Otago MBA Mentor Programme

Every full-time student on the Otago MBA is matched with a New Zealand business professional as their mentor while in Dunedin.

The Otago MBA Mentor Programme is designed to provide students with an opportunity to connect with someone from the New Zealand business community to deepen and enhance the learning and development students will gain from their Otago MBA experience.

• Discuss challenges and successes on the programme
• Talk about career aspirations and goals
• Gain insight into New Zealand business practices
• Experience life in New Zealand outside of the University
• Get exposure to an industry or sector of interest
• Share your own knowledge and experience.

Students meet regularly with their mentor to reflect on personal and professional development rather than the academic work they are undertaking.There are regular social events with Mentors and we have found that the Mentor Programme is a great way for international students to have a fuller Kiwi experience.

The more energy students put into their mentor relationship the more rewards they get from their Otago MBA experience in New Zealand.

“I see this as a way for students to develop professionally and to make business connections in Dunedin, and secondly help them by complimenting the work on the Otago MBA course. I also think it is important to help students connect with the wider local community."

“There’s always a danger with such a full-on course that students stay in their university environment and will leave without making any local connections beyond the University. Hopefully by being mentored by a local business person, the MBA student’s experience of being in Dunedin will be enhanced" he says.

Passing on local knowledge can be very simple things, like explaining what sights and activities to do while in Dunedin or indicating where the best food is available.

“When we first teamed up we sat down in a reasonably structured way and worked through the various areas Adrian [MBA 34] wanted to be mentored on and put together a learning plan,” says Mr Tapp, who is Service Delivery Manager at the Ministry of Justice.

Mr Tapp sees three benefits of the Otago MBA Mentor Programme:

Our Mentors are an accomplished and talented group of business people. They are a diverse  group from a variety of business sectors.

The Mentors in 2011 are Phil Page, of Gallaway Cook Allan Lawyers; dentist Mike Smith; Lynn Smillie, Geoff Plunket, Peter Brown, Lincoln Coe, Stephen Connolly and Ron Horner all from Port Otago; CEO of Tecpak and MBA alumni Brian Lowe; financial advisers George Friedlander and Jim Hawker; police training co-ordinator Ingrid Adamczyk; Westpac branch manager David Tapp; MBA Alumni Steve Silvey from Kalamazoo; Peter Harris, from the City Council's economic development unit; Deloitte finance manager Daniel Hellyer; Kelly Pankhurst and Sharon Knowles, from Anderson Lloyd Lawyers; accountant and business adviser from Polson Higgs, Stephen Craig-Pearson; MBA alum and forensics adviser to NZ Police, Alli Barty; University of Otago staff member  Alison Stewart; Director of Signal Management Group, Stuart Anderson; Susie Staley, of Staley Cardoza Lawyers; banking advisers David Frame and Mike Reeve;  Dunedin Airport Operations Manager , Richard Roberts; MBA alumni Cherie Wells and Glenn Symon both from the DHB; and the Dunedin Registrar of Electors, Dee Vickers.