Arthur Bernardes do Amaral 

Warwick Business School 

Hometown:  Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Fun Fact About Yourself: I like to collect “relics” related to a personal or professional project or achievement. In my collection, I have coconut I received from the Queen of Nacala in Mozambique, a piece of the demolished concrete benches from the old Maracana stadium and a football jersey signed by Rivaldo, Dunga and Bebeto.

Undergraduate School and Major: 

Master of International Relations, Pontifical Catholic University (PUC-Rio), Brazil.

Bachelor of Social Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

Regional Integrated Marketing Communications Manager, Samsung Electronics, Panama.

Corporate Communications Coordinator, Odebrecht Infrastructure Latin America, Panama

Business Development Advisor, Odebrecht Infrastructure International, Brazil

Institutional Relations Analyst, Odebrecht Engineering & Construction, Brazil.

Coordinator of Postgraduate Courses in International Relations, PUC-Rio, Brazil.

Lecturer on International Relations, PUC-Rio, Brazil.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:  At the age of 28, I was expatriated from Brazil to Panamá and chose to lead a local version of an Award promoted by our company among Engineering and Architecture researchers in 11 different countries. We updated our stakeholder management strategy and achieved a 105% year-over-year increase in applications rates. Our model was used as best practice and rolled-out in the other 10 countries of our Latin American operation.

I also led the marketing team that created Samsung’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games campaign tool-kit for eight Central America and Caribbean markets.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in the program so far: It was the increased self-awareness and developed leadership skills. Both in formal modules like LeadershipPlus as well as through our work in the Syndicate Groups, the program has given me the opportunity to see clearer my strengths and be more conscious about the points I need to improve. This is extremely valuable and only when you are put to the test and have the support from a professional coaching team will you be able to reflect on these issues with the depth necessary to make a real change. I consider that I am a better leader today and will continue evolving due to the self-awareness tools that I was equipped with during the MBA.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants?  Regarding the application process, a good alternative to GMAT/GRE is the Warwick Test. It is still challenging and a similar format, but the results will be available sooner and it is free. For the interview, applicants can use the STAR model that we learn during one of our career development workshops: S = Situation; T = Task; A = Action; R = Result. To explain your accomplishments, describe the situation you face, what was your task, how you acted, and what were the results. By using this clear and structured approach, you will be able to communicate more effectively with your interviewer.

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? The reputation of excellence was my main criteria. This was reflected in the rankings and also by the positive word-of-mouth I received from all former students I made contact with. The value-for-money criteria also favours WBS. By comparing data from multiple rankings (Financial Times, The Economist, Bloomberg, QS), the school stood-out by offering a great return on investment (ROI). These factors, together with the fact that the course will only take 1-year, made choosing WBS a no-brainer for me.

What would success look like to you after you graduate from business school?  Success is to find an organization whose values and (most importantly) real practices I can identify with. Work environment and organization culture are key to me, as I give much importance to collaboration, teamwork, commitment, respect and dynamism.