Business leaders giving back

Investing in the future: Ann Cairns

Ann Cairns’ journey to the top of international finance is a testament to the power of education. Today, as a fierce advocate for social mobility, her support ensures that a student’s background never defines their potential. 

Breaking down barriers
Ann Cairns is a powerhouse of UK business. Beginning her career in the male-dominated worlds of offshore oil rigs and investment banking in the 1980s, she’s gone on to international success. Heading up Mastercard and global finance group TMF are among her many accomplishments. She’s now a fierce advocate for gender equality in the workplace.

Education: The ultimate equaliser
Ann credits education with changing the course of her life. “My husband, Jim, and I both grew up on council estates and didn’t have financial backing from our families,” she said. Today, Ann’s personal history inspires a passionate commitment to social mobility, saying, “My time at Sheffield changed everything for me, I want to give others that same chance.”

Backing the causes that matter to her
She’s now funneling that passion into Sheffield’s students; giving her time as an alumni volunteer to advise and mentor the next generation. She and Jim fund scholarships for 30 disadvantaged and underrepresented young people to be able to access a Sheffield education free from financial burdens. Alongside this, the couple are proud supporters of SITraN, recently donating £250k to the world-leading neuroscience research centre. The gift is set to make a transformative difference to the MND and multiple sclerosis research that's happening there.

Read more about Ann's motivation for giving back to Sheffield

Funding potential: Scott and Caroline Beaumont

Singapore-based alumni Scott and Caroline Beaumont found both love and global opportunity at Sheffield. On a visit back to Sheffield, Scott, Google's former president for Asia Pacific, shares why they choose to give back to their alma mater. 

My time at Sheffield shaped who I am and the path my life has taken. Studying abroad in Madrid as part of my course led me to my first graduate role in Spain. It was there I recognised how the coming wave of new technology would impact everyday lives. My career since, including at Google, has been following that rise. Most importantly, Caroline and I met here  — the biggest gift Sheffield gave me! 

What really defined our time at Sheffield was the international focus; studying and living alongside people from around the world. This experience, which we perhaps took for granted then, instilled the empathy and ability to work with diverse teams that became invaluable life skills. These abilities were key to embracing later opportunities, allowing us to confidently move our family to places like China and Singapore. 

Supporting scholarships really feels like you’re making a difference at a pivotal moment. It goes far beyond just covering costs like books or laptops; we see it as giving bright young people the confidence and independence to dedicate themselves to learning and enjoy a full university experience. 

Being able to connect our personal passion for Parkinson’s research with our strong ties to Sheffield feels like it was meant to be. My own Grandma had Parkinson’s, and Caroline’s mum still has it today, so the fight against it is deeply personal for our family. We were genuinely thrilled to help fund a crucial new scanner for the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, a piece of kit which is helping SITraN’s researchers make meaningful progress.

Seeing that the students and research we fund is having a positive impact resonates strongly. As alumni, we feel proud to be making a positive contribution to the University which contributed so richly to our lives. And it feels special to still be a part of its community after all these years.