American School in London Commencement Speech
Thank you Mrs Hester.
Congratulations Class of 2010! This is definitely a Rock’n’roll crowd! I love the music! All I can say: Heavy rotation! I can do that! Especially Anna and Someer.
What a great program today with very impressive speakers.
And a bit daunting to follow. But then I was reminded that:
- U-2 once opened for the Spice Girls
- Jimi Hendrix opened for the Monkees (one for the parents)
-So there is precedent.
this is an impressive group. And it fits with the history of this building
we are in the great hall of a methodist Church:
The dome is the 2nd largest of it’s architectural type.
gandhi, degualle, and the dalai lama have spoken here. Also churchill
“victory is certain, Victory is near.”
it also was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the general assembly of the united nations with 51 countries, in 1946, after the world saw two wars.
the 1st secretary general and the 1st security council were elected here.
only to be topped by andrew lloyd webber’s father who was musical director for 24 years.
So we have leadership, Global thinking and creativity -- which I think match the personality of you, the class of 2010, perfectly.
this is a very special day and it is a great honor to share it with you.
i have tremendous respect for asl. It is an extraordinary institution. It runs like a tight ship, better than most business operations I know.
but it also has a heart. And a deep, deep soul.
And it’s a little like any great school – when you go to dinner parties and somehow you find a way to say – “great shrimp, by the way did i mention my kids go to asl?”
I first became acquainted with ASL 15 years ago when i spoke at this commencement and i was so inspired that i decided to have children so they could come here. now that’s only a slight exaggeration, but you get the idea (mrs hester likes this story).
We now have 4 children here, Middle School and Lower School, which explains why I will be working long past normal retirement!
Yes, tuition can seem a bit high, but hey you get what you pay for and what better investment is there than you?! There is no better ROI.
Actually, one of the best things I enjoy is the school drop off on loudin, where i see the latest models of Ferrari, Maserati and very big suv’s. sometimes, I’m so taken, I forget to say goodbye to the kids.
There are some really important people here today –
all a critical part of your success! and they deserve much credit. this is a team effort!
starting with Coreen Hester, Paul Richards and their incredible staff inspiring us, running the school expertly. Best it’s ever been.
dedicated teachers (and tutors), constantly raising our standards, challenging you.
an amazing college admissions office, who promise to improve on this years 100% acceptance rate.
Impressive group of trustees with our chair, Lori Fields . well represented also today in their role as parents of 2010 (why such good seats!?)
And very importantly, your parents – who love you the most (even more than the dog). They helped you on homework, did school runs, attended what seems like thousands of student conferences + coffees, they are with you all the way. they even learned how to text, instead of calling you.
this is bitter sweet, as you are saying goodbye.
So today, say a special thank you, hug them a little longer. and try to remember all their advice, all those times you were not listening.
Tell them you truly appreciate them. and that you will send money home when you get established in your career.
But today – most of all – this is about YOU, the class of 2010! This is your day!!
and a celebration of all that you have achieved.
Including:-
Academic excellence
Sense of community
Character & leadership! Which is particularly strongwith this class.
you are an immensely talented group. As coreen mentioned, you are diverse, creative and international. Each one of you has a story.
Yes, you are on your own soon, but believe me, you have the best possible preparations to go on. Now you must Internalize what you’ve learned at home and school, you will easily take the next step to unlimited success.
Now before I share some of my personal lessons, let me briefly tell you how i got here.
Actually, I’m not sure how i got here – at least TODAY on this momentous occasion.
I thought it might be my beast job at MTV – producing thought provoking, meaningful and highly intelligent programs like
Jersey Shore (with Snooki and the Situation).
It’s all about G, T, L – Gym Tan, Laundry.
South Park
And of Course - Beavis and Butthead
the family said probably not.
So, Then I thought it might be because of my attempt to allow wine at the prom, but that didn’t work. Or my lobbying for a snow day or two. That didn’t work either.
I finally conlcuded, it was because – well, I was simply available.
