Her decision to begin an MBA is the result of the work she has been exposed to, and her desire to gain a level of business management knowledge that will broaden her skillsets while providing new experiences and networks.
Now working as a planner at Quirk, a digital marketing agency, she hopes that an MBA will allow her to explore careers in change management, social enterprise and product development.
After an undergraduate degree in legal theory, what got you into communications?
I was excited by the potential of communications to drive more immediate change on a larger scale. Strong, relevant communications are key to driving the uptake of new behaviours and initiatives, and I enjoyed both the combination of creative and commercial elements.
I’ve spent the last four years helping businesses tap into digital.
Why do you want to begin an MBA?
My decision to pursue an MBA is a result of the kind of work to which I’ve increasingly been exposed [to], as organisations respond to digitally-enabled audiences.
Digital is a particularly exciting area of the communication matrix, as it highlights the convergence of marketing functions within a business with executive and manufacturing functions.
A growing number of “digital campaigns” tend [to move] towards becoming consultancy pieces. [But] the most impactful business solution is actually the development of a new product or technology.
I hope to marry digital communications foundations with expanded business acumen, and segue into roles that wouldn’t be as accessible without an MBA.
What skills do you hope to gain?
I’d like to gain a level of business management knowledge that would give me the background and credibility I need to engage with executive functions on equal terms.
I hope that further benefits will include gaining a global, macro understanding of business and equipping myself with analytical frameworks [which are] applicable to different industries.
Obviously, the network-building potential and gaining softer skills will also be beneficial.
Which business schools are you planning to apply to?
At this stage, I’m looking at HEC [Paris], INSEAD, IE [Business School], IESE [Business School], Johnson [School] and Kellogg [School of Management].
Will you be taking the GMAT or the GRE, and how are will you prepare?
I’m [taking] the GMAT early next year and preparing through self-study. I’ve been going through fundamentals and workbooks for different areas of the exam and running through practice tests – I’ll focus entirely on the latter as my test date draws closer.
I also have several GMAT [mobile] apps, and I try to squeeze in an extra hour of study wherever I can, on top of time that I dedicate to it each week.
Which career path do you hope to follow after the MBA?
I hope to leverage a technology-orientated background and explore career options in change management, social enterprise and product development.
Part of my desire to enter an MBA program is to gain exposure to different careers and draw inspiration from my classmates’ expertise.
Which clients have you worked with at Quirk?
We work with a diverse client base ranging from large global brands, for example SABMiller, Unilever, Warner Brothers and GSK [GlaxoSmithKline], to challenger brands and start-ups… Aflix, a video subscription platform recently launched in Africa, or Capitec Bank, a South African bank [that is] re-thinking the category and challenging incumbents.
What is the most challenging part of dealing with multiple clients across multiple locations and industries?
Jumping rapidly across various projects requires a dynamic mind-set and high energy levels. On the logistical side, co-ordinating time zones and multi-client schedules can decelerate projects. Overall, though, the experience of dealing with multiple clients across different locations and industries is stimulating and diverse.
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