Victoria Rusnac

“We all come to LBS thinking we’re really smart…and then realise there’s a whole class of people who are equally, if not more, smart. The magic of LBS is the interaction, collaboration and sharing.”

Learning to innovate

Victoria Rusnac says the main driver behind her decision to join London Business School’s EMBA programme was a simple one. “I was after self-development, self-improvement and self-growth. I was looking for the quickest way to make a leap to the next step on the corporate ladder, and I felt an Executive MBA was the right way to do that.” 

With a strong background in general marketing, Victoria rates increased confidence as one of her biggest takeaways from the Executive MBA so far. “LBS is a fascinating journey. It’s enabled me to increase my knowledge in areas like strategy and finance, where I had less experience, and to strengthen my leadership skills.” she says. It’s also helped her innovate in her current role at work. “On my LBS marketing course I learned a completely new approach which I’ve since implemented at EE. We identified collaborators we wanted to work with, proactively establishing relationships with Mumsnet, several vloggers, and an international travelling body. We then created micro propositions in different segments that are completely tailored to the target audience. It’s been a win-win both for EE, and for our collaborators.”

Working across different cultures

Recently voted Best Manager by her team, Victoria credits her Developing Effective Managers and Organisations class, and the idea of the self-fulfilling prophecy. “That concept really appealed to me. Now that I expect the maximum contribution from every team member, I get much better results, performance and motivation. My team members really appreciate my trust in them.” Victoria’s business school experience has also increased her cultural sensitivity, improving her ability to work across different cultures. “I’ve learnt how to communicate in a more inspiring way, to be humble, to lead and be part of diverse teams, and to work with people from multiple geographies. Classes and group work are amazingly rich and insightful.”

Interaction, collaboration and sharing

Victoria says one word encapsulates her Executive MBA experience to date. “LBS equals WOW. It’s changed my perspective on my career and on my abilities.” She also says it’s made her a better person. “We all come to LBS thinking we’re really smart…and then realise there’s a whole class of people who are equally, if not more, smart. The magic of LBS is the interaction, collaboration and sharing – and the realisation that we’re stronger when we listen, and smarter when we share.”