At the Swiss School of Business and Management Geneva, we are proud of the diverse and accomplished individuals who graduate from our programs, each making a significant impact in their fields. In this segment, we are thrilled to feature Matthew John Partridge, a graduate of our Top-Up MBA with a specialization in Financial Management. With an extensive career across banking, finance, startups, consulting, and operations in South Africa, London, New York, Jersey, and Australia, Matthew’s journey to SSBM Geneva was driven by a desire to further his expertise in financial management. In this interview, Matthew shares how the specialized MBA program helped him advance his career and provided invaluable resources for tackling complex challenges in both personal and professional life.
Can you share a bit about your professional background before enrolling in the Top-Up MBA specializing in Financial Management? What led you to choose this program?
I began my MBA journey in South Africa, building on a diverse career that spans banking, finance, startups, consulting, and operations, with experiences across South Africa, London, New York, Jersey, and Australia. After nearly a year of searching for the right institution to complete my studies, I found SSBM Geneva. Having earned an undergraduate degree in finance and acquired 120 MBA credits during my postgraduate studies, pursuing a specialized MBA in finance felt like a natural progression.
How did the Top-Up MBA experience differ from your previous academic or professional training, and how did it prepare you for advanced roles in financial management?
I was drawn to this specialized MBA for its focused curriculum, which still offered a broad exploration of topics within each area.
The flexibility of a correspondence degree was another key advantage, especially as I now reside in Australia. This program provided me with invaluable resources, equipping me to tackle complex challenges in both my personal and professional life.
As a professional in financial management, how do you ensure that financial strategies align with the overall business objectives of your organization?
While every business is unique, they all operate on the same foundational principles: spend less than you earn and mitigate the variables. Through cost management, budgeting, and forecasting, businesses can stay aligned with strategies that ensure they remain lean, effective, and profitable.
How did the Top-Up MBA complement your previous qualifications, and how did it enhance your expertise in financial management?
Completing this degree was the perfect way to unify my qualifications. It has enhanced my understanding of business and finance, offering sophisticated insights and practical applications to real-world scenarios.
What advice would you give to prospective students who are considering the Top-Up MBA in Financial Management at SSBM Geneva?
To gain the most value from an MBA, I recommend referencing each topic back to real-world experiences from your career. This approach helps contextualize the knowledge, enabling you to identify the right applications for different challenges and opportunities.
Matthew’s experience with the Top-Up MBA in Financial Management exemplifies the transformative power of specialized education in shaping career success. The program not only enhanced his understanding of business and finance but also provided practical applications to real-world challenges. His advice to prospective students – to apply real-world experiences to academic learning – speaks to the importance of contextualizing education in a practical setting.
We are proud of Matthew’s achievements and look forward to supporting future graduates as they embark on their journeys toward leadership and innovation in financial management.
