Participant profiles

What is your professional and educational background?

Technical Architect with over 12 years of experience in Engineering and Information Technology. I’ve worked across multiple sectors and organisations.

I was part of the ExxonMobil East Area Project (EAP – one of the largest NGL processing platforms in Africa), part of the Saipem (ENI Group) Subsea Engineers that designed and built the $16 billion Floating Production Storage and Offloading facility for Total’s Egina oil field project (biggest FPSO in Africa). I was also part of the Deloitte Canada Team that designed, built and supported the rapid development of the Covid-19 Vaccine Administration and Compliance Platform for the BC Government of Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada.

I graduated with First Class honours in Engineering from King’s College London and a Master’s in Process Systems Engineering from Imperial College London, in 2010. I also completed a research program with a publication in a research board journal at Dalhousie University, Halifax.

What is the most exciting thing about your work?

The most exciting thing about what I do is the fact that I get to work on multiple projects that are extremely important, time-sensitive, high-value and impactful. Either contributing to meeting mankind’s energy needs while safeguarding the environment or providing technology solutions and digital transformation initiatives for multinational organisations, I always feel a sense of belonging and accomplishment after the delivery of every project I took part in.

What attracted you to Cambridge Judge Business School and the Executive MBA?

The University of Cambridge was my first and only choice. I chose Cambridge because it is considered one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the world. I want to meet with like-minded, exceptional, and accomplished professionals from different backgrounds. Also, as a graduate of Cambridge Judge Business School, I will not only become a part of the University, gain access to a lifetime membership of the student union, or get an MBA degree to be proud of, but also, I will have the opportunity to participate in the university’s global alumni networking events, activities and elective education at the Business School even after my program. This alone is worth more than the cost of the Executive MBA program. In addition, it is very important I remain at work full time while studying for my Executive MBA program and the Cambridge Judge Business School has a schedule that fits perfectly with my work plans.

What are your career ambitions in the long term?

I intend to be the best I can be. I hope to continue making a difference in whatever capacity and area of life I find myself in.

Presently, I am at the peak of a technical career path. I work as a Technical Architect with a reputable international company, and I also manage a Canadian-based not-for-profit technology platform that provides technical training, which assists with the development and empowerment of the Black, Ethnic Minority Community within Canada.

For my primary career plans, I hope to continuously grow my consulting skills and ed-technology platform globally and I expect my EMBA to provide me with the necessary education, skills and network that will position me to become the CEO of one of the most impactful technology-driven platforms that transform lives and propels the under-represented talents into the workforce.

Ultimately, my long-term career ambition is to become an Ambassador, Advisor or accept a minister position within the Nigerian Government Sector. In that way, I believe I will be most successful in serving my country and the world at large through the dissemination of knowledge, helping to grow developing countries and preparing future citizens for exciting challenges and new developments.

What is your professional and educational background?

I am a Fund Manager with 20 years’ experience in financial markets. I manage a variety of portfolios for clients including investing in hedge fund mandates. In my role, I focus on macro and asset allocation. Prior to Cambridge, I studied finance as an undergraduate and postgraduate and completed the CFA certification.

What is the most exciting thing about your work?

The fast-paced nature of what happens in financial markets and intellectual rigour it requires. One is never bored! Figuring out how the world works and what to do about it, whilst being held accountable of the returns of the strategy is the name of the game. It’s a high stakes, high pressure but rewarding role! It’s an area where women are severely underrepresented and where role models are so important.

What attracted you to Cambridge Judge Business School and the Executive MBA?

The diversity of background of the cohort and the legacy of such an esteemed university! Many things have happened in 8+ centuries but Cambridge University is here just as glorious, just as beautiful. It’s an incredible place to call my academic home!

What are your career ambitions in the long term?

Leading multi-asset investment teams as a CIO and later C-suite vision and implementation.

What is your professional and educational background?

