Enhancing Skills and Knowledge Imperative for Good Leadership - MBA Cum Laude Graduate

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For Standard Bank’s Manager: Business Solutions Mr Alsten Marigadu, leadership is about keeping abreast of the latest developments in one’s field, thus graduating with his MBA cum laude was part of his commitment towards good leadership.

Marigadu, who also holds a Bachelor of Law degree from UKZN and is currently studying towards a PhD in Commercial Law at the University of Cape Town, says his passion for leadership and growing individuals, teams and organisations is what inspires him to empower himself through education. 

‘What motivates me is the evidence of individuals, teams and organisations achieving heights which they never thought possible, especially when I witness them breaking through the self-created ceilings and realising that nothing is impossible. This drives and motivates me every day, even if I have the opportunity to lead one person at a time,’ said Marigadu. 

‘The MBA opened my eyes to the world. It gave me the opportunity to experience teaching and learning on par with that offered by the best global business schools. It was an out of the box experience which revealed the vast knowledge and practices which most leaders will have had little or no exposure to in a local environment,’ he added.  

Apart from broadening his knowledge in leadership practices, studying for his MBA gave Marigadu the opportunity to embark on research which he believes will add value to the banking industry.  His thesis was titled: “The Strategic Use of Succession Planning as a Tool to Maintain Competitive Advantage in KwaZulu-Natal Non-Metro Areas: A Standard Bank Business Banking Division Case Study”.  

‘When deciding on a research topic, I wanted the findings and outcomes to be relevant and add value to the bank and the industry in general. The research findings provided some unexpected yet extremely ground breaking outcomes. It will certainly provide a mind shift in the way leaders view the topic. This is significant since it provides current empirical evidence, which was done in the relevant context of an African environment, as opposed other international research,’ said Marigadu. 

Marigadu said the support of his wife, Nirusha, and his son, Jaden, had been vital as was his never-wavering focus on the end goal of acquiring skills to contribute to the larger knowledge base in his field.  

‘Without the support of my family and working colleagues, the end result would not have been possible.’  

Thandiwe Jumo