By Jaqquline Lawrie, 12 March, 2026
⏳ Read time: 4 minutes 55 seconds
The short answer: no.
A common misconception people have when considering studying an Executive MBA is that you need to work in a corporate role or have a business background. In reality, the Executive MBA helps professionals from all fields grow as leaders, no matter their occupation.
The QUT Executive MBA is specifically tailored for experienced executives who are ready to take their careers to the next level, build their influence, and elevate their leadership. This applies to leaders across all sectors and disciplines.
Jump to:
- Who studies an Executive MBA?
- How Hitesh co-founded a startup during his Executive MBA
- Macy’s Executive MBA journey as a leader in healthcare
What kind of people do an Executive MBA?
The QUT Executive MBA attracts experienced professionals from a diverse range of industries, including health, sport, technology, government, and not-for-profit.
When you join the program, you’re surrounded by ambitious, high-performing professionals who are looking to grow, expand their influence, and lead with impact.
As part of this article, we caught up with two recent Executive MBA graduates working in technology and health to hear what motivated them to study the program — and what stood out most during their experience.
Building a future in tech: Hitesh’s Executive MBA story
Entering the program with the goal of becoming a leader in the technology sector, Hitesh Kumar Jamb never imagined he would also graduate as the Co-Founder of an AI-driven startup — launched alongside two peers from his QUT Executive MBA cohort.
As Technology Lead (DevOps and Test Practice) at APA Group, and now Co-Founder of BuildEase, Hitesh was drawn to the program for its real-world relevance and future-focused curriculum.
“I chose to pursue my Executive MBA at QUT because of its focus on practical business challenges, leadership development, innovation and global exposure,” said Hitesh.
“The program's ties to international institutions like MIT and its emphasis on digital transformation and entrepreneurial thinking aligned perfectly with my goals of leading in tech-driven industries.”
Like many others in the program, Hitesh was eager to build his global network and connect with professionals and industry leaders from a wide range of sectors — a unique opportunity the QUT Executive MBA offers.
“One of the most enriching parts of my QUT Executive MBA experience has been the incredible networking opportunities,” he shared.
“I formed strong connections with fellow participants, faculty, and industry professionals, all of whom came from diverse backgrounds and offered unique perspectives.”
For Hitesh, these connections became a pivotal part of his leadership journey — and led to life-changing outcomes.
“Connecting with professionals, faculty, and peers from diverse backgrounds, both locally and internationally, has been instrumental in shaping my growth,” he said.
“These connections led to collaborations like my new startup, BuildEase, which I co-founded with two fellow Executive MBA peers, Divey Punj and Rick Staveley, during our capstone unit,” he said.
During the international study tour — the MIT Immersion Program at the prestigious MIT Sloan School of Management in Cambridge, Massachusetts — the trio had the chance to pitch their AI-driven startup to faculty and industry experts.
“A major highlight of the MIT Immersion Program was pitching BuildEase,” he said.
“Our solution aims to streamline construction processes, reduce inefficiencies, and accelerate time to market.
“The program offered a unique platform to explore funding opportunities and present our vision to industry experts and venture capitalists, providing invaluable insights on scaling for international growth.”
👉 Read more about the MIT Immersion Program and what our 2025 study tour group got up to: Learning beyond borders at the MIT Immersion Program
Their pitch took out first place. Reflecting on his experience, he shared, “The entire journey—from conceptualising our AI-driven construction startup to pitching in front of a highly esteemed panel—was both challenging and rewarding.”
“It was a true team effort, combining our creativity, problem-solving skills, and the knowledge we gained throughout the program.
“Winning first place was a proud moment that validated the hard work we put into developing BuildEase,” he said.
Now a graduate, Hitesh remains focused on his career goal of becoming a leader in the tech-driven industry — but with a new twist: growing BuildEase into a full-scale venture.
“This experience has equipped me with the knowledge and tools to advance my career,” he said.
“It gave me the confidence to embrace leadership opportunities, reinforcing that success is rooted in continuous learning and personal growth,” he said.
As for BuildEase?
“What started as a project has since grown into a full-time startup,” he said.
Connect with Hitesh on LinkedIn here to stay up to date on his new venture.
Leadership in health, supported by an Executive MBA
For Dr Macy Lu, Medical Director of Medical Imaging at Queensland’s largest teaching and research hospital, the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH), the decision to study an Executive MBA came from a trusted recommendation.
“QUT’s Executive MBA was highly recommended to me by a medical director in another department who had previously completed the program,” said Macy.
“He had found it extremely beneficial for his role and highly recommended I do it too,” she continued.
At the time, Macy was preparing to step into a new leadership role — and saw the program as a natural next step in her development.
“That recommendation, and my desire to accelerate my contribution to public health, motivated me to take the leap,” said Macy.
👉 Read more about Macy’s leadership journey: Macy Lu: Improving health outcomes for Queenslanders
Taking the leap and enrolling in QUT’s Executive MBA, Macy successfully completed the two-year program part-time.
Designed with students’ professional commitments in mind, the program runs one intensive weekend every four weeks (Friday to Sunday), along with a two-week international study tour.
“The structure of QUT’s Executive MBA, tailored to busy full-time professionals, is critical to accessibility for its students,” she said.
“The face-to-face long weekend sessions are what makes this program stand out from others, enabling exceptional growth through real interactions and connections.”
Reflecting on her time in the program, Macy shared, “I feel extremely fortunate to be part of QUT’s Executive MBA program and collaborative cohort.
“The program is well-organised, and the lecturers are knowledgeable, experienced, and foster an environment of active participation.”
Macy completed the Executive MBA in late 2025 and speaks highly of its impact.
“My experience studying QUT's Executive MBA was exemplary,” she said.
“The quality of teaching, resources, engagement, and fellow students has been world-class.
“I’ve been stretched to learn and improve, and even early in the program I was able to implement the knowledge gained at work — a benefit echoed by many of my peers.”
Now, looking ahead, Macy hopes to use the expertise from her studies to uplift and support her team.
“At this stage of my life and career, my motivation is to give back and serve the women, men, mentors, and mentees I have worked with so that together we can make the world a happier, better place,” said Macy.
“While this sentiment may seem cliché, it’s a common theme among my peers in the QUT Executive MBA cohort.”
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