MBA Alumni: Jon Reed
1. What were your reasons for choosing the Executive MBA and why now at this stage of your career?
I was drawn to the UEA because of the high calibre of lecturers on the course but also the long list of successful business leaders who have been through the programme. As a CEO I was looking for an opportunity to build networks, be challenged and to expand my knowledge. The UEA MBA ticks all of those boxes and I’m now more ambitious as a result of the course.
2. How has the Executive MBA so far improved your leadership skills and what positive impact is it having on your organisation?
The cohort I have joined includes a real mix of private and public sector talent. I am able to share my business challenges with people who come from different organisation with different expertise to me and collectively we support one another as our careers unfold.
My own personal growth has come from me spending more time questioning, challenging and connecting projects to the strategic focus of the business.
3. Have any modules in particular impacted your role and driven significant change as to how your organisation (and/or sector) does things?
Leading a fast-paced business, I recognise I don’t naturally take the time to reflect on the decisions I make and the impact they have had. The discipline gained from the MBA allows me to analyse my role and critically consider how I could have tackled key workstreams differently. The leadership module has especially challenged to ask what my business should stand for now and in the future.