Malawi – Africa
The Kent MBA 2018
“I hope such preparation will place me in good stead for more challenging and senior Globalisation roles in the Bank, and even in international markets.”
My professional career set-off in banking in 2003 with National Bank of Malawi Plc, where I have been since. During that time, I have been exposed to various functions and roles; since 2010, I have been the lead officer for the International Trade operations function for the Bank, overseeing the execution aspects for International Trade Finance transactions.
My usual role as a practitioner is that of a product specialist, providing guidance to production staff, and performing advisory to the account relationship teams and clients alike on best-fit trade finance modes and solutions. However, due to the exposure to Globalization, the trade financing needs of the Bank’s clientele are progressively becoming more complex and demanding. It is a situation which poses both challenges and opportunities for my country’s landlocked emerging economy as we engage the World in pursuit of opportunities for social-economic progress and particularly for my case, a myriad of bankable Imp-Ex and trade financing opportunities for my Bank.
By virtue of already being an international banking business practitioner, I stand at an opportune location to participate in the exploitation of these evolving or emerging import, export and investment opportunities.
Outside work, I like to watch football and sometimes even play it socially. Lately, I have developed a liking for playing tennis too, especially as a form of fun exercise. When not around and about with sport, I love to sit down to a good book, literary fiction being my favourite and then sometimes, socio-political magazines. Similarly, my better TV programs are documentaries, if not suspense movies. On the radio, I’ll take current affairs and documentaries. Otherwise, I listen to Afro-inspired music, such as Reggae.
Experience
- From 2015, I have substantially grown as both manager and leader subsequent to my enrolment into a Bank-sponsored one-year Leadership Training program, which I closed with an award of the Best Student in Innovation Project.
- At the end of 2016, I was recognized with a Platinum Performance Award for my pioneering contributions towards providing paperless transaction advice and correspondence to the Bank’s customers. The pioneering energies which were discovered then broke the glass ceiling for innovative boldness in the Bank at a strategic level and are today actively encouraged at all levels. This remains a moment of private fulfilment to-date.
- At the end of 2017, I was appointed as the Chairperson of the RBM CFERS Project Implementation team for the Bank. CFERS is a Foreign Exchange Flows Reporting System, which the Central Bank is implementing in the local banking environment and will roll out in October 2018.
Aspirations
At the completion of my Kent MBA, I expect remarkable career advancement; by earning refinement as a management and leadership specialist, resulting in my improved quality of management output as a professional.
Further, the expertise obtained from studying the fabric of business, especially the dynamics of the international-faced enterprise should help me to achieve ease of comprehension and collegiality of diverse client needs, in order to provide unrivalled solutions to our market and in that regard, improve the efficiencies of business, the overriding benefits of which should inspire the generic upgrade of competency aptitudes and service levels in this section of the economy.
Long shot, I hope such preparation will place me in good stead for more challenging and senior Globalisation roles in the Bank, and why not, even in international markets.
Advice
‘KNOW THYSELF’. Before you get to nurture any aspirations for career growth and progress, perform a SWOT of your capabilities; it will assist to ensure that you timely address your shortfalls, and then, you rightly identify, isolate and rank your opportunities. That would ensure that by the time your launch upon them, you are well prepared and rounded to succeed.
To find out more and apply for the Kent MBA at Kent Business School, visit The Kent MBA webpage.