I have worked across the private and non-profit sectors to solve some of the world’s most challenging problems including income inequality and modern slavery in global supply chains where millions of workers are victims of forced labour. I was trained as a Chartered Accountant specialising in financial reporting and business strategy. After receiving an MSc in International Development from the London School of Economics, I have spent the past decade turning my business expertise to work in the non-profit sector. I previously worked for UNDP, a national think-tank, and most recently with Oxfam, an anti-poverty charity, based in Asia, the UK and US.

What is the most exciting thing about your work?

Cross-sectoral collaboration! The critical challenges society faces – particularly rising income inequality and climate emergency – increasingly require the business, government and non-profit sectors to work together to create lasting solutions. For example, contrary to popular belief, modern slavery is rife in the global economy. This year, the International Labour Organisation estimated that fifty million people are living in modern slavery—and worryingly the number has risen significantly over the last five years. Women and children are the most vulnerable groups.

This is totally unacceptable, given the advancement in technology and the grand promises of globalisation. I’m always looking for innovative ways to tackle such challenges, which require changes in public policy, improved transparency and effective collaboration among stakeholders.

What attracted you to Cambridge Judge Business School and the Executive MBA?

Three things: CJBS’ faculty’s expertise, diverse cohort, and favourable timetable. During my EMBA interview, I made it clear that I didn’t just want a traditional MBA where we will continue the current path towards un-sustainability. I found that the CJBS faculty consists some of the world’s foremost experts on the topics of sustainability and strategy. I’m very keen to explore my research interests through my individual and team’s projects. Secondly, I was attracted to the diversity and global nature of the EMBA cohort. I wanted to hear and share diverse perspectives on today and tomorrow’s management challenges from across the globe. Finally, we are all busy executives! The CJBS’weekend format enables me to balance my study with other life commitments.

What are your career ambitions in the long term?

To keep finding innovative ways to improve the lives of people in our global economy through leadership roles in the private sector or international non-profit organisations and potentially finding my own start-up to work with, advise and collaborate with other leaders to create positive changes amid current and future global disruptions.

What is your professional and educational background?

My career really started in Scotland in 2009, when after long years of studying in the UK and working in the industry I qualified as an architect with the ARB. As this coincided with the aftermath of the 2008 recession, I decided to diversify. My completed MSc degree in project management offered me said diversification, and helped me to start in the prestigious leadership graduate scheme at the Royal Bank of Scotland During my almost 10 years at RBS I worked with and led numerous teams, projects and programmes of work, that all had large technology components. Following the UK’s “Brexit” decision, my family and I decided to move back to Germany where I wanted to explore the German FinTech start-up Scene. My experience as a programme manager allowed me to establish strong IT teams and has led me to my position at Zalando today.

What is the most exciting thing about your work?

Working in a well-established company such as Zalando that has very clear and strong values which it absolutely follows, is great. We value diversity and freedom to bring our best self to work. This is also what I support with all my heart within my own teams. I enjoy seeing the individuals grow and how my coaching efforts help them to develop new or existing skills and behaviours. I am a strong believer of “servant leadership” which I believe is key in keeping talented staff within the company as well as attracting new talent in this tough marketplace. We spend a considerable amount of time at work and hence it must be enjoyable, and flexible enough to work for every individual.

What attracted you to Cambridge Judge Business School and the Executive MBA?

Cambridge Judge Business School is enjoying a very good reputation for offering high-class education that is connecting theoretical knowledge to the “real” world of business application. At this stage in my career this is exactly what I value most. The programme has a strong focus on this aspect by engaging with excellent professors, speakers, companies and a strong bond with the start-up scene. The careers service is supporting you with any career decision you have as well as offering opportunities to be coached to find the best way forward that works for you.

My ability to continue to work whilst studying and the perfect split of modules into cycles and further preparation, onsite and workplace application, is a very effective way to learn from a distance and onsite once a month. During my time so far, I have already made great use of learning from the lectures as well as my very carefully selected cohort and will continue to apply those within my career.

What are your career ambitions in the long term?

The only reason I ever wanted to pursue a career was that I wanted to influence at a strategic level to make a valuable impact. At this stage in my career and as a woman, I feel I have further steps to take in order to positively influence a future generation. I am convinced that in order to achieve this the most efficient way is to practice at a more senior / C-suite level and the EMBA is certainly only the first step to achieve just that.

