Adenike Macaulay

Warwick Business School’s Distance Learning Online MBA

“A wife, mother of three adorable daughters and a dynamic leader in the Airline industry.”

Age: 35

Hometown: Lagos, Nigeria

Fun fact about yourself: I like to dance and also play board games

Undergraduate School and Degree: BSc Systems Engineering, University of Lagos, Nigeria

Where are you currently working? I currently lead the commercial activities for Lufthansa Group in Nigeria & Equatorial Guinea as General Manager Sales.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? In January 2019, exactly 6 months into my MBA studies, I was announced as the first female and first Nigerian to be appointed as General Manager Sales for Lufthansa Group Nigeria & Equatorial Guinea. This is an achievement I am most proud of in my career as I am also currently the only female Country Manager for an International Airline in Nigeria and one of two female General Managers for Lufthansa Group in Europe Middle East and Africa. I was also nominated in the Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) Travel & Tourism edition, recognized by Leading Ladies Africa as one of Nigeria’s 100 most inspiring women in 2019 and also by Guardian Nigeria as Woman of the week in March 2019.

Why did you choose this school’s online MBA program? Since 2009, I have held various positions within Lufthansa Group across Sub-Sahara Africa, overseeing diverse teams as Regional Marketing Manager and Head of Sales products and programs prior to my current role. I applied for the University of Warwick distance learning MBA in 2018 while I was in my previous role as Head of Sales Products & Programs with the objective of broadening my knowledge base and skillset largely limited to marketing and product development. With a BSc in Systems Engineering from the University of Lagos, Nigeria, a professional diploma in Digital Marketing from the Digital Marketing Institute in Ireland, and other certifications coupled with my management experience, I felt the MBA would be a good complement for my skillset and also serve as a much-needed boost for my career progression plans. With Warwick Business School ranked at No 1 by the Financial Times for online MBAs in 2018, I was only going for the best hence the decision was clear.

What was your favorite part of being in an online MBA program? In addition to the outstanding and also challenging academic work, my favorite part of being in an online MBA program is the extensive networking opportunities it presents with a very diverse cohort from all over the world. The flexible pace of study is also a plus for me as I can adjust the pace as my schedule demands to maintain good work, life, and study balance.

What was the most surprising thing about an online learning environment? The fact that live online classes are quite interactive was quite surprising for me. I expected somewhat a one-way learning experience but with the interactive nature of the live sessions, you learn not only from the lecturer but also from the cohort from their questions, answers, and comments.

How did your online experience compare with your in-the-classroom experience as an undergraduate student? I expected the online experience to be somewhat inferior to the classroom learning experience but this is very far from the truth. Also, the fact that the classes are recorded is a plus as you can always refer back to them when needed, unlike a classroom environment where you only rely on your memory and notes.

What is your best piece of advice to an applicant for thriving in an online MBA program? The online MBA program presents diverse opportunities to learn and also expand your network. The opportunities are immense for students to harness based on their objectives for enrolling for the program. My advice is, keep an open mind and go for it.

What would you change about an online MBA Program? Perhaps include a local consultancy project based on any selected module and related industry or organisation.

How has your online education helped you in your current job? I found the Economics of Business environment and Accounting & Finance management modules to be very enlightening perhaps because they were the modules I was most unfamiliar with based on my experience. I am now able to accurately analyze and also predict economic developments as they impact our business and also the industry which has definitely helped me in my current role. The leadership module also helped me sharpen my leadership skills. I have been able to immediately apply most of the learnings from the MBA in my current role and I am so far thriving well.

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? To further diversify my professional leadership experience beyond the Airline Industry but ultimately set-up my own business in the online travel advisory space.

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