About
Name: Ed Brand
Nationality: South African
Programme: Cambridge EMBA 2009
Education: University of Witwatersrand
Current role: Head of Transaction Management, Investec Asset Management
Broaden knowledge and skills
I undertook the Cambridge Executive MBA in order to broaden my knowledge and skills beyond that of a business lawyer and to re-align my career path and become a more rounded, perceptive business executive.
I believe the key to any meaningful learning experience is the calibre and diversity of the people you interact with and the opportunities you are presented with to learn from them. The format of the Cambridge Executive MBA allows it to literally attract executives working all over the globe. The monthly face-to-face interaction with talented faculty and colleagues from diverse industries, organisations and backgrounds was invaluable. In addition the emphasis placed on the programme being highly practical and collaborative was key to ensuring that this interaction was of the highest quality and was maintained across the globe between monthly sessions.
Development of ‘soft’ skills
In addition to covering all the typical ‘hard’ MBA courses such as accounts, finance and management science with rigour, the Cambridge Executive MBA importantly also focuses on the development of ‘soft’ skills. I think this is a unique and powerful differentiator; for experienced executives who are often already technically competent, being more aware of their own behaviour and how they interact with others in a team can enhance their ability to persuade, influence, empathise and negotiate, and allow them to be more effective.