Before he enrolled in the Cass Business School MBA, Rengga Susilo was touring the wealth management scene. A platform manager for the retail and private banks of ANZ, Australia’s third largest lender, he was at the core of a shift among top banks away from investment banking and into managing wealthy private clients’ cash.

For Rengga, whose banking career has spanned different roles at ANZ and Citi across Indonesia, Cass’ London location is ideal. The UK capital is the fourth largest banking center globally, according to TheCityUK. He hopes the degree will help him elevate his career, or switch sectors.

Among the MBA modules he got to sink his teeth into was a strategy project for Harrods. The Cass team tried to help the upmarket British department store increase its sales and presence in the UK.

Many top global banks are moving away from investment banking and focusing on wealth management. What career opportunities do you see for MBAs in this space?

The opportunity is huge in this area. In wealth management, we are required to understand our client’ needs, interests and preferences [in order] to manage their wealth, and give them the highest return possible.

I think having an MBA would provide a huge advantage in [the] wealth management area, as we are encouraged to think outside the box and are thought to understand complex problems.

What were your reasons for choosing Cass Business School for your MBA? 

An MBA is a huge investment for me because, and I believe I represent most of my colleagues when I say this, an MBA would help me elevate my career or help me to shift industry.

Choosing the right school is critical in order for each individual to gain the most from the MBA.

Cass Business School provides a compact one-year MBA program. Moreover, Cass provides one of the best MBAs in [the] UK, located in a mecca of financial and international businesses, London. With the network that I will gain from the MBA, it will provide me [with a] huge career advantage. 

The program itself also stood out for me, with the combination of practical case studies, workshops, overseas projects, and international electives. 

What did you learn on your strategy project for Harrods?

We were required to approach several companies on our own to propose a customized project. Our group was lucky enough to secure Harrods. They asked us to help them revisit and revamp their strategy for CRM (customer relationship management), as well as their marketing strategy.

As a group, we did learn a lot from this project. We learned to apply subjects from the MBA, using management theories, frameworks, and concepts that we learnt.

Working with such a well-known name in the retail industry is exciting and challenging at the same time. We felt the pressure to provide Harrods with a strategy that would help them increase their sales and presence in the UK.

We focused not only on their current strategy and how to resolve some of Harrods’ current issues, but also came up with a critical analysis on whether they have the right strategy to ensure continued success.

What's it like living and working in Indonesia?

Working and living in Indonesia is great. In southeast Asia there are huge opportunities in almost all industries. Getting to participate in the development of my home country is satisfying on a personal level.  

We have a diverse and unique culture that is very interesting. And don’t get me started on the food! For me it is the best in the world.

Working in Indonesia can be stressful at times, especially in the capital city Jakarta where I worked, which has one of the highest levels of traffic in the world. You need at least two hours every morning to drive to the office!

In addition, our public transport is not as developed as other countries, although we are now moving towards better infrastructure.

But, Indonesia is a place I called home, where my family and friends reside, so living and working there is always good, because at the end of the day after work you can always turn that frown into a smile.

How do bankers wind down after a hard week’s work?

Bankers aren’t that different from any other professionals. After a busy week at work, [we] usually go out and have dinner at some nice restaurant, drink in a bar, and sometimes we just relax at home.