What did you do before this Doctor of Business Administration?

Although my academic background is in Engineering, most of my working life has been in Business, Finance and Management. For more than 30 years, I have worked in the Energy Industry (Oil, Gas and Petrochemicals) with the last 16 years as the Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director of one of the largest Petrochemical Companies in the Caribbean (annual turnover >US $3 billion).

Why did you decide to do this DBA?

My last formal training was an Executive MBA in 1995. By the start of the century, it was obvious to me that the business world was a very different place than before the year 2000. The pace and complexity of business decisions, especially by companies abroad with whom we have to conduct business, pointed to the need for a major upgrade and retooling of business skills to survive. The DBA programme appeared tailored to meet those specific business needs.

Why did you choose the ISM International School of Management?

The majority of our initial customers and business partners were from Europe and North America. ISM provided the opportunity to capture the European perspective while also providing courses in New York, which facilitated the North American experience. As a company in the Natural Gas based industry, I was mindful that significant new oil and gas finds were in Africa, while the growth in market demand was in China and the Far East. ISM's DBA Global Student body and their collaboration with other universities in China and the Far East provided a unique mix of experiences to broaden my perspectives in key regions and cultures relevant to my employer's business.

What did you experience during the program?

I have found that the wide choice of courses at ISM allowed me to choose those that are particularly relevant and urgent to my business needs. The content of the courses is deep and extensive. The faculty is experienced, but up to date in their respective fields and in many cases “cutting edge”. I am pleased with the intellectual rigour of the programme, especially the requirement for each course to have a Research Project that must meet publishable quality standards. These projects have forced me to go beyond my comfort zone and provided me with a much deeper understanding of the complex world around us. Through this DBA programme, I have grown as a person in many dimensions and levels.

How did you benefit from the program?

I feel comfortable that I now have the latest tools and experiences to contribute more meaningfully and successfully both in business and society. My advice to future students at ISM would be to treat each course as a unique opportunity to learn, and become fully engaged with your professors, classmates and the city environment in which it is held. In addition, spare no effort in carrying out your research projects. Each is a unique opportunity to sharpen your writing skills and to broaden your technical and knowledge base.