Alumni profile
Steve Woodhead, Full-time MBA
The decision to transfer from sales to marketing prompted Steve Woodhead to take a full-time MBA at Bradford - a programme that he says transformed his life.
"I chose Bradford as I wanted to have an MBA that would be valued by potential employers. The MBA gave me a 'toolkit for thinking', which enabled me to approach complicated problems and find a way through. It enabled me to specialise in marketing so I could absorb ideas and principles that I continue to use to this day. Finally, it provided an insight into other functional areas and identified opportunities for me to work productively with other people," Steve explained.
"The MBA got me the start I needed. My first job was as a business analyst working in acquisitions and mergers for Premier Farnell. The director who employed me also had an MBA. After a couple of years, I became a Marketing Manager at Farnell and then joined the board as marketing director. In the years since, I have often found myself applying knowledge and skills that I learned at Bradford to marketing and leadership issues."
Steve, aged 47, is now Marketing Director of Interfloor Group Ltd, the largest manufacturer of carpet underlay and accessories in Europe. Steve teamed up with a number of colleagues in 2005 to acquire the Company in a £100m management buy-in with private equity backing. His role at Interfloor is to define and implement opportunities for profitable growth by improving the company's sales and marketing processes, channel management, products and customer service.
"Since taking my MBA, I have led teams in different markets as marketing director at three very different businesses: Farnell, Brammer and Interfloor. There have been many highlights. I'm particularly delighted, and surprised in equal measure, to see some marketing initiatives still in place and thriving in previous businesses ten years later!
"The Bradford MBA is a very rare opportunity which can truly change your life. It changed mine. I would encourage anyone planning to do an MBA to devote themselves fully to it. Immerse yourself in the experience. It is a major commitment, probably unlike anything you have ever done before, but immensely rewarding," Steve concluded.