Marc Gorospe (EMBA 2020) is the Head of Business Development for Insurance at UB Philippines. He has been in the financial services industry for over 20 years. How did the EMBA program help him escalate his career? We caught up with Marc over a quick chat to find out.
Why did you decide to pursue an MBA degree at this stage of your career?
I was looking for a degree to help sharpen my business strategy, corporate finance, and innovation skillset and support my company in building sustainable growth. I am committed to working hard and continuing training in business management and leadership that can help me add value to my company. It includes international exposure to best practices, case studies, and an exchange of experience that can offer me a unique perspective.
Every intake, the EMBA Online program brings together students from 10+ countries. What was your favourite part of learning with this diverse cohort?
I have worked in the financial services and technology industries for over 20 years. But as an EMBA student at SP Jain, I got the chance to work with students across various sectors, such as manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, automotive, etc. I never had this opportunity before. My cohort consists of students from 10+ industries, and we all have a lot to teach each other.
What is your impression of the EMBA curriculum at SP Jain? What transformations have you seen in yourself after the program?
The EMBA curriculum at SP Jain, designed to be global, is relevant to the changing business environment and is immediately applicable at work. The course gears towards preparing the students for their company’s sustainable strategy and innovation.
I underwent several changes post the course. After completing my EMBA program and going through the business simulations, I could understand the perspective of various corporate offices such as strategy, finance, marketing, operations, human resources, and the corporate board.
Did you take on new professional responsibilities after completing the program?
Yes, I was able to leverage my new skillset and accelerate the execution of strategies. I collaborated with both – start-ups and established companies to help them find the next growth drivers of their businesses.
Do you have any advice for future students of SP Jain’s EMBA on how they can make the most of this program?
I would advise future EMBA students to know where they are now in their careers and where they want to be in the next five years.
They should look at the gaps in terms of skills and experience. Upon knowing those gaps, they can compare them with the SP Jain curriculum if they are addressed. The students can speak to the recruitment officers and attend SP Jain Alumni sessions to understand better how it delivers its curriculum. More likely than not, the courses will address the gaps, among other things.
To make the most of the program, the students should take notes during the classes, ask questions, read the case studies, memorise the framework, immediately apply the learnings at work, exchange ideas with classmates, and not forget to have fun with them!
Click here to read more stories from SP Jain’s EMBA students and alumni.
This article was originally published on S P Jain School of Global Management’s website on 4 January 2023. It can be accessed here: https://blog.spjain.org/community/student-life-experiences/international-exposure-to-the-best-practices-with-sp-jains-emba-marc-gorospes-experience