For ambitious professionals, an Executive MBA often signifies a pivotal step towards greater responsibilities, a new sector, or entrepreneurial ventures. For Harry Young, however, the choice to enrol in the Executive MBA at Bayes Business School was intrinsically linked to a far grander objective: guiding his company through a significant phase of global growth.
"Witnessing the tangible impact of my MBA on the business has been incredibly rewarding," he states. His journey demonstrates how his academic learning became deeply intertwined with real-world strategic decisions at Squint/Opera, the London-based creative agency where he advanced from Group Financial Controller to Global Finance Director.
Bridging Academic Learning and Leadership
Harry's career began at the accountancy firm Deloitte, where he worked with a diverse range of organisations. His exposure to smaller, agile companies revealed an environment where finance professionals could influence much more than just the balance sheets. This desire for broader impact eventually led him to Squint/Opera in 2019, where he played a key role in preparing the business for private-equity ownership.
By 2022, he recognised the need to develop a wider strategic skill set to support the company's international aspirations. The Bayes Executive MBA offered the comprehensive curriculum he sought, alongside a flexible structure that allowed him to study intensively while maintaining a senior role and adapting to life as a new parent.
"It was more challenging than I anticipated, primarily due to the relentless pace," Harry reflects on juggling work, life, and study. Nevertheless, the programme's format compelled him to operate more strategically, ensuring his assignments were closely aligned with actual business priorities. "I made a conscious effort to ensure my MBA assignments were directly applicable to the business," he notes.
Direct Influence on Growth and Acquisition Strategy
Several modules had an immediate effect on Squint/Opera's strategic direction. Harry found value in Corporate Strategy, Operations Management, and Marketing, but he singles out one elective as particularly transformative.
"The core modules were highly useful, but the elective with the most significant impact was on Mergers & Acquisitions," Harry explains. As the company actively explored acquisition opportunities, his Business Project evolved into a practical consultancy piece. Under the guidance of Professor Scott Moeller, Director of the M&A Research Centre, he formulated a systematic approach to identifying suitable acquisition targets.
"He was exceptional at helping me deconstruct my ideas and focus with precision," Harry says. The clarity and focus he gained enabled him to present compelling recommendations that secured swift buy-in from the company's founders, private equity owners, and senior leaders across its investor network.
"They had already recognised the value, so they were quite open and receptive to the recommendations in my Business Project," he adds.
Gaining a Global Outlook and Personal Evolution
The Executive MBA also provided Harry with immersive experiences in international innovation ecosystems. Electives in Vietnam and in Israel and Palestine were standout experiences that offered fresh insights into how talent clusters, universities, and industry networks drive economic growth.
"The key takeaway from the start-ups and organisations we visited was the power of ecosystems and how these hubs of similar businesses can truly turbocharge economic growth," he observes. For a creative agency based in another global hub like London, the parallels were immediately apparent and applicable.
Beyond sharpening his strategic acumen and contributing directly to company performance, Harry is emphatic that the experience changed him on a more profound, personal level.
"The MBA broadened my horizons and altered my perspective on the world," he says. The intensity of balancing a demanding career, rigorous study, and parenthood also reshaped his long-term career aspirations.
"I don't want to revert to just doing enough to get by. I want to contribute to my company's success and have a significant story to tell at the end of it all," Harry concludes.
