Stand out from the crowd
Otago Business School has a well-deserved reputation for producing outstanding graduates in all fields of business.
We skill our students in methods of working both digitally and in person, wherever they happen to be.
Employers tell us they respect Otago Business School graduates, but also say they love interviewing graduates who have done more than their minimum degree requirements and explored further opportunities for personal growth and development.
Here's what employers have to say:
Saskia Verraes, GM Responsible Management, Tourism Holdings Ltd
“Graduates who studied across multi-divisional subject areas have a more systemic perspective and better critical thinking skills – they are more resilient and can contribute to multiple areas. We like that Otago graduates have made the decision to go out of their comfort zone and become independent by moving to Dunedin to study.”
Lisa Mills, People and Culture Manager, OceanaGold (New Zealand) Ltd
“Graduates who studied across multi-divisional subject areas have an adaptability and openness to learn – they demonstrate a level of maturity and work well within a structured environment.OBS graduates are bright and energetic. They're open to learning and putting into practice what they have learned. And they are not afraid of hard work or early starts.”
Jemma Saywell, Graduate Programme Advisor, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
“Multidisciplinary graduates can be more aware of what they want from their career, having experienced a wider variety of subjects. This in turn can help them articulate why they want to work in the public sector or in policy. Otago graduates are confident and collaborative. They are always very friendly, willing to go the extra mile, and they make an effort to build connections with people around them.”
Adam Binks, Head of Talent Acquisition, KPMG
“Graduates who studied across multi-divisional subject areas have the ability to bring multiple perspectives to a challenge. Fending for yourself builds character and we like the resilience we find in Otago grads. In addition to academic ability, we see that OBS grads have great people skills – we value those soft skills highly.”
Lucy Langley, Talent sourcing Manager, PwC
“Graduates who studied across multi-divisional subject areas have the ability to work hard – they are agile and have a broader knowledge. Otago graduates are independent, driven and well rounded, often as a result of moving away from home. OBS grads have the ability to hold a robust and meaningful conversation. They are sure of themselves and clued up.”
Otago Business School graduate profiles
Ambro Lynch
The combination of a Management major and Entrepreneurship minor that comprised Ambro Lynch's BCom (Hons) was formed through his interest in business strategy and innovation.
Anna Campbell
Anna Campbell is the recipient of the 2021 YES Alumni Awards, Contributor of the Year category, having made a clear contribution to business with value to New Zealand.
Anna Guenther
“My research on crowdfunding showed that there are a lot of niche markets where this could be useful, and crowdfunding could become a valuable tool for start-ups too"
Aysha Rimoni
Aysha Rimoni's academic achievements in Samoa earned her a scholarship to study in New Zealand.
Bhavneet Chahal
Bhavneet Chahal says her experiences at Otago kickstarted a career helping others learn about IT and realise their potential.
Brittany Williams
Not getting university entrance didn't stop Brittany Williams getting to university. Unlike most of her peers, she finished school, and even got a scholarship to Christchurch Polytechnic to study business administration.
Georgia Harmos
Georgia moved to New York soon after graduating and has been there for almost seven years. Her first job was as a creative project manager at a small digital design agency, which was started by New Zealanders.
Jessica Lucas
International student Jessica Lucas initially came to Dunedin to improve her English, but she enjoyed living here so much that she decided to enrol at Otago. When choosing subjects, a double major in Tourism and Management offered the perfect combination.
John Fountain
John found that one of the best aspects of the course was to be taught by staff that not only have the academic credentials but, "the practical, hands-on background in start-up ventures and advising others in such."
Kendall Flutey
Kendall Flutey was bitten by the entrepreneurial bug early – she was selling class newspapers at the age of seven – and completing a Master of Entrepreneurship only cemented that passion.
Koro Dickinson
"My links with my whanau, tribe and the University of Otago will always remain strong."
Marcus Hoefliger
“I wanted to undertake a programme that allowed me to apply the theories I learned in my undergraduate degrees to real-life, practical scenarios. The Master of Entrepreneurship was the perfect programme to achieve this.”
Nathan Rose
Nathan Rose jokes that he gained a “poker degree” at Otago, with majors in Finance and Psychology.
Rachel Malden
For Rachel Malden, coming to the University of Otago wasn't the easiest choice, but it turned out to be the right one.
Sarah Meldrum
"I'm so pleased I settled on Information Science because it offers the best of both worlds, combining business and technology in the one degree."
Sophie Dempster
Sophie Dempster started her journey at Otago studying Management and Marketing, but as she got to know the staff and talk to them about her passions the idea of her majoring in Human Resource Management (HRM) became apparent.
Steve Price
An interest in entrepreneurship and having his own start-up business underway (atFax) brought Steve Price to the University of Otago for its Master of Entrepreneurship degree.
Tessa Cameron
For Tessa Cameron a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in finance and economics helped her develop into the entrepreneurial business women she is today.
Thomas van Florenstein Mulder
Tom Mulder's career as an economic analyst at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand had its origins in his Christchurch school days.
Tianyu Ying
Dunedin's climate is not usually cited as one of the attractions of coming to the University of Otago, but it's a plus for Tourism lecturer Dr Tianyu Ying.
Tim Nixon
Tim Nixon has had a colourful career since completing the Master of Entrepreneurship. He heads up Runaway, the computer games division of Natural History New Zealand.
Warrick Low
"I'm very passionate about tourism and I'm very passionate about beer. So it's come together very nicely."
