The MBA experience of Gary Tejakusuma
Jakarta-based Gary Tejakusuma, a Global MBA graduate with SP Jain, is weaving through the corporate structure confidently even though the disruptive environment keeps adding ‘unknown’ uncertainties.
The massive launch of disruptive technology is a mega challenge, especially for global executives like Gary who make critical decisions on or about people. In fact, business means a deeper relationship with people – or customers – as many commercially define their market drivers, the consumers.
“The key is being relevant to real world as soon as possible, but not forgetting the new identity (credential) as an MBA. I call it a ‘Relevant MBA’”, says Gary. Those who have never done an MBA would always correlate the degree with Capitalism or Commercialism. “Yet, in fact, the Global MBA journey at SP Jain has changed my perspective about capitalism and money,”, says Gary. “The Global MBA helped me not just with self-enhancement, but also helped me accomplish self-transcendence.”
Gary shares his journey post MBA:
Q: What is your advice to the Global MBA students on the many challenges that lie ahead – disruptive technologies, fast changing market trends, IoTs, and more?
Gary: There are three stages on every development that MBA students need to understand in the corporate or business life — be INNOVATIVE, then be DISRUPTIVE, and end with being ADAPTIVE.
Learning to be adaptive is the most precious lesson we can get in a Global MBA degree – it helps us look from different angles for any innovative ideas and analyse the sustainability of any disruptiveness to be adaptive.
MBA is there to bridge “the innovative with disruptive” and “the disruptive and adaptive”. Business is always about relationship and people while embedding a sense of anthropology and epistemology.
MBA is mastering conflict of interest between stakeholders, and as such cannot be replaced by any technology.
Q: How does the Global MBA help you professionally?
Gary: The ability to adapt and adjust between different cultures is one of many soft-skills that I acquired during my Global MBA with SP Jain. Yes, the finance other technical skills were crucial and eye-opening, but how you act as a minority within the batch and how you add value to the batch and team-mates on your MBA projects does leave an impact, an impact which stays even after your MBA time.
Frankly, as of now, we live in a credential-degree-society, everyone can innovate – for the sky is the limit. Yet with an MBA, the risk is always less compared to those who don’t have it.
In all the companies I have worked post my Global MBA, business acumen was an essential skill. During my course with SP Jain, the degree of our business judgment and acumen was frequently tested and simulated during the class exercises, projects, and debates.
Q: What is the advantage a Global MBA brings to your corporate team?
Gary: A Global MBA team leader shows a high level of endurance and capacity. When some of us are faced and pressured without knowing the rationales behind it, I can see the alternative point of view by connecting the dots between one to another and by doing so, I am able to find a new source of motivation – all thanks to my Global MBA degree. One often needs motivation to be able endure and push the boundaries; as a team leader, I am often able to push equals to an increased capacity.
About Gary Tejakusuma:
Gary Tejakusuma is currently the Head of Investment at PT Commonwealth Life, an insurance group in Jakarta. He is a savvy and skilled financial professional with nine years of comprehensive investment expertise. Gary manages multiple portfolios with diligent attention and continuous analysis of economic trends to determine appropriate asset allocation. He holds an extensive background in financial planning, investment analysis and business development.
