IRDR student and alumna shortlisted for CIR Business Continuity Awards 2024

Second-year student, Iman Chaudhry (Global Humanitarian Studies BSc) and alumna Pauliina Vesaluoma (Risk, Disaster and Resilience MSc, 2023) are completing their internships at The Holcim Group, a building materials company.

Iman and Pauliina attended the awards ceremony in London on Thursday 20 June, where they were shortlisted for the Newcomer of the Year award.

Commenting on the accomplishment, Iman said:

“I am incredibly honoured to have been shortlisted as a finalist for the CIR Newcomer of the Year award. The entire experience of the awards ceremony, and the internship that led me to it has been incredibly exciting. I am very grateful to the truly remarkable teams at Holcim & Needhams 1834 who have given me opportunities that I don’t think many 20-year-olds are lucky enough to experience. The recognition is a testament to their unwavering support, guidance, encouragement and flexibility in the last year. This has allowed me to balance my academic commitments with invaluable hands-on experience in an industry I still have so much to learn about. Looking to the future, I am filled with excitement and optimism – this achievement has fuelled my motivation to embrace new challenges and opportunities, knowing I have such a strong support system behind me.

Pauliina added:

“It is incredibly exciting to have been shortlisted for this award, as it demonstrated that younger voices are not only recognised, but celebrated within the business continuity sector. Being shortlisted was also a testament to the ongoing support of my colleagues at Holcim who have made me feel extremely valued in my contributions to the team, particularly in relation to our programme focusing on natural catastrophe risk and resilience.

More information

• Find out about undergraduate internship opportunities
• Discover our Master's programmes
• About the CIR Business Continuity Awards 2024

Image: Iman Chaudhry (left) and Pauliina Vesaluoma (right)