Helen Normoyle, chief marketing officer for Britain's leading upholstered furniture retailer, found she needed broader finance knowledge as her company considered new strategies for growth. Through the Executive Education program Finance for Senior Executives, she built her skills—and gained new perspective on her business.
In my role, I have focused primarily on marketing and was considering paths for developing myself further. As our board was increasingly discussing issues around the financing of our company, it seemed the right time to learn more about finance. Our chairman and a former boss of mine had both attended Harvard Business School programs and spoke very highly of their experience. I researched several different programs, and in the end I jumped at the opportunity to come to HBS.
I came with high expectations, but the program surpassed them. It was an absolutely fantastic experience. The curriculum really stretched me—it took me outside my comfort zone, which of course is by design. The pace was intense and demanding, and though I worked hard, the program was one of the most enjoyable things I have done in a long time. I felt excited every day and looked forward to every class. In fact, I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed it. All parts of the experience—not only the curriculum, but also the accommodations, technology, meeting rooms, facilities, and restaurant—were world-class.
The cases were an excellent way to learn about some very interesting people and organizations. The group discussions helped me realize that a situation can be approached from many different angles.
The professors are amazing. They are the rock stars of their profession. They present and explain fairly complex topics in a coherent and engaging way, and also conduct very stimulating discussions. The cases, discussion groups, and classroom sessions each have an important role to play, but for me, the interactions and insights we shared in the classroom were the most important.
As a marketing executive, I am naturally very customer-focused. Putting customers at the heart of business strategy is important, but this program has opened my eyes to the importance of considering the business from the perspective of shareholder value. I have a greater appreciation now for my role beyond marketing—as a leader and as a board member. I am better able to engage in a wider range of discussions that include not just customer strategy but also shareholder value.