Dr. Jayshree Pandya
Warwick Business School
Age: 66
“I am passionate, determined, enthusiastic, and entrepreneurial with a very positive outlook to life.”
Hometown: Cheltenham, United Kingdom
Family Members: My family consists of my friend and partner Anand, and my mother Shushila who is largely independent until her recent illness and operation. She lives in London and we in Cheltenham. At times, I have had to live between London and Cheltenham and bring mum across to Cheltenham to make life a little easier and comfortable for her.
Our daughters, Ursula and Tara, are two beautiful young ladies and we are very proud of them. They are both are very close to their nanny Shushila. I have four siblings placed in various locations across the globe, and all have been very helpful in times of crisis and I am truly indebted to them all.
Fun fact about yourself: I love singing and acting in plays. I also love to play April Fool’s Day pranks.
Undergraduate School and Degree: Master of Pharmacy (Portsmouth), Batchelor of Medicine and Batchelor of Surgery (London) Membership of the Royal College of Physicians Ireland (Ireland) Membership of the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health (London)
Where are you currently working? National Health Service. Consultant Haematologist
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles: I love playing netball and squash and I am learning salsa dancing at a local dancing school.
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I was thrilled to be accepted onto the Executive MBA course and have been extremely grateful for the understanding and flexibility of the school. Due the pandemic and then my mother falling ill, with me being her caretaker, this has been a five-year journey.
At our first module, there was a real sense of excitement and togetherness. I wanted to be a student representative for our cohort and so I took on that role for one year with another colleague in the group. After the first module, we encountered COVID-19 and lockdown, so our course was forced to continue virtually online. This was such a sudden change, but against all odds the group came together superbly and we managed to continue online, completing the first year virtually. Because of the restrictions, there was no chance for any face-to-face contact with cohort members. However, we had set up a Whatsapp group on day one of our course, and that became our way of communicating with one another. However, having smaller groups online for each module enabled you to get to know more and more people on the course and thus establish true friendships that last a long time. Everyone in the cohort was special. We bonded so well despite only seeing each other online, and we vowed that once restrictions were lifted we would all get together for a special meal out, which was a great night.
One of the highlights of the course was the elective module on Sustainability in Vancouver. It was a packed schedule and not only did we work extremely diligently but we were able to combine work and play thanks to the programme team’s superb organization.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Entering medicine after completing my pharmacy training has given me a deep appreciation for the value of effective and appropriate treatments. This foundation has been especially meaningful in the field of oncology, where the complexity and cost of care—particularly with newer therapies for both children and adults—remain significant challenges. Yet, it is within this demanding field that I have found the most fulfillment. Caring for patients with cancer has been the most rewarding aspect of my professional career. Supporting children and their families through some of the most difficult moments of their lives has been both humbling and inspiring. These experiences have strengthened my commitment to advancing cancer care and have underscored the importance of collaboration between the medical community and the pharmaceutical industry. I remain optimistic that continued progress in technology and artificial intelligence will lead to more personalized, effective, and accessible treatments in the future.
Who was your favorite MBA professor? At Warwick Business School, all the academics who delivered lectures, guidance, and support were exceptional. However, my supervisor, Dimitrios Spyridonidis, stood out in particular. He instilled confidence in each student by encouraging us to first recognise our own potential, and then address any gaps by seeking support through the various resources available. His approach empowered us to fully engage with the MBA modules, apply ourselves effectively, and continuously reflect and improve throughout the course. Knowing that he was there to guide and support me helped build my confidence in the field and deepened my understanding of what I had learned. He helped me appreciate my potential and what I am capable of achieving.
Why did you choose this school’s executive MBA program? WBS has a unique culture that embraces diversity, kindness, and inclusivity, which is visible to the external observer. I was fascinated by the school’s commitment to attracting individuals from diverse backgrounds and broad perspectives who are passionate about pursuing academic excellence in business and management. This diversity of people and perspectives truly provides an environment that is inspiring and fun, in which one can explore the school’s ‘Change maker‘ ethos. This also enables students to make life-long friends and establish international networks.
What is the biggest lesson you gained during your MBA and how did you apply it at work? The biggest lesson I learned was that understanding the many aspects of how an organization functions is extremely valuable. When applied correctly in your workplace, it can be like a super power. The gift the Executive MBA has given me is being able to breakdown challenges by using various models and lenses and being able to reframe them using different perspectives. This is exceptionally powerful and I have been able to bring these skills to my daily work to improve organizational structures within teams and operational processes to recruit and retain professionals in the field.
Give us a story during your time as an executive MBA on how you were able to juggle work, family and education? This was the hardest part of the MBA: juggling work, family and study. Within a month of starting the course, we had to implement virtual classes whilst we had the COVID-19 pandemic. Having expected to have face-to-face classes for the entire MBA, we were now faced with the challenge of learning to use virtual facilities to conduct classes and group activities over three-to-four days. This actually helped with family as while attending class I was at home and could enjoy the breaks with my family.
I am a disciplined individual regarding my time and like to be punctual. I had a set routine to follow to enable adequate time for studying as well as other activities with my family.
COVID took a toll on my family and friends and I had to take temporary leave from the course. Again, when my mother fell ill and needed an operation, I needed to put the course on hold to look after her. Being the primary caregiver for my mother meant that time was truly stretched. With perseverance and support from my family, friends and the Executive MBA programme team, the MBA journey was longer than anticipated but fun, thought-provoking and eventually successful.
What advice would you give to a student looking to enter an executive MBA program? Be positive but mindful of your capacity as you enter the programme and that your capacity may change over time. Life events and family emergencies can overwhelm you. Be brave to avoid taking on too much and learn to delegate tasks at home and at work if you can.
I would say be kind to yourself and remember you are not a superhuman. Sometimes you will have to take stock, take time out to be able to cope, and allow for rest and recovery.
What was your biggest regret in business school? The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered our experience, preventing the cohort from engaging in the face-to-face interactions we had anticipated when choosing the MBA programme – that is a regret, though unavoidable and one we came through so well.
Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I enjoyed being with all the people in our cohort, but one that I admired most was Sofy Richards, who was pregnant when she joined the programme and took time out for a year after the first module. However, we kept in touch and she was a true friend throughout the MBA journey – we will be friends for life. Sofy was disciplined, but kept a balance between home life and studying. She was working for British Telecommunications (BT) when she joined the programme, but has since completed her MBA and moved on to a well sought after post.
Her kindness, compassion and love for people resonates with my nature. She has a ‘heart of gold’ and I am privileged to have her as my friend.
What was the main reason you chose an executive MBA program over part-time or online alternatives? I enjoy working with people and felt that being with a diverse cohort of individuals pursuing the MBA programme would be enjoyable and very rewarding in terms of having friends for life and networking. This programme also enables you to chat to the programme team for feedback and also to appreciate the hard work to enable the programme to run smoothly. It also allows you have face-to-face contact with the lecturers for advice and clarification on any problems you have with the course material.
How did you finance your EMBA and what did you do to make tuition and associated costs more affordable? I had a scholarship from WBS and I partly funded the EMBA. By putting aside something every month, I made sure the annual fees were paid on time.
What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? I want to be able to provide newer effective and cheaper medicinal products for cancer and to continue to care for these patients for some time to come.
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