Anthony Paubel’s employer Article is Canada's fastest growing company.
Far from his previous roles in the paper, automotive, and aerospace industries, where companies were growing at a steady rate of three-to-five percent a year, Article has grown by 24,000% over the past five years.
Anthony couldn’t have taken on this huge challenge without a deeper insight into business and a strong grasp of leadership, all of which he gained from his MBA degree.
From engineer to global leader
Anthony was keen to capitalize on the years of technical knowledge that he had built up from his master's and years of experience in engineering.
It was an important step forward for him, so that he didn’t get trapped in a technical skill set that might narrowly define the rest of his career.
“I didn’t want to be an engineering expert; I wanted to grow into a more managerial position in an international environment,” Anthony recalls.
The Global MBA at EDHEC Business School, where he enrolled, had a strong focus on leadership development and soft skills—something Anthony felt would help him transform as a manager and a leader.
It taught him how to translate his technical skills into a managerial environment, rather than leaving them behind.
“It was the perfect mix for developing relevant technical skills, as well as strong soft skills that any great leader needs to drive their career,” he notes.
The Global Leadership Track is one of four specializations that MBA students at EDHEC can take. This adopts a generalist perspective, giving students wide-spanning skills to help them develop in a number of sectors.
As well as exploring how to manage global projects, students on this track spend a week in Singapore, where many businesses continue to locate their regional headquarters and operations.
Adopting an international environment
In terms of building an international career, Anthony points to the international perspective and diversity of the MBA program.
“Different countries, different cultures, different backgrounds with different perspectives—it’s certainly the biggest asset of the program,” he identifies.
Anthony’s mind was opened up to how business is done around the world, with his career up this point being based mostly in Europe.
His MBA Consulting Project at Airbus Helicopters played a big part of this. The company, which does business all over the world, demonstrated the tools and skills needed to manage in this international environment.
“It really helped me adopt an internationally-open mindset,” he stresses.
Achieving the career triple jump
France to Vancouver; engineer to manager; industrial engineering to furniture design.
Anthony’s decision to do an MBA has certainly been rewarding, helping him pull off the renowned career ‘triple jump’—changing location, industry, and function.
For this, he says he's indebted to the career department at EDHEC.
Students have one-on-one career coaching integrated into the curriculum, giving them individual counselling on choosing their career path of choice. This includes assessment services that measure emotional intelligence, leadership skills, and personality, as well as practical preparation like mock interview practice.
Anthony found it particularly useful in articulating the value and quality of the program when applying for jobs in Canada—particularly as EDHEC isn’t as well known in North America as major US schools.
“I didn't have this strategic advantage of relying on a well recognized and established business school to get a job, so I had to think strategically about how to promote myself,” he remembers.
A lifetime of learning
Article is a modern furniture company based in Canada.
As a quality assurance manager, Anthony's in charge of ensuring that Article’s products are delivered to the highest quality. At this crucial time in the company’s growth, this is an important role.
It all fits into Anthony’s learning journey—something that didn’t stop for him after his master's, and still hasn’t stopped for him after his MBA.
“Going back to school at age 30 wasn’t an easy decision to make,” he notes.
“But I definitely don’t regret it, and if I have to do it again in 10 years, I will with no doubt.”
