Shivam Shankar is a talented, multi-lingual professional – and an accomplished musician. So when he found himself feeling a little unfulfilled at work, there were many paths he could have taken.
He says: “I was working in Pune, in Maharashtra, India. I had a great job, but I was in a doldrum. I was siloed in the tech sector. I knew what I knew, but I wanted to join up the dots. I wanted to be able to see how what I was doing was impacting the business as a whole – and helping to deliver at a strategic level. I wanted to be able to act and have an impact beyond my vertical.”
Then, on a trip to the Himalayas, he struck up a conversation with a fellow traveler. Shivam asked him why he wanted to trek to Everest’s Base Camp. “This guy was a dentist,” says Shivam, “I wanted to know why he wanted to do this – and his response was completely clarifying for me. He simply said, ‘Why not?’.
“I thought, of course, why not? We have one beautiful life, and we can do whatever we want with it… so I started properly researching where I would do an MBA. You only have one life – so use it to reach your potential. Like Vlerick says… Take the leap, live your dreams!”
Initially, Shivam considered studying in France – but then learned about Vlerick. He says:
“When I spoke to alumni there, I was really impressed. From the very beginning people were super-approachable, helpful, and friendly. They were interested in me and my experiences. I wanted to do a Full-time MBA to be fully immersed in it – to move to Belgium… and Vlerick supported me all the way.
“People coming to Brussels from Asia can be reserved and hierarchical – and Vlerick can be a perfect eye-opener. It’s an extremely diverse environment – both in terms of people coming from different countries and in terms of people from different professional backgrounds. And everyone contributes. Everyone’s perspective is valued.
“There were people from LATAM, Korea, Europe… everywhere! And this means that as well as learning from the amazing professors, you also learn from your fellow students. You learn about the different ways that people interact and approach business – and you learn from their experiences. Everyone has a unique and beautiful way of working and Vlerick helps you to appreciate this.”
Through his studies, Shivam began to join the dots and discover approaches that he’s still using in his career today.
He says: “Everything you learn is interesting – even some of the things you think won’t be your favourite subjects end up being fascinating. I learned things about operations that I use every day in my current role.
“What’s really impressive with Vlerick is that they have a very particular way of learning. You learn the frameworks and models – and it’s interesting. And then you go and put them into practice.
“Before I did my MBA, I was not always very organised. But I learned so many cool approaches. In my Knowledge In Action Project, I did a consultancy project with a streaming company to better understand customer churn. Through it, I appreciated the true value of systematic analysis. It was an excellent experience.”
He also made full use of networking opportunities at Vlerick. He says: “A few months into the MBA, I had a good idea about what I wanted to do and who I needed to meet. Vlerick secured a one-to-one with the company – the manufacturer Atlas Copco. They told me about a post there, and I applied for it – and got it.”
All of this happened three months before Shivam graduated.
He’s now leading a project disruptive data analytics project using scrum methodologies at the company. It will help engineers to create carbon-neutral products, by empowering them to make sense of terabytes of data flowing into Atlas Copco's databases. “I did a fabulous course on sustainability as part of my MBA,” says Shivam, “So I have a pragmatic view. I know the logic behind sustainability and innovation – and it helps me to stay in the realistic zone.”
Shivam says his MBA has allowed him to take exactly the leap he was dreaming of. He says: “It’s an intense 10 months. You make buddies for life – and you become a better version of yourself. I became more pragmatic, and my critical thinking improved a lot. I’m a better listener – which is important in my management role. I’m even more organised in my music. The MBA puts structure to everything.
“I’m now working daily with people in different countries – and because of my Vlerick experience, I’m more confident doing this.”
And his advice for anyone considering a Full-time MBA at Vlerick? “Take the leap! It’s a life-changing experience. Find your people at Vlerick. Experience the culture of Europe. Get out of your cocoon. Everyone needs to experience this.”
Shivam Shankar graduated in 2022.
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