What is your professional and educational background?

I lead a think-tank, the Eastern Europe Studies Centre, based in Vilnius, Lithuania. The focus is on international affairs and security issues; we host conferences, publish analyses, and implement projects in European countries and beyond. There is certainly much to discuss these days.

Moreover, I teach politics at Vilnius University, where I got my bachelor’s and master’s degrees. I turned to a different field with my recent studies at the University of Oxford, where I obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Global Business. With this, I was preparing myself for EMBA studies, and I am proud to be at Cambridge for that.

One of my most enjoyable experiences was when I went to the US as a Fulbright Scholar at Harvard University in 2017-2018. Thus, I lived in Cambridge, MA. Later, I became an Associate Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute in 2020, so the transatlantic links remain an essential feature in my work.

What is the most exciting thing about your work?

What I like a lot is commenting on Lithuanian and international media. My op-eds or comments featured on CNN, Chicago Tribune, Berlingske, and elsewhere. I see a clear purpose in sharing academic knowledge and research with wider audiences, especially during geopolitical tensions. I think this is the main reason why I was voted 3rd most influential public person in Lithuania for three years since 2019, taking 2nd position in 2022.

Besides that, I see the rapid growth of the think tank where I work. It makes me happy because the team is motivated and has multiple paths to personal development. There is no doubt in my mind they will soon be ready to take over from me.

What attracted you to Cambridge Judge Business School and the Executive MBA?

Cambridge is a beautiful city, and the university is one of the best in the world. Thus, I was honoured to be accepted and become a member of the Queens’ College.

It was an opportunity to expand my horizons and start learning from the best – the faculty and students from various parts of the world. And I am not even talking about the breath-taking tradition of Cambridge college dinners.

The studies are also flexible – while intense and demanding, finding the right balance between studies, work and family is possible. The excellent staff at CJBS is always there to help.

What are your career ambitions in the long term?

I hope to continue growing as a person and a leader. Research shows that future leaders must prioritise analytical thinking and innovation, creativity, complex problem solving and active learning skills. Many doors are open for such people. Thus, I hope to be capable and ready for various exciting challenges ahead.

What is your professional and educational background?

I’m currently a finance business partner at one of KKR’s portfolio companies. With a master’s degree in Finance, I have been working on operational performance management in the FMCG industry.

What is the most exciting thing about your work?

I do enjoy all the new ideas and sometimes even challenges from my colleagues. We share the same values of being ambitious and we keep inspiring each other every day.

What attracted you to Cambridge Judge Business School and the Executive MBA?

I believe CJBS EMBA education would encourage me the most in terms of speaking up for what I truly believe, building clear critical reasoning, and leading people to champion the right idea and right way to do things. Besides, I believe Cambridge EMBA provides opportunities for me to meet people who have a certain level of life and work experience and to exchange ideas to inspire each other for dramatic growth.

What are your long-term career ambitions?

In the long run, I prepare myself as a CFO in the corporate, contributing to and influencing the organisation through my own and joint efforts. Further, I see myself standing on stage to give speeches to young ladies, and to young women leaders along their way to pursue success.

What is your professional and educational background?

I’ve been working in the information technology (IT) industry (specifically data, analytics & AI) for last 18+ years. I was fortunate to work in the various areas of IT domains (advisory & consulting, strategy & architecture, security, infrastructure, project/program management, delivery management & operations), which taught me the importance of partnerships, networking, team culture and also enabled me to navigate through complexities of IT organisations. Demonstrated a wealth of success in providing data, IT strategies, roadmaps, enterprise/solution architecture and delivered innovative, quality solutions to technical and business problems from inception to completion across banking, insurance, telecom, retail, and manufacturing domains. Offering a track record of delivering high quality complex IT projects and products within demanding cost and timescale constraints, saved millions of pounds through re-architecture, strategies, application re-engineering.

I currently work as a Chief Architect (Data & AI) in Cognizant, UK, helping our customers to build their digital backbone (large scale Data & AI platforms) to realise their digital transformation journeys.

