I work as an Associate Manager in the Corporate Finance department of Hazlewoods LLP, a professional services firm.
Much of my work involves providing professional advice to chief executives on how best to position their companies for the future. This involves driving strategy through structural change such as encouraging our clients to join together with other companies as equals (‘a merger’), to buy and control a smaller company or part of a company (an ‘acquisition’), or to sell part of their own operations (‘a disposal’).
It's been a big change for me in so many ways – I've transitioned from learning new concepts in the classroom at the University of Birmingham to then implementing them in the office. Everything is so much more fast-paced and dynamic, but I feel like my training at Birmingham was critical in getting me up and running at the same speed as everyone else, I'm thoroughly enjoying it.
Why did you decide to study for an MBA?
In my previous role as an in-house lawyer for a bank I realised that there was much more to my employer’s business than I understood. I was not aware just how much information could be gleaned from financial statements, for example, and I would hear my colleagues talk confidently about the businesses we were funding and feel that I was missing out on the fun!
I certainly felt that my whole learning had been one dimensional and while law gave me a great foundation, I wanted to understand the practical aspects of finance and management. I therefore chose to study an MBA to fill these voids in my knowledge.
Why did you choose the University of Birmingham?
The University of Birmingham has an excellent academic reputation across the world, consistently ranking highly in various league tables. In addition to all the obvious reasons for choosing a University like Birmingham, I was impressed by the fact that the University has been teaching business for more than a century now.
What was the highlight of your MBA experience?
The Birmingham MBA was an energising forum for growth and discovery that has undoubtedly prepared me for leadership roles in today’s competitive global marketplace. The entire programme was fascinating and it’s difficult to pick from the business models and leadership tenets taught in class, to the study trips and business case competitions. However, the Deloitte Challenge definitely stands out in that you get a senior team from Deloitte dedicating an entire week of their time to help out on a live consulting case. You certainly do not want to miss it!
What are your fondest memories of your time at Birmingham?
One of my fondest memories was orientation week in early September. Being in a new place (a new country!) away from home can be stressful, but having structured events during the first week, like our various outings, really helped me feel settled in and welcomed.
How did studying for an MBA Challenge you?
For someone from a non-traditional background, simply doing the MBA was challenging enough. But, as you’ll probably learn during your MBA, your attitude makes up over 50% of your professional success, anyway.
I went for the full-time MBA and for me that meant treating it like I would a full-time job. That’s how much time you’ll be expected to put in, and then you’ll need to put in an hour or two of group work after classes and further preparatory reading when you get home. It’s no picnic and requires self-discipline. It challenged me to be prepared for the competitive demands of the workforce that I was looking to forward to joining.
What was your MBA Cohort like?
My cohort was of about 35 people with diverse industry backgrounds and nationalities. This level of diversity has given me an appreciation for other cultures in a way that I had never had before. This has been extremely beneficial to me now that I work in an organisation.
We were further placed into smaller groups throughout the program which helped me get to know my classmates extremely well. As classmates, we were aware of each other’s unique backgrounds and career interests. During our daily interactions, we could easily share perspectives in depth, which added layers of context between our coursework and the real world. It was a rich learning experience.
What advice would you give to somebody considering studying an MBA?
You have to find out where you’re sat with all the skills that you have acquired – whether that was at university or on the job – just imagine yourself doing this with what is arguably the best badge of distinction, which is an MBA. It is a recognised worldwide qualification. In order to deal with all the rapid changes that the world is experiencing such as increased automation, competition, globalisation, complex and unique challenges – you have to stay curious and keep learning just to make sense of it all.
What are your plans for the next 5 years?
I intend to stay at Hazlewoods and hopefully make partner! I like the strong, inclusive people culture within the firm. Hazlewoods offers a number of employee networks, which celebrate and promote diversity and inclusion, and provide further opportunities for its employees to connect with like-minded people from other teams. It’s one of the main reasons why people choose to join and remain at Hazlewoods – and the experience they have lasts a lifetime.
What would be your top tip for students to help them make the most out of their time at Birmingham?
Ask a lot of questions!
Asking questions will help you to understand way more from the class rather than studying the same thing again and again. It will also help you remember new concepts and build up your confidence. But if you’re shy you can ask your question after class, there’s no problem in that, I found the lecturers to be very accommodating. An MBA is supposed to be a participative experience, and this was one way for me to gain confidence in a new environment.
How would you describe the Birmingham MBA Experience in 3 words?
Experience worth having!