Zaran Bandrawala is one such MBA that dispels the myth with one quick look at his CV. He worked for Indian radio station Red FM before becoming a Senior Executive at Star News – a 24-hour Hindi news broadcaster in the Noida Area of India. In a five-year career, Zaran worked with big-name companies such as Unilever, 20th Century Fox, Blackberry and Vodafone, scooping up various awards along the way.
But he left the media and entertainment industry – expected to be worth £63 billion in the UK by 2016, in search of a business Masters. After studying an MBA in the UK, Zaran has landed a marketing internship at Oculus Design & Communications Limited.
Originally from India, Zaran decided to study at Henley for a diverse experience and gain an advantage in the MBA Jobs world. “There was a lot of debate going on as to whether I should be studying an MBA this soon, five years into a full-fledged media sales career,” he said.
“An MBA gave me exposure to diverse personalities and I believe being a step ahead from the rest in terms of achievements and qualifications gives you an added advantage in the professional world.”
There was only ever one industry for Zaran. He is passionate about the media and entertainment business and his previous role at Star News saw him operate in one of the fastest growing sectors in the Indian economy. In the UK, PwC predicts the industry to grow by over 3 per cent by 2016. In India, that figure jumps to 13 per cent growth by the end of 2014, valued at USD 24.04 billion.
Zaran’s role at Star News was generating revenue by selling multi-platform advertising solutions to clients. The first six months were tough, but by the third year he was in a senior position. “After that there was no looking back,” he added.
But an MBA would only enhance his career. Henley is one of only 57 business schools to be triple-accredited by AMBA, EQUIS and AACSB world-wide. It is consistently ranked first for networking potential; a key component in the careers world, any MBA will tell you.
Zaran thinks studying at Henley sharpened his skill-set and gave him access to a strong network across Europe. “It was really intense in the first three months but progressed well,” he said. “I got a lot of exposure early on at this stage of my career in terms of different working styles, diversity, team building and conflict management.
“It sharpened my skillsets, made me more confident in my approach towards various stakeholders and gave me access to a strong network. International Business & Corporate Strategy were my favourite sessions in the course.”
The media and entertainment industry is very attractive, Zaran agrees, but he acknowledges that some people find it difficult to understand how businesses in the sector operate. He thinks that far from stifling creativity, studying an MBA will boost it and allow you to open doors to a wide range of career options.
Consulting and finance are some of the most popular MBA Careers and even coming from a media and entertainment background, business school will allow you to branch out. “The most valuable aspect of having an MBA is that you have the tools to enter any given business,” Zaran added.
Thanks to Henley, he was able to move into a marketing career with Oculus - an integrated design and digital marketing agency committed to delivering the very best in marketing expertise, creativity and account management.
Based in Reading, a short drive away from Henley’s main campus, the opportunity to work there came through networking, and the careers team at Henley. “The careers consulting at Henley, backed by Naeema Pasha, is very helpful,” he said. “She provided me with the right approach in terms of constructing my CV and preparing for the interview.”
Now three month’s into the role, and Zaran credits Henley for helping him to achieve a lot in his career. “There are certain goals and benchmarks I have set for myself within the next four-year period,” he said. “The marketing side of business was my next step and I am happy I have a platform to achieve this at Oculus.
“The MBA provided me with a platform, and helped me build my network in the UK.”
While the media and entertainment sector is an exciting prospect – and one that is set to grow stronger, Henley can give the tools to break ranks.
Consulting and finance may still dominate the MBA Jobs world, but there are many like Zaran that seek to launch a marketing career. MBA programs like Henley can give you a specialist route into non-traditional pathways.
Like any b-school will tell you, networking is a powerful resource – and Henley will help you connect in the UK.
But as Zaran says, an MBA still opens doors to every industry.
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