Flexibility and Freedom
By Seth Robinson
Mamta Mehra grew up in Dubai, where she went on to kickstart a career with a global company. Eventually, a thirst for adventure inspired her to travel, and a desire for greater meaning led her to Melbourne Business School (MBS).
Mamta studied Accounting and Finance through her undergraduate studies, before returning home to Dubai, and interviewing with two global corporations, Nestlé and IBM.
“They were the only companies I interviewed with actually. My interview with Nestlé was on May 29th, my birthday, just days after graduation really. A few days later I got the call, and I had the job. My degree was in accounting and finance, so I was put into a finance role, where I worked for two years. At that point a manager from another team, Nestlé Professional, approached me because he thought I’d be a good fit, and suggested it was a good way to upskill.”
This new opportunity put Mamta in a client facing role, working with major business partners in Nestlé’s aviation portfolio.
“I was handling clients like Emirates, Etihad, and Fly Dubai. It was a B2B account, which works on supplying to airlines, hotels, commercial kitchens and small businesses, bulk quantities of Nestlé products like coconut powder, chicken stock, or any of our offerings in the sweet, savoury, confectionary or beverage categories. It was a different world all on its own, working in this highly competitive, tender based space.”
Mamta worked in this role for another 18 months, before a bite from the travel bug began to itch, and she decided it was time to venture overseas.
“I never really had a break between study and work. So, I left my job and I went travelling for three months. I went to the north of India and spent a month training to become a yoga teacher. I lived there, as the yogis do, and after, I spent some time trekking with friends. After that I went to Vietnam, Singapore, Cambodia, and Laos, but I was still struggling to figure out what I wanted to do. The Yoga Ashram invited me to stay on in India and work as a yoga teacher, and for a while I even considered doing a diploma in baking at Le Cordon Bleu in France, because that’s something I love to do anyway,” she says. “Eventually, when I was back in mobile network coverage and kind of just checking in with my parents, my dad was like ‘you’ve always wanted to study further, why don’t you do that?’ So, I applied to Sydney, Melbourne, and London to placate him of sorts. Eventually, when I got back to base, I received my acceptance letter and was offered a scholarship to Melbourne. I took it as a sign. When I did the interview it felt right, everything seemed to fall into place.”
For Mamta, the Master of International Business offered a balance between work, study, and the international connections she’d built through her travels.
“I’ve found my studies here very wholesome. I like that I have a lot of flexibility and freedom in terms of my subjects, and where I see myself going. That’s why I chose the Master of International Business. It offers a comprehensive view of the business world, including areas like sustainability or environmental studies, and Asian business. If you want to focus on marketing, you can. However, if you want a taste of what sustainability is about, you can do that too and perhaps find your passion in that intersection.”
Mamta was awarded the AG Whitlam International Graduate Scholarship to help complete her studies at MBS. If you’re a scholarship recipient and yet to accept your offer, get started here.
Now, nearing the end of her studies, Mamta is considering where her new, adaptable skillset might take her.
“I want to continue travelling, as that is when I’m happiest, and because now, I believe I have the skills to make a career while doing that. I may want to work within the business space or pursue a career in consulting for impact, but by my own twist on things, I also see my myself in academia at some point, because I love meeting new people, to talk and communicate. By pursuing education, I would have the opportunity to get through to and connect with students, share insights through the wisdom of my hindsight, play a part in another’s journey and create positive impact.”