Carel Weijand
Interview with Carel Weijand, Operations Manager at Nefit B.V., a part of the Bosch Group
 Carel Weijand |
I met everyone for the first time in the hotel yesterday. They are all very open and interested. In the group there are all kinds of functions represented. I think this will enrich the content and the course work.
Why did you decide to pursue an MBA degree at this point in your career?
I had been thinking for the last couple of years to work toward another academic degree. But I was a little bit doubtful about the purpose and my motivations. Then this program was published by Robert Bosch internally, and things matched wonderfully. In the past I have had a very specific technical education, and this is much broader. I also like it very much that we are the first class here starting with the Executive MBA, and I want to make a personal contribution to it.
Why did you choose to come to ESMT?
I was impressed by the vision and the mission of the school. Everyone I had personal talks with was able to communicate it consistently and with passion. And that really convinced me that this would be a very nice choice.
What part of the Executive MBA program is of special interest for you?
To be honest, I think the personal development side of it is what really attracts me. I have a lot of working experience, more than twenty years now. I would like to match it with theory and with the experiences not only from the professors but also from the other candidates. The main thing is to discover what other talents are hidden inside me. I am 45 years old and used to see my weaknesses as a threat. I always tried to hide them from bosses. Now I see weaknesses as opportunities. That’s also a reason why I am entering an MBA program at my age.
Do you see bringing together work, family and studies as a challenge?
It’s absolutely a challenge. I’m dividing my time between these three different things—work, family and studies. At this moment I don’t have time for myself, and that’s something I want to slowly gain again. I have to delegate more in my job and give my people many more opportunities to develop themselves.
How do you think the MBA degree will influence your future?
I have a personal mission statement, and one important factor in it is helping other people to develop. I think this is really going to help me especially on that part of my personal mission statement. At this moment I am an operational manager. I am already managing, helping and coaching people, and I would like to move toward general management. For me it’s not career planning, but it is more like making a mission possible.
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