A chemical engineer, turned social entrepreneur, turned GlobalShaper, turned consultant has been recognised as the country’s Most Outstanding MBA Graduate at the inaugural Graduate Management Association of Australia (GMAA) Awards in Melbourne.
University of Queensland MBA graduate Bianca Goebel was presented the award at an event last night (August 1). Other winners on the night included University of Wollongong’s Sriramprasanth Sivasubramani for Most Innovative Project and Dr Ryan Storr from Victoria University for the Most Outstanding Doctorate.
GMAA National President Maxwell Gratton said the awards were designed to recognise graduate excellence.
“We want to shine a spotlight on the importance of graduate management and business administration qualifications generally, as well as the value of an MBA in particular,” he said.
The GMAA is a nationally recognised business association, that serves at the peak body for professionals who hold an MBA, DBA and other business administration qualifications. It provides networking, advocacy and educational services to its members.
Most Outstanding MBA
Bianca Goebel’s story captured the judging panel’s attention for the sheer volume of success she has crammed into her career before her 30th birthday.
After studying chemical engineering at UQ, Bianca spent four years at Origin Energy, working in water and sewage plants and helping to improve the design of coal seam gas wells.
Working on a ‘fly-in-fly-out’ roster, she also found the time to help set up an engineering camp giving underprivileged youth a taste of university life through the not-for-profit, Youth Without Borders.
When the opportunity arose to become the organisation’s CEO, she resigned from her job and took up the challenge. Over the next two years, she built the senior leadership team, doubled membership and increased the organisation’s income.
Keen to develop her business acumen, she embarked on a part-time MBA at UQ Business School. During her studies she was elected to the UQ Academic Board, became Co-Chair of The UQ Young Alumni Advisory Board, Chair of the Women in Engineering Alumni Council, Co-President of the MBA Consulting Club and participated in an MBA Immersion Tour to India.
Bianca is now a GlobalShaper – a World Economic Forum initiative which connects young people working to solve local, regional and global challenges. In February this year she took up a position with Boston Consulting Group in Melbourne.
“The MBA has complemented my technical background with business knowledge and enhanced my management and leadership skills. I will, of course, continue to seek new opportunities to learn and grow as I always have”.
GMAA National Auxiliary President and Chairman of the Board Dr Darryl Gauld OAM congratulated the winners.
“Under the leadership of our National President, Maxwell Gratton, the GMAA Board has embraced the opportunity to acknowledge our nation’s leaders through these respective Awards,” he said.
“I have been involved with many awards, and have received a few myself. Without a shadow of a doubt the 2019 Graduate Management Award winners are the best I have ever seen. And I have seen many!
“Congratulations to the University of Wollongong, University of Queensland, and Victoria University. They should be rightfully proud of their graduates in the fields of business administration, innovation and management. There is only one word to describe their achievements – mind-blowing.”
