Chair of the FA, Debbie Hewitt MBE, shares honest insights from her career journey, how she turned challenges into opportunities and the pivotal role her Bath Executive MBA played in shaping her leadership approach.
I didn’t go to university as an undergraduate; I found my way to higher education later in life. The normal A-levels to university route didn’t happen for me as I had a traumatic time just before I took my exams. I lost my mum and decided to go straight to work instead.
Joining Marks and Spencer gave me lots of wonderful opportunities to learn, to have accountability and to travel the world, although I always felt I was missing something by not doing a degree.
After various roles, I came to the Executive MBA at Bath (EMBA) as a mature student. The education and experience it provided opened my mind beyond a narrow career experience. Being with students with different life experiences, seeing things through a different lens, and the quality of teaching input was fantastic.
On the EMBA, you’re not spoon-fed, you look at case studies that are based on practical reality and are asked to interpret the lessons that come from them. It was a life-changing learning experience and one I still draw on.
The EMBA taught me how to get to develop my leadership approach to make the most of opportunities in an organisation. The programme brought in leaders who were candid with their experiences and made leadership seem accessible. It gave me the ambition to be a leader.
The education and experience the executive MBA provided, opened my mind beyond a narrow career experience.
I hadn’t really thought of myself as a role model for women in business, so it was a bit of a shock and a real honour to be named in British Vogue’s 2021 list of the most influential women.
When I first started out in my career, I didn’t initially understand the issues faced by women in business. I hadn’t realised that some people were looking at me and thinking, ‘She’s a woman, why and how has she got here?’. I had a bit of a rude awakening to this when a young woman at a conference I was speaking at told me of the issues she was facing in her role.
I’d had the luxury of a female role model as my mother was the main breadwinner in my family, which was very unusual in the 1960s and ’70s. Having her as a role model meant I wasn’t as aware as I could have been about the challenges that women faced. Meeting this young woman opened my eyes to what other women were experiencing. It made me a better leader.
When I got the job at the FA, a young girl wrote to me and said, ‘it’s amazing you’re doing this’. I didn’t think of it as ‘amazing’ at the time, it was a job I wanted to do. But once I appreciated the strong sense of purpose that the FA has, I realised how lucky I was to be in a role which young people aspire and relate to. It has been a very humbling experience to see the difference that the organisation can make to society. It makes me very grounded. I also feel a very strong sense of responsibility to help as many youngsters as I can making their way in the organisation.
On the EMBA, you're not spoon-fed. You look at case studies that are based on practical reality and are asked to interpret the lessons that come from them. It was a life-changing learning experience and one I still draw on.
I’m a massive believer in nurture. As a leader, you have the responsibility to identify and nurture the next generation. Taking risks on people is the most privileged part of being a leader. Role models are massively important to the process of developing leaders.
Nobody is born a leader; someone has to take a risk to give you the first opportunity. I still remember the manager who took the risk in giving me my first leadership role. He showed leadership in taking a calculated risk to support me in that role.
I see the job of a leader as identifying talent, taking the risk in giving that talented individual an opportunity and then supporting them to the hilt. The best leaders use every opportunity to find talent.
One of the most extraordinary qualities anyone, not just leaders, can possess is resilience. That’s the one skill I’d want to give my kids: the ability to bounce back from what life throws at you.
At the car company Lex, which I’d joined after my time at Marks and Spencer, I bought used cars at the wrong time of year and received a written warning. The formal process of a written warning felt so shameful; I’d never been in a situation like that before. But I can honestly say that I learnt so much more from that situation than many of the successes I’ve had.
I know now that when you’re new to an organisation, or to any role, you should always do an induction and always ask questions. A hard way to learn but it was a great lesson in asking when you don’t know something.
The EMBA taught me how to develop my leadership approach to make the most of opportunities in an organisation. The programme brought in leaders who were candid with their experiences and made leadership seem accessible. It gave me the ambition to be a leader.
If you’re humble in failure, it can spur you on. You don’t want to make that mistake again. Wanting to do my best is what drives me in every circumstance. I don’t want to let people down – and that’s where the imposter syndrome comes from. It’s a positive motivator, it’s not about fear.
Don’t let the message be ‘I’m going to fail’, let it be ‘I’m going to do my best’.
Ambition is an interesting word; my definition of ambition is being hungry to learn. Decisions aren’t always straightforward. They can be complicated; there are politics to navigate, and you can’t please everyone. Probably one of my biggest lessons is don’t wait for everything to be perfect, it’s progress we should celebrate.
Join us at an upcoming event.
