Nurul Nashwar binti Mohd Taib 

Warwick Business School 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: An energizer bunny who was born to transform challenges into growth and never quit!

Hometown: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Fun Fact About Yourself: A marathon runner who does not love to run! The fitness regime gives me self-satisfaction but I could not feel the joy of running until I found the link between mental strength and the marathon. The marathon requires months of training, perseverance, focus, vision, and the ability to bounce back from the occasional setback. The same holds true for building a long-term and rewarding career. Long distance running helps me to define the champion’s mentality every time I cross the finishing line!

Undergraduate School and Major: Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, BE (Hons) Electrical & Electronics Engineering

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: 

Instrument and Control Engineer, PETRONAS Labuan, East Malaysia

Analyst (Business Development), PETRONAS, Peninsular Malaysia

Senior Analyst (Economics, Project RAPID), PETRONAS, Peninsular Malaysia

Manager (Economics, Project RAPID), PETRONAS, Peninsular Malaysia    

Manager (Petroleum Economics for Assets), PETRONAS, Peninsular Malaysia    

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I was involved in Project RAPID’s Detail Feasibility Study phase from 2010 until the PETRONAS Board granted the Final Investment Decision in April 2014. My major task was to spearhead the development of the financial model for Project RAPID: a US$ 30 billion refinery and petrochemical integrated development project in Malaysia. The project is due to be completed by early 2019. I feel proud and connected to the community, knowing that I have indirectly given back to my country every time I watch the progress video of Project RAPID’s construction site. I always feel, no matter how small my contribution, that it matters.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in the program so far: Getting accepted as Warwick MBA Professional Network Ambassador – Women in Business and working with GE Healthcare as part of the Leadership Plus Project.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants?  My MBA journey began in early 2016 when I started to feel that the “MBA is the bridge from where I am and what I want to be in my career path.” I started talking to my friends who have studied an MBA at top business schools, bought books for the GMAT and started downloading sample Then, I took my first GMAT in September 2016. Frankly, I did not do well in my first GMAT; it was tough to juggle everything as a Manager for nine economics analysts and three growing kids at home. But as a natural go-getter, quitting is never in my diary once I have made up my mind.

While I prepared myself for my second GMAT, I started finalizing the list of business schools. I gathered points for writing enrollment essays and choosing my referees wisely as my aim was to start an MBA course in September 2017 by hook or by crook. It was also a critical period during that year in 2016 for me personally. I needed to sell myself to gain an MBA scholarship from Chevening, plus receive donations from my current company and some other government bodies. I remembered spending full nights reflecting by myself why I was the right candidate for any scholarships and why I was the right candidate to get accepted into Warwick Business School.

Long story short, in June 2017, I received my unconditional offer letter with some amount of scholarship from the University of Warwick. It was the proudest moment of my life! Sometimes, it is the toughest moment that I learn the most about myself and the closest people around me. I feel like at some point, my whole family is doing the MBA with me!

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 come from a family who values education. My father has a PhD in Economics. He inspired me to keep learning in life. Hence, this is why I feel I would like to pursue an MBA even after 13 years of working. Due to financial reasons, I was not able to have degree learning experience overseas despite all the straight A’s from my high school. It seems appropriate to support my next leap in life with an abroad experience that will reveal the directions in which I have grown since my undergraduate and working life. My interest for now is pursuing my MBA besides looking for opportunities to run a marathon abroad!

What would success look like to you after you graduate from business school? As a woman, it takes guts and a heap of smarts to succeed in the corporate world, especially in a company that is technically complex and fast-changing. The MBA is designed as a platform for a practical grounding in core management skills for myself to understand the opportunities underpinned by the ultimate objective of inspiring women leaders to strengthen passion towards delivering high performance. Dedicating my life to developing and inspiring people around me is very appealing to me. That’s where I will draw my professional satisfaction after the MBA.