Student profiles

Having had over 25 years’ managerial experience in various roles with both global multinationals and start-ups, I wanted the opportunity to broaden the scope of my practical experience and fill in some of the gaps in the theory behind these practical skills.

I chose the Surrey MBA as it was a really innovative programme. I was impressed with the staff, the campus and the programme structure.

At the time when I embarked on the MBA I was in the process of starting up my new company (Ingenia Technology) so it was actually very beneficial to me. I was able to use the knowledge and applications from  the MBA for creating new business plans, engaging with consultancies, financial institutions and governments, as well as developing a strategy of where to take the company, The MBA process proved invaluable.

The action learning case study was one of the highlights of the programmes. We were given the opportunity to select a live company that has registered with the university and shared with them a particular problem. As a team we investigated the problem and put forward our recommendations. It was a great reflective learning experience and the company asked us for additional help outside the case.

Going forward I think more and more companies will be looking for an MBA qualification to have and it’s never too late to learn. It’s a great opportunity to learn outside your traditional comfort zone and work alongside some great talent.

I decided to do an MBA as my role at Gifford as a consulting structural engineer was becoming more managerial and I felt I needed to add to my technical training in some way. It all came together when I approached my company for sponsorship to do the Surrey MBA.

It was really important for Gifford that the chosen university had AMBA accreditation, which Surrey does.

Both the company and I have benefitted through the study on the MBA. Now I understand how other departments in the company work, such as finance, accounts and HR, having studied some of the aspects of their work. The MBA also teaches you analytical thinking skills, which help with planning and thinking about problems which occur in construction everyday. This is something which I really benefit from in my work.

I also found it really useful on the MBA that the lecturers were all experts in their own field, which meant they brought their relevant knowledge and experience to the lectures they gave us. I really enjoyed my time at Surrey and would definitely recommend the Surrey MBA.