In-person information event for senior leaders who want to fit professional development around work commitments.
Find out about our one-year programme for ambitious professionals ready to make a significant career leap.
Associate Dean of School, Dr Pete Nuttall, shares insights into mastering your authentic personal brand. Learn practical strategies to differentiate yourself and transform your unique identity into your most powerful career asset.
The Bath Executive MBA helped architect Danny Harris to elevate his career to board level while balancing work, study and family.
I decided to study the Bath Executive MBA because Bath is well connected to local businesses. And it has a leading business school in the UK. As an architect, I love visiting the School. The facilities are incredible and create an environment that’s always busy with activity.
I’ve worked at one company my whole career, which is Stride Treglown. It’s one of the largest architectural and design consultancies in England and Wales. I value loyalty and Stride Treglown empowers employees to take on responsibility. I started as a graduate architectural assistant and worked my way up to lead the organisation’s work in the education sector. I also oversee the Bristol office as regional director.
I’m about to join the Board of Directors at Stride Treglown, with a remit to develop innovation and AI into our processes.
The Executive MBA played a huge part in my desire and ambition to be on the board at Stride Treglown. I used my learnings from the EMBA to develop my personal offer when applying for a board position.
I have loved every minute of the course...The quality of teaching has been exceptionally high.
I have loved every minute of the course. The debate in class, positive challenges and group case study work offer perspectives from different business cultures and industries. The quality of teaching has been exceptionally high.
Being on campus once a month packages the course into a manageable schedule. It works well with my busy work/life schedule – I have a demanding day job and two small children. It’s a great way to see my course mates in-person and build my network.
Through the programme’s focus on contemporary challenges like innovation and entrepreneurship, I have gained good insight into successful models of driving transformation. Architects are sometimes referred to as jacks of all trades and masters of none; we see the breadth of different skills and trades involved in designing buildings. Gaining insight into all the aspects of management and leadership contained in the modules does the same thing for business.
If you’re considering enrolling on the Bath Executive MBA, my advice is to be open-minded and humble. The programme is full of amazing people with diverse backgrounds and you can learn from every one of them.
The School of Management ethos is ‘Think Ambitious’. Ambition to me is striving for positive change and excellence in everything you do. By getting things done, you will achieve your ambitions.
Join us at an upcoming event.
In-person information event for senior leaders who want to fit professional development around work commitments.
Find out about our one-year programme for ambitious professionals ready to make a significant career leap.
Associate Dean of School, Dr Pete Nuttall, shares insights into mastering your authentic personal brand. Learn practical strategies to differentiate yourself and transform your unique identity into your most powerful career asset.
MBA graduate Yu-Chien from Taiwan shares how Bath's MBA programme helped pivot her career from engineering to management knowledge and leadership.
For four years, I worked as a sales engineer in a company providing integrated design and production services for electronic components. The role was multi-functional, with project management and selling, so I handled projects from different perspectives. After that, I changed roles and became a coordinator who supports the CEO. I oversee the delivery of projects and collaborate with customers and employees.
Moving into a coordinator position made me aware I needed broader strategic and problem-solving skills. I decided to apply for an MBA programme.
The Bath MBA programme doesn’t require a GMAT score and, as I had limited time to prepare, this made it suitable for me. The programme focuses on teaching practical skills that relate to real careers and organisations. With the high ranking and good reputation, I decided to apply to the University of Bath.
The MBA programme includes a lot of teamwork, making it an enjoyable experience. We work with different nationalities and diverse backgrounds, just like in the real world. We’ve learned to adjust and resolve conflicts so everyone works together effectively towards common goals.
Compared to writing a dissertation, the Multi-Project Suite has been a more useful way to apply what I’ve learned. It’s practical, and I can network with different companies in parallel. There’s a connection between learning in class and working with companies. It shows us exactly what we need to improve in the working environment.
The MBA programme has helped me to develop a more systematic and multi-dimensional approach to management.
Before the MBA programme, my angle of thinking was one-sided and fragmented. I mostly relied on my own experience to solve problems. The programme has helped me to develop a more systematic and multi-dimensional approach to management.
I want to be an inspiring leader. I aim to use my past management experience and combine it with new principles to form my own management methodology.
The MBA programme is challenging but it will improve your professional skills. My advice to anyone considering the Bath MBA is to be brave and curious to explore. There is nothing to lose – try it and get out of your comfort zone.
MBA graduate, Shuang, shares her story of how the Bath MBA enabled her to elevate her international business acumen and expand her career horizons.
