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 Name: Dweep I. Chanana
Country: India
Age: 29
Previous university:University of Delhi, India
Previous degree: Bachelor of Engineering, Electronics & Communications
Career History: Prior to the IOMBA, Dweep Chanana had 6 years of product development experience in the telecommunications industry. He led software design, development, and customer deployment in India, China, and the USA, working in both large multi-nationals and startup environments.
Student Profile: In search of a career that allowed me to see the impact of what I did, the question was not whether an MBA, but rather, which one. What MBA would offer thinking material on the state of the world and how to change it?
Most leading programs to which I was accepted started and ended with management theory. What I needed in addition was a substantial component of development and international studies. This unique aspect of the IOMBA makes it highly exclusive, focusing on management and research in non-profits, development and other international organizations. Yet, the private sector is not entirely out of reach. Careers in corporate social responsibility, bottom-of-the-pyramid strategy, and philanthropy are also possible for those wanting to use a market economy to serve social ends.
The program content is highly challenging, particularly due to inclusion of some rather atypical courses for an MBA. Through a mixture of case studies, lectures, and group and individual research, courses on international relations or conflict and negotiation - among others - were immensely through-provoking and made students question everything.
As with every other MBA, the diversity of students adds to the learning experience. But here, the diversity is more than skin deep - literally. Yes, the 24 students in my class had 16 nationalities and spoke an average of 3 languages each. They had each lived in at least 2 countries and came with different work philosophies - NGO, government, development agency, and private sector. The unavoidable debates that ensued did not necessarily bridge the divide, but attempted to question our deeply held beliefs.
The IOMBA is perhaps unique in the extent to which leading professionals from IOs and the private sector are brought into class. Research papers also force students to develop contacts and research current affairs. And the 3-month internship provides a chance to understand not just the work, but the environment of a radically different organization.
My first insight was into the International Trade Centre in Geneva, conducting a value chain and market analysis for the global trade in coffee. Even more stimulating was a 3-month position to manage the Growing Sustainable Business initiative of The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kenya, funded by an IOMBA Consultancy Award. As country representative, I worked on private sector development and public-private partnerships to enable pro-poor investments by companies. It helped me understand the UNDP, the private sector landscape, and develop links with donors, civil society, and government institutions to address the challenges of providing services among the poor.
For even the most reclusive student, the experience is transformational. Thrown into a small group for 10-months of intensive living, your class is your constant shadow - for better or worse. It is the support network that helps overcome unfamiliar courses. With them you go skiing in the Alps, biking around Lake Geneva, and celebrate the Fete de Geneve. The relaxed atmosphere and serene surroundings of Geneva provide the perfect anti-dote to the stressful MBA experience.
I am enjoying my new life. Leaving the settled life of an engineer has been an adventure, if somewhat challenging. For that reason this program is not for everyone. But for those looking for a wider perspective on what they do, willing to pay the price to look for new opportunities and with patience to follow through, there should be few regrets.
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