MBA Alumni Profile: Pervaz Akthar, Cranfield

Pervaz Akthar tells TopMBA.com why, after looking at various top UK business schools, he finally settled on Cranfield School of Business and why he feels he made the right decision.

Why did you decide to attend Cranfield School of Management?

The MBA at Cranfield School of Management has a good reputation in the City in developing the next leaders within industry, and the course content fits my career objectives and aspirations. I also believe that the network and alumni possibilities of Cranfield surpass LBS and other business schools.

After reviewing Imperial and Cranfield, I was very impressed with the speed and efficiency of the 'front office' of Cranfield School of Management.

What research did you undertake in selecting your school?

My main research was done through various conversations with my boss, the CEO of OTC Derivatives. I also talked to previous and current graduates of Cranfield School of Management on the various open days.

What are the benefits of studying inside your home country?

One of the benefits is being able to keep in touch with my friends and family. I appreciate that I have no language barriers to deal with and no extra pressures of living in a foreign country. Although after spending so much time abroad, the UK sometimes feels like a foreign country!

What are your career objectives after your MBA? What were you doing before your MBA?

My Business Information Systems degree from Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), which laid the foundations to enable me to become a hybrid manager - understanding technical development while utilising the appropriate structured methodologies and business analysis skills. This led to my first position at Logica.

During my career within Logica I utilised the skills gained at LJMU, performing business analysis roles within Ford Motor Company, as well as nine months on a technical development project at BP Chemicals. At Logica I was also introduced to the Banking industry at LloydsTSB.

I left Logica to project manage the development of Egg Management Information System and from there moved on to work in a large investment bank, Deutsche Bank. Within Deutsche Bank, my responsibilities included two strategic and high-profile roles that utilised my base skills in business analysis and technical development. It was there where I realised in order to progress further into a higher management role I would need to develop new skills as well as enhance my existing skill set.

These skills included:

- Developing my understanding of strategic management within a large organisation.

- Developing and enhancing my budgetary responsibilities, including financial management.

- Developing my project management skill set.

- Developing the strategic alliance with business and Information Technology (IT).

- Understanding a business organisation structure, culture and hierarchy.