MGIMO has successfully been implementing the Executive MBA Programme since 2014. Dozens of students (representatives from Russian and overseas major companies) have completed it. Zaur Agaronov, a MGIMO School of Business graduate and now LLC “FBC Leader North-West” Executive Director, shares his experience of studying in this programme.

Tell us a few words about yourself. What does your company specialize in?

I have two university degrees, I studied in the USA, I completed Executive MBA in MGIMO, and I have 15 years of work experience. I am 32, and now I can tell you that my calling is real estate development – building, sales, project management – this is all mine, this is my cup of tea.

Currently, I work in the FBC Company Group, which enters the 10 top developers in Russia and in 2019 it ranked 4^th. I am in charge of the north-western region of the holding. We build housing in Saint Petersburg and Leningrad region. Rankings always make me feel embarrassed. Companies can be compared based on the amount of useful floor area, net profit, working capital or EBITDA. Eventually, companies are judged by finished projects, otherwise, promoting your company is senseless. FBC projects speak for themselves.

What was your graduation paper devoted to? Was it connected to your current activity?

One of the graduates decided to build a fruit processing plant in Vietnam. And my graduation paper was entirely devoted to this idea. As a developer, I was in charge of the investment strategy, arrangements, initial-permissive documentation, design, construction, and plant commissioning. We went to Vietnam, spoke to the leaders of the province, selected land, signed a number of agreements. All these things are described in the graduation paper.

It is not connected with what I am doing now and my current job, but much of my experience was important for the paper. And at times, the graduation paper reminded me of the real one.

What made you enroll in this programme? Why did you choose exactly Executive МВА in MGIMO?

There were both subjective and objective factors. While I was taking a decision, I was working in Moscow’s large development company and the leadership of the company did not want me to combine work and study. Otherwise, I would end up quitting my job to study in the USA, with no salary, and I got a not quite relevant experience in the US.

That was why, I found the idea to work and study in Russia quite promising. MGIMO is a dream for any Russian student, and I was no exception. MBA was invented in the west. It is perhaps the forge of diplomats that can replicate, reproduce and adapt MBA programmes in Russia.

Was there anything you wanted to change in your studies? Were you completely satisfied with your studies?

In terms of the programme itself, everything was perfectly organized. What the programme lacked, to my mind, is immersion, which is both good and bad. I mean that you do not need to live on campus and stay there for the night, after 8 p.m. you can do your work, spend time with your family. That is why your life and limits do not move drastically.

What are the components of success, in your opinion?

Success is a phantom for those who do not put much effort into the result. It is enough to simply invest your efforts in a specific goal, and here you go, you get the first component of success. To do it sensibly is a second component, etc. A company is people, which is why the attitude should be demanding, based on respect, and humaneness. You should play by the rules. Break them and other people will follow suit.

ЕМВА is not just studying. This is also communication with professionals. What did you learn from your EMBA colleagues?

People are a source of knowledge. I do appreciate the opportunity to listen to successful people in a friendly atmosphere. Another advantage of EMBA is a mixture of students’ unique experience.

What makes business education so valuable and important?

The fight against ignorance is a historic process. You can and need to study. Business = less theory = more cases and practice. Practitioners came and told us their mistakes, how they found ways out, how they achieved success. Everybody has profit. Win-win.

What would you wish those who plan to enroll in the EMBA programme?

To be more responsible.