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Department of Management Sciences

MBA Alumni Profile of Disha Chandra Mohan

2019 alumna Disha Chandra Mohan shares her post-graduation adventures and reveals how studying "CSR & NGO Management" has helped her to find “the job” she was searching for in the Circular Economy field.
mba_alumni_disha_chandra_mohan_profile_picture.jpg (EN)

Name: Disha Chandra Mohan

Year of Graduation: 2019

Country of Origin:
India/United Arab Emirates

Current Job Position:
Circular Economy Manager - Expert
at Siegwerk Druckfarben AG & Co. KGaA 

Field of Expertise: Circular Economy 

Visit Disha's LinkedIn Profile


Why did you choose BRS-University for your MBA studies?
Was there anything in particular that made you choose BRS-University? 

H-BRS was one of the few universities offering an MBA in CSR worldwide. Also, being located in Bonn was quite advantageous because of Bonn’s reputation as a “Center for International Cooperation, Sustainable Development, and Innovation” (also indicated by the Federal Foreigner’s Office – Germany). 

 

How was your academic and professional background prior to the MBA program and what has led you to the decision to start the MBA program at BRS-University? 

I have studied Electronics and Communications Engineering from BITS Pilani Dubai Campus. The undergrad program shaped my mindset in terms of analytical and logical reasoning and overall thought process. However, I was inclined to work in the field of CSR and Sustainability, in general, to be able to create a positive impact through my career choice. I worked in the capacity of a Business Manager in Dubai, U.A.E. at an IT Consultancy for a few years. In 2016, after much contemplation, I chose to move to Bonn, Germany to pursue my higher education that would set me on my path to be a sustainability professional. 
 

„"Rich cultural and professional backgrounds added to the class diversity was one of the biggest highlights of the MBA program."”

"Rich cultural and professional backgrounds added to the class diversity was one of the biggest highlights of the MBA program."


Tell us about your time at our BRS-University.
What did you enjoy most during your time of studies? 
How did the MBA program help you to shape your professional profile?

Rich Cultural and Professional backgrounds added to the class diversity, which was one of the biggest highlights of the program. There is potential for a lot of peer to peer learning. 
 
Furthermore my internships: during my MBA journey, I found it incredibly important to be able to apply what I was learning.  So I completed three internships/training programs which helped shape my career path. 
 
During the semester break after the 1st Semester, I went back home and did an internship in Coca-Cola (Dubai, U.A.E.) in the PAC (Public Affairs and Communication) team, where my focus was solely on CSR. Next, I spent six months in Deutsche Telekom AG (Bonn, Germany) as a part of my practical term. I was a part of the International Wholesale Business Unit (Strategy and Communications Team). 
 
My area of focus and also my topic for the thesis was Circular Economy, so before deciding that Circular Economy is my career path forward, I got an opportunity to work in the Shared Value* team at Deutsche Post DHL (Bonn, Germany) specifically on Circular Economy projects for six months as a voluntary internship.

Additional Certification Courses :  
I also wanted to get additional certifications since I specifically intended to pursue a career in sustainability across supply chains. Mentioned below are the ones I opted for:
• CSR-P (CSR Practitioner) from CMI (Chartered Management Institute)
• CSCA – Certified Supply Chain Analyst 
 
*Shared Value Department focused on business-critical projects with a special focus on sustainability

 

Tell us about your time outside the University.
What kind of extracurricular activities were you involved in?
Which events should not be missed to connect with other internationals?

I spent a lot of time outside university traveling, taking advantage of EU’s free borders, made great friends from different parts of the world, attended conferences, networking events – in fact, owing to the close proximity to Brussels, I participated in many discussions, sessions ate the European Parliament.

In 2017, Bonn hosted COP23. The city was buzzing with activities, workshops, events, seminars, etc. I also took the opportunity of being a student at a European University and participated in Erasmus+ Projects on various topics. They were fun while also a great opportunity to learn and also hone interpersonal skills.
 

„"Network as much as you can: there are a plethora of sustainability professionals in the university region to network and exchange ideas with."”

"Network as much as you can: there are a plethora of sustainability professionals in the university region to network and exchange ideas with."


Disha, please tell us more about your pathway since you graduated from BRS-University. In which business field are you currently working and what is your current occupation? How has the MBA degree contributed to your career so far?

Being someone who cannot sit idle for long, I continued networking and also participated in Erasmus+ Projects for self-development. I obviously spent a lot of time attending job fairs, searching and applying for relevant jobs until I came across “the job” I was searching for. The process had been challenging because of limited positions, I was looking specifically for Circular Economy Projects. 
 
However, I am currently working as a Circular Economy Manager – Expert at Siegwerk Druckfarben (which is one of the world’s leading packaging inks manufacturer). My role is spread across three primary functions of the Circular Economy Hub and most of my everyday tasks fall under these categories – PMO – CE Projects, CE Strategy, Transformation. 
 
It is an exciting role with lots of learning and development involved while also an opportunity to be able to apply whatever I had learned so far. 

 

Would you recommend the MBA program to your friends, colleagues, and relatives, and if so, for what reason? 

I would recommend the MBA program to all those who are keen to have a career as a Sustainability professional or to those with a special focus on CSR or NGO Management if they are looking at a platform to learn, evolve, and develop themselves.  

 

ALUMNI WISDOM
What advice would you give MBA program freshman to make the most of their time here? If you could offer one piece of advice to current students what would it be? 

Network as much as you can: there are a plethora of sustainability professionals in the region. Tap into the potential of networking and connect and exchange ideas. 
 
Tap into the peer-to-peer learning potential of your own class also, connect with other alumni of the program. There is so much we can all learn from each other. 

 

Thank you, Disha for sharing your experiences and your personal story with us.
We wish you all the best on your further career path.

Your MBA-Team