Meet our alumni

Jess Ilyas (MBA 2017)

From Account Manager, Tourdesign Creative Services to Director of Expansion, Powderkey, Indianapolis, USA

The MBA initiated a seismic shift in my career. I wanted to break into the tech sector, and realise my potential as a business leader. I saw the One Planet MBA programme as a way to evolve my professional brand – in a fun, progressive, diverse and experiential environment.

It absolutely delivered. I am now part of a fantastic leadership team, working at the epicentre of tech entrepreneurship.

Exercise patience and perseverance. Be kind to yourself. Be confident. The perfect job will rarely just drop in your lap. It’s up to you to find your fit. Once you do, you’ll bring a professional wheelhouse of skills to the table that will get you noticed. They may just get you hired. That’s thanks to this MBA programme.

Audrey Leduc (MBA 2016)

From Corporate Affairs Officer, Vale, Rio de Janeiro & Toronto to Senior Consultant, EY, Toronto, Canada

Once graduated from the MBA, my value in the market increased. Recruiters were coming to me and the response rate to job enquiries in my specific sector was much higher.

The MBA allowed me to deal more effectively with colleagues from international backgrounds, build effective graphs, present data clearly and the infamous SWOT analysis – all essential in consulting. Personally, the MBA has also made me more resilient.

Finding a role after the MBA was very challenging – it is an exercise in patience and it is easy to feel discouraged – START EARLY! For me personally, I found the 1-2-1 consultations were useful because they forced me to structure my thinking and explain my game plan to someone else which is a difficult but necessary exercise.

Mashiri Zvarimwa (MBA 2017)

From Project Manager, TTO Climate, Johannesburg SA to Innovation Lab Operator, Syngenta, UK

Being open minded and comfortable to let the ‘current’ determine the direction helped me. Equally important, the MBA re-defined and refined my perspective, taught me that progress is better than perfection, and honed my skills for hacking the job market. It’s okay to be confused and seemingly chaotic. A healthy oscillation between chaos and order steers you towards clarity. 

Being connected with the right people is so critical if you are going to be able to navigate the job market. Because I understood this, as soon as the guest speaker finished their talk, I would be connecting on LinkedIn. It was the same with my consultancy project, and that helped me even with securing interviews with people I would never had an opportunity to speak to…

Sukanlaya Sukutamatunti, MBA

Sukanlaya lives in Thailand and works as a freelancer in market research.

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Tony Cook, One Planet MBA

The One Planet MBA at Exeter Business School is a highly differentiated MBA with a focus on developing business leaders with a full appreciation of the opportunities created by a rapidly changing business environment. 

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Richard Marriott (MBA 2019), Strategy Consultant

What drew me to The Exeter MBA was the focus on the circular economy, innovation and entrepreneurship.

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Stephanie Lindan, One Planet MBA 2016

Hailing from College Station, Texas, Stephanie was initially attracted to the MBA programme’s commitment to change for good and strong partnerships with leading technology companies such as IBM.

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