Sunkar Shagambayev

Smith School of Business, Queen’s University

“Father, husband, marketer, dancer, intellectual games lover aspiring to bring positive impact to the world.”

Hometown: Almaty, Kazakhstan

Fun Fact About Yourself: I opened my first business when I was 11 years old. It was a kiosk selling ice cream in the city centre. My employees were seven to eight years older than me.

Undergraduate School and Major: KIMEP University (Almaty, Kazakhstan), Finance

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: RG Brands (#1 beverage company in Kazakhstan) – Brand Director

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I am convinced that the core asset of any business is people. So, I believe that success in growing my direct reports and helping them find their strengths and weaknesses is my greatest achievement. Unquestionably, there is so much I need to learn and do better in people management. Still, I am confident that happy, motivated people with the right skills and in the right places make the difference. Zeynep, Arina, Natasha, Kristina, Masha, Alisher, Aigul, Adina, Sasha – hopefully, I left some marks in your lives. Certainly, you did in mine.

Aside from your classmates, 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 decisive factors in choosing the Smith MBA were the personal touch and a very thorough approach to coaching. I am a person who learns best from interaction with other people. I suppose that the value of time spent in business school can be maximized with these meaningful interactions, as we can get to know many opportunities we have not even considered before. We can then understand where we fit most. Speaking with Smith MBA admission staff, I felt how much care they put into helping students manage their career transition.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I am looking forward to joining the Digital Transformation club, as well as the Queen’s Dance Club.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? This one: “Why do you want to pursue an MBA?” I knew that I would be asked this question, so it involved a lot of self-analysis and led to meaningful conversations with my colleagues and family. Sometimes, we lack the courage to ask some questions ourselves, so the whole application process helped me understand myself a little bit better.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I believe that to change something outside, you need to first start with transformation within yourself. After reaching some success in marketing in CPG, I believe that I can have a bigger impact if I make a career transition and follow my inner dreams. I don’t want to be tied to only one sector or one function, as the contemporary world requires cross-discipline expertise and the connection of different spheres. An MBA is one of the ways to manage this transformation. I am interested in the consulting and technology domains. However, I want to stay open to any opportunities which may reveal themselves during my studies.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Darden Business School (University of Virginia), Simon Business School (University of Rochester) and Ivey Business School (University of Western Ontario)

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I looked at rankings, employment reports, geographical location (I targeted North America), classroom approach, and reviews of the program on different websites. Moreover, I talked with several alumni and current students of each school over the phone or on LinkedIn. This provided me with a much clearer picture of the culture and values of each school. The Smith MBA at Queen’s fit me most in all aspects, especially as it provides a team-based approach to learning and has a rigorous focus on coaching.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? The birth of my son 10 months ago completely changed my mentality. I really want to give him an opportunity to live in a better world. This provoked some uncomfortable questions and initiated changes in my career goals. My choices now are driven by a bigger purpose and impact on my family. Furthermore, his process of world exploration makes you notice small but important things which you neglected before.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? I want to start my own business in intellectual games. I imagine a community of smart people gathering to exchange ideas, competing to answer tricky questions and just socializing.