The benefit of experience
“Many of my classmates belong to the C-suite (CEO, CFO, COO) and VP level – there is so much to learn by interacting with executives at these levels.
“I am completely self-funded as my company was, at that time, relatively small and the benefits of the study were not obvious to senior management. I do however benefit from my manager’s support, she understood wholeheartedly what I want to achieve through studying for an MBA and has granted me a flexible work schedule to do it. Something that is essential for success.”
A big investment
“The decision to self-fund is a big one and it’s something that has taken a lot of consideration. I am confident that this financial investment will pay off in the next three to four years. I am gaining plenty of invaluable knowledge around leadership, innovation, strategy and sustainability. I did a concentration in entrepreneurship to try to develop that mindset. I’ve learned how to come up with a business model and make ideas work, going out and securing funds/private equity, approaching venture capitalists and other things that will be useful in the future. “
A biotech business toolkit
“With my experience, background, business education credentials and the additional bonus of the entrepreneurial mindset I feel I’m in a great position.
“We’ve gone out on company visits, spoken with CEOs and learnt about their driving force and the journey of setting up a start-up. I’ve really enjoyed the experience and learned a lot. We had investors listening to our pitch and giving us feedback. In the concentration, we worked with small companies, helping them to develop their platform strategy to grow their business and gain a foothold in the Scandinavian/global market. I could have never gained this experience without this EMBA programme. In the last two or three months I’ve transformed my thinking and outlook. I am sure I can take this forward to realise my future aspirations.”
Networking, Commercial and financial exposure
“One of the draws of the CBS programme was the networking opportunities I would have in this region as well as further afield – there are about 13 nationalities on the course. It’s been fantastic to learn about the different cultures and the different industries too – really eye opening.
“And I’m building up a good understanding and knowledge of the commercial aspects of a business/company. The new theories and models introduced in class, and conversations with my peers, have opened my eyes to new ways of thinking and solving problems. I get to sit with guys with a financial background while solving problems e.g., calculating the value of a company. I can see what are the important considerations while looking at the financial statements, I can see what I would have missed otherwise.”
Feedback opportunity
“I’m proud to have been invited to contribute to the study board as a student representative, giving me the opportunity to provide feedback on issues with the course and contribute to the community in a meaningful way. We meet with the board twice a year in an extended meeting – discussions can be about issues related to the MBA courses but generally centre on the value being brought by the course and improvements that could be made.
“Right now, my focus is on finishing the course. I am one year through my two years and no matter the ups and downs I’m trying to keep that end goal in mind. I am working towards graduation so I can begin to recoup my investment and start to map out my future, something which I am feeling very positive about.”