The first big surprise for Marc Martinez-Selma when starting the global executive MBA at Spain’s prestigious IESE Business School was just how much he had to “unlearn” during the initial phase.
Already 10-plus years into a fast-moving career in the insurance sector, with several international postings under his belt, he knew the programme was sure to present new tests and challenges.
But what he hadn’t quite expected was the extent to which everything would be open to question and every subject a source of debate.
“The first thing we did was unlearn old concepts which may have been misplaced, outdated or simply wrong,” says the chief operating officer for Zurich Commercial, Asia-Pacific. “I thought it was a fantastic process which creates an atmosphere where you think big, assess things critically, and stay in touch with reality. Your first boss may have taught you how to deal with a customer, but that framework may not work with a bigger client or in an international context. In these cases, the class helps tremendously.”
He opted for the EMBA rather than an MBA, knowing the class would include a good mix of professionals with significant executive-level experience in a diverse range of industries.
And while he freely admits that the 18 months, starting in 2008, when he had to balance part-time study with the demands of a full-time job, was one of the most challenging periods of his life, he is also in no doubt that it has paid off – and will continue to do so.