I hold Bachelor (Osmania university, India) & Master of Engineering (BITS, Pilani, India) degrees in Computer Science. My education offered me a solid foundation in information technology space and allowed me to stay on top of current technologies and gave me the confidence and courage to try out emerging technologies and strive continuously to convert some of these technologies into mainstream technologies and offerings useful for our wider customer base.

What is the most exciting thing about your work?

One of the most exciting things about my work is to work with various clients across the industries and advise them on their data & AI strategies to solve variety of business challenges, which ultimately improve their customer experience, reduce costs, improve revenues, and mitigate risks. “No two days are alike” in my world.

In the last decade, we witnessed rapid advancements in technologies like Cloud, IoT, AI, & RPA and availability these technologies to masses allowed many organisations of different sizes to innovate and use their data assets for better business outcomes. As a Data & AI practitioner, I was quite fortunate to be part of this wonderful technological advancement and have been helping many of my customers to realise their digital transformation journeys.

The future is even brighter with continued evolution of AI, Blockchain, Web 3.0, metaverse and quantum computing getting ready to create new operating models for businesses and societies.

What made you decide to pursue an Executive MBA?

Cambridge Judge Business School was a perfect choice for me on many fronts, such as Program architecture, Delivery format, opportunity to be associated with wider University of Cambridge Eco System, world class faculty and finally a truly diverse cohort. Being a continuous learner, the aspect of lifelong learning (i.e., to come back to CJBS every year to do an elective and opportunity to expand my network) is truly compelling to me. CJBS was the only school I applied to after a careful consideration.

I always wanted to pursue an EMBA at a time when there is a pressing need to acquire and apply Business and management skills to advance my career. At the time of applying to the EMBA, I was exactly at that juncture, to turn my long-standing dream into a reality, to broaden my horizons, and to be future ready as a Global Business Leader.

CJBS EMBA is an opportunity for me to increase my self-awareness, enhance my leadership skills, sharpen my interpersonal skills, and place myself into unfamiliar territories/engagements in a safer environment and see how I excel.

What are your long-term career ambitions?

In the long term, I would like to take a plunge into executive leadership roles by leading large portfolios in the IT services/consulting/technology sectors, be the champion for an effective organisation culture, manage the innovation, define & articulate the vision, and empower colleagues to achieve that vision.

I’m also open to the idea of starting my own business by utilising the skills acquired from CJBS coupled with technology skills I already possess to solve wide variety of business and societal challenges.

What is your professional and educational background?

I am a healthcare professional with degrees in both Dentistry and Medicine. I initially chose dentistry (University of Sheffield) as the more lifestyle friendly healthcare role, but during my early working years I realized I wanted to become a facial surgeon so went on to study medicine (University of Manchester). I undertook specialist training in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in Liverpool, one of the busiest units in the country, learning how to treat facial trauma, deformity and cancer. It was during this period I discovered cleft lip and palate surgery – which I trained in as a superspecialist in units in Leeds, Newcastle and London.

Having spent a stint in London as a consultant I moved to Cambridge where I began to develop my management career by taking on the role of lead for Cleft Net East, the East of England Regional Cleft Service. The trust supported me in undertaking the Nye Bevan Program at the NHS Leadership Academy; a year-long introspective on being a healthcare leader. I have since been appointed as the Director for Women’s and Children’s Services at Addenbrookes and the Rosie Hospitals in Cambridge. A slightly surprising choice maybe, a facial surgeon looking after maternity and obstetrics, but the children are less of a stretch as that is my surgical specialty, with which I still continue.

I am also part of the management executive, so work closely with the C-Suite of Addenbrookes. I was appointed just before COVID so my role has been through challenging times. There has been work around significant reconfiguration and now recovery of services with reduction of backlogs. The learning curve was steep, trying to understand my role and services, whilst also living in a rapidly changing healthcare world in which no one had any experience. And it is still changing.

What is the most exciting thing about your work?

I have two aspects to my job: clinical and leadership.

