Head of OSS/BSS as a Service Parthiban Amarasigamani has worked for Ericsson since 2009. Before this, he was affiliated with Ericsson as a consultant for many years.
“The best part of my job is feeling that I am contributing in creating a sustainable, connected world,” says Parthiban.
Parthiban recently graduated from the Aalto EMBA program. Aalto EE’s Triple Crown accreditation and ranking in the Financial Times’ top 50 list were major factors influencing his decision to opt for Aalto EE.
“I also have friends who have had excellent career development after participating in the Aalto Executive MBA program. In addition, you do not have to take a sabbatical for degree studies, as the structure allows you to study alongside work,” he remarks.
Parthiban started his EMBA journey by participating in Aalto EE’s Global Leader program.
“Aalto EE offers the possibility to use its Global Leader program as a starting point to the EMBA degree,” he explains.
The added flexibility in the schedule gave me more time both for my demanding job and for my family."
“I started the Global Leader program in 2017. It was an excellent program in itself, and a great taster of what the EMBA would be like. After just three modules, I was so impressed with the high quality of teaching and great content that I decided to enroll directly in the next possible EMBA group of 2018. I just jumped right in,” he describes.
Parthiban chose to take this path primarily because participating in the Global Leader program gave him the opportunity to study his degree in three years instead of two.
“The added flexibility in the schedule gave me more time both for my demanding job and for my family,” he notes.
“I found this route to be an excellent choice, which I am happy to recommend. If you are paying for the EMBA yourself, it is worth noting that starting out with the Global Leader program also helps spread the costs of the EMBA over a longer, three-year period,” he points out.
Parthiban’s primary aspiration for the EMBA was to learn more about general management.
The other participants were the sugar on top. Our interaction was tremendously rewarding."
“My background is in engineering, and I wanted to fill certain gaps in my skill set. At Ericsson, I am globally responsible for our OSS/BSS as a service offering. My responsibilities include P&L, product management and strategy, and I also take care of my unit’s financial management. In addition to general management, I was also keen on honing my skills in finance, and learning more about self-development,” he says.
Parthiban affirms that the Aalto EMBA gave him exactly what he was looking for and more, exceeding his expectations. He describes the EMBA experience as fantastic.
“Everything was top notch: the professors, the structure, the content, and the Study Tours I took to Yale and Palo Alto. The planning and organizing was superb. Aalto EE is a friendly environment where our feedback was taken into account very well,” he underlines.
“The other participants – whom I now can call friends – were the sugar on top. We had so many different nationalities and backgrounds, our interaction was tremendously rewarding. Everyone would always throw in their own views during discussions, bringing new perspectives to every subject,” he continues.
The program had a profound impact on my leadership style."
Parthiban was awarded the Extraordinary Business Impact Award at Ericsson for 2018 and Key Contributor for two years in a row: 2018 and 2019. He credits these achievements to the EMBA.
“The program had a profound impact on my leadership style. I used to be impatient, I thought I knew all the solutions, and I did everything myself. All this has changed dramatically. Now I empower others to do and learn more,” he says.
“My self-awareness is at a completely new level and my listening skills have improved. I also have the confidence to speak up in different situations, I am humbler, and I show more empathy. All in all, I have a much clearer understanding of my priorities in life,” he lists changes brought forth by the Aalto EMBA.
Parthiban says that he was able to put many of the lessons he learned during his studies immediately to work at Ericsson.
“During my EMBA journey, Ericsson was building a new Independent Operating unit and I was on the leadership team. In essence, we were building a startup within a global company. This was a great opportunity to immediately apply tools and insights that I picked up at Aalto EE,” he says.
Parthiban confirms that he is pleased to recommend the Aalto EMBA.
“Aalto EE is a great school that delivered more than what was promised. I have already recommended it to several friends, who have now started the EMBA program. My wife is also contemplating applying, once she comes back from maternity leave – our younger child is just 4 months old,” he says.
Aalto EE delivered more than what was promised."
“The Aalto EMBA is a great program for anyone looking to develop themselves and aspiring to become a better leader. I wholeheartedly recommend you go for it and do your best. I also recommend the Global Leader program as a springboard to EMBA studies. It gives you a taste of the excellent quality you can expect from Aalto EE from start to finish and even more flexibility for degree studies alongside work,” he concludes.
Since this interview was conducted, Parthiban Amarasigamani has moved to another company.