My journey to the Bath MBA began after nearly 12 years of work experience, including roles at Unilever and Danone where I specialised in in-store activation management. A pivotal moment came in 2017 when I declined a fantastic opportunity to start my own business, realising I lacked the necessary experience and knowledge to succeed in such a competitive environment. This realisation ignited my passion for personal and professional growth, prompting me to pursue an MBA.
I saw the MBA as a way to systematically deepen my understanding of management, allowing me to consolidate my existing knowledge while bridging the gap between theory and practical work experience. The University of Bath’s programme stood out due to its focus on practice-based learning and the flexibility to tailor a portion of the programme to my specific career goals. The Multi-Project Suite had a significant impact on both my learning and subsequent career progress. It gave me the opportunity to collaborate with UK professionals in real business case settings and understand how to work within a Western business culture.
Professionally, the MBA has helped me organise my knowledge and strengthen my skills, opening up opportunities to work in different industries. It has built my confidence to take on more senior roles, work within Western cultures, and even lead teams composed of individuals from diverse backgrounds. What surprised me most was discovering that many of the approaches I used while working on projects are backed by strong theories and reasoning from the modules I studied, which greatly expanded my knowledge.
The Bath MBA's strong emphasis on practice-based learning allows you to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world situations. The excellent networking opportunities with industry leaders and potential employers are invaluable for career advancement.
Currently, I’m working for a Chinese company, responsible for the Americas market in an industry that is new to me. I’ll be moving to the U.S. at the end of the year to establish a branch office there. What I enjoy most about this role is the opportunity to build a team with diverse cultural backgrounds, allowing me to make a meaningful impact through my efforts. In the short term, my goal is to lead this branch company to achieve a significant market share in the Americas. Long term, I hope to expand my responsibilities to include opportunities in the UK and Europe.
To anyone considering an MBA, I would advise clearly defining your goals and what you hope to achieve from the programme. The Bath MBA’s strong emphasis on practice-based learning allows students to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world situations, and the excellent networking opportunities with industry leaders and potential employers are invaluable for career advancement. Be prepared to invest time and effort into the coursework and projects, as the learning experience is both rigorous and rewarding. Keep an open mind and be willing to embrace new ideas and perspectives, as this will enrich your journey and prepare you for future challenges in your career.
MBA graduate, Junzhi, from Shanghai, shares his experience of the Bath MBA and an extraordinary journey of personal and professional growth, friendship and fun.
Prior to my MBA at Bath, I had seven years of experience in sales and marketing in the global medical device industry. I was motivated to pursue an MBA to gain global insights through a systematic international learning experience. The opportunity to learn from diverse peers and expand my professional network was particularly appealing. The shorter duration of UK MBA programmes (one year at Bath) offered a quick, yet comprehensive, return on investment, aligning well with my career goals.
I knew I was ready to take this step when I recognised the need to expand my leadership potential and explore new perspectives by experiencing different cultures and lifestyles in other countries.
The global diversity of my classmates broadened my understanding of international business practices and cultures. Working on the Multi-Project Suite allowed me to tackle real-world business challenges across different industries, enhancing my problem-solving skills in a global context. This experience, combined with the academic modules, deepened my understanding of international business operations.
One of the most valuable aspects of the programme was the diverse network I built. Engaging with peers from various backgrounds challenged my perspectives and encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone. This not only improved my communication and collaboration skills but also fostered greater self-awareness and resilience. We shared memorable moments hiking and travelling together during my spare time, which enriched my MBA journey and provided insights into different cultures.
The Bath MBA has equipped me with a deeper understanding of different business functions in a global context, allowing me to take on more senior roles and contribute more effectively to my company.
The Bath MBA has equipped me with a deeper understanding of different business functions in a global context, allowing me to take on more senior roles and contribute more effectively to my company. I’m currently working as a Global Senior Product Manager at a MedTech company, and my long-term ambitions focus on advancing into a leadership role within the medical healthcare industry, particularly managing a team in global product marketing or business strategy.
The Bath MBA is like a turbo boost for your career, with incredible professors and classmates from different countries, distinctive and practical Multi-Project Suite projects and a professional career centre. You not only get to level-up your brainpower but also embark on a fantastic adventure! Plus, Bath is charming enough to make you feel like you’re living in a postcard, with stunning architecture and cozy cafes and bars just wait for you to discover. It’s been an unforgettable journey of personal and professional growth, friendship and fun.
Thiago Narisawa, Senior Supply Planner at PepsiCo, talks about his decision to study an Executive MBA and the support he received from PepsiCo and the Bath MBA Recruitment Team to help him achieve his goals.