1. taking the baby to theatre and handing them safe and well back to parents. Whilst I am focused for the 2-3 hours of the operation, it is almost a technical exercise, but that moment when I see the baby in recovery, is just amazing. Repairing the lip reveals the baby truly, they are no longer hidden behind their cleft.
2. Influencing in my leadership role and beyond. I do the day-to-day grind, which is satisfying. But what really lifts me is when I can use my position to do something extra. Influencing in EDI, being a vanguard in our trust on use of diverse interview panellists, showing the Exec and Board what it truly means to be ethical and different, that is where I feel I can really make a difference.

What attracted you to Cambridge Judge Business School and the Executive MBA?

I have been in my Leadership and Management role for 3 years now. I need to do something more, that will stimulate my brain and also give me a broader credibility across not only in NHS healthcare but also in an industry and business setting. I wanted to understand more about the Cambridge ecosystem and develop a stronger network.

The Cambridge EMBA also has a stronger emphasis on collaborative working and Management Praxis which appeals to me in the nature of my work, and helps me build on what I have done already.

What are your long-term career ambitions?

I will soon reach a divide in the road of my career. I have shifted my path and predicted journey several times, usually in response to experiences and opportunities. My choices will be around continuing in NHS clinical practice or moving towards an executive role. And there is also the option of moving out of the NHS entirely.

So, I am excited about the future but not yet sure about what path I will choose to take.

What is your professional and educational background?

Before University, I worked in a GP surgery and found a number of improvements for how information was moving around and being reported in the organisation. I wrote some (basic) software to digitise, improve consistency and access to key data, such as referral forms, comms, compliance information. I then wrote similar systems for other GP practices, whilst doing an Economics degree at the University of Leeds. When I finished my degree, we created a commercial version of the product and went to market. Over the following years, I did a Masters of Law specialising in Information and Technology and then in 2015 we sold the business to health software company, EMIS Group Plc. Since then, I have worked across different areas of EMIS and have led on national NHS commercial deals and product organisation leadership for our point of care systems.

What is the most exciting thing about your work?

EMIS Group is a major provider of healthcare software, information technology and related services in the UK. Every day, the things we do have an impact on patients across the country and that is both exciting and humbling. During the pandemic we were in the privileged position to support the UK’s national covid response and I was proud to lead on our national covid vaccination work with some brilliant and tremendously committed teams in EMIS and across the NHS.

What attracted you to Cambridge Judge Business School and the Executive MBA?

A compulsion to grow professionally and ensure that in so doing I was able to confidently benchmark myself against excellence drove me toward an Executive MBA. I chose Cambridge because the EMBA students, faculty and staff were of exceptional calibre, the content of the course was well balanced (just the right amount of finance!) and the teaching format across 20 months made a lot of sense for me professionally. It does of course help that the teaching and research is world renowned and is a beautiful place to spend weekends, steeped in more than 800 years of University history.

What are your long-term career ambitions?

My long-term career ambitions are to lead and support some of the world’s most significant health tech organisations to deliver meaningful and life changing solutions.

What is your professional and educational background?

At Boston Consulting Group, I lead multiple projects with multi-national colleagues focused on industrial goods manufacturing sector and home appliances manufacturing sector. The topics I engaged are global strategy planning, operational optimisation, cost reduction, and overseas expansion. In terms of my educational background, I majored in Law at Kyoto University as an undergraduate, and I majored in finance at IE business school as a graduate student.

What is the most exciting thing about your work?

The most exciting thing about my work is that I can make myself grow rapidly through resolving tough business issues which C-suite level CEOs are struggling to deal with. That is, I have cultivated my problem-solving and issue-structuring skills and enhanced my manufacturing business knowledge gained at Panasonic into best practices in the industrial goods sector through multiple projects involving such challenges as an effective inventory control tower, PMI activity for a joint venture, and MaaS business development.

What attracted you to Cambridge Judge Business School and the Executive MBA?

