John Lewis Partnership futurologist awarded honorary degree from Kingston University

Posted Friday 19 July 2024

Kingston University has awarded an honorary degree to a futurologist from major retail brand the John Lewis Partnership.

A leader in the field of retail disruption, John Vary is an expert in understanding emerging technologies and spotting future trends. He received his award at a ceremony for graduates from the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Kingston University's Future Skills campaign and for creating opportunities for the University and its students.

Responsible for the Partnership's innovation team, where he explores possible future developments and identifies their potential impact on society, business and technology, Mr Vary is a long-standing advocate for the University's Future Skills campaign. It has been championing the skills for innovation needed by businesses in a rapidly changing digital-first world since 2021.

As part of this work, he has chaired a business roundtable in Parliament and provided written endorsements for the campaign outlining the core skills businesses need. He has also visited Kingston University to deliver a series of talks to students about the future of work and shared his inspirational thoughts with senior academics on the necessity of Future Skills. Encouraging students to reflect on some of the biggest challenges businesses face today, he has co-created inter-disciplinary solutions, including a live brief and hackathon.

Informed by Future Skills campaign research, the University has identified nine graduate attributes most valued by employers. These are being embedded in the curriculum of every year of every undergraduate programme through the roll-out of Future Skills modules.

Mr Vary stressed the importance of these skills in meeting the ever-changing needs of businesses. "Future Skills is crucial because it addresses the rapidly evolving demands of the modern workplace. By embedding Future Skills in its curriculum, Kingston University is preparing students not just for today's jobs but for the careers of tomorrow," he said.

"It doesn't matter where you work and in what industry, artificial intelligence and technological advancements are moving at a phenomenal pace. Traditional skills and knowledge are no longer sufficient in their current form."

During the graduation ceremony, Mr Vary reflected on some of the challenges he faced growing up. Raised on a council estate in Peckham, South East London, he witnessed the harsh realities of violence and crime of the 1990s. At the early age of 11, he worked as a barrow boy on a fruit and veg stall in the local market starting work as early as 4am.

Education was another chapter that he found was filled with its own obstacles. He struggled at school and for many reasons did not pursue further education. It was only in his recent adult life in 2022 when he was officially diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia that he fully understood how this impacted his education.

Reflecting on his late diagnosis, he recounted to graduates how he now sees neurodiversity as a superpower, rather than a barrier. "Neurodiversity had been a significant challenge throughout my life. However, what once seemed like obstacles have now become my superpowers," he explained. "These experiences have shaped me into the person I am today. The process of trying, living, growing, and failing has been invaluable in preparing me for the future."

It is due to his personal experiences of living with ADHD and dyslexia at a young age that he decided to take on a proactive role in mentoring the next generation, including with Kingston University students. "This is a cause that is really close to my heart," he said. "It is something I would have really valued growing up in those silent and dark times of being misunderstood and unsupported in education."

Receiving the news that he was to be named an Honorary Doctor of the University had meant an enormous amount to him. "I regret not going through further education, but I believe that I'm actually ending up where I'm supposed to be - to be on the stage receiving an honorary degree from Kingston University," he said.

He urged graduating students to embrace Future Skills and lifelong learning. "Never cease to evolve," he said. "The path of learning and growth is infinite. Embrace change for it is the only constant in our dynamic world and remember that a mindset geared towards growth and adaptability is your most valuable asset."