Ritankar Chatterjee
Nationality: Indian
Programme: Executive MBA in Dubai, 2019
Pre-MBA: Manager (Finance)
Post-MBA: Senior Manager (Corporate Strategy)
Current industry: Consulting
Transitions made: Industry
What attracted you to the Executive MBA in Dubai programme at Cass?
I wanted to pursue an MBA to develop my executive profile to a well-rounded professional. As someone who comes from an accounting and finance background, I hoped to improve my decision-making abilities, and broaden my understanding of other disciplines such as digital, HR, and operations management.
What was your study experience like?
I was incredibly impressed by the level of expertise of the academics teaching on the programme, as well as the personalised attention they gave to every student. The professors are approachable for one-to-one discussions not only during the classroom sessions in Dubai, but also remotely through email, phone or Skype, when they are back in the London campus.
In addition to the classroom lectures, a real source of learning came from the assignments wherein you have to collaborate with other students from diverse careers and backgrounds, and eventually learn how to appreciate their points of view. Group assignments offered a practical guide to working with people from other departments in an organisation, who may sometimes have conflicting objectives.
What did you gain from the programme?
The Executive MBA in Dubai was a platform for self-development. Not only did it equip me with technical knowledge, but it also gave me the opportunity to develop my soft skills such as public speaking, teamwork, interpersonal skills – all important attributes for executives. This is what made the degree worthwhile.
Furthermore, access to the City MENA alumni network opened up plenty of networking opportunities for me.
What advice would you give to new students of the Executive MBA in Dubai programme?
Be clear on your objectives of doing the MBA. There will always be distractions resulting from social and professional commitments. However, after completing the classroom sessions and the business mastery project, you will eventually realise the positive impact of the MBA programme, depending on the objective that you set out for yourself.