Joint winners take WBS Heropreneurs crown for first time

Whether it is rowing across an ocean or starting a new business venture, the two winners of this year’s WBS Heropreneurs Award agree on one thing: the importance of being prepared.

Now, after notching up nearly three decades in the Armed Forces between them, they will be using an MBA at Warwick Business School to equip themselves for the road ahead.

Both Lieutenant Commander Hugo Mitchell-Heggs MBE, 39, and Nathan Flye, 36, won 100 per cent MBA scholarships at the Heropreneurs Awards ceremony at WBS London at The Shard last night.  

In partnership with Heropreneurs, a mentoring programme delivered by the Forces Employment Charity, WBS offered serving or ex-military personnel, reservists and their family members the opportunity to win a full scholarship for one of its MBA programmes worth up to £69,980.

The WBS Award aims to support the business ventures or innovative projects of members of the military community, providing them with the tools and knowledge needed for the next stage of their career. 

“To win this award is really humbling but I see it as a validation of all the work I’ve put into social impact ventures,” said Hugo, a Royal Navy Marine Engineering Officer Submariner who has twice led a team of Royal Navy submariners to row across the Atlantic Ocean to raise money for military service charities, and in 2022 established HMS Oardacious, a Submariner mental health and wellbeing fund.

“I’ve built these ventures with lots of goodwill but probably inferior business acumen so I’m hoping my MBA will give me the skills and breadth of perspective needed to take things to the next level."

The Royal Navy officer, who is planning to embark on the Accelerator MBA (London), added: “The world is changing so much, and with it the third sector, that in order to make a positive impact you need to be ready with the right skills and tools, the right attitudes and networks. I believe the MBA will help me do that.”

A former British Army officer with 12 years’ service, Nathan started his Executive MBA at Warwick this September, and is looking to apply the structured business expertise and practical insights from the course to his entrepreneurial start-up.

Since leaving the Army in June 2025, he has dedicated himself to shadowlink, a UK defence technology firm delivering resilient fibre-optic communication systems.

“To be affirmed by the WBS selection process and now being able to learn with a world-class institution is an incredible opportunity,” he said.

“The very first module – Organisational Behaviour – is already proving to be very relevant to my own business journey.

“And I have joined a diverse and brilliant cohort offering all sorts of different perspectives. It is the diversity that I wanted – I didn’t want to end up in an echo chamber. I wanted my thinking to be challenged.”

Leadership qualities

This was the first time in the eight-year history of the Heropreneurs Awards that there have been two winners of the WBS Award.

Speaking at The Shard awards ceremony last night, Andy Lockett, Dean of WBS and Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, said: “Because the calibre this year was so exceptionally high, the judges faced an almost impossible choice.

“In the end, it was simply too close to call, so for the first time we are awarding two scholarships.

“One to Lieutenant Commander Hugo Mitchell-Heggs for his extraordinary leadership, his advocacy for mental health, and his commitment to helping others perform at their best.

“And the other to Nathan Flye for his innovation in defence communications, his speed of execution, and his humility in turning service insight into entrepreneurial impact.”

The judging panel, including colleagues from both WBS and Heropreneurs, had used four key criteria in their assessment of the candidates: leadership qualities rooted in values, a credible and scalable business plan, real-world impact, and potential contribution to the learning community they would join.

“At WBS, we talk about Change Makers – people who do not just adapt to change but drive it,” Professor Lockett said.  

“If there is one community that knows what it means to lead under pressure and turn purpose into progress, it is this one.”

Crossing the Atlantic in 2019 and 2022, the Royal Navy rowing teams led by Hugo faced towering 40-foot waves, mid-ocean capsizes, salt sores and sleep deprivation.

“We could only do that because of preparation,” Hugo said. “You have to build teams, build the foundations. You have to train, and drill, so that, when you are hit by that 40-foot wave, you go with it rather than being broadsided by it.

“In all the preparation, you are getting ready not just to survive, but thrive.”  

As the Royal Navy’s Head of Human Performance until very recently, Hugo has also expanded his work from improving resilience in high-performance environments to improving mental health in the organisation. His work with HMS Oardacious too has extended beyond its original vision of supporting the submarine community to inspiring young people across the UK and internationally to learn more about mental fitness and to take up new adventures.

During his time in the Army, Nathan specialised in capability planning and integration, most recently developing a modernisation plan that aligned delivery of a £40 billion portfolio with operational outputs.

“The Army is not just about military hardware. It’s about building capable, coherent teams who maintain the equipment and keep it functioning,” Nathan said.

“If we were a Formula One team, it would not just be about the car and the driver. It would be about the whole team trying to win the next World Championship as well as winning the current World Championship.

“It’s knowledge of these complicated planning challenges that I can bring to my MBA cohort.

“That – and a desire to stir things up a bit. To bring my own different ideas to the cohort.” 

Runners-up in the WBS Award

While Hugo and Nathan picked up the top awards last night, there were also three runners-up who secured substantial WBS scholarships to pursue MBA programmes at Warwick Business School.

Claudine Martin served 17 years in the British Army, retired as a Staff Sergeant, and now supports the CEO of a major financial services firm as a Senior Executive Assistant. She is a PA of the Year award winner, Invictus Games competitor, and veterans’ advocate who mentors young people through the Diana Award.

“Claudine proves that excellence, service, and humanity are a powerful combination,” Professor Lockett said.

Lieutenant Commander Oliver Irvine, Royal Navy, rose from Junior Sailor to Commissioned Officer and has led transformation across military aviation. A Chartered Engineer with a Cranfield University MSc, Oliver has modernised processes and championed inclusive, people-centred leadership.

“His work in uncrewed aviation shows how innovation and empathy can go hand in hand,” Professor Lockett said.

Ian Powell is a former Royal Marines officer turned technology lawyer, now advising global clients on responsible AI and ethical innovation.

“Ian bridges public service, law and technology, helping shape how society harnesses new tools with integrity and foresight,” Professor Lockett said.

Their scholarships can be used for any of the School’s MBA programmes, including the Global Online MBA, which has been ranked second in the UK and third in the world in the Financial Times’ Global Online MBA ranking. It is also rated third in the world by the new QS Rankings.

The annual Heropreneurs Awards last night also honoured achievements in other categories including Heropreneur of the Year, Start-up of the Year, Product of the Year and Technology Business of the Year.

Discover more about Warwick Business School’s Change Makers.