First, through the hands-on learning offered on the programme, I will learn to apply newly acquired knowledge to real business situations, nurture my entrepreneurial spirit, and refine necessary soft skills for an entrepreneur, including strong negotiation skills and creative thinking ability, to become a transformational CEO. Second, leveraging Cambridge’s tech-oriented characteristics as a centre of innovation, I can expose myself to advanced technological expertise in AI, IoT, and cyber physical systems to find the extra factor with which to transform conservative manufacturing operations in Osaka.

What are your long-term career ambitions?

I would like to address a major social issue in Japan, the overconcentration of population, resources, and finances in Greater Tokyo, resulting in the decline of Osaka and other regions. I aspire to mobilise an influx of population, resources, and finances into the region centred on Osaka, my hometown, by establishing a representative manufacturing company which sets new standards, and simultaneously creating a dynamic start-up ecosystem together with outstanding business owners sharing a strong commitment to Osaka.

What is your professional and educational background?

I graduated from Emory University in Atlanta, GA with a BA in Political Science. I entered the world of recruitment and joined Michael Page with a focus on Financial Services. After building my career there over five years, ultimately to Associate Director managing a team of 11 people, I ventured into the world of tech and joined Facebook as a Recruiter for Communications and Public Policy. While at Facebook, I moved into a Program Manager role to build Facebook’s strategy for hiring Veterans and transferred that experience into a Program Manager role on the External Affairs and Community team at Robinhood, where I just started in June of 2021.

What is the most exciting thing about your work?

It’s been really exciting to join a company at this stage in its growth. We IPO-ed a few weeks after I joined and learned a ton by watching an organization go through that transition. Additionally, my role now is entirely focused on the mission-driven work we do at Robinhood. It’s incredibly rewarding to work for an organization with a strong mission (to democratize finance for all) and to be directly involved in the work that serves that aim.

What made you decide to pursue an Executive MBA?

I applied when I was trying to transition out of recruiting and I felt that I needed a new set of skills in my toolbox to be able to make that move. I was lucky and shifted to programme management and a new company with more room for growth before the start of the programme, but I am still very grateful to be participating in the EMBA programme as I know it will help me build the skills to be even more effective as a PM and be set up to continue to grow in my career.

What attracted you to Cambridge Judge?

As someone who is based in the US, I was really attracted to the notion of getting an international education. I think the Tech industry is going to change rapidly over the next few decades, and to ensure we do that in a way that is positive, we need more people in the industry who can see beyond the boundaries of where many of the companies are based.

What are your career ambitions in the long term?

I hope to work my way into operational leadership roles within the Tech industry and am excited to see the ways my Cambridge EMBA will take me in a direction I am not expecting.

What is your professional and educational background?

I am an innovative leader with over ten years of experience in data strategy, data analytics, cloud computing, data architecture design, AI, project management, selling technology, team leadership, and IT consulting.

I help organisations derive and implement the most effective strategies, efforts and opportunities for growth, customer experience optimisation and cost reduction using insights from data and implementing digital platforms.

I have led multiple data analytics, cloud computing and AI projects for large multi-billion dollar companies and public sector organisations in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), working for companies like Amazon and Ogilvy. I have a BEng in Electronics and Computer Engineering.

What is the most exciting thing about your work?

The most exciting thing about work is when I provide my stakeholders with the relevant data, insights and tools to transform their organisation and make informed decisions.

I get a great sense of satisfaction when I engage with my stakeholders and help them achieve their business outcomes, including an increase in revenue, cost reduction, improvement in customer satisfaction and risk reduction.

What made you decide to pursue an Executive MBA?

I believe an Executive MBA will help me achieve my short and long-term goals. It will give me access to premium business education, world-class faculty, a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem and the opportunity to increase my network of business leaders.

I plan to acquire skills in solving complex problems, leading large global teams, managing innovation, financial reporting, international business, venture capital, and strategic management. These skills would help me become a better business leader and help me build value for any company I work for.

What attracted you to Cambridge Judge?

A Cambridge Judge Executive MBA will help me achieve my goals by giving me access to premium business education, and a powerful network of business leaders and access to an environment that fosters entrepreneurship.

