In a column for Business Today magazine’s special issue on BT- MDRA India’s Best B-schools 2023, Emcure Pharmaceuticals Executive Director Namita Thapar shared her B-school experience. Namita, who was interested in the health sector, chose a related elective at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. She wrote, “This not only helped me understand the sector and its nuances better but also gave me a fabulous internship with GlaxoSmithklineBeecham, and my first job out of business school at Guidant (now Abbott).”
The extra-curricular activities at Duke's Fuqua School of Business added another dimension to Namita Thapar’s life as she wrote, “For me, it was the club activities, the late-night team meetings, the class discussions mostly bordering on stormy debates, the local community events, and the activities and conversations with my classmates both on and off campus that taught me so much more!”
Namita Thapar wrote about MBA being the only key to success. “There are enough examples of business leaders who have been highly successful without this degree. But, in my opinion, the merit of a good MBA is that more than just a toolkit, it provides you with an absolutely fabulous experience that shapes your thinking and your values that, in turn, define who you become and what impact you have not just on your life, but on the community at large,” wrote Namita
“My work ethic, my respect for processes and systems and my focus on leadership bandwidth and corporate governance were shaped by those initial years of working in the US. This truly helped me deal with the complexity and exponential growth as Emcure scaled. Also, being a chartered accountant, I took fewer finance and more general management classes, especially ones in negotiation, human resources, and marketing analytics. A good school instantly builds credibility and gives you incredible job opportunities,” wrote Namita Thapar
“MBA at times seems like a factory that mass produces driven individuals who are out to maximise their pay, promotion, and profile in the shortest possible time. It often leads to early burnout and promotes a toxic work culture. Aggression, a sense of urgency, and the quest for maximising returns are celebrated so much that often we see smart individuals justifying shortcuts and lapses in corporate governance,” wrote Namita Thapar
Namita Thapar laid emphasis on the need for mental health support at B-schools as she wrote, “Schools like mine have taken positive steps towards this. Fuqua has many students, staff, and faculty certified in mental health first aid. They offer Koru Mindfulness classes through the wellness centre, provide yoga classes and wellness coaching. Every school needs to do this and with utmost priority!”
Namita Thapar hailed the efforts by Fuqua School of Business for alumnae engagement as she wrote, “I have been on the Regional Advisory Board of my school for the past six years and it is inspiring to see Dean Bill Boulding and Elizabeth Pogoloff make the effort to travel all the way to India for just two days for our annual board meetings to seek our feedback and give us updates on the school.”
“I learnt the importance of work-life balance, listening to my heart, and sharpening my intuition too late in life. Classes on Eastern philosophy and meditation and yoga must be made an absolutely mandatory part of the course curriculum. In addition, can the case studies and corporate visits be more around failures and empathy? MBA schools are the right time and platform to introduce these brilliant concepts that teach you to balance the shark and dolphin within you,” wrote Namita Thapar