King’s Business School launched its Executive MBA to equip senior professionals with the leadership tools and knowledge to address some of the biggest challenges facing businesses – and the world – today. We caught up with our Executive MBA students to see how their experience is helping them drive impact in the world around them.

Akua Brako-Raja has built her career a little over two decades, developing long-term strategic partnerships with some of the world’s largest asset managers, asset owners, wealth managers and institutional investors.

Throughout this time, her drive to connect people, ideas and opportunities to deliver meaningful commercial outcomes has created long-term value for clients and colleagues alike. Alongside her executive role, Akua’s passion for coaching, mentoring and championing greater inclusion has helped those around her to build confidence in their potential and progress in their own careers.

Whilst continuing to nurture these relationships, lead through collaboration and help her clients navigate challenges in an ever-changing financial landscape, Akua was also progressing through an important transition in her own leadership journey. Having moved into a new Director role at Lloyds Banking Group while undertaking the Executive MBA, the timing proved pivotal in allowing her to apply her learning in real time, reflect on her evolving leadership responsibilities and challenge how she approached a new environment, remit and set of expectations. She recognised the importance of taking time to reflect on her leadership, challenge her thinking and further strengthen the strategic capabilities required to lead through complexity.

"The Executive MBA created the opportunity to be more intentional about my development. What I hadn't fully anticipated was how profoundly it would challenge the way I think, lead and make decisions. It gave me a much deeper appreciation of what strategy really is, how leadership is exercised through influence rather than authority, and the importance of thinking beyond immediate outcomes. That shift in mindset has fundamentally changed how I approach both my role today and my longer-term leadership aspirations."

Studying with King’s was a natural decision for Akua, who had always intended to return and continue her academic journey.

"I already knew the strength of King's as an institution, but what stood out was the diversity of perspectives within the Executive MBA cohort. I wanted to learn alongside experienced leaders from different sectors, cultures and backgrounds who would challenge my assumptions, broaden my thinking and encourage me to see leadership through a different lens."

Akua’s learning experience on the Executive MBA was enriched by a diverse classroom of hand-selected senior leaders from a wide range of industries and nationalities. Studying alongside this cohort exposed Akua to different perspectives, leadership styles and ways of thinking, allowing her to broaden her own understanding of leadership.

Throughout the two-year programme, Akua was able to develop a clearer understanding of her own strengths, leadership style and the distinctive value she brings as a leader - learnings grounded in deeper self-reflection and something she found just as valuable as the academic experience itself. With this greater self-awareness has come greater confidence, enabling her to embrace these strengths with intention, authenticity and impact.

For Akua, the Executive MBA has been far more than an academic qualification. It has been a catalyst for personal and professional growth, providing the insight, perspective and confidence needed to lead with greater intention and create lasting impact in an increasingly complex world.

“The EMBA has been one of the most demanding and rewarding experiences of my career. It has strengthened my confidence to trust my judgement, challenge conventional thinking and contribute with greater conviction. Perhaps most importantly, it has helped me better understand the leader I already am, while giving me the confidence and clarity to build on those strengths as I continue my executive journey and strive to create lasting impact for organisations, clients and the people around me.”