Interview for Executiva: Embarking on The Lisbon MBA International was a paradigm shift

Susana Serra, an environmental engineer and co-founder of BioVision, gave an insightful interview to Executiva magazine, where she explains how The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova played a pivotal role in her career, equipping her with the necessary tools and skills to develop and grow her company.
Susana Serra is an environmental engineer who co-founded the environmental consulting company BioVision in Mozambique to promote the circular economy in Africa. During this stage, The Lisbon MBA provided her with the tools and new skills for the development and growth of BioVision.
Susana Serra has been working on her own from an early age. After completing an internship following her undergraduate degree, she co-founded her own company, AMB e Veritas. Over the course of ten years, the company grew from 3 to 60 employees during peak times. After this period, Susana felt the need to consolidate and expand her management knowledge. She took a career break and dedicated herself to furthering her education. She chose The Lisbon MBA International primarily due to its strong international component and its partnership with MIT Sloan. She explains, “Simultaneously, I was attracted to the practical approach – learning by doing – that The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova develops in all modules, as well as the curriculum of international professors who are excellent both academically and practically. Learning by doing, for someone like me who is very hands-on, proved to be an approach that emphasized practical learning and the direct application of concepts learned in the classroom, which was very important in consolidating the knowledge I have today.”
During this process, Susana Serra met people from different nationalities and ended up developing a project in Mozambique for the National Roads Administration. Many other projects followed, in collaboration with internationally renowned companies such as ERM – Environmental Resources Management and Ramboll, which gave her the confidence to found BioVision, a Mozambican company that operates in all African countries in the field of environmental consulting.
Why did you choose Environmental Engineering?
It was something that fascinated me. The motivation for choosing it was my concern for the environment, and I wanted to work in preserving ecosystems. During my undergraduate studies, what fascinated me the most was learning the foundations for developing sustainable solutions that minimize the negative impact of human activities on the environment. I focused more on studying the development of clean technologies and the efficient management of natural resources, as I saw my career as multidisciplinary, combining knowledge of natural sciences, engineering, economics, management, and public policies.
What were the main steps in your professional career, and what benefits did you gain from such diverse professional experiences?
After finishing college, I interned at an environmental consulting company in the area of life cycle assessment of products. During my time at this company, I worked for a year in the area of environmental impacts. Being a versatile and diversified company, IPA – Inovação e Projectos em Ambiente, this first professional experience was used to expand my knowledge and work in different areas and professional contexts. The main benefits of this experience were the acquisition of specific knowledge in the area of environmental impacts and the development of skills relevant to my professional career. This diversity of knowledge and skills was valuable in approaching complex problems and seeking innovative solutions in various projects, from infrastructure construction to the implementation of solid waste treatment projects.
After this first year, the opportunity arose to start my own company, AMB e Veritas, with two other partners. For a decade, I was the operational manager of the company, and during that time, we went from 3 to 60 employees during peak times. It was 10 years of intense work and many professional challenges, where I focused primarily on operational planning and strategy, developing a consistent and loyal target audience, and defining objectives and action plans to achieve them.
It was after 10 years of managing my own company that I decided to consolidate and expand my knowledge in management, strategy, and leadership through an MBA. I made the decision to take a career break to pursue this project and enrolled in the full-time program, The Lisbon MBA International. This path led me to meet different people from other nationalities, and I ended up developing a project in Mozambique for the National Roads Administration. Many other projects followed in collaboration with internationally renowned companies such as ERM – Environmental Resources Management and Ramboll, which gave me the necessary push to establish BioVision, a Mozambican company that currently operates in all African countries in the field of environmental consulting.
My greatest professional challenge was undoubtedly the transition from a European management perspective to an African one in terms of people management. Managing people in Africa and in Europe involves significant cultural, socioeconomic, and legislative differences. Not to mention that Mozambique has a wide range of cultures with a greater emphasis on vertical hierarchy, indirect communication, and the use of body language and facial expressions to convey meaning. Another challenge was adapting to the legislation. I had to learn almost everything from scratch regarding environmental laws, which are closely linked to social laws, taking into account situations of poverty, limited infrastructure, and economic inequalities. These challenges broadened my horizons in terms of defining environmental and sustainability solutions, giving me a versatility that I now understand I didn’t possess before and contributing to the success of my international career.
What led you to found BioVision?
After my experience with international companies in various African countries, I decided to turn my passion for Africa into a specific service that I could develop in my own way and where I could implement my ideas and visions. Together with two partners, I founded BioVision, whose main goal is to bring environmentally sustainable solutions to all African countries in various projects. We provide comprehensive services in the areas of oil and gas, mining, infrastructure, and energy, focusing on sustainability and climate change, transitioning to a low-carbon economy, environmental impact, resettlement plans, and monitoring.