The Cambridge Judge EMBA environment will allow me to interact with some of the best minds (faculty, colleagues, alumni) in the world so we can symbiotically help each other achieve our goals. I also hope to make life-long friends, new colleagues, potential business partners, and clients who can provide real-time feedback as I develop as a leader.

What are your long-term career ambitions?

My long-term plan is to continue developing my business and functional skills to, ultimately, become responsible for leading and growing a technology company as a C-level executive.

I also plan to use the experience that I have gathered from industry and the knowledge I obtain from the Cambridge EMBA programme to build a company that would leverage data, cloud and AI tools to solve some of the biggest problems in Africa.

What is your professional and educational background?

I have worked across a number of sectors in academia, industry, healthcare, and data science primarily focused on using data to improve health equity and outcomes. I completed a PhD (Indiana) and postdoctoral fellowships (Yale & Columbia) focused on bioethics and bridging the gap between qualitative methods and complex computational methods. Currently, I use health system and community data to find new ways to serve populations in need.

What is the most exciting thing about your work?

One of the most exciting things is the wide variety of projects I get to work on. While everything I do has the potential to help those in need, one day I may be working on data related to reducing readmissions in a hospital and another I might be working with a startup health tech company to develop a real world trial to deliver a new behavioral health program to patients in need.

What made you decide to pursue an Executive MBA?

The career path I’ve been on has highlighted some gaps in my skills and experiences that needed to be addressed if I am going to have the impact I’d like to have. My education prepared me to be a researcher, builder, educator, and collaborator. As I’ve had more successes in those areas, I’ve been given more responsibility beyond the bounds of what my previous degrees had prepared me for (my PhD did not prepare me to manage a staff, budgets, strategic planning, etc). An EMBA seemed like a perfect opportunity to connect with people going through similar transitions while getting some additional tangible skills I can immediately take back to work with me.

What attracted you to Cambridge Judge?

The global nature of the program was the first draw. I’ve spent my life embedded in the American academic system and really wanted to broaden my perspective and experiences. Of all the options, Cambridge Judge Business School had a favourable schedule, diverse cohort, and global reputation I was looking for. But let’s be honest, given the opportunity, why would you ever pass up an opportunity to become a member of the Cambridge community?

What are your career ambitions in the long term?

My career ambitions are to keep finding new ways to make people’s lives better, happier, and healthier. From the brief conversations I’ve had with other members of the cohort, I am really looking forward to discovering new ways to work, collaborate, and engage to see what other kinds of paths may exist for me. I plan to use my time at the Business School to fully consider a wide range of new avenues where I can have a more meaningful positive impact on the world around me.

What is your professional and educational background?

I have spent most of my career negotiating commercial and/or contractual terms on behalf of large engineering enterprises and start-ups. I am currently Global Head of Contracts and Procurement at Bulb, the renewable energy supplier, where I am responsible for all direct and indirect spend (apart from wholesale energy procurement).

I am state educated and studied a Quantity Surveying undergraduate course at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, albeit I am yet to survey a quantity!

What is the most exciting thing about your work?

Contibuting to our global green energy transition. Working for a scale-up organisation I also take great satisfaction in reducing our operating costs to free up vital working capital – this helps accelerate our mission to make energy simpler, cheaper, and greener.

What made you decide to pursue an Executive MBA?

I have spent my career working in contracts and procurement but have always had personal ambitions to broaden my experience and eventually found my own company. I am hoping the EMBA will strengthen my understanding of what makes a business successful, as well as refine my personal leadership skills. Equipped with both, I hope to start a business which people are inspired by and proud to work for.

What attracted you to Cambridge Judge?

Cambridge Judge has a strong focus on the entrepreneurial skills I need to build my own company. Combine that with a powerful network from one of the most prestigious education institutions in the world, and you’ve hopefully got a pretty good recipe for success. It helps that Cambridge is beautiful too!

What are your career ambitions in the long term?

Longer term, I want to start my own energy business. I want it to be a force for good, which is revered globally and future proofed. I have a few ideas about where it would sit in the market, but I anticipate my vision will be even clearer after two years at Cambridge Judge.

