Dr Sahas Bunditkul’s career is interesting. He lectured in the subject of mechanical engineering at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, US, where he also achieved his PhD.
Bunditkul was also part of the first MBA class at the University of Leeds, graduating in 1984. Since then, he has been a member of the Oxford Saïd Business School International Advisory Board for Executive Education, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, and has shared views with several world leaders, including US President George W Bush. In the below, Bunditkul outlines why he enrolled on an MBA, and its benefits.
As my background was purely technical, i.e. a Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctor’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering, I wanted to become a successful executive, and to understand accountancy concepts so that I could bridge the gap between engineering and the financial side of business. This, I thought, would give me an advantage in various management fields, as an MBA with a technical background.
This prompted me to undertake an MBA. I was among the first MBA intake at the University of Leeds in 1983. I received my MBA in 1984, with a thesis on the subjects of Cost Accounting and Finance, under the British Government Scholarship.
Besides learning about business foundations, I would say negotiation technique was the most interesting thing I learnt from my MBA. This helped me pay more attention to cultural factors, and cross-cultural effects in terms of negotiation.
My MBA helped me to remarkably extend my career path and leadership journey. It helped me gain positions such as the Deputy Prime Minister, and Interim Foreign Minister of Thailand.
I started my professional career as a lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, and later at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. I also received my PhD in the USA.
I was appointed as a Professor Emeritus at Kunming University of Science and Technology in China, and I was a member of the Oxford Saïd Business School International Advisory Board for Executive Education, from 2008 to 2010. I am also a Senior Professional Mechanical Engineer of the Thai Council of Engineers.
Besides my academic career, my MBA allowed me to work in various capacities and areas as an executive, including the railroad business and petrochemical industry.
The highlight of my career was when I served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand in 2008. I oversaw six ministries: Energy, Foreign Affairs, Industry, Natural Resources & Environment, Science & Technology, and Transport.
I also served as Chairman on more than 20 national level boards, councils and committees, and participated in various international meetings, lectures and negotiations. During this time, I shared views with several world leaders, including US President George W. Bush, the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.
I have also been a guest lecturer at institutions around the world.
At present, I use my experience, and what I have learnt in my MBA to lecture and give advice to various academic and business organisations, both in Thailand and overseas.
My philosophy about life, which stems from nature, is: ‘Don’t be a hornet that tries to pass a glass window.’ A hornet has quite a powerful sting but it will die at the bottom of the window frame if it tries to charge forward. However, if it moves backwards and looks around, there may be an open window nearby to fly out.
In life and business, some people may be confident and think that they are absolutely right, but it is wise to learn how to step back and look around before making a final decision.