So then what? I immediately reached out to Jamie Cook – anyone who spends his free time as a DJ, has to be cool. When I asked him for advice – he said simply
“Bill, don’t try to be charming, intelligent, insightful. Instead, just be yourself.”
I caught some of the awards ceremony on Wednesday – and learned what is really important to you:
Congo lines, German techno, be a child of the universe, keep a sense of humour and how to control your wind.
Dr Richards said it best – it’s good we don’t invite the lower school.
But Jamie also said it was about friends. And how true is that. I just had dinner with my best friend from High School, 40 years later.
My career path can be best be summed up as – unconventional/unpredictable/unplanned.
At one level, it’s about
missiles to music
iron curtain to the red carpet
I grew up in Miami (I know, noone is from Miami) with a single mom, many sisters, and schools designed more for survival than academia. My biggest challenge was trying to pick weaker opponents for the afterschool fights. Which I usually lost.
- Somehow, I got into West Point – the only school we could afford (actually it’s free!).
Graduating with a 5 year military commitment, I stayed 7 years
Went Airbourne & Ranger and signed up for the Vietnam War to experience combat. (too young to think that was a bad idea.)
Followed by 5 years of commanding Nuclear Missile Bases (don’t try this at home).
Mostly in Northern Italy as part of NATO, during the Cold War.
I always had a love for television – it’s power to inform and entertain – so I left the Army, and somehow got into Harvard Business School – and then tried to convince employers it was quite natural to transition from combat & missiles -- to media. I couldn’t so I joined a brand new company, HBO.
I helped build HBO and what was known as cable and Pay TV, into the leading media form.
Which didn’t even exist when I was graduating from High School, or college. A little like an internet start up today.
While heading up the business side of the West Coast for HBO, I had an opportunity – and i took a risk, a BIG one – to start a global business of MTV outside the US, initially in Europe which had no cable or satellite TV.
Starting with one channel, over the years we have built this into 200 channels including MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy, and 20 other brands.
160 Countries / 30 different languages
An audience of 2 billion people
200 channels and 400 digital properties.
And Dora the Explorer, toilet paper, actually Dora everything.
It’s been wild, and fun. But, it’s not true that my job consists of playing the music, choosing the V-Js, debating politics with jon Stewart and hanging in the South of France with Spongebob and Shakira. Actually, it’s been a lot of hard work with plenty of mistakes.
I started with 3 ideas.
1) Creative, relentless distribution – if I wanted MTV everywhere. Every home.
2) A local strategy with content that truly respects and reflects local cultures
1st time this was ever done, combining global strategy with local connection central to my thinking. The flow of culture has become a two way street – it’s not just about importing culture in, instead it’s about reflecting culture out, whether its playing Urdu in India, bringing Kwaito from Kenya to the UK, or having call prayer on MTV’s Muslim channels in Pakistan and Indonesia. It’s about media being a vehicle for cultural exchange which brings us together, breaks down barriers and promotes understanding.
partly inspired by U-2 in “One”
“We are one, but we are different
We are different but we are one.”
3) Thirdly, Make a difference -- with issues that connect with our audience – for the greater good.
We have dozens of initiatives – from Climate change to HIV/AIDS (and neither were issues at high school or college.) We worked closley with the United Nations, NGOs and Governments.
our most visible fight has been with HIV AIDS, one of the worst epidemics in recorded history. 🡪 Our efforts are under the umbrella of “Staying Alive”. What’s “Staying Alive”?
It’s about, well - - About Staying Alive, saving lives, living life positively with or without HIV. We now have 230 grantees in 50 countries.
Building this business --
I’ve loved every minute of it
What’s not to love?
Surrounded by youth!
Surrounded by Youth activism!
Surrounded by music!
And all that positive power and energy.
I Get to hear artists like Nasir Bin Olu Dara Jones (or Nas), who raps:-
“If the truth is told, the youth can grow.
Read more, learn more, change the Globe”.
