My colleague Dan Cable talks about the value of keeping a personal highlights reel. Mine usually combines the bloopers with the magical moments, but 2025 felt unusually golden from start to finish. There is a lot of anxiety in the world, but I remain blessed by the whole range of things and people - work, family, friends that make the process of sitting down and writing a review of the year more fun this year than for a while.

The year began with genuine professional pride: the SEP programme at LBS helped elevate our Open Programmes to a #1 global ranking in the Financial Times. We also welcomed our 30th Women’s Scholar, made possible by the generosity of an earlier cohort, which felt like a quiet yet meaningful moment of continuity and impact.

Travel wove throughout the year. I went to Belgium with the endlessly inspiring Peter Hinssen, touring the beautiful, stunning, eccentric Apple Chapel. In Denmark, I spoke with the leadership team of the world’s leading pump manufacturer about GLUE—one of those presentations and experiences that will live long in the memory. I got a royalty cheque for GLUE, which was nice! I found myself discussing GLUE in Luxembourg, Cambridge, and Ashridge, and was genuinely honoured to be shortlisted as Best Thought Leadership Speaker of 2025. Closer to home and, in a way, further afield, my novel Seven Dials appeared both online and in bookshops, and the warmth of the reviews made the many solitary hours of writing completely worthwhile. An eminent professor I know described it as “actually good”, which floored me.

More travel: I celebrated my birthday in Rome and had a long weekend in Singapore. Australia brought joy in abundance: the sunset over the ocean air in Perth, the Storm playing in Melbourne, and the Aussie Pink Floyd performing at the Sydney Opera House. At some point, I must share the story of the chicken sandwich I had in Melbourne. It changed me.

I stumbled through music-filled nights—The Boxer Rebellion at Koko, Mike Dawes in Shepherd’s Bush, Steven Wilson at The Palladium, Paul McCartney (watched from a Box), and I felt immense pride hearing Mrs D sing with the RCS at the Albert Hall, as well as at St Albans and Southwark Cathedrals. Albums and records were good with Spotify and Apple Music doing the maths, and the ten most listened to records were: Stephen Wilson, Chelsea McGough, Electric Penguins, The Slow Readers Club, Beirut, Meer, Boy & Bear, A.D.K.O.B, Far Caspian and Stereolab.

There were sporting rituals and cultural highlights: three Crystal Palace matches at Wembley (though two watched from a screen), Richard II at The Bridge, and Wendy and Peter Pan at the Barbican. I did not love Stereophonic in the West End, but am still glad I went.

There were some wonderfully eclectic pleasures: fusing sport and music: the messy nightclub vibe of a World Darts final, Sam Fender at the London Stadium. Other moments: becoming Hogan Certified, hosting alumni at the Festival of Minds, a memorable weekend at Folk by The Oak, Richard Hawley singing under the stars in Regent’s Park, lunch at The Pig at Coombe, and—evidence of some good intentions—joining a new gym. There was also the familiar pain of watching England get clobbered by Australia in the Ashes in December, balanced by a satisfyingly moderate moshing session at The Slow Readers Club in Islington.

I am sure I have missed many things, though overall, a year full of momentum, music, ideas, connection, and more than enough moments worth replaying. Onwards to 2026. Maybe book Two of The Questor series? Hmmm.

ALBUM of the YEAR:
Steven Wilson - The Overview

FILM OF THE YEAR:
Black Bag

SHOW OF THE YEAR:
The Foundation

LIVE MUSIC of the YEAR:
Paul McCartney (December 2024)

BOOK of the YEAR:
Red Rising trilogy (late to the party on this).