An EMBA can turn you into a thoughtful and effective leader

IF you walk down the corridors of power at any global financial centre, there's a good chance you'll find somebody who has completed an Executive MBA from Leeds University Business School.
Tracy Fowler, whose career has taken off after she completed an EMBA at Leeds University Business SchoolTracy Fowler, whose career has taken off after she completed an EMBA at Leeds University Business School
Tracy Fowler, whose career has taken off after she completed an EMBA at Leeds University Business School

The business school’s EMBA graduates are an elite group, but their ranks can be joined by anyone with drive, ambition and an insatiable desire to learn.

After completing the EMBA at the business school, you will have a feeling of kinship with some of the biggest names in the corporate world.

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Your employer will also reap immediate benefits from the insights you have gained from taking part in a globally-recognised programme of study, which offers the perfect preparation for any career challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the most passionate advocates of the EMBA are the people who have done it.

They include Tracy Fowler, who completed an Executive MBA at Leeds University Business School in 2015. Ms Fowler, who is originally from York, has risen to become the head of global commercial finance and planning at Kuoni Global Travel Services.

Ms Fowler has always been a high-flier; she is a former senior commercial finance manager at Leeds-based supermarket chain, Asda and has also served as head of finance at the specialist international game retailer, GAME Group.

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At Kuoni Global Travel Services, Ms Fowler supported the due diligence process that took the company from listed to private equity ownership.

A former winner of the Finance Director of the Future Award at the ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) finance directors’ excellence awards, she is just the sort of focused individual you would expect to encounter on an EMBA course. Ms Fowler said there were two ways the EMBA had helped to develop her career.

“The quality of the course, and the subjects you cover, give you a solid base of knowledge to apply in your work place,’’ she said.

“Secondly, the network and connections you meet really support you going forward.

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“Through those connections you learn and hear about different experiences or perspectives, along with having like-minded individuals to bounce ideas off.”

“The EMBA is an instantly recognised qualification that employers respect, and you will see it adds value to your overall offering as a candidate or employee.”

“Working for a Swiss organisation, an MBA is a must for anyone expecting to work at a senior level in the organisation, and it enables me to continue to progress through my career at my organisation.”

Anyone thinking of doing the EMBA should not underestimate how much time and effort it will take, Ms Fowler said.

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She added: “It is important to get the support of close family and friends so they understand the time commitment you are making to the EMBA and how they can support you.

“Also invest in the relationships on the MBA, as these are what you will take away with you for the future, and learn so much from.”

Vince Dispenza, who is the director of the Executive MBA programmes at Leeds University Business School, believes that EMBAs can nurture a new generation of managers who take a considered and reflective approach to their .

As a result, EMBAs are of great benefit to employers and employees.

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Mr Dispenza said: “The benefit common to both is the rapid updating of skills and knowledge that happens as part of an intense learning process. Combined with increased networking opportunities, the benefits to the organisation and individual can be profound.”

He added: “Organisations don’t identify and make the most of opportunities, but people do.

“The EMBA is designed to develop diagnostic and analytical skills that clearly translate into increased possibilities for personal, professional and organisational success.”

There’s also plenty of evidence that an MBA accelerates and steepens the career and salary curve.

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“MBA graduates are more likely to achieve promotion and end up in leadership positions,’’ Mr Dispenza said.

“For the organisation, this should translate into better strategic and operational decision making, increased performance and more positive outcomes.

“EMBAs can provide a boost for the British economy by increasing the pool of managers who have been challenged to think about global and ethical issues.”

There’s no doubt that EMBA students emerge with fresh perspectives on a corporate world that is undergoing rapid changes.

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Mr Dispenza said: “The feedback that we get suggests that it changes people in a positive way by developing their skills, their knowledge and their confidence.”

When the managers completed their EMBAs, they are asked to describe the greatest lesson they have learned;

Many EMBA graduates respond: “I expected to learn more about business and management, but the greatest learning has been about me.”

The EMBA at Leeds University Business School is for the UK’s thoughtful and effective leaders of the future.

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