Student and Alumni profiles

"I found out about the EMBA-Global Asia by talking to an alumni. I then started to look at the class profiles and I realised that EMBA-Global Asia was exactly what I had been looking for. I now think that I was very lucky to have found this programme.

"EMBA-Global Asia is a very pragmatic and personalised programme. It really is my EMBA and I can decide what I want to get out of it. The world-class faculty and the facilities at each school can really help me.

"Due to the fact that I am an entrepreneur and I run my own company some of the modules are not directly applicable to me yet but I am banking the skills and ideas ready to implement as my company grows.  The core skills in finance and accounting are extremely useful. EMBA-Global Asia has given me the opportunity to learn a lot about myself, what motivates me, the type of leader I am and want to be. It has forced me to stop and think about where I am in my career and life, how people perceive me and how I perceive myself. Now I can make changes as I have access to great coaching and career services."

"I decided to apply for EMBA-Global Asia because I got to a point in my career where I was given the responsibility to make corporate-level business decisions that had an immediate impact on the future of the company. I felt I needed to expand my exposure to a broader set of tools and knowledge to analyse the situations thoroughly and make the most informed decisions. I hoped that EMBA-Global Asia would give me the well-rounded knowledge and tools to look at problems from a variety of angles so that I would be a better manager of people, processes, and critical decisions.

"The EMBA-Global Asia programme has had a direct impact on my day-to-day activities at my job. During meetings, I am able to provide concrete examples and reasoning for my suggestions. I often develop these suggestions based on analysis techniques referencing an idea from one of my professors. The creditability of my arguments and logic has increased co-workers awareness of my opinions and suggestions. I am transitioning my role in the company to focus more on finance. Learning from classmates whom are already well established in the finance industry and have a wealth of practical knowledge has been invaluable.

"The past year and a half has been life-changing. I've met amazing people, developed new friendships, and been given the opportunity to stretch my horizons and learn new skills. Looking back, I would make the same choice again."

"I decided to apply to the EMBA-Global Asia programme to pursue a premium education and gain international exposure. I wanted to feel more confident in dealing with complex business situations, advance my career to the next level, and develop an alumni network that I can call upon for the rest of my life.

"Due to the fact that I can continue working while studying, I have been able to adopt and implement what I have learnt immediately. I have found that my efficiency at work has greatly improved and I have also learnt to manage my time better to balance my work, study and other commitments.

"In the long term, this programme will help me to accelerate my career development in two ways. One is advanced professional expertise, which enables me to be qualified for more challenging roles. The other is the rich global network, through which I have access to a diverse source of information and useful resources to help me make right decision, find the right job or business opportunity."

"My experience on EMBA-Global has been fantastic. I decided to do the programme after realising that there were gaps in my expertise and core competencies.

"The programme increases your confidence, so you are able to add that value back to your role in the real world. I have been able to build on the skills I already had, combine them with the new tools I have acquired through the programme, and apply this back to practical situations.

"A real benefit of the programme is the wealth of knowledge that you can tap into. I had a world-class lecturer on risk management at London Business School who I could ask about modelling certain risks. It is so encouraging and valuable to have someone, who is an expert in their field, willingly offer their time and advice on which practical tools to execute.

"I am now far more focused about where to use all this new knowledge and whether I can excel in other industries. I feel very motivated and ready for my career to go into overdrive again."

"In the past, my business knowledge was very specific to the companies for which I worked. I joined the EMBA-Global Americas and Europe programme to improve my general business knowledge in a global context. I chose the programme for its global scope, which expands both my perspective and my opportunities. Amazon offers amazing opportunities globally, and my experience on the EMBA-Global programme gives me the knowledge and confidence to succeed in them.

"The most exciting weeks of the programme have been when multiple EMBA groups are in the same city. I've made many connections with students from partnering schools who are doing impressive work around the world. Everyone is very aware of the unique contributions that individual students can make, from their unique cultural and professional backgrounds, and this is reflected in every class discussion and group project.

"Amazon.co.uk has been very supportive of my participation in the programme, and my learning has enhanced both my day-to-day performance at work, and my perspective on the broader business. I can bring a whole new level of understanding to complex, pan-European and global business projects."

"EMBA - Global Americas and Europe has impacted the way I work. The way I approach tasks and analyse business challenges is more complete, the frameworks and the knowledge are available to me now. I now see what I didn't know before and where the gaps in my knowledge were.

