Arthur Henrique Santos Bronzim

Why did you decide to do an MBA?

I decided to do an MBA because I wanted to boost forward in my career in terms of tools and also experiences. I also wanted to make my career international and connect with different cultures during my MBA. I believe an MBA would open up many opportunities to work in other countries and industries and learn from diverse perspectives and experiences. An MBA would also help me develop my leadership, communication, and problem-solving abilities, essential for any successful professional.

What is the most significant thing you've learned at Ivey?

The most significant thing I've learned at Ivey is communicating and sustaining my thoughts and ideas in class debates. This skill is essential for our future success because it helps us to communicate effectively, persuade others and stand out from the crowd. I also learn how to collaborate with people from different backgrounds and cultures, which enriches my perspective and exposes me to new ideas and opportunities.

What's been the most surprising aspect of the Ivey MBA journey to date?

The most surprising aspect of the Ivey MBA journey has been learning how important decisions should go beyond the numbers. We may think that business is all about doing the math and maximizing profits, but I realized that there is more to it than that. True leaders need to care about more than the numbers; they need to care about people and how their decisions will affect the world around them. I learned this through the case method, where we had to analyze real-life situations and consider our choices' ethical, social, and environmental implications. This will make me a more well-rounded and responsible manager who can balance the quantitative and qualitative aspects of decision-making.

Describe the role you play professionally:

I was a business intelligence leader who saved over $1.5 million in costs, exposed $37.5 million of unfair trade practices, and prevented a price war. I have created a market insights department, developed strategic plans with various stakeholders, and mediated conflicts and negotiations along the supply and production chain. Previously, as a business intelligence consultant, I have previously predicted competitors' trade behavior, constructed dashboards and reports with bottom-line analysis and infographics, and designed communication plans during crises. I have reduced the time to produce market insights material by 50% and the reaction time in crises by 10%.

What is the most challenging aspect of your job?

One of my job's most challenging aspects is working with companies from very different countries and cultures. In practice, my team and I needed a broad set of communication styles, negotiation, and problem-solving technics. For example, some companies are straightforward and blunt; thus, they expect a fast and objective solution, even if this leads to conflict and risky situations. On the other hand, some companies are more stealthy and precise, demanding an accordingly action plan.

What is your biggest professional accomplishment?

One of my proudest achievements in my career was establishing and leading the market insights and business intelligence department at my previous job. I worked with a diverse team of experts to develop 15 forecasting models for different tire market segments, both B2B and B2C. This helped us save $100K per year in external consulting fees. I also led the creation of user-friendly dashboards and reports with precise analysis and visuals, using large databases with over 4 million records.

What books are on your bedside table AND/OR what podcast are you listing to right now?

I have two books that conquered a life-long place on my bedside table. The first one is Start With Why by Simon Sinek, which is all about finding your purpose and motivation in life and work. The second one is Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, which explores the factors contributing to success and how we can learn from them. It's easy to say that both books are very insightful and inspiring. The main point for me, in fact, is how they made me better as a person and not just as a professional. I highly recommend them to anyone who wants to rethink several pre-given assumptions from our world.

How do you manage stress (i.e. sports, exercise, meditation etc)?

One of the ways I cope with stress is by hiking and enjoying nature. Being surrounded by greenery and fresh air is relaxing and refreshing. I also like doing other outdoor activities like running and camping. Another thing that helps me calm down is meditation. I practice it regularly to clear my mind and focus on the present moment. I also want to resume my martial arts training - Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - which I used to love doing. It's a great way to release tension and improve my physical and mental health.

Any additional info you might want to share (interesting facts, special hobbies etc.)

I'm the creator and writer of cieco.blog, a website where I try to make economics fun and easy for everyone. I started this project because I love learning about how the world works and wanted to share all my tools to understand this world better. I design everything myself, from the logo to the layout, and I write about topics that I find interesting and relevant, such as inflation, trade, inequality, and more. My goal is to help people understand the big picture of what's happening in the economy without getting bogged down by jargon or math. So far, I've reached over 1,400 visitors from more than 17 different countries, and I'm always happy to hear from my readers and get their feedback.