The SP Jain EMBA: Akshay Daswal’s Route To A New Career

Akshay Daswal (EMBA Class of 2020) started his career with a BE in Computer Science. He then worked with Oracle for 6 years before joining ADCB Abu Dhabi as a Senior System Analyst. What made him decide to enrol for SP Jain’s Executive MBA, and how did this journey help him both personally and professionally? We caught up with Akshay to find out.

Q. How did you know that it was time for you to do an MBA?

Akshay: I always wanted to pursue an MBA that would help me build the management skills needed for achieving my career goals. After gaining a work experience of 6+ years, I decided that it was time to invest in my education and develop the right skills that would provide me with a fresh perspective on the latest management techniques, business trends, and strategic insights to move to leadership roles.

Q. How did you discover SP Jain’s EMBA and why did you design to enrol for it?

Akshay: I researched about many of the business schools that were offering an MBA program, and SP Jain’s Executive MBA truly stood out to me. The program was giving me the opportunity to learn from top international faculty, ensuring that I got an excellent ROI, and even giving me the flexibility to attend classes without taking a break in my career. The curriculum offered by the SP Jain EMBA perfectly aligned with my future career aspirations as well.

Q. During the program, you studied and networked with peers from diverse backgrounds and industries. Did this help you?

Akshay: The EMBA was an excellent option for me to enhance my strengths and work on my weaknesses. The program also gave me a platform to build strong connections with my peers from different professional and cultural backgrounds. The opportunity to learn from their experiences and build relationships was truly priceless. Overall, the program helped me foster maturity, professionalism, and a disciplined outlook.

Q. Have you noticed any improvements in yourself after graduating from the program?

Akshay: Honestly, the program has impacted nearly every aspect of my life: personal, professional, academic and financial.

Personal: I am now able to think outside-the-box and weigh multiple options or solutions in my mind while fixing a problem. My social networking has improved dramatically with new connections from across the globe. But above all, the program helped me move out of my comfort zone – and for this, I’ll forever be grateful to SP Jain.

Professional: I have honed strategic and innovative thinking along with analytic skills to enable effective opportunity identification, problem-solving, and decision-making. The EMBA re-energised my past career goals while helping me uncover new ones and jumpstart a new career.

Before my MBA, as a Senior System analyst, I had vertical expertise in the technical aspects of the job. Post-MBA, my short-term goal was to change my field into product and project management. The SP Jain EMBA instilled a holistic view of product and project management in me and helped me succeed. After graduating from the program in January 2020, I started walking towards my short-term goal and explored the market concerning the skillsets I had developed during the program. I was thrilled to be able to successfully portray my skills and get the opportunity to change my job from ADCB to Reliance Jio as a Senior Manager in Digital Healthcare.

Academic: The program helped me understand the basics of strategic analysis and research to evaluate real and simulated business scenarios, understand big business issues, real-world business challenges, and explore how organisations operate as a whole. I was able to crack the Dean’s List as well, and I couldn’t be happier about the academic growth this program gave me.

Financial: The program helped me sharpen my financial acumen. I am now able to apply skills in personal finances/investments in addition to assessing risks, understanding inflation-interest rates, and responding to economic changes and market fluctuations.

Q. Describe a scene of your vision for the future. Where do you see yourself 5 or 10 years from now?

Akshay: I see myself as an HoD within my current organisation in the next 5 years, and as the CIO of the organisation down the line in 10 years. Alternatively, I am also open to starting an entrepreneurial venture in the next 5-10 years. Let’s see where life takes me!