How the MBA leadership development programme has transformed my career path – DCU Executive MBA Insight Series

How the MBA leadership development programme has transformed my career path – DCU Executive MBA Insight Series

My original decision to embark on the DCU MBA journey was to strengthen my senior leadership skills and increase my knowledge. At the time I was in a senior leadership position as Head of Business Development working in a division for a large UK&I PLC called Wincanton Information & Records Management. The DCU MBA certainly met my original criteria. I wanted to get the most out of the MBA and used the Leadership Development Programme to honestly reassess my thinking and career positioning and the programme really enabled this.

I was always interested in a more technology focused leadership role and the MBA offered modules in Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Technology and how this could be applied in a leadership context. Gaining more insights into these modules coupled with the reassessment of my career positioning during the personal leadership development programme proved to be the decisive factor and final push I needed to shape my career ambitions.

Soon after I finished the MBA, I strategically started to review my career options, what I wanted my future to look like and importantly how I could leverage and maximise my practical experience with the learnings from the MBA. My goal was finding the right leadership role that was more technology and sales focused. After I finished the MBA, I engaged with the DCU MBA Director on several occasions for advice in this regard and the advice and support was invaluable.

A few months after I finished the MBA an excellent opportunity arose to work for Accenture’s technology division as a Technology Consulting Manager. I worked for Accenture for almost two years gaining valuable technology exposure and experience within a successful and cutting edge global technology firm. This career opportunity coupled with my previous experience now provided a platform for me to merge my previous experience and my Accenture experience to further achieve my career ambitions and take the next step.

The next step and opportunity came in early 2018 when I joined Ergo, an innovative and growing Irish technology company. The position was Chief Commercial Officer. I am now responsible for leading the Sales division in one of Ergo’s specialist business units – ICT Managed Services. This involves me shaping their growth strategy; delivering technology solutions and helping organisations along their digital journey; something I’m quite passionate and excited about.

I can truly say, had it not been for the DCU MBA and Leadership Development Programme I would have a different career path and potentially stuck to the status quo. This programme for me was a key enabler and game changer to reposition my career providing me with the required platform to achieve my career ambitions.