Meet the HEC Paris MBA Class Of 2019

Tariro Nyaradzai Matanga (Tari)

HEC Paris

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: I am strong-willed, goal-focused, inquisitive, accepting of challenges, adaptable, deep thinker, expressive, quirky, an explorer and conservative.

Hometown:  Harare, Zimbabwe

Fun Fact About Yourself:  My immediate family members live in 3 different countries. My brother lives in Germany, my sister lives in Canada and my parents are bi-coastal between Zimbabwe and London.  I would call myself a citizen of the world as I visit these places frequently.

Undergraduate School and Major: 

University of Manchester 2006-2010

Masters in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

Senior Medicines Information Pediatric Pharmacist Great Ormond Street Hospital – Feb 2017 till August 2017

Prescribing Pharmaceutical Adviser Luton and Ealing CCG (NHS) July 2016-Feb 2017

Clinical Pharmacist NHS January 2013 – June 2016

Boots Pharmacist (Retail) August 2011 – January 2013

Boots Pre-registration Pharmacist July 2010 – August 2010

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I was hired to work as a contractor and I worked as a pharmacist for a clinical commissioning group (CCG) in their Medicines Management Department. The clinical commissioning group governs how much money is given to general practice surgeries (GP) for them to carry out services to members of the public. This also includes their prescribing budget. I was recruited to retain costs as within a group of GP surgeries in my area. The team I was working with managed to save £24,000 in practices that were overspent by £100K. The head of Medicines Management Department in the CCG was very impressed by my contribution and put in a business case to create a permanent role for my post and offered the job to me.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Do your GMAT early so you can apply in earlier rounds. It will help you organize yourself especially if you are moving to a different country to go to school. The GMAT may seem daunting, but once it’s done it is truly done and you can work on the rest of your application.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? I chose The HEC Paris MBA because it will give me opportunity to tailor the MBA to what I would want to do in the future. The course has a specialization period after the core periods and this includes an entrepreneurship module. I see myself building a successful global brand and I want an opportunity to learn by doing. There is a strong focus on leadership at HEC Paris with activities such as The Executive Committee (TEC) and the Saint-Cyr Leadership Seminar, which includes an element of personal development. I want to use this time to challenge myself and I know the HEC Paris MBA has the components to do so.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? I believe success is not stagnant. There are targets I have set for myself and when I achieve them, I consider that success. For example, after my first year, I want to be able to have vastly improved my French speaking skills. I am currently at A2 level. I want to have the opportunity to go for an exchange to broaden my understanding of the world. I have been educated in Africa and Europe and I would like an opportunity to live in the United States. HEC Paris offers an exchange program and I want to be in that program at the end of my first year. I want to have secured an internship in an international organization and to have made meaningful connections with some my fellow classmates.