IBR Global MBA Testimonials
The process of creating value through work-integrated learning is extraordinary. It shifts the primary learning experience from the confines of academic institutions to the actual workplaces of our students. This transformation leads to an unparalleled sense of purpose, as it transitions skills training from theoretical teaching to the invaluable experience gained on the job.
Additionally, work-integration redirects the traditional focus of study from analysis to practical implementation. It is the act of implementation that has the power to bring about real change in the world. This new approach enables students to realize their potential in effecting positive changes within their work environments.
We invite you to explore the remarkable feedback from some of our students who have been willing to openly share their experiences of creating genuine value in their workplaces.
Tashinga Chimuti, Chief Finance Officer (CFO) at Medical Aid Society of Central Africa (MASCA), Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
03.2026 |
| For me, as Chief Finance Officer, the value of this assignment is profound. It provides the critical missing link between high-level strategic intent and tangible IT investment. For the first time, we have a framework .... to justify, prioritise, and manage our technology portfolio not as a collection of costs, but as a portfolio of strategic assets that we can work towards. |
| Managing IT and Strategy |
Sithabile Rondozai, Client Relationship Manager at CBZ, Harare, Zimbabwe
03.2026 |
| What stood out for me in this course was finally understanding the Balanced Scorecard beyond just being a tool HR uses at year‑end to decide bonus percentages. ... Learning that everything starts with people, with my own capability, my own behaviour, and my own readiness, was eye‑opening. The idea that improving employee capability strengthens internal processes, better processes improve the customer experience, and stronger customer results lead to financial success completely changed how I see my role in Private Banking. |
| Strategic Performance Management |
Emmanuel Sithole, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
03.2026 |
| This first module, “The nature of international business” challenged my mind to start thinking using my mind that had become academically very rusty. I started to observe and think of my circumstances differently and seeing that what I thought were obstacles are actually a fantastic opportunity if I can work on a strategy that fully embraces the age of transformation that we are all existing in. |
| The Nature of International Business |
Sithabile Rondozai, Client Relationship Manager at CBZ, Harare, Zimbabwe
03.2026 |
| This assignment has been valuable to me because it has changed the way I think about market research and business decisions. Before doing it, I mostly saw market research as just finding out what people want. Now I understand that it is a structured way of reducing risk, asking the right questions, and making better decisions before investing money and time. It has helped me think more critically and more strategically. |
| Marketing Research |
Sithabile Rondozai, Client Relationship Manager at CBZ, Harare, Zimbabwe
03.2026 |
| Studying this course has reshaped the way I think about developing markets for new products and solutions. Before working on this assignment, I viewed marketing primarily as creating a product I believed the market needed, followed by promotion and customer communication. However, the concepts of opportunity seeking and deeply developing a problem statement helped me realise that strategic marketing starts long before communication. |
| Strategic Marketing |
Sithabile Rondozai, Client Relationship Manager at CBZ, Harare, Zimbabwe
03.2026 |
| Firstly, I would like to say that I enjoyed this assignment. Doing this analysis really opened my eyes. I realised that every number in the financial statements matters not just the big figures we all like to jump to. Before this, I would often jump to the profit line and think I understood the company’s performance. Now I see that the real story sits in all the figures before we get to that profit number. |
| Financial Accounting |
Tashinga Chimuti, Chief Finance Officer (CFO) at Medical Aid Society of Central Africa (MASCA), Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
03.2026 |
| Beyond fulfilling an academic requirement, this assignment has been a profoundly valuable exercise in professional development, equipping me with the academic foundation I needed to link strategy to tangible results. As a key member of the team instrumental to MASCA’s turnaround, I am now far clearer on how to approach the critical task of connecting high-level strategy to day-to-day tactics - a disjoint that is currently one of the greatest weaknesses within the organization. |
| Strategic Performance Management |
Tashinga Chimuti, Chief Finance Officer (CFO) at Medical Aid Society of Central Africa (MASCA), Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
03.2026 |