I’ve been lucky to cross paths with History – which I also love.
Music and Media behind the Iron Curtain, helping to break the Berlin Wall.
Be a part of Tremendous change in China/India/Middle East and Russia.
Which explains missiles 🡪 music
Iron Curtain 🡪 red carpet.
I was able to see 1st hand, that Global music/culture can be more powerful than missiles. Especially with uniting people.
Back in high school, I never imagined I would meet over 30 heads of State, Fidel Castro to Barack Obama. 7 Nobel Prize winners. Nelson Mandela to the Dalai Lama .
Some fun juxtapositions.
Going from 50 Cent on the Red Carpet, to President of Korea the next day.
In Shanghai, Awarding Wonder Girls -- to getting an award from Secretary General Ban Ki Moon in NY the next day (both Korean).
Singing with Bono at a Karaoke bar in Tokyo to sunrise, getting Jay-Z to perform at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.
Paying homage to the Mayor of Mecca for permission to launch MTV Arabia
Onstage with Pamela Anderson in Moscow
trying to match wits on Moutai toasts with cable operators from Mongolia, in a scene from Indiana Jones.
The office is not always in the office.
A Career path is not always predictable.
In Fact, Life is not predictable
- Adaptability is really key.
There were no music channels, no cable TV when I was in High School or college. Nor were they imagined. the same will be true for you 10 years from now.
And by chance, my military experience taught me how to organize a global operation – into small decentralized fighting units around the world. So even that was useful.
Be adaptable, unlike your parents, you are likely to have many different jobs.
I had no fixed plan, except a desire to continue my education, be flexible, see and engage with the world, and jump on the opportunities as they come along.
Now CAUTION! You will get lots of advice. Some may actually be useful! Some not.
I have a top 10, fast MTV style for short attention spans:
1) Love what you do/do what you love. Be passionate. You have to believe. If not noone else will. And stress is much easier if you actually like your job.
2) Take risks, mistakes are OK, especially younger, when the stakes are lower.
3) Work hard, you can make your own luck. Push yourself. Hard work trumps raw talent. Mozart practised every day. Beyonce and Lady Gaga work non-stop.
4) Stay Global. Travel a lot – It’s cheap education ; with NO homework
5) Stay curious – you will never grow old if you keep learning.
6) Learn how to communicate in concise terms. Short e mails, short power point. The world is compressed, Especially for time.
7) Never accept “NO” for an answer and NEVER NEVER NEVER give up.
8) Stand up for tolerance, and what you know is right -- Be Brave!
9) Don’t always hang out with people who are like you. Choose diversity, IT will make you better.
10) Keep character, service, leadership always part of what you do. “Serve with Integrity”
- For the Greater Good.
- The World needs it.
When I met with some of you last month, I was impressed, with how you already knew a lot of this, especially this last point of charcter, service and leadership.
You appreciated
your sense of community and service to others.
You are leaving a great experience, to go on a greater journey.
Think of ASL as a privilege and opportunity.
Use your talents, as this is and opportunity -- and a responsibility -- to speak for those with less voice or less opportunity. You can -- and need to – carry torch and be leaders in whatever area you choose.
Your generation faces challenges:
Economic breakdown
Environment / Oil spills!
Climate Change
Wars
Disease.
And this in turn presents tremendous opportunity for leadership. you have the power of youth use it wisely.
The world needs innovation and creative problem solving.
Just look at the Gulf now.
So let me end by saying
Go Forward, from today –
Make us Proud
Make your parents proud
Most importantly – make yourself proud
as we look into your beautiful faces – with 18 years of images flash by
We see you as our childrend and now young adults.
Loaded with energy. talent and goodness
The world sees you as hope for the furutre
So rememner – we know what you can do.
Fulfil your destiny (remember to have fun).
We will always be with you, no matter where your challenges take you.
There is absolutely no doubt in our minds with your energy & commitment, you will be successful, and will make this world a better place.
With congratulations – now lets get these hard earned diplomas.
Thank you!
