David Holmes

After enrolling in the MBA (Leadership) at CQUniversity, I never imagined that I would soon be teaching business myself. At the time, I was based in Vietnam, teaching Academic English at a university while working in management roles without any formal leadership training. Wanting to become a more effective manager, I chose CQU’s MBA for its strong focus on leadership, breadth of topics, and the flexibility of studying fully online while working overseas.

During my studies, I moved into a management role that ultimately reinforced the importance of effective leadership and organisational culture. I took time to complete my MBA, and shortly after, saw an opportunity with a British university seeking someone with experience in English teaching, management, and business. By that stage, I was nearing completion of my MBA and met all the criteria. The role brought me back into higher education, combining teaching, leadership, and international engagement.

Today, I am based in Shanghai, China, working as a programme leader within an international partnership. I manage teams, oversee academic delivery, support international relations, and teach business and leadership topics in English. The MBA (Leadership) was pivotal in helping me step confidently into this role, equipping me with both the theoretical grounding and practical leadership skills I now apply daily, including teaching many of the subjects I once studied myself.