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This assignment has created significant value, both for me personally as a leader within MASCA and for the organization as a whole. The process of applying the theoretical frameworks from this course to the real-world challenge of the Harare market expansion has been transformative. .... Most importantly, the plan is grounded in reality. It acknowledges the organizational, operational, and financial constraints and provides practical mitigation strategies. It does not present a utopian vision; it presents a workable plan for a real-world organization. This has created a new sense of possibility within the leadership team. |
| Marketing Decisions and Managing Actions |
Casimir Chipere, Senior Technical Advisor at Pact Incorporate, Dar es Salaam
02.2026 |
| Engaging in this analysis and implementation planning process has created substantial value for me as a manager. It has deepened my self‑awareness and sharpened my understanding of the specific competencies I need to strengthen—particularly empowerment readiness, structured delegation, and consistent communication. By grounding my reflections in the frameworks of the mandatory readings, I have been able to translate theory into practical behaviours that I can apply immediately in my daily leadership. This has increased my confidence in managing complex transitions, improved my ability to support staff effectively, and strengthened my capacity to create clarity and psychological safety within the team. |
| Developing Management Skills |
Nomathemba Ngwenya, Head of Treasury Sales and Business Development at First Capital Bank, Harare, Zimbabwe
02.2026 |
| My personal use of this course unit has been profound. It has equipped me with a practical framework for dissecting a company's performance beyond the headline figures, enabling me to identify drivers of financial outcomes. I now possess an appreciation for the complexities of costing services in a non-manufacturing environment, the strategic implications of pricing decisions and the critical role of timely and relevant feedback in driving organizational change. This knowledge is applicable to my professional development, empowering me to contribute to strategic planning, cost optimization initiatives and business performance management within any organization. The emphasis on humanizing content and communicating complex financial concepts in an accessible manner has enhanced my ability to bridge the gap between financial experts and operational management, a crucial skill for any aspiring leader. |
| Advanced Financial Planning |
Sibongile Nkalakata, General Manager at Africa Under Canvas, Kasane, Botswana
01.2026 |
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The assignments and readings have transformed the way I view management. The largest personal insight was the distinction between doing the work and managing the work. I realised that I often compensated for structural gaps by stepping in personally. Malik’s framework helped me understand that my real value lies in designing systems, setting direction, developing people, and ensuring that results can be produced consistently — with or without my physical presence. This shift in mindset will allow me to create more sustainable value for the company and grow more intentionally as a leader. |
| Tasks and Tools of Effective Management |
Sandra Mutambiranwa, Cash Service Team Lead at Crown Bank, Harare, Zimbabwe
01.2026 |
| Working on the Customer Service Week case in conjunction with the insights gained from this course has significantly reshaped my perspective on management and value creation. One of the most impactful concepts for me was Malik’s principle of contribution to the whole, which highlighted the importance of ensuring every team member understands how their work aligns with broader organizational objectives. Applying this insight, I recognized that while the CSW initiative was operationally successful, I had not sufficiently communicated to staff how their efforts directly impacted client engagement and the Bank’s strategic goals. This realization has prompted me to think more deliberately about alignment, purpose, and motivation in all managerial activities. |
| Tasks and Tools of Effective Management |
Fortune Chowomadzi, Head of Logistics at Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
01.2026 |
| As a full time entrepreneur this course has assisted me to understand the systematic way of running my business. I had never looked at the business from the transformation process perspective. This course helped me a lot and the DMAIC tools together with the 5 Whys left me with great knowledge and insight on how to successfully run my business. |
| Operations Processes and Supply Chain Management |
Inga Mungandjera, Admitted Legal Practitioner at Namibian Qualifications Authority, Windhoek, Namibia
12.2025 |
| Personally, the study reshaped my understanding of marketing within a public sector context. I previously viewed our services as regulatory and compliance-driven. However, through engaging with entrepreneurial marketing literature (Nijssen, 2022), I realised that even statutory bodies must justify market opportunities, validate services with customers, and anticipate adoption challenges. What struck me most was the concept that solutions sell, not products. Evaluations and accreditations are not just bureaucratic processes they are solutions to stakeholders’ problems of uncertainty and risk. This insight has shifted my perspective from seeing services as administrative to recognising them as value-creating market offerings. |
