Funmito Adeleye

Why I chose to study my MBA at Imperial

I chose to study the Global Online MBA at Imperial College Business School because I was looking for an opportunity to develop business management and leadership skills while still pursuing a career and directly apply concepts I was learning to everyday experiences and interactions. I specifically chose Imperial because it is a prestigious school with high rankings globally, and it is known for being innovative and technologically driven.

Key takeaways

My key takeaway so far has been that to succeed in whatever career path you choose, you must have an entrepreneurial mindset. Each module in this programme discusses a different component of this mindset. We are taught to understand why the business exists (Strategy), who the customers are and what they need and value (Marketing Management), how the internal teams work together to deliver on customer needs (Organisational Behaviour), what the financial implications of the business decisions are (Financial and Management Accounting; Corporate Finance) and how macro and micro economic factors may impact the business (Managerial Economics).

Using online learning to my benefit

The Hub makes it easier to pace yourself based on whatever things you have going on at the time, so you can cover modules in advance if you have some extra time and you can also catch up much later if needed. I can ask questions and start discussions with other cohort members; it’s almost like being physically in class and having a discussion with classmates and professors. There is also the ability to request and get feedback quickly.

"it’s almost like being physically in class and having a discussion with classmates and professors."

My cohort

The most rewarding part of the programme has been the people I am able to associate with – the students, the faculty, guest speakers. It is amazing how many connections I am able to make just by being an Imperial MBA student.

My cohort is a truly diverse and ambitious group of people. We have individuals from a large variety of backgrounds, experiences and industries, such as healthcare, technology, consulting, manufacturing, engineering and finance. My cohort is also quite ambitious. Some people are trying to move across different industries, others are looking to get ahead in their current specific industries. We also have people wearing the ‘entrepreneurship’ hat and starting their own businesses.

Reaping the benefits of diverse teams

The programme also provides avenues to discuss how businesses and teams operate in different countries across the world. This gives you a kind of global business awareness that you may not have had before joining the programme. Another thing is the cultural perspective that you gain from interacting with people from different sociocultural backgrounds. It is inevitable that you will encounter people from many different walks of life if you are looking to be a part of any large-scale organisation and I believe the MBA programme provides a safe environment to develop the awareness and skills needed to maximise the unique insights that come from diverse teams.

"This gives you a kind of global business awareness that you may not have had before joining the programme."

My Personal Leadership Journey

One of the first experiences on the Personal Leadership Journey was a strength/leadership qualities assessment. I found this extremely helpful because I believe for a person to get to where they want to go, it is crucial to understand where they are coming from. Personally, I have found Careers very instrumental in my leadership journey process. They have provided support in many ways, from offering advice on how to embrace the feedback of the assessment and practical steps for improvement, to being a sounding board for career ideas and development plans.

Advice for future students

My advice to those thinking about applying for the MBA is to take the first step – reach out and ask questions. Although it is very engaging programme with huge time commitments, it is also a very rewarding experience. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? If you are ready to make the commitment, go for it!