What is your professional and educational background?

I am currently the Chief Administrative Officer for HSBC UK. I have been with the Bank for nearly nine years, initially in the US, then moving to the UK in early 2020. As the CAO, I am accountable for leading a wide range of strategic activities to help our senior executives and board members make critical decisions around technology and other core functions of the Bank. One day I am helping identify transformation opportunities to drive sustainable efficiencies, and the next day it’s looking at innovative fintechs and technologies can help accelerate revenue growth for the Bank. In my role, I also help ensure that the various UK COO functions are operating in a seamless, efficient, and ‘forward-thinking’ manner. There is no job description, and that’s what makes the job exciting!

My career started off at Accenture where I was initially a coder, helping build enterprise software for some of the world’s largest banks; a really invaluable experience that gave me a solid foundation in tech. I eventually moved to Strategy& (PwC Company), where I took on a more strategic role, helping C-level executives define technology and operational strategies and implement complex business transformations.

Before entering the workforce, I completed undergraduate degrees in Economics and Management Information Systems at the University at Albany in New York. It was here that I developed a love for operational efficiency and technology and embarked on my career as a management consultant.

What is the most exciting thing about your work?

There is no job description, and that’s what makes things exciting! I also love the impact that I am able to make on a daily basis. My role gives me exposure to how our board members think about technology, and its likely impact to our customers, business, regulators, and other stakeholders. I am at forefront of this analysis that helps shape some of their decisions. Understanding how the board discharges their responsibilities has taught me a lot on how a business operates. I also love being a part of an organisation that truly cares and supports its people, hence my nine year tenure at the Bank. I have the opportunity to work with some of the most dynamic, engaging, and trusting people, where there is no status quo. There is always room for improvement, and that’s what keeps me going!

What made you decide to pursue an Executive MBA?

I have been in the banking industry for nearly 25 years, and was looking to get a much more broader and diverse exposure. There are some amazing innovative ideas and progress in other industries that I want to be able to learn, and subsequently apply to my career. The ability to learn from a diverse peer group as well as distinguished academics was the motivation to pursue an Executive MBA. Also, I view this as good ‘break’ from my job to allow me to reflect on my past 25 years and help bring some reflection and perspective to what I have learned over these years.

What attracted you to Cambridge Judge?

Cambridge Judge was the only business school I was interested in. First and foremost, it’s Cambridge! A unique and prestigious brand, with a history that is unparalleled. Second, if you are looking to be at the forefront of innovation, then Cambridge is the place to be. Being in the heart of ‘Silicon Fen’, you are part of an extraordinary ecosystem of academics and entrepreneurs that is dubbed the ‘Cambridge phenomenon’. Lastly, the programme structure made the best sense for me – the program delivery over weekends and week-long blocks, allows me to continue to progress in my professional life.

What are your career ambitions in the long term?

In whatever I do, what is most important is that I make an impact. In the short to medium term, I intend to continue on the journey I am on – whether it is as CAO or as a COO. In the longer term, I am open to the possibilities of what my experience at Cambridge might afford. Whatever it is, I am sure it will be some blend of business, technology, and innovation.

What is your professional and educational background?

I’m currently Director of Bioinformatics in AstraZeneca Early Computational Oncology. I have a PhD in Computational Systems Biology from 2007 and MSc in Electrical Engineering 2005.

What is the most exciting thing about your work?

Making a difference to people with cancer. Through my work and the work of my group we identify for example new targets to help future cancer patients with unmet medical needs. 

What made you decide to pursue an Executive MBA?

Many of the senior people I work with and admire have MBAs and I felt that with all the organic growth I have had in management I needed to take that next step in formalising my management qualifications.

What attracted you to Cambridge Judge?

The best business school in the world and conveniently in the city I live in! I have also been mentoring startups through the programmes AstraZeneca have with the Judge so have seen up close the quality Cambridge Judge represents.

What are your long-term career ambitions?

Making a difference in improving the lives of people through more senior roles in pharma and potentially running my own startup.