Mfundo Nkosi is currently studying towards his MBA from Johannesburg, South Africa, and recently spoke to us about his online study experience.
Hello Mfundo, can you first of all tell us something about your background, where you are from, and what profession you are working in right now?
I’m from South Africa and I’m currently residing in Johannesburg, although I grew up in KwaZulu-Natal, which is one of the South African provinces. Right now I’m working as the Head of Design and Engineering for a company called TÜV Rheinland RSA. We are a global organisation which provides technical and operational services for power stations and the petrochemical industry. Previous to this I worked in the mining sector, so I have around seven years’ experience in this industry overall. Before starting my MBA I had studied Mechanical Engineering to B. TECH level, and I think I have developed strong technical knowledge in this area. I decided I wanted to try and expand that knowledge in terms of business management and my general understanding of the corporate world, specifically looking at financial analysis, marketing, strategy, development and administration – which are the key pillars in any business environment.
What advantages are you hoping your MBA qualification will give you in your present career, or even in the longer term?
My MBA has come at a time when my company is looking into new strategies for expansion. I’m currently strategizing how to grow our design and engineering office to tap into new areas, so it has come at a very good time for me professionally. The programme has heightened my awareness of strategic decision making, my knowledge of how to expand the business, and my ability to move the company into new markets. And of course, it has also given me new strategies for interacting with people who have the relevant knowledge and skills in those markets my company are looking towards.
And what does achieving your MBA qualification mean to you personally?
Well, I should probably tell you that my name, Mfundo, means ‘education’ in my mother tongue! So as an individual I feel compelled to acquire new knowledge and to become a prominent business practitioner. I’m also looking into opening my own company at some point in the future, which my MBA will undoubtedly help me with. As well as these things, I’m currently involved with a non-profit organisation that deals with supporting rural projects here in South Africa, which gives me the opportunity to give something back to the community that I came from. And I’d like to add that studying an MBA programme doesn’t just give you a theoretical background, it also betters you as an individual in my opinion. You learn how to properly manage your time and control many different activities at once.