"There are roles in the future where perhaps I wouldn't have had the foundation of knowledge to undertake but now I do and the programme has given me the confidence to do so. I have no doubt that the programme and the network I am developing will impact my career long-term. If I come across business challenges now I definitely feel like I can pick up the phone and can tap into a network of knowledge.

"EMBA-Global Americas and Europe has really exceeded my expectations. Firstly the programme helped me understand myself better, then the aspects of doing business more and finally I have learnt where I can grow further and improve."

"Before EMBA-Global, I was moving without a compass for five or six years. I was running my own company, but I didn't know which direction I was going. The programme gave me a vision and a comprehensive understanding of management so that I understood where I wanted to go and how to get there.

"The quality of teaching was first-rate. Who better to learn value investing from than Bruce Greenwald, who is a legend in the field? Across the board, the classes gave me the business knowledge and theory that I needed to grow my company.

"The programme also expanded my network, and this has been invaluable. I've found advisors - people in private equity and venture capitalists - who I wouldn't have met on my own. In fact, I approached one of my current clients - the CEO of a company in Japan - as a fellow Columbia alum."

"Being on EMBA-Global has been an incredible journey for me. This programme brings people from all over the world together in one classroom setting; it is a true learning experience. In the current economic environment, this global exposure gives you the competitive advantage that you need to succeed.

"As the founder of my own data management company in the US, I wanted to make a real difference to my business. I felt that getting an MBA would be the best way to achieve that.

"From the cases that we study in class and the discussions I have with the people at both London Business School and Columbia Business School, my vision is so clear and inspired. This has definitely enhanced the entire customer experience for my business. Coming on this programme has given me so much confidence to succeed as a top business woman."

"The EMBA-Global programme has had a direct impact on my career. Before joining the programme, I was working as a Strategy Manager for Accenture in London.

"I now work with one of my classmates, Kenneth Ouriel, as a Chief Strategy Officer for the flagship hospital of Abu Dhabi, crafting a transformational strategy for the newly managed hospital by Cleveland Clinic. It really is a dream job for me; it would have taken me at least six years to progress to this level in Accenture.

"EMBA-Global is a unique platform to meet people with common interests, ambition and the drive in achieving high standards. It is a very intense environment. Essentially, you take a large group of highly intelligent professionals, throw them into a closed environment and watch as new ideas are born. I feel that I am a much better person for doing this programme."

In October 2007, Yasmina received the Cartier Women's Initiative Award and a year's business coaching to help her launch a business, GreenMango. GreenMango has been designed to help low-income entrepreneurs in India to grow their business.

"My business partner and I developed GreenMango while I was an EMBA-Global student. The programme provided such an incredible foundation to start a business, from the amazing access to professors, the advice of my classmates, and the extended networks of both schools.

"I wanted to get my MBA because I needed a deeper understanding across a wider range of disciplines. EMBA-Global was the perfect fit and the only programme I seriously considered. I am an American citizen, but I was born in Africa and grew up in the Philippines. When I started this programme, I was working in economic development (microfinance) in emerging markets around the world, including Jordan, Colombia, Kenya, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. I needed a programme that brought together an international group of students with diverse professional and personal backgrounds, professors who brought international experience into the classroom, and a flexible curriculum. EMBA-Global delivers on all of these.

"The programme far exceeded my expectations. The calibre of my classmates, the depth of knowledge of my professors and the flexibility of the coursework was absolutely amazing. I have learned so much academically and grown so much professionally, that I truly feel ready to take on any challenge in front of me."

"Being part of the EMBA-Global programme has been a fantastic experience for me, both in terms of my professional and personal growth.

"The top-class faculty make this programme what it is. They are diverse in their backgrounds, both culturally and professionally, so teaching methods vary depending on the faculty member. This is a wonderful part of the programme as it provides a truly global perspective on how business is conducted around the world and introduces the class to new ways of thinking and approaching business problems.

"I use a lot of what I have learned from classes for my job and would say that it hasn't gone unnoticed by my employer or colleagues. I have the confidence to take on more responsibility and welcome new challenges at work."

"I have always wanted to take on more international projects at work, so I was delighted to be given the opportunity of relocating to our office in Singapore. The EMBA-Global programme played a big part in facilitating this change in my career and has improved my confidence in my capabilities as a successful global leader."

"There is a wealth of experience on the programme, so I have got as much out of the discussions with fellow students as I have from the faculty. Although I was told this before I joined the programme, it is astonishing just how much you can learn from each other, even in informal settings and during our free time."

"The electives are excellent because you are able to concentrate on their areas of most interest to you. I have also been able to fit them around my work/life situation, which will make my transition far easier and undoubtedly, more successful."