook answer, and English is often not their first language.

It also helped enormously that I was able to meet such a diverse range of people; I became much more aware of different cultures and perspectives.

Leadership demands the ability to listen and take on board input from others. Before I went to Bristol, I probably had a tendency to focus only on what I thought, rather than what other people thought too.

Good leaders also need good planning and organisational skills – the ability to manage time effectively and have a clear strategy as to what needs to be done and who needs to help you do it.

I’ve probably developed in these areas most since leaving Bristol, although while there I certainly grasped the principles.