I’m currently working as a planning engineer for PepsiCo working on their snacks business in the UK. I’ve been with the company for nearly two years but have worked in the industry for almost 15 years. It’s a challenging role and every day is different but I feel very passionate about it and like that it’s constantly changing.
I considered many factors when choosing a university for my MBA but felt that the programme at Bath offered a wide range of modules, from finance to supply chains and marketing, modules that were very interesting for me. I’ve noticed already some opportunities to bring this knowledge into my role at PepsiCo. In five years’ time I want to be a part of the senior leadership team, making decisions and being a part of the process to support and drive the business in the right direction.
It took some time to get confirmation from PepsiCo to sponsor me through the MBA programme. I was quite new at the company but had made it clear from joining that one of my goals was to develop myself further through an MBA. PepsiCo wanted to see a clear business case for their investment and to understand what benefits this would bring to their business, but they also needed to understand my aspirations and commitment to the company’s future.
The outcomes of the course and everything I have been able to apply since starting has been visible and PepsiCo can now see the benefits and understand that they made the right choice.
MBA student Joel, from Taiwan, talks about how the community at Bath has helped him to understand business from different perspectives and built his confidence.
I chose to do an MBA because I know my strengths and weaknesses and I think I’m the kind of person who learns better from practice rather than studying in a classroom. I picked out several different MBA programmes to see which one would be the best fit for me, my requirements and my expectations.
I chose Bath because of the optional modules. I was keen to learn about business from different perspectives. Also, during the application process, Bath was proactive and helped me with any issues I faced around moving overseas. My wife was coming to the UK with me, so the team helped me with information about accommodation for families.
On the course, I’ve noticed that everyone is open minded; we share ideas and everyone actively listens. I think that’s created a comfortable and safe place for me to share ideas even when they’re not perfect. It’s helped me to think outside the box, and I’m feeling more and more confident.
Because we all come from different backgrounds, we have lots to talk about. In some ways we’re the same, but in other ways, we’re different. I think the whole MBA journey is not only about dealing with the tasks, assessments and new projects. For me, it’s also about communication in a new country. My coach told me the best way to fit in is to try to be interested, rather than interesting, and I think that’s been key for me.
The MBA environment has pushed me to think about who I am, what makes me special, and how I can use that to contribute to the group.
My first impression of Bath was that it’s quite a small city, it’s close to Bristol and a train journey from London. There are lots of historical buildings and plenty of green spaces to go to and relax. I came here knowing I’d be taken care of by the University, and so far, that experience has been great.
The biggest change for me has been my confidence. The MBA environment has pushed me to think about who I am, what makes me special, and how I can use that to contribute to the group.
After the course, I’d like to work in management consulting. I’ve found that many companies have a good vision and passion, but some don’t know how to explore ideas for their business or share their ideas with the public. I’d like use what I’ve learnt from my MBA to help companies to create that strong strategy.
MBA student Gilan, from Indonesia, talks about why she chose Bath for her MBA, and how she’ll apply what she’s learned to running her own restaurant business.
I worked as a tax consultant at a big consultancy firm in Indonesia for almost 11 years and I was also involved in my family business from the age of 15. I helped my mum to develop the business and since then I’ve been passionate about the food and beverage industry.
In 2020, I launched my own restaurant, and I was quite confident that it could become a success. However, I found there were a lot of obstacles and challenges, especially around managing people and matching my expectations to what they knew. It was also difficult to find the right marketing or business strategy, maybe because I hadn’t done market research before. That’s why I thought it was very important for me to do an MBA.
Aside from my business, I also worked as a tax consultant, so I’ll go back there after I finish my studies. The MBA is a good balance for both my entrepreneurial journey and my career as a consultant. Initially, I thought the two roles were very different, but I realised with the MBA, I can apply the knowledge to both.
The Bath MBA perfectly fits with my ambitions because it doesn’t just focus on one area. For example, we have the Multi Project Suite, which has enabled me to gain experience in different areas like entrepreneurship and consulting.
I also joined the Enterprise Lab and that’s a really good community here. They have a lot of workshops for entrepreneurship, so it’s been really helpful to get additional insight besides what we get from the class.
The MBA is about more than just the course content. It’s about the experience of meeting people from different countries and backgrounds so I can improve my soft skills too.
I still remember the first time I spoke to someone at the Bath School of Management. It was a pre-interview during my application and the interviewer was very kind and informative. I felt like I would belong at Bath when I spoke to her, and I realised I’d be very happy if I was accepted. I was one hundred percent sure Bath was right for me.
