Scaling up a Career in Tech through the ESSEC & Mannheim Executive MBA

With an engineering background and nearly two decades of experience in the tech sector, David Rhodes applied for the ESSEC & Mannheim Executive MBA. He’d spent half his career as a software engineer and half in R&D leadership roles, before choosing to dive into the business end of things. David’s last in-house role was as a senior engineering manager for Cisco, and after graduating as part of the class of 2019, he became an independent CTO. Through insights and skills acquired through the program, David gained a holistic perspective on how tech operates within a company and how it can serve business goals. In this new role, David works with CTOs and CEOs as a consultant, coach or interim manager, to help companies level up (www.ctolistic.io).

Keep reading for the full interview. For more about his journey from tech to business and back, read the full interview.

With nearly 20 years of professional experience in the tech sector, what was your motivation to start an MBA program?

I felt a strong need to develop my business skills on top of what I had learned during my 19-year career. Software engineering is a whole set of disciplines by itself, and it is quite easy to get stuck in a particular mindset which is not very business oriented.

Furthermore, the tech and non-tech parts of a business are really two different worlds, and I wanted to find a way to act as a bridge between them. Obviously, that involves knowing both of them equally well. This is where I felt that the EMBA would be helpful.

And why did you choose the ESSEC & Mannheim EMBA in particular?

The first time I researched ESSEC, I was struck by the school’s “pioneering spirit.” This is something I immediately related to. I chose ESSEC because it clearly promoted team work, which was a major difference compared to most other schools.

I chose this specific program, the ESSEC & Mannheim Executive MBA, because I thought it offered a balanced 360° view of business subjects, and because of its international dimension. My class had 27 different nationalities!

Did you have specific goals when you began the program?

Yes and no… I was definitely looking for change in my life, but I wasn’t sure which way to go. I didn’t have a specific idea or a concrete plan. All I had was a strong intention to reinvent myself, and the intuition that such a program would help me shape my future…which turned out to be true!

How did the EMBA program assist you in making those changes?

It helped me understand the challenges that CEOs face. As I work with them on a daily basis, I need the ability to put myself into their shoes, and be aware of their concerns, both in the short and the long term.

It enabled me to develop an outside view of the tech functions within a company. That is essential to helping tech teams and departments serve the business itself. You’ve got to be aware of what matters most to your customers, whether internal or external.

Last and not least, the program gave me the courage to start my own business, to put myself out there and be my own product!

What were some of your best moments or experiences in the ESSEC program?

There were many! In the classroom, probably the moment during an economics class exercise where the whole class joined forces as a buyers’ cartel in order to counteract a sellers’ cartel. I felt really proud to belong to a class where group cohesiveness mattered more than individual competition.

On a personal level, the entrepreneurship module is where I realized that, up to then, I had been handling my whole career in an entrepreneurial way. It was a moment of epiphany, and it gave me the confidence to start my own company.

And of course, there was all the quality time spent outside the classroom with my team and the rest of the group, and all the trips and residencies abroad.

What was the most valuable aspect of studying in the EMBA program?

I’d say, getting a holistic view of what it means to run a business. It helps me a lot on a daily basis, as I work a lot with tech executives, mainly CEOs and CTOs.

I can also see that through this program, I developed a deeper understanding of the world in general, thanks to modules in subjects like geopolitics or economics.

Last but not least, the insights and wisdom from my classmates. I found myself both lucky and proud to belong to such a smart group. Classes inspired so many deep conversations and I am not sure that I would have found that elsewhere.

What advice would you give to current participants or future applicants?

For the current cohort: Enjoy it while you can!

And future applicants, I would say that this is a real investment not only of your money, but also of your time! Make sure that you are fully committed so that you get the best return on that investment.

What books, authors or thought leaders would you recommend to others?

The best book that I’ve read on leadership is Conscious Business: How to Build Value through Values, by Fred Kofman. Team of Teams by McChrystal and Turn the Ship Around aby Marquet lso come to mind. And there are plenty of other inspiring authors such as Brene Brown, Susan Cain, and Simon Sinek that I would recommend.

How would you sum up your ESSEC experience in three words?

Challenging, fun, and friendship!

 

 

• Learn more about the ESSEC & Mannheim Executive MBA program.
• Download the ESSEC & Mannheim EMBA Brochure
  
• Talk to an Executive MBA program advisor.