Embarking on a New Journey: My MBA Experience at Warwick Business School

A few months back, perhaps the most important initiative I took in my personal and professional journey was an MBA at one of the most prestigious institutions in the world: Warwick Business School. It has been some years since I last put on the hat of being a student after completing my second engineering degree while working full-time. This time, though, has been different. More challenging. Incredibly enriching.

The first module, "Organizational Behaviour", presented a different kind of challenge for me. As an engineer, my world was always one of precise calculations and concrete answers. This module, delving into the realms of sociology and psychology, really had me stretch my thinking and adapt to a new way of learning. In so many ways, that felt like alien ground to walk on; that's where the fun began!

This new academic challenge was offered at some of the busiest times in my life. Working for ACWA Power comes with requirements for dedication, and work is demanding. Moreover, this year brought to me the most beautiful gift: a new chapter of my life as a father to Isabel. It was never easy to keep everything (work, studying, and being a father) in balance, yet it is worth it. The resilience that I have gained over the years is what gets me through it.

I was lucky to have been set up with a team of outstanding individuals for our Group Assessment (Mike Pennington, Majed A Zahran, Dimitris Dimitriadis-Khanna & Baron Boateng-Aidoo). They were accommodating, erudite, and open-minded; hence, each meeting was always sure to be enjoyable and fulfilling. Together, we demonstrated the worth of their support and our collective effort to make a huge difference. Then came the Individual Assessment: the opportunity to demonstrate how well I had absorbed the theories and concepts taught by our exceptional professors. I hadn't felt this urge to learn for years: to learn like a child.

As I entered my marks, a mix of nervousness and excitement washed over me: would my academic writing meet the high standards of this British institution? Was my brain sharp enough, after years without having sat in a classroom, to connect ideas once more? The results brought immense pride, not just in the marks themselves but in the realization of the fact that I could overcome obstacles, adapt, and thrive.

This has further instilled in me the virtues of hard work and self-improvement. Moving forward to ACWA Power, this is a quality shared amongst all of us in the company; an MBA will further deepen that trait. I'm excited about what's next and looking forward to the chance to keep learning and growing.

Special thanks go to my wife, Raluca Gabriela Caprian, for the immense support and patience expressed towards me through this ride. And to my great colleagues, thanks for the company. See you all at The Shard in London in a few weeks!

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