12 January, 2026
While some of us might readily embrace leadership roles, others need a helping hand to hone their abilities and reach their potential. Knowing how to create and implement new strategies, which can make a positive lasting change both in your business and the broader field you operate in, requires skills and knowledge. That’s where an Executive Master of Business Administration (Executive MBA) at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) comes in. While traditionally seen as a degree for those in more corporate-minded fields, an Executive MBA has a lot to offer to a broader range of industries. Whether you’re working in creative fields like fashion and the arts, or in sustainability and socially-focused projects, an Executive MBA can help you turn your ideas into real-world impact. It’s a postgraduate degree that equips managers, executives and entrepreneurs with the tools and expertise to become more confident leaders, grow their ideas, and build meaningful careers in the complex world of business.
Emphasising hands-on learning, when completing an Executive MBA at QUT, you’ll be guided by industry experts and world-class academics, gaining insights you can integrate into the workplace from day one. We spoke with three QUT alumni to discuss how an Executive MBA helped them turn their passion into something bigger, blending creativity with business skills to make a real impact in their respective industries.
Learn How To Make A Lasting Impact
From a young age, Catherine Ross has been motivated by a strong sense of responsibility to champion sustainability. With over a decade of experience in roles related to environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, and as the former Head of ESG Solutions at Fair Supply, she was able to put that passion into practice. What that looks like for Ross is helping organisations identify, manage, and mitigate ESG risks within their supply chains.
“Making a difference can take on almost any shape or form,” Ross explains. “Sustainability is no longer a niche concern; it's becoming a core part of nearly every profession.
“Future careers will demand not only technical or creative skills but also the ability to think critically about long-term impact. For current and future students, this means asking: How can I bring sustainable thinking into my work?”
She notes that pursuing an Executive MBA with QUT was a pivotal step in her sustainability career. The degree allowed her to deepen her understanding of how businesses operate across strategy, finance, operations, and decision-making. Ross believes lasting change comes from working with the system, not just against it.
“My curriculum helped me understand how organisations operate, make decisions, and measure success”, reflects Ross. “That knowledge allows me to work within existing systems, aligning sustainability goals with business strategy, making a stronger case for change, and helping deliver solutions that are practical, scalable, and make a real impact.”
Become A More Confident Leader
Sarah Richards is a Ngiyampaa woman with a background in accounting, who previously worked for a majority Aboriginal-owned and staffed consulting firm. She established Marrawuy Journeys, a business that weaves together contemporary Aboriginal art and wellbeing experiences, along with a unique approach to productivity that blends wellbeing and culture. Through this work, she demonstrates the power of art and storytelling to inspire growth and connection.
Looking to expand her business and become a more effective leader, she enrolled into QUT’s Executive MBA. Richards found her time at the university to be transformative, allowing her to better embrace her role as a business owner.
“I knew I had ideas and drive”, she explains, “but I wanted to back that with knowledge, strategy, and confidence. The Executive MBA gave me the opportunity to refine my skills while immediately applying them in practice through my business and consulting projects.
“The leadership components of the Executive MBA were my favourite and left a lasting impression. They pushed me to reflect on my style, values, and the kind of leader I want to be.”
Richards found her ability to think and act strategically had been strengthened, thanks to the degree’s focus on real-world learning, leadership and innovation. The practical nature of her studies provided her with a better framework for tackling and solving more complex problems — essential skills for any leader, in any industry.
Turn Your Passion Into A Meaningful Career
Alumni Anne-Marie Cheney has always been passionate about fashion — particularly the uniqueness of Australian brands. During her career, she worked at the iconic publication Marie Claire, and is now the Fashion Lead at eBay Australia, a role that perfectly aligns with her love of shopping for vintage clothes.
Her commitment to pre-loved fashion allowed her to channel her focus on the importance of sustainability within the industry, particularly with the rise of ultra-fast fashion brands in recent years.
Discussing her role with eBay Australia, Cheney explains that leading the fashion category has her “encouraging more buyers in Australia to shop pre-loved and also to encourage more supply from resellers and brands. I also get to work with product teams globally, bringing new experiences to make shopping pre-loved even more fun and easy for Australians.”
A key theme in Cheney’s career has been bringing brands and stakeholders together to foster stronger partnerships and tap into new markets. Her Executive MBA experience helped her enhance her strategic thinking skills when approaching these partnerships, enabling her to engage in higher-level conversations with senior management and leadership figures. The chance to develop these real-world skills is what attracted her to QUT in the first place. She saw the degree as an opportunity to apply her newfound knowledge directly in a business setting, rather than just experiencing theory-based academic study.
To those would-be QUT students who are also aiming to make a difference in their industry or community, Cheney shares: “My advice would be to lean into something that you believe you’re passionate about that you can bring meaningful change to.”
The interests and career paths of these three alumni prove the versatility of an Executive MBA; it’s not just for those seeking traditionally corporate roles.
While Ross, Richards and Cheney found their passions in creative and sustainable industries, it was studying at QUT that proved pivotal to their careers. The Executive MBA’s combination of practical teaching and real-world experience meant they were better equipped to explore their interests and make a positive difference.
Head here to discover how an Executive MBA at QUT could shape your career and empower you to make a meaningful impact.