October 31, 2008
October 2008—National Grid, an international electricity and gas
company primarily based in the UK and Northeastern U.S., was the
corporation chosen for this semester’s MBA EIRP class. Executives
Ken Daly, Frank Lombardo and Associate Alicia Small, a former MBA
student of the Tobin College, presented students with the following
challenge: Develop a business case that specifies how the current
focus of National Grid will result in the maximization of
shareholder value.
Since the utility industry is especially sensitive about
advertising increased usage of energy in the wake of the threat of
global warming, students Nicole Klemm, Kanika Bhasin and Colin
Ireland went to work on creating their plan. The result: To acquire
Northeast Utilities--this would increase their customer base and,
in turn, overall power usage. The students also recommended they
convert eligible Long Island residents to heat with natural gas
instead of oil. By implementing geo-pressure energy across 25
sites, the students estimated National Grid would reduce carbon
emissions by 225,000 pounds of carbon annually while producing
225MW of clean electricity.
Student Kanika Bhasin found “This experience to be very
practical. It allowed for the business executives to give us
critical feedback that can only foster our growth after graduation
and serve as an example,” she says.
Nicole Klemm, calls of December 2008, found the project to be
interesting to look at a company from such a wholistic view--to
look at all the “arms of the company.”
“The executives were 100% there to support us and help us
through the process,” she states.
Kenneth D. Daly, CFO of Global Gas Distribution for National
Grid, earned his MBA in Finance from The Tobin College of Business
and has been a part of and supported EIRP for many
years.
The Peter J. Tobin College of Business has provided the highest
quality business education for over eighty years. Many alumni
have risen to senior executive positions in the financial services
community in New York and around the world. Degrees offered
include the Bachelor of Science, Master of Business Administration
and Master of Science. The College encompasses the School of
Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science, which is housed
at the University’s Manhattan location in the heart of the New York
financial district. For further information, please contact
Jennifer Maizel at (718) 990-6218 or email Maizelj@stjohns.edu.