Cybill took the leap from Nigeria to Belgium for her Full-time MBA
Cybill Oyakhire, Full-time MBA, 2025-2026
Cybill Oyakhire spent the first decade of her career in Nigerian corporate and investment banks. Her role involved translating client needs into bankable deals – by analysing financial performance and strategy, collaborating with internal teams to structure capital and building the pitch decks that closed them. Then she decided to make a strategic shift to focus more on impact-driven financial initiatives. To do this, she needed to pause, build new skills and explore different perspectives.
So she joined the Full-time MBA at Vlerick. She has just graduated – and is now looking to take the next leap in her finance career.
An impactful connection
“I initially considered schools in the USA,” Cybill says. “But after getting admission and funding, recent developments in the US meant the visa process became challenging – and I was determined to start as soon as I could. So I began researching triple-accredited schools in Europe.
“I chose Vlerick because I felt seen and understood, right from the start of the recruitment process. From interviews with faculty to conversations with the Full-time MBA programme team, I felt empowered. I had originally considered the Masters in AI, but Aurelie suggested the MBA as a better fit for my profile. I really appreciated that.
“I got a good sense of the Vlerick community and knew it was the right step for me. The other schools I applied for felt more transactional. With Vlerick, there was an immediate connection. I’ve always worked in relationship roles, so this was important to me.”
From Nigeria to Belgium
Cybill applied for the MBA in June 2025. By September, she was on her way to Brussels.
“Culturally, it’s very different to Nigeria,” she says. “The first few months were a real test, but I soon settled in. Winter was an adjustment for me – and I experienced snow for the first time! Experience is the best teacher, and moving to Brussels was a great learning experience.”
Once she’d connected with her classmates, Cybill found that the diverse perspectives she was surrounded by made her more open-minded.
“You learn that things aren’t always what they seem,” she says. “Vlerick taught me to live in the moment and give people and situations the benefit of the doubt – it shifted my mindset. I’d been in Nigeria all my life, so it was an entirely new experience for me, especially the diversity in Brussels. This experience has helped me embrace different cultures.”
A year of relationship building, insights and impact
Cybill’s time at Vlerick was filled with highlights, from study trips to the Netherlands and Luxembourg to insightful electives and opportunities to build deep relationships with classmates.
Amongst all these memorable moments, her In-Company Project stood out.
“I wanted to do something that aligned with my passion for impact-driven financial initiatives, especially in Africa,” she says. “So with the help of a Vlerick alumnus, I sent a proposal to BIO – the Belgian Investment Company for Developing Countries.
“They approved the proposal. So I worked with two Vlerick Masters in Financial Management students to develop a strategy for BIO’s next SDG Frontier Fund – a fund-of-funds that aims to support sustainable economic growth in African and Asian frontier markets.
“The project required me to connect with institutional investment C-suite executives in Belgium and Africa, to get valuable insights on how investing in frontier markets is considered and perceived. It really drew on my relationship-building and engagement skills.
“The executives at BIO were really pleased with our outputs – the CEO even posted about it on LinkedIn.
“The Vlerick alumni network is super helpful and really opens doors. When you have the Vlerick connection, people go out of their way to help.”
Preparing for the future of business
The Full-time MBA includes an immersive AI track, which is integrated into every part of the programme. Cybill took full advantage of opportunities to dive in.
“Right from day one we started talking about AI,” she says. “It’s very well embedded into the MBA curriculum. I took two AI-focused electives. In one, I worked in a team to design a digital twin using an AI tool for DEME Group, an offshore engineering company based in Brussels. I loved applying a new skill in a real-world context. And I was part of the team that won the AI digital hackathon – where we worked with another Belgian company, NLMK Europe.
“AI is a hot topic that everyone is jumping on. And my understanding of it – and my capabilities – significantly improved over the course of the year.”
Focusing on impactful relationships
Cybill has just graduated – and is currently applying for roles in Belgium.
“I still have a year on my visa, and I want to make the most of it here in Belgium or in other parts of Europe,” she says. “I’m looking at roles in impact investing – in Development Financial Institutions, Africa-focused private equity firms, international banks with a development mandate or companies with a strong African collaborative mandate. Luckily, many financial companies are headquartered in Brussels.
“I initially considered a career in AI. But by the end of the MBA, I’d decided to focus on what I’m passionate about – building sustainable relationships that structure capital in ways that create real impact. I want to be a finance professional who creates impact, not just returns. Right now I'm especially focused on blended finance and the regulatory side of impact investing in frontier markets, because that's exactly where investors' interest is right now.
“From day one, Vlerick actively pushes you to focus on your career. There are so many opportunities to build your career and meet useful contacts, but the team is also there to guide you.
“The executive coaching helps you identify which jobs to apply for and encourages you to reflect on your goals. My coach was passionate about me leveraging my African experience and using it as a selling point, which I hadn’t considered before.”
New skills, new perspectives
Cybill believes her time at Vlerick has made a substantial impact on her technical knowledge – and on her personally.
“From a technical standpoint, I found the principles of corporate finance and various strategy frameworks particularly interesting,” she says. “I enjoyed developing my finance skills – I’d always stayed away from financial modelling, for example, but now I’m comfortable with it.
“This experience helped me learn to really listen and to appreciate diverse opinions. There are so many group assignments. They’ve made me more self-aware – and now I really consider my actions. I know how to manage myself in diverse business environments.”
Finding her purpose
Cybill says she would absolutely recommend the Full-time MBA at Vlerick – in fact, she already has.
“Someone has already reached out to me about the MBA, and I told them to do it!” she says. “It’s the best step, especially if you’ve been working for a while. And it’s short – 10 intensive months which fly by.
“Come for the diversity, the environment, the learning and the community. You have to be open-minded because it’s a very different learning experience. You will unlearn and relearn so much about yourself.
“I’m a completely different person now than I was 10 months ago. I’m more self-aware. I’m more reflective. I’m more purpose-driven. I have a clear idea of what I want to achieve – and Vlerick has empowered me to decide where I want to go next.”