Craig McMurrough

My MBA has been a career superpower

Craig began studying with the OU to turbo-charge his understanding of change management. With his sights set on becoming a professional management consultant and change expert, he went on to complete an MBA with The Open University, which he calls his “career superpower”. Now, with nearly 30 years of work experience under his belt, Craig has delivered business transformation for the likes of Sainsburys, Tesco, IBM, KPMG. Capita and S&P Global. 

From Diploma to MBA

Craig realised his passion for people early in his career and, eager to secure a recognised qualification, Craig embarked on his path with the OU and began a Professional Diploma in Management. 

“I have a natural interest in people which is probably how I ended up gravitating towards Human Resource (HR) type roles. I was tasked with introducing technology change to a team of 5000 people and felt that having the diploma in my toolkit would greatly enhance my success.

Thankfully, the first module of the Diploma was all about change management. It was a perfect mirror for what I was experiencing in my work life, and it gave me a tested framework for how to introduce and roll out change.”

“I hadn’t considered an MBA when I first started my studies with the OU, but I was so impressed with the quality of the materials, the tutors, and the impact of my learning was having on my career, it seemed like a natural next step. Sainsbury’s, my employers at the time, must have also noticed the benefits of my studies as they funded me from my second module all the way through to my MBA.”

“My MBA has been an asset throughout my career”

“Having the MBA was my ticket into management consulting. I’ve been able to work on so many exciting projects for a range of high-profile clients. What I learned about the theory and practical application of change management methods gave me the confidence to drive change programmes from conception through to adoption.

“And when