Mohaa Vyas
Where is your home country?
India
What languages do you speak?
Hindi, English, German
Where do you live now?
Mumbai, India
What was the name of your course?
Master of Business Administration (MBA) - Major: Advanced People Management, Bachelor of Business - Major: Marketing, High School - Year 10
When did you graduate?
2008
What was the name of your education institution?
Australian Catholic University, UTS, Sydney Uni, St. Ives High
The world as we know around us is changing rapidly, the future of work is already here in the present. Learn to be adaptable and nimble with your career.
Student life
Tell us about your experience studying in NSW
I first got accepted at Sydney Uni in Orange, NSW as my course was offered at that campus and then changed Universities and transferred over to Sydney – ACU North Sydney campus. Both had a unique sense of charm. Regional NSW was quiet, the campus was huge and much like country living while Sydney was a cosmopolitan city, buzzing with life and people and plenty of cafes and great restaurants. The quality of education in both locations and universities was at par. Both places encouraged and taught me out of the box thinking, problem solving skills and agility that I could use both at a personal and professional level
What was the highlight of your experience studying in NSW?
NSW, especially Sydney, is a great place to live. One thing that stands out is a great work - life balance for most. I loved the fact that the city was well connected and offered good transport and connections through the whole city, including suburbs. I enjoyed life and the weekends were always fun. Going out with friends on weekends, the movies or a chilled-out day at the park or a waterfront, was something I always looked forward to. What I recall most fondly is short trips to nearby scenic places which was a huge way to unwind. NSW offered me the best of both worlds – a fantastic place to study, a melting pot of culture to meet people, literary and artistic avenues, a buzzing nightlife and a lot of safety and comfort. Most importantly, it provides you with a great way to balance your work and personal life.
What opportunities have studying in NSW given to you?
I worked for the Australian Federal Government – Austrade in India. With my general knowledge on Australia, industry sectors and education, I was able to qualify for a role at Austrade in India. I understood the work environment very well and their trade and investment regulations but also the office culture. Secondly, the way Australians did business and what they were looking for in business was something I mostly knew having had some work experience in Sydney. Having been an intrinsic part of the NSW life, I was able to add immense value to the organiszation both on the people as well as business nuances and aspects.
Career goals and advice
What are you doing now in your career?
I have held various roles and worked with some very interesting multinational companies after completing my post-graduation. I currently work for the Technical University of Munich as the Senior Regional Manager, India, where I head their India wide operations in partnerships and alliances with premier Indian institutes and research organisations. I promote and facilitate opportunities in India for German researchers with our partners here, German federal agencies and identify Government funded research programs. This role enables me to work closely with my organisation’s stakeholders and with the university’s alumni in India and allows me to be creative in devising initiatives that lead to a greater outcome for India and Germany.
I completed my post-graduation during the global financial crisis when there were hardly any jobs in the market. I first got a job with Qantas in their sales support team, but I didn’t take this up as I did not want a pure sales role and wanted a job that linked with people, strategy and communications. I returned to India for other prospects, and landed a job with the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce in the international department. It provided me with a strong base in client relations, client acquisition and I worked closely with the leadership team. I enjoyed the challenges and I soon knew that working with Government agencies would be my career path. After the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce, I joined the Australian Trade and Investment Commission, Macquarie University and now I work as Head India operations in the capacity of a Senior Regional Manager for the Technical University of Munich (TUM) where I work closely with partner premier Indian institutes but also Government Federal agencies. I have always enjoyed the client – stakeholder interaction and doing projects for an organisation. This job helps me work with people of different nationalities and cultures, focuses on business development and networking, and adds value to the international relations between countries- something I had always wanted to do.
Can you share any career advice for current students or graduates?
Never stop learning and trying for opportunities that might be outside of your comfort zone! Keep upskilling and improving your skills sets and most importantly don’t underestimate the power of networking. Make sure you end up making a difference to what you do, and you can add value to your team. Have a sense of purpose in what you do – money, fame and recognition is important, but the sense of purpose keeps you focused, stable and hungry for more. Keep abreast with the changes around and develop agility. The world as we know around us is changing rapidly, the future of work is already here in the present. Learn to be adaptable and nimble with your career. Careers are no longer unidimensional or a straight line – embrace diversity and most importantly work across roles and sectors to gain experience.
