We received applications from many candidates for board positions and we have collated their list below for your reference.
| S.No | Position | Candidates |
| 1. | President | – Alexander Hiltebrand – Rich Fruchterman IV – Shalu Chaudhary |
| 2. | Secretary | – Abisha Fernandes – Mukandasi Muhetaer |
| 3. | Treasurer | – Gaurav Soni – Raj Mehta |
| 4. | Director – Engagement |
– Monica Audinnia Halim – Nadav Burshtine – Shalu Chaudhary |
| 5. | Director – Communications |
– Abisha Fernandes – Shalu Chaudhary |
| 6. | Director – Events |
– Gaurav Soni – Mukandasi Muhetaer – Raj Mehta |
| 7. | Director – Partnerships |
– Abisha Fernandes – Mukandasi Muhetaer – Nadav Burshtine |
| 8. | Associate Director – Full-Time | – Monica Audinnia Halim – Muhammad Fauzan Razandi |
| 9. | Associate Director – Alumni | – Mandy Liu – Rahmanda Nofal Arif |
| 10. | Associate Director – Communications | – Mansee Gupta |
| 11. | Associate Director – IT/Digital | – Gaurav Soni – Mansee Gupta – Muhammad Fauzan Razandi |
| 12. | Associate Director – Events | – Mansee Gupta |
| 13. | Associate Director – Partnerships | – Mandy Liu – Muhammad Fauzan Razandi – Rahmanda Nofal Arif |
| 14. | Associate Director – Part-Time | – Mandy Liu |
Why candidates want to join the Sydney MBA Network Board of Directors
Abisha Fernandes
As a therapist, my work revolves around caring for people, something I’m truly passionate about. I’d like to take that passion and bring it to the Board of Directors to make our MBA experience, and beyond, even better.
Rather than making assumptions about what you need, I want to hear directly from you. I hope to start by creating a forum for everyone, including part-time and full-time students, to share their struggles, expectations, and ideas. I’ll collaborate with the rest of the Board to develop events and partnerships to address your concerns. My experience working with some of India’s top start-ups and leading a team of 10 people has equipped me with valuable skills in leadership, stakeholder management, and program development. I’ll be drawing on these skills to achieve these goals effectively.
One area that’s close to my heart is creating and facilitating inclusive spaces for us to learn from each other. I believe that we all have a lot to offer each other with our diverse cultural and professional backgrounds, and I’d like to work on creating and executing programs that allow us to share knowledge not only within cohorts but across part-time and full-time cohorts.
Finally – I excel when working in a team, brainstorming, and making democratic decisions, and I’m excited about the opportunity to do that with the rest of the Board!
Alexander Hiltebrand
I’d like to be involved in the MBA network to expand on the current work done by previous Cohorts. For example, build up the Part-time Role offerings for current MBA students by collaborating with part-time MBA students who are working at firms in Sydney that are recruiting MBAs. Creating more social Events that are not centered on alcohol to attract more classmates such as Beach Days. Making the professional events more focused on part-time jobs, internships, and full-time positions after graduation. Setting up a service to guide students towards Australian residency and Visas post-graduation. Creating more available on-site (CBD campus) resources for students to launch and scale start-ups (Not just start-up competitions like Genesis where the application closes before the mentioned Deadline). Creating more synergy between CEMS, Consulting Club, and MBA with respect to event planning both socially and professionally. For example, the Oktoberfest Event started parallel to Fireside Chat on Sept. 28th. The CEMS/MBA Boat Party is clashing with the C5 Weekend Retreat.
These are demands and needs from my Cohort that are not being met at the moment. With the support of a unified director team, I’d like to implement these new ideas and visions into the upcoming year.
In my Undergrad, I led teams of Freshman Business 101 Students every Semester in their new college journey and Semester Capstone Projects. At Amazon, I led teams ranging from 4 to 150 members across the EU marketplace. I’d be honored to lead my MBA cohort on our collective journey.