For me, I think it’s very important that the MBA is about more than just the course content. It’s about the experience of meeting people from different countries and backgrounds so I can improve my soft skills too. With my classmates, I feel like we have some of the same challenges. Some of us are far away from home and we have the same motivation so we feel close, and we can help each other.
The programme has really changed my mindset about business. With the knowledge that I have from the MBA, I’m now more confident to go back to Indonesia and run my business. I keep evaluating myself and now know what I should have done differently. I’ve become a fast learner, so I know I can overcome the challenges.
Samarjeet from Nepal, talks about the practical aspects of the Bath MBA programme and how the experience helped build a global professional network.
I wanted to pursue an MBA with academic rigour and a focus on entrepreneurship and sustainability. The Bath MBA surpassed my expectations. The programme gave me new people management and leadership skills.
A distinctive feature of the programme is the hands-on engagement with actual clients. We had the opportunity to tackle real-world challenges faced by organisations. This practical experience meant we could apply what we knew from our learning in the classroom to real problems.
With the successful completion of each module, I had a sense that I was expanding my knowledge base. I felt that the curriculum was thoughtfully paced, ensuring that concepts were introduced at precisely the right time for students.
The Multi Project Suite was my opportunity to apply the methodologies and insights I’d learned from the modules.
The initial consulting project served as a launchpad. It guided me through the process of diagnosing challenges faced by organisations and providing recommendations for our clients.
The second consulting project gave me the skills to translate our recommendations into actionable strategies.
The Entrepreneurship project was my opportunity to conceive and blueprint a novel business plan. I then showcased my concept to a panel to seek potential investments.
This immersive journey provided a well-rounded education with a lot of hands-on involvement.
The dedicated Careers Team of the Bath MBA was an unwavering source of support throughout the year.
The diversity of my classmates created an environment of cross-cultural enrichment. This helped me to develop professional networks beyond the programme.
The programme offered an opportunity to engage with both a coach and a mentor. The coaching component helped me to articulate why I wanted to pursue the Bath MBA and to explain my aspirations for my career.
The mentoring was equally invaluable. I had the privilege of collaborating with a seasoned mentoring professional. Together, we drew valuable connections between my prior experiences and my future ambitions to help me plan for my career goals.
I attended networking events on campus too. Through these, I received mentorship from London-based industry experts. Their insights helped me to identify my transferrable skills and taught me how to present them to potential employers. The dedicated Careers Team of the Bath MBA was an unwavering source of support throughout the year. Their consistent guidance, tools, and advice helped me to present myself effectively and seize opportunities in the job market when I graduated.
Canadian MBA student Andrew explains why he chose to study at Bath and what he's learned about both business and himself during the programme.
I’ve always felt that adding an MBA to my toolbelt would be beneficial, and I’m really glad that I decided to do it at this point in my career. It’s been great to reflect on my previous seven years of work experience and to understand how things can be done differently.
The programme in Bath was incredibly attractive to me. Firstly, because most of the coursework is groupwork. Secondly, because the programme is focused on bringing different nationalities and cultures together. Thirdly, because of the opportunity to work with real-life clients on change management projects.
Working with people from all over the world, with different professional and personal backgrounds, it’s been great to understand how people look at problems and situations differently. The lecturers have done a good job of facilitating conversation and debate in class. They want to learn just as much as we do.
The programme has really helped me to understand that there is no “one size fits all” approach to doing business, no matter what industry you’re in. The MBA has given me tools to manage teams and personalities, and more importantly, has given me experiences to try some of the concepts that I have been taught. This has given me more confidence in my abilities moving to the next stages of my career.
Pursue an MBA if you’re ready to not only learn about business but also about who you are as a leader.
The Careers team has been a great resource for us as a group, and for me personally. On the group level, they have brought in various recruiters, CV experts, alumni, and many others to help us understand the job market.
On a personal level, they’ve been very quick to help with CV reviews, coaching for interviews, and connecting me with people within their network that could help my job search. The Careers team also matched each of us up with a Mentor and a Coach. Mentors showed us the path that they’d carved for themselves, and Coaches helped us further develop our leadership and soft skills.
Whether you have a business background or not, I would highly recommend a Bath MBA to anyone that is looking to challenge what they already know about business and how they can make a difference in the future. This programme covers a lot of material in a short amount of time. Putting that material to use helps to solidify your understanding of the concepts and frameworks.
Pursue an MBA if you’re ready to not only learn about business but also about who you are as a leader. I want to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Whether that’s by starting my own business, or being in a senior leadership position that gives me the opportunity to enrich the lives of those around me, the MBA has helped me to better realise and understand the variety of ways I can achieve this.