Navigating the Carbon Capture Boom, Burçin gains insights through the Executive Certificate Path

In the fast-paced realm of sustainability and carbon reporting, Burçin Temel Mckenna is steering innovative ventures as the Global Head of the Carbon Capture Competency Center at Ramboll, a company specialising in engineering services for heavy-emission industrial facilities. Burcin's trajectory toward excellence took a calculated turn when she enrolled in the part-time Executive Certificate Path to the MBA degree at Copenhagen Business School.

Executive MBA

Burçin’s motivations for executive education

Burçin enrolled in the stepwise approach to the Executive MBA degree to enhance her knowledge base, she explains, "I thought this education could help me to strengthen some aspects that were not part of my background and foundation. I have a PhD and my background is in chemistry and catalysis, so I’ve felt that I needed to round out my business knowledge, especially being in a leadership role.”

The programme's flexibility through the Executive Certificate path has allowed her to navigate her busy schedule, signing up for a certificate when time allows and at other times have the necessary focus on Ramboll’s intensely growing business as well as ongoingly apply the acquired knowledge in real-time.

“I’m focused on providing engineering services for high-emission industrial facilities and business is booming. I knew it would be wise to earn an Executive MBA and the only way it would be possible for me would be through the Executive Certificate path, because the possibility to take breaks has allowed me to focus on the business and utilise the education.”

Burçin Temel Mckenna

Global Head of Carbon Capture, CBS Executive Certificate Participant

She is still relatively new at the company, having been the Global Head of Carbon Capture Competency Center for a year and a half.

“I’m not in a rush to earn my degree and the assignments following each course I complete, allow me to gain a deeper insight into Ramboll and provide the perspective to see where the operational space is and how the company can maneuver in a positive way. This knowledge is helping the business grow faster.”

The Executive Certificate journey

Selecting CBS was a strategic decision for Burcin, she has her BS from Turkey and PhD from the US. Rooted in her long-term residency and work in Copenhagen the past 15 years she now wanted to add more of the Scandinavian context and cultural alignment to her learning experience. She was also very aware of what possibilities for flexibility the educational journey offered.

“CBS has received accreditations and strong ranking numbers, making it one of the best universities - globally too. I thought, why not take advantage of that?”

She began her Executive Certificate journey by choosing her Concentration elective. This is a two-month Executive Certificate that she did while she was the Global Director of Green Cement Solutions Development at FLSmidth.

“Right after completing the Concentration, I ended up accepting a new job offer with Ramboll and so it was essential to take a year off from the executive education to focus on my new role. The learnings from the finance concentration have been highly applicable to my work. I now have a more holistic understanding about optimising profit or increasing revenue and the client base but also about keeping control of costs while bringing innovative solutions to the market," she says.

After a year in her new role as Global Head of Carbon Capture, Burçin was ready to embark on yet another Executive Certificate. From September to December, she studied the Executive Certificate in General Management with focus on analysing the shape and status of the current business and the entities - Managerial Economics, Accounting, Digitalisation and not least Supply Chain.

“Completing the first two Executive Certificates have given me new knowledge as well as validated my managerial instincts, providing a framework to implement strategic decisions. I enjoy analysing my company, which has been part of the assignments, and bringing different perspectives to the management team. Through the assignments I either get reassured that the way we are running things is being done correctly or identify possibilities for change or optimization which is then suggested as part of the implementation plan in the assignment.”

The class size of the programme is small with a maximum of 40-45 participants. These small group settings offer the best possibilities to share diverse perspectives on the application of theory to practice among the participants. The programme design also includes global modules so participants are challenged to adapt their thinking and reinterpret their findings in different settings and cultures. Through case studies, simulations, debates, experiential learning as well as discussions with in-field managers, the modules on campus in Copenhagen are also highly developing and interactive. During the Executive Certificate in General Management Burçin travelled to Silicon Valley with her cohort in connection with the Digitalisation course.

“It’s nice that the CBS EMBA cohort is small because you get a customised experience and a unique possibility to get to know everyone in the class, as well as their workplaces. On top of all the additional learning you get on the study trips, which also allow for you to grow closer to your classmates, through the collaborative lessons and social facets.”

An impactful role with Ramboll

Government policies, incentives, and regulations are playing a significant role in encouraging and enforcing the adoption of carbon capture technologies, financial incentives and carbon pricing mechanisms are key drivers. Burçin’s role sees her addressing the urgent need for carbon-neutral solutions in the heavy-polluting industrial sectors.

“There isn't much time left for companies to avoid CO2 taxes. They need to start acting now. In the industrial sector, the construction of the plants takes time so many companies are in a mad dash. I’m finding my role to be loaded but it’s also so exciting.”

She elaborates on her responsibilities, "We offer engineering services, working closely with emitters, helping them with engineering design for carbon capture units, navigating the financial aspects, and consequently staying involved through the project development.”

Additionally, Burçin is also part of the hiring process at Ramboll for the department.

“Finding the right people with relevant experience is challenging but essential and I’m in the process of finalising the leadership team so that they can continue hiring and growing the business in different strongholds.”

Her expertise extends to abstract thinking that involves multiple stakeholders.

“I’m growing as a leader and CBS has been helpful in this. Analysing numerous parameters and aligning with our company's cultural profile and operational methods, it's not just me in isolation; it's about optimising my entire environment and the teams I work with. So many of these questions have been answered through this education."

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Navigating the Carbon Capture Boom, Burçin gains insights through the Executive Certificate Path

“There isn't much time left for companies to avoid CO2 taxes. They need to start acting now. In the industrial sector, the construction of the plants takes time so many companies are in a mad dash. I’m finding my role to be loaded but it’s also so exciting.”

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