| Strategic Marketing |
Nomathemba Ngwenya, Head of Treasury Sales and Business Development at First Capital Bank, Harare, Zimbabwe
12.2025 |
| Studying entrepreneurial marketing has changed my perspective on market entry and product development. The most significant value creation for me came fr om understanding the concept that solutions sell and products don't. Previously, I was focused on the platform's features (the product), such as the AI algorithm's complexity. Now, the focus is on the customer's problem and the value-in-use: the solution is "Intelligent Wealth, Effortless Access," which directly addresses the HNWI's need for superior, bespoke performance. The concept of effectuation marketing also made a difference. In a traditional banking, the inclination is to rely on predictive rationality and market research, which is irrelevant for a radical innovation. Embracing effectuation allows for an iterative, resource-focused approach, wh ere we engage with lead customers for co-creation, transforming unexpected feedback into opportunities. This mindset shift is crucial for navigating the uncertainty inherent in launching a radical innovation and will inform how I lead product development and market validation in the SBU, moving away from rigid planning toward agile experimentation. |
| Strategic Marketing |
Sibongile Nkalakata, General Manager at Africa Under Canvas, Kasane, Botswana
12.2025 |
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The FDI project has provided valuable personal and professional insights into strategic investment planning, business law, and cross-cultural management. From an organisational perspective, the exercise highlights how structured proposals, clear company profiles, and effective risk management can attract investors and facilitate structured deals. Long-term benefits include enhanced readiness for globalisation, improved operational governance, and increased investor confidence, positioning Africa Under Canvas for sustainable growth and a stronger international presence. Overall, the project underscores the importance of aligning investment strategy with environmental, cultural, and market realities to create lasting value for both investors and the company. |
| International Business Law |
Edwin Tsvere, Channels Director at Diaspora Insurance, Harare, Zimbabwe
11.2025 |
| Reflecting on this assignment has provided deep insight into how deliberate application of Malik’s tasks can enhance both personal and organisational value creation, which has profoundly impacted my management perspective. I now recognise that structured objective-setting, coupled with continuous supervision and performance measurement, directly motivates partners and aligns their activities with strategic goals, thereby increasing organisational efficiency. |
| Tasks and Tools of Effective Management |
Crispen Nyamutaira, Engineering management at Innscor Africa, Harare, Zimbabwe
10.2025 |
| have learnt about different cultures and got excited on how R. Gesteland categorized them. The book is so well researched that I started to implement it in my professional life and it applies. Knowledge of different cultures can be a reason why you will get the deal or lose it. Unfortunately, like Gesteland mentioned sometimes you will not know why you lost because of a simple gesture that will have annoyed client/supplier. Application of the knowledge gained will help in terms of also attracting investment from across culture borders. |
| Cross-Cultural Management |
Betty Schroder, Principal Project Coordinator and Advisor to Environmental Commissioners Office at Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Windhoek, Namibia
08.2025 |
| One of the most enlightening ideas I learnt from this unit was Malik's description of the structured approach to effective management. Before learning about systematic principles like goal clarity, resource allocation, and performance measurement, I had managed teams primarily through intuition and prior experiences. Seeing how even well-meaning projects can fail due to a lack of these foundations was especially eye-opening. My perspective changed from reactive to proactive leadership when I realised that managing is a skill that must be acquired. I benefited greatly from this new viewpoint since I feel more capable of handling challenging management situations with a useful toolkit. Additionally, I valued the focus on fostering trust and utilising employee strengths, which I had previously undervalued. |
| Principles of Effective Management |
Inga Mungandjera, Admitted Legal Practitioner at Namibian Qualifications Authority, Windhoek, Namibia
07.2025 |
| This assignment helped me critically assess my strengths and growth areas as a manager. I realized the importance of structuring decision authority and formalizing processes. Malik’s emphasis on managing complexity through clarity was particularly enlightening (Malik, 2015). Going forward, I aim to formalize all project workflows and proactively train colleagues—thus embedding value into NQA’s culture and systems. |
| Tasks and Tools of Effective Management |