Meet the MBA team
Meet a few of our MBA lecturers and read about the modules that they teach.
Our MBA is taught by some of Sheffield University Management School’s over 100 academics, the majority of whom are at the forefront of their fields, producing world-leading research and contributing to advances within their area of expertise. Our research informs our courses, so students are taught the latest thinking.
The module leaders and modules listed are indicative and may change before the start of the course.
MBA Programme Director
- Semester 1 Module Leaders
Sabrina Thornton leads the Marketing Consultancy Challenge.
"We explore contemporary marketing challenges using a range of theories and frameworks. Students work in consulting teams and relish the challenge of dealing with their clients' marketing issues. I enjoy working with each team to navigate through the process of tackling the challenge and providing their clients with useful marketing solutions." - Dr Sabrina Thornton
Dr Maria-Teresa Speziale leads the module Accounting and Financial Management.
"This module is designed to equip you, even if you do not have an accounting background, with the financial skills you need to be a successful manager. You will learn how to interpret financial statements, use financial data to make informed decisions and apply financial concepts to real business scenarios. One of the things I enjoy most about teaching this module is seeing students who are initially apprehensive about accounting gain confidence and competence in using financial information. The module is packed with practical examples and case studies, and you get plenty of opportunities to apply your learning through group work and presentations." - Dr Maria-Teresa Speziale
Terrence Perera leads the module The Intelligent Organisation.
"Data has become the most crucial asset in any organisation. The Intelligent Organisation module explores how data, combined with disruptive technologies, is used to digitally transform businesses. Business executives need to understand the frameworks, tools, and techniques available to guide and implement such transformations. The module incorporates case studies, recent academic research, and industry implementations to offer practical and innovative insights. The Intelligent Organisation is therefore an essential module for aspiring business executives." - Dr Terrence Perera
- Semester 2 Module Leaders
Dr Stephen Allen teaches the module Effective and Responsible Leadership.
"Students can expect to be challenged to reflect on what leadership means to them in the different contexts in which they will work. The class sessions are workshop based with activities which involve applying and critiquing competing perspectives on what responsible and effective leadership entails. The module is underpinned by students completing a personal reflective portfolio of tasks related to each class session from which they will create plans for further developing their leadership." - Dr Stephen Allen
Dr Terrence Perera lead the Internationalisation Challenge.
"Relying solely on domestic markets is insufficient for companies seeking substantial growth. In today's globalised markets, businesses must explore opportunities beyond their national borders to access larger customer bases and remain competitive. This module presents strategies and techniques to support international expansion. A unique aspect of this module is that student groups collaborate with real companies to develop strategies for their internationalization efforts, providing students with opportunities to experience real-world challenges and opportunities." - Dr Terrence Perera
Professor Vania Sena and Dr Keivan Aghasi lead the New Venture Creation Challenge.
"This core module in the second semester explores entrepreneurship. It introduces various concepts, tools, and practices pertinent to forming a new venture. Some examples of the topics covered in the module are entrepreneurial finance, business model design, industry and market analysis, and intellectual property rights. This module has a fair balance of theory and practice. Together with you, we want to apply these concepts and tools in an entrepreneurial context. By forming groups, you will collectively employ different aspects of entrepreneurship to launch a new venture successfully." - Professor Vania Sena and Dr Keivan Aghasi
Dr Juliana Meira leads Strategic Management Accounting, one of the elective modules on The Sheffield MBA.
"Strategic Management Accounting (SMA) integrates all areas of business management at a strategic level. This module is about the use of accounting to develop and achieve business strategic goals faster and better than the competition. You will learn to differentiate between traditional management accounting and strategic management accounting, and also to understand what accountants are doing and could potentially do to improve the success of your organisation. SMA is not about cutting costs only, but how companies can use their money wisely. The module is based on real case studies which focus on strategic decision making utilising strategic management accounting rather than traditional accounting calculations. I enjoy interacting with the MBA students, discussing how the theory can be applied to different business contexts, and observing the students learning to connect the dots of how accounting can be utilised for strategic purposes instead of a mere control or cutting cost tool. " - Dr Juliana Meira
Dr Sally Wright leads Human Resource Management, an MBA elective module.
"We take a research-led, internationally-focussed and interactive approach in this module. We incorporate examples from our own research into the sessions so you can apply theoretical concepts to real situations. Our MBA students all have interesting work histories - some have worked for multinational companies while others have successfully run their own start-ups. We encourage our MBA students to share their own work experiences of both managing and being managed, to bring the topics covered in this module alive.” - Dr Sally Wright
Paul McGuinness leads the module Corporate Finance, one of the MBA's elective modules.
"This course has a strong applied orientation. It addresses major corporate finance issues relevant to decision-making at the board and top management team levels. Focus areas include capital fundraising, cash and working capital management, dividend and share repurchase policies, corporate hedging strategies and the management of leverage/gearing. The course's teaching stresses an interactive learning approach with attention on corporate practice and the role of theory in understanding relevant applications." - Professor Paul McGuinness
Saeed Najafi-Tavani leads the MBA Individual Challenge.
"The MBA Individual Challenge aims to provide you with the opportunity to utilise the skills and knowledge gained in previous modules of The Sheffield MBA and develop addition competencies in conducting management research. I thoroughly enjoy teaching MBA students because of their diverse professional backgrounds and the rich experiences they bring to the classroom. Their enthusiasm for learning and applying theoretical concepts to real-world business challenges is inspiring. It is incredibly rewarding to see students develop their analytical and research skills throughout the module, culminating in a comprehensive project that showcases their growth and potential as future business leaders." - Dr Saeed Najafi-Tavani