What challenges do you face in maintaining an environmental and social consulting company in Mozambique?
The main challenges encountered in these years of operation are related to the management of complex and multidisciplinary projects and the allocation of resources to them. The training of graduates in Mozambique is still very challenging, so we need to invest a lot in training to keep technicians qualified and motivated to work in such a versatile field as environmental consulting. Also, the different perspectives and interests involved in interactions with various stakeholders, including clients, local communities, governments, and non-governmental organizations, have been challenging and have allowed me to develop my negotiation skills, successfully closing deals and new services and projects.
What projects are you currently developing?
At the moment, we are working on various projects, such as developing carbon credits for a bamboo plantation, conducting environmental impact studies for solar panel plants, offshore monitoring of coral reefs and seagrasses for oil and gas projects, and resettlement plans for a limestone quarry. BioVision is also frequently requested to act as an independent auditor on behalf of credit institutions for large projects such as gas extraction or diamond mining.
Why did you decide to pursue an MBA, and why did you choose The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova?
In 2010, when I completed The Lisbon MBA International, I already had around 10 years of management experience without any formal education in that field. This was the primary reason for choosing to pursue an MBA. Through this program, I gained advanced knowledge and skills in key areas of management such as strategy, finance, marketing, operations, and leadership. However, there were other reasons for pursuing the MBA, such as building a network of contacts to enhance my career, engaging in critical reflection, and developing analytical and problem-solving skills.
The choice of The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova was primarily based on the joint venture between two prestigious Portuguese business schools (CATÓLICA-LISBON and Nova SBE) and its collaboration with MIT Sloan. Additionally, I was attracted to the practical approach of “learning by doing” emphasized in this MBA, which is implemented in all modules, and the curriculum taught by international professors who excel both academically and practically.
How did you experience the “learning by doing” approach, which is critical in The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova?
This was the most interesting and enjoyable part of The Lisbon MBA. It was where we simulated businesses, studied cases, wrote a book in a day, made a film, and painted a picture. In this experience, we were grouped in diverse and multidisciplinary work teams, and the most fascinating aspect was listening to ideas from people with different backgrounds and integrating them into a single project with a common goal.
As someone who is very hands-on, the learning by doing approach emphasized practical learning and direct application of concepts learned in the classroom. It was instrumental in consolidating the knowledge I have today.
Looking back, I believe that The Lisbon MBA International made me more versatile and attentive to others, and definitely provided me with a strong foundation for the development and growth of BioVision.
How did you balance the program with your professional and personal life?
Pursuing a full-time MBA was undoubtedly a significant challenge. At that time, I already had two young children, aged 2 and 3. It required meticulous planning and organization that took into account both personal and academic commitments, as well as establishing priorities. I had to learn to say “no” to activities that could consume time without contributing significantly to my goals. I had to focus on tasks and activities that were essential for my progress, both in the MBA and personal life.
How did The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova contribute to shaping and implementing your purpose and achieving your professional goals? How did this management education change your professional life?
Completing The Lisbon MBA was definitely a paradigm shift that helped me become the manager I am today. In addition to the knowledge and skills I acquired, which helped me gain a broader and more strategic perspective, enabling me to face professional challenges with greater confidence and effectiveness, I built a network of contacts with colleagues, professors, alumni, and industry professionals that helped boost my career. During my transition to Mozambique, this network helped me open doors in some businesses and facilitated important opportunities for exchange and experience in my journey.
Looking back, I believe that The Lisbon MBA International made me more versatile and attentive to others and definitely provided me with a strong foundation for the development and growth of BioVision.
What advice would you like to give to a young executive?
First and foremost, remember that each person is unique and will have their own professional journey. It is important to adapt all ideas to your individual circumstances and personal values.
As the main advice, I would say start by setting clear goals and objectives for yourself, both personally and professionally. Have a clear vision of what you want to achieve and work consistently to reach those goals. Maintaining focus and motivation along the way is crucial. These goals should be periodically reassessed because life circumstances change rapidly, and they should always be taken into account in your personal and professional decisions.
Finally, and most importantly, you should do what you genuinely enjoy and strive to do it better than others. This doesn’t mean having the greatest and most technical knowledge but rather incorporating other personal characteristics and values into your roles. Values such as confidence, integrity, and humility are key concepts for the success of any executive.
Read the full article (original) in Portuguese here.
Source: Executiva Magazine