Your journey to Warwick 

Please tell us a bit about yourself and what prompted you to study an MBA at this stage in your career. 

I started my career in banking and specialist lending before moving into the retail sector, where I gained experience in leading international operations through a period of rapid growth. Managing a talented team at this pace taught me that the numbers only tell part of the story and it was the ability to adapt, bring innovation and collaborate as a team that drove promising results and collective resilience. It was here that the seeds of my passion for strategy, change leadership and operational excellence were born.  

Today I work in Commercial Finance and FP&A, and the MBA felt like the natural next step to synthesise my background as a Chartered Accountant with the tools and ways of thinking that drive modern business. My career so far had given me real depth in finance and operations and what I wanted next was the breadth to lead across the wider business, deepen my understanding of how each function thinks and connect decisions that shape strategy and ultimately performance. The finance leaders I admire most see the bigger picture, influence team culture, break down barriers and foster innovation and this is the leader I am very determined to become.  

Studying while working in an environment that moves quickly means that learning is so applicable. I can take an idea from a module into my role the next morning, test it against a real decision and bring what I learn back into my studies. That is what makes the online MBA powerful for me as it connects theory to practice and provides clarity in the pathway between the current and desired state for your organisational challenges as well as your own leadership journey.  

Why did you choose Warwick Business School and the Global Online MBA? 

Warwick’s globally renowned reputation was an initial starting point, with me being in the privileged position to have one of the world’s leading business schools on my doorstep. The balance of online study and time on campus meant I could accelerate my development without stepping away from my career. However, what really set the Global Online MBA apart was the cohort diversity as I knew it would be so valuable for me to delve into a learning journey that connects people internationally that bring experience from every corner of the world and all kinds of industry.  

Additionally, the breadth of careers support extending beyond the degree was a real pull factor as this gives the programme another dimension of investing in you as a long-term leader alongside the excellent academic delivery.  

Your learning experience 

How have you found online learning and what benefits does it offer you? 

Studying online enables growth on two fronts at once. I enjoy being able to work through a framework in the evening and see it play out in a meeting the following morning. Sometimes the theory shows you where a decision is heading before it plays out and this constant link between learning and doing is where the programme really comes alive for me and where the tangible progress is felt with each passing month.  

The platform is clear and well organised, which makes it easy to pick up around a demanding job. The programme team are also very open and supportive when work or life gets busy, allowing the workload to flex and provide the best environment to give your best.   

What is it like studying for an MBA, and which elements of the programme have you valued most? 

An MBA most definitely asks a lot of you. There are late evenings and busy weekends, and it takes genuine commitment and organisation of time. The return, however, I personally feel is worth every hour. You have exceptional academics and a global network at your fingertips, and the content is built around the challenges businesses face today. It pushes you to stay curious and ask better questions, then take what you learn straight into how you lead. 

The online discussions are very thought provoking and the weeks on campus have been some of the most rewarding learning and networking experiences of my career. 

How did Residential Week enhance your Global Online MBA experience, and what were the highlights of the week? 

For example, what did you gain from the teaching sessions and learning environment, and how did meeting your cohort in person help you build relationships and your professional network? 

Both Residential Weeks in my first year were a massive highlight. Stepping away from the day job to focus fully on my own development gave the MBA a completely different dimension. Working through team challenges by day and getting to know the cohort in the evenings, you realise how exceptional the people around you are. They bring ideas and life experiences that genuinely broaden your thinking, and they become friends and contacts you keep for life. 

My standout moment was the Retail Simulation challenge in the second Residential Week which was a great opportunity to work together to devise strategies to build a brand and make decisions together to increase market share and grow share price. For me I learned so much from this week, pushed my boundaries to lead a group as CEO and really felt the competitive energy and teamwork buzzing through the cohort.  

Your career development  

What were your career goals when you started the Global Online MBA, and how have they developed since then? 

When I started, my aim was to broaden my skills beyond finance and build the confidence to take on bigger challenges. A year in, the MBA has given me practical tools and frameworks that I use in my role every day and applying them has helped me think with greater clarity. Learning alongside a global cohort has broadened my perspective too. My confidence has genuinely grown with each passing month and I have a clearer view of the leader I want to become. I feel better equipped to support my team and help to drive positive change.  

Has the programme influenced your career direction or encouraged you to consider new opportunities? 

Definitely. One idea from my first Residential Weekon ‘The Empty Chair’ has really stayed with me. The empty chair asks you to consider how someone with a completely different perspective in the room would approach the problem in front of you (maybe the opposite of your skills or a risk taker/innovator). This has changed the way I think. Rather than relying only on my strengths, I now look for the opportunities that sit outside them. 

That shift has made me more innovative at work. I encourage my team to bring ideas forward and to see difficult moments as opportunities rather than threats. It has also given me the confidence to get involved well beyond my own remit, working with colleagues across the wider business to understand how it all fits together. 

What skills, knowledge or behaviours have you developed through the programme that have benefitted your career? 

Confidence is the biggest change. Stepping outside your strengths and working through ambiguity can feel daunting. The programme and its coaching have shown me that the answer often already exists within your team or among the leaders around you, and good leadership is about drawing it out. As a result, I lead with more direction and bring people together more effectively than I did a year ago. 

Has the programme helped you progress in your current organisation? 

This year has been one of real momentum. Within months of starting the programme I moved into a new organisation and a new discipline, taking on a wider remit and a new group of senior stakeholders. The MBA gave me the frameworks and the confidence to make an impact quickly. 

Since then, I have taken on broader responsibilities and looked to contribute beyond my core role. I am learning faster than at any point in my career, and the benefit compounds. Each module makes the next challenge a little easier to lead. 

How have you benefitted from support from the CareersPlus team? 

The CareersPlus team have been one of the most valuable parts of my MBA. The workshops gave me space to reflect on my own leadership style and learn through real case studies. The greatest impact has come from regular personal coaching. These sessions give me a safe space to test ideas and sharpen my thinking, and they have opened doors to conversations with leaders in other fields who have broadened my perspective. 

My team have noticed the difference in the ideas and approaches I bring back. My advice to anyone starting the programme would be to engage with CareersPlus from day one. 

Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience of the Global Online MBA? 

The Global Online MBA I feel is not something you only value at graduation. You feel the difference from the very first week and I can tell this will have a long-lasting impact on my career and the future interactions I face. If you are ambitious and ready to stretch yourself, there is no better place to invest in the leader you want to become.