JWMI profiles students and alumni weekly in its new featured series, “Winning Voices.” Learn about our diverse community and what sets our program apart from those who have experienced it. For more great “Winning Voices” content, click here.
Olga Shakirova
Chief Financial Officer
MEDSI GROUP, Health Care
Program/Concentration: Jack Welch MBA
PLEASE SHARE MORE ABOUT YOUR PROFESSIONAL ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES AT MEDSI GROUP, HEALTH CARE.:
I am the Chief Financial Officer of MEDSI Group – a private medical company in Russia. Before this, I worked in several industries (banking, retail, storage, and sale of liquefied gas). I specialize in Crisis Management. I have a developed intuition and have mastered turning a struggling business into a profitable and fast-growing one.
WHY WERE YOU LOOKING TO GET AN MBA?:
I remember very well the day I decided to enroll in JWMI. I purchased Jack’s “The Real-life MBA” book. I read it in one gulp over the New Year holiday just before 2020. I lost sleep after reading the last few chapters, where Jack wrote that he considered JWMI his life’s work. I read a lot of business literature, and in my career, my mentors are mostly authors of business-centered books. I consulted Jack’s books many times, and thanks to him, I made the most crucial decision of my life, enrolling in JWMI.
HOW HAS THE JWMI CURRICULUM HELPED YOU IN YOUR CAREER?
I have continuously grown as my company has doubled its financial performance. I managed our debut bond issue on the stock exchange and am preparing for a new opportunity. JWMI curriculum provided me with valuable insights. Warren Buffett is right when he says, “The most important investment we can make is in ourselves.”
DID YOU FIND THE CURRICULUM WAS IMMEDIATELY APPLICABLE? PLEASE EXPLAIN.:
“Learn Today, Apply Tomorrow” is the motto of the entire curriculum, emphasizing the practicality and relevance of all the materials. Each module has positively impacted me, my team, and my workplace.
LOOKING BACK AT WHAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT AN ONLINE PROGRAM WHEN YOU FIRST EMBARKED, WHAT WAS YOUR OVERALL IMPRESSION NOW? DID IT MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS VIA DQ BOARDS, EOP VIDEOS, FACULTY ETC?:
I can’t single out anything in particular. The strength of the program lies in the complexity and the comprehensive coverage of all topics. We received and discussed a colossal amount of information: videos, DQ boards, articles, books, and discussions of Wall Street Journal articles. The online form of education made it possible to work and study. It was challenging yet powerful.
PLEASE SHARE ANY ADVICE FOR NEW STUDENTS EMBARKING ON THE MBA JOURNEY.:
Study well today, put everything into practice tomorrow, and believe in yourself.
And lastly: “The opportunities you gain access to depend on the confidence you’ve inspired in the decision-makers.” – Gerry Valentine
Connect with Olga Shakirova on LinkedIn
For more information on the Jack Welch Management Institute, visit us.