Margarida Oliveira is an Account Executive Traditional Media Agencies, at Google and alumna of the 36th edition of ISEG MBA. In an interview to our blog, Margarida explained her motivations for participating in a programme like ISEG MBA, the impacts it had on her professional career, and the importance of a programme as such for the leaders of the future.

1  |  At what point in your career did you decide to apply for ISEG MBA? What were your main motivations?

Applying for an MBA was always something that interested me and the main objective was preparing for a career change. I was feeling stuck at my work and I needed a different challenge where I would be able to learn different skills and improve others. To summarize, my main motivators were the desire to challenge myself, the ambition to learn, and the opportunity to progress in my career quickly.

2  |   An MBA is a long and challenging programme. How was your journey in the ISEG MBA? What do you highlight the most in this journey?

My colleagues and professors were definitely a must in this program. I finished the MBA in the middle of a pandemic crisis and the friendship, resilience, and camaraderie of my colleagues were super important to manage it successfully. It was a long journey. I must admit it is not an easy journey but in the end, is a truly rewarding experience. You will end up understanding the importance of human connections and enjoying little things in life like spending time with your family (something that will be challenging to manage during a demanding program like ISEG MBA is).

3  |  What was the ISEG MBA’s impact on your career? And in your life?

It demonstrated to me that I was capable of doing amazing things and having fun doing them. ISEG MBA program gives you ample networking opportunities. This can help you make connections that will allow you to grow in your current role. It can also give you the security of knowing you'll have help and connections to a variety of companies and industries if you want to change careers.

4  |  The world in general, and the business world in particular, are contexts increasingly turbulent and uncertain. In your opinion, what is the importance of an MBA for leaders?

In my opinion, leadership is one of the most important topics when running a business. Leaders must be aware of how quickly and effectively the world is changing. Collaboration and diversity are key important factors for an effective leader. One of the most interesting things that this pandemic has shown is that people want and value different paths in life. The fact that this program is designed for different types of professionals demonstrates how important diversity is to solve complex problems in such demanding contexts.

More information about ISEG MBA >