Gaurav Soni
I am an ambitious individual who values cultural diversity, and I am grateful for the opportunity to express my interest in joining the network’s board of directors. Drawing from a varied professional background that spans roles in banking, data analytics, customer service support, and even IT gaming, I have cultivated a diverse skill set and a genuine enthusiasm for engaging with people. My previous experiences in undergraduate student politics, where I participated in elections and served on the core student union team, further refined my interpersonal and negotiation skills.
During my time in college, I along with my team played a key role in successfully organizing our college festival, which significantly enhanced my abilities in negotiation and event coordination. I see this as the perfect opportunity to leverage my past experiences while gaining new insights. Specifically, I aspire to contribute as the Director of Events, where I can curate memorable experiences for my fellow cohort members and add value to the MBA Network Board.
Mandy Liu
This sounds like an excellent networking opportunity to get to know other MBA students and alumni! I am always fascinated by the motivations behind people’s choice to study MBA, and their industries, their personal stories, and particularly the post-MBA growth. I’d love to get to be part of the USyd MBA community!
My academic background covers the areas of business, health, science and law, so I am very comfortable with speaking and engaging people from different industries. I am Chinese and I have lived in Australia for over 20 years so I am sensitive to cultural differences and needs.
I run my own health clinic and I am a clinical tutor with USyd. I am reliable, efficient, have excellent time management skills and very hands-on. Having worked as a health professional and a tutor for a long time, I am also a good listener and able to show empathy towards others.
Mansee Gupta
In my role as Associate Director of IT for the MBA Network Board, I envision a network that embraces inclusivity, fosters effective collaboration, encourages innovation, and shares a collective vision for enhancing our MBA Network through transparent and open communication. My core belief is in facilitating open and inclusive communication with the help of IT, by facilitating open communication feedback channels.
Drawing upon the insights from my Leadership class, I am convinced that transparent communication channels are a valuable asset for our MBA network. Leveraging my prior IT experience, I aim to introduce these open communication channels to the network, ensuring that information flows freely. I have an experience in IT project management, which equips me to effectively manage technical rollouts.
Additionally, I bring to the table my experience as a volunteer for the National Service Scheme (NSS), a Government of India initiative aimed at forging campus-community partnerships. During my time with NSS, I played a pivotal role in organizing blood donation camps and actively supported the government’s Swachh Bharat Mission by conducting community awareness programs on solid waste management. On weekends, I volunteered to educate underprivileged children at a local NGO.
In summary, I want to make a difference by working together. I am dedicated to organizing community service initiatives and leveraging our skills to give back to the society that has given us so much.
Monica Audinnia Halim
I believe that becoming part of the Sydney MBA Network Board is a fulfilling role and will be impactful for my career as a future leader. I believe the position will allow me to implement continuous learning by being surrounded by leaders of the board. My passion for fostering connections and driving meaningful interactions aligns seamlessly with the role’s core responsibilities.
Throughout my career, I have always put great value on cultivating relationships with diverse stakeholders. Working as consultant and business developer, I find that relationship management is a critical skill to have. I need to be able to understand the needs of the stakeholders, gather data through engagement initiative and provide insights that will align with board strategy.
I am enthusiastic about working collaboratively with the board and members to create an environment where everyone’s voice is heard, fostering a sense of belonging and shared purpose. I believe that effective engagement is pivotal for nurturing a thriving MBA community, providing students and alumni with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Muhammad Fauzan Razandi
Studying in the MBA program enables me to gain valuable knowledge and experience and establish a high-quality professional network. However, I realise this is insufficient for my personal and professional development as a future leader. To enrich my learning experience, I intend to engage with an organisation that can help me expand my connections, improve my communication skills, and generate new opportunities, and applying for the Sydney MBA Network Board is one of the finest decisions I have taken.
Sydney MBA Network is a catalyst for maximising my lifelong learning while pursuing the MBA program. As one of the most reputable degrees at The University of Sydney, this organisation has existed since 2013 and has yet to reach its full potential. Through this opportunity, I hope to continue the legacy and create more initiatives in the future for the greater good of the organisation. Moreover, I desire to be the change agent in uniting MBA students and alumni, making it one of the most prestigious organisations in Sydney.
My dedication to giving back to the organisation represents my desire to join the Sydney MBA Network Board. My commitment and enthusiasm are congruent with the board’s mission and vision, and I am eager to contribute to its sustained success.
Mukandasi Muhetaer
1. I want to practice my capability of working in different environments and cooperating with different people.
2. Participating more in the network board can practice my communication skills.
Nadav Burshtine
I would like to join the MBA Network board because this MBA is what we make of it. I’d like to make it as beneficial to it’s participants as possible. Luckily, the University of Sydney brand is already strong. It us up to us to leverage it to provide our cohorts access to relevant and influential people and events. I want to do my part to help in this effort and gain meaningful project management experience while doing it. Due to my extensive sales experience, I am confident that many of my soft skills will transfer to the partnership/engagement roles well and I am excited to development new skills through my participation. I see the MBA network as a way of making the USyd MBA all that it can be and gain some experience along the way. It’s a win-win.
Rahmanda Nofal Arif
I have always been keen on dedicating my time and effort to voluntary organizations, especially ones like student associations. For me, it is more than just a commitment; it is a way to make a direct impact on the community around me and to connect with a diverse group of people. Such interactions, I believe, are enriching and help in personal growth.
My prior experiences in both professional settings and college student associations have equipped me with skills and insights that I believe would be beneficial to the Sydney MBA Network. However, what truly piques my interest in this organization is its distinct nature. Unlike traditional student-led unions, the Sydney MBA Network places a strong emphasis on professional development and networking. Given that its members are seasoned professionals, the line between being a student and an alumnus is blurred. Every student here is, in essence, an alumnus of their previous institutions, now seeking to expand their horizons further.
This unique setup makes it even more important to have a strong sense of belonging and connection, both among the students and between students and alumni. I genuinely believe that by dedicating myself, especially to the Alumni or Partnership committee, I can help foster this sense of community. And of course, I am looking forward to learn and grow along the way.
Raj Mehta
I believe I can use my core skills to expand the budgets for the events and networking sessions held in the cohort. I also understand that I can spend time creating cash flow and various formats to plan events better and there is easier visibility of financing. I can also use to my skills to fund raising for community events.
Rich Fruchterman IV
I am running for President within the Sydney MBA Network because I want to see everyone here succeed. We all chose this MBA for a common reason, to develop ourselves as leaders. In my case, I am here on a journey of personal development with a mission to improve and become a more effective selfless servant leader. I am honest, have a big heart, and always strive to empathize and understand everyones opinions and ideas. To have a successful MBA network, it is necessary to have the right team in place. With that being said, the success of the board depends on every board position collaborating effectively. Everyone’s voice matters. Although there are limited board positions, the long-term success of the Sydney MBA Network depends on each and every one of us current students and alumni to stay connected to help each other grow and succeed.
I believe that I am a good candidate for President because I have a strong ability to bring people together. I am patient, caring, and I plan to take into account the current boards strategy and improve upon it so that all of us within the Sydney MBA Network will benefit. I hope that I have your support. Cheers.
Shalu Chaudhary
I’m Shalu Chaudhary, a fellow C6 student, and I’m excited to throw my hat in the ring for the roles of President, Engagement Director, and Communication Director. Why? Well, because I genuinely connect with the essence of each role. If I must define my mission in one word: that would be Inclusivity! I want to foster an environment where every single one of us feels equal, accepted, and free from any form of exclusion.
My journey so far at Usyd have been nothing short of amazing. While I’ve seen how amazing opportunities appear very frequently, but often, it’s the more extroverted students who get to seize them, not because others lack talent, but due to insecurities or a feeling of not fitting in. I want to change that narrative, because each one of us is unique and we need to provide for an environment where we maximise everyone’s potential and make our events more engaging for all students.
My larger objective is to build initiatives around professional development and DEI and aim for an ecosystem where students feel very open to communicate about their academic concerns, challenges, or any extracurricular opportunities. Though it is not yet clear as to what capacities we will have as student bodies, but I would also like to deep dive in the career services to see the areas of improvement/ more involvement, because that stands as one of the most important aspects of MBA. Thus, being at a position to maximise impact, would help me work around policies which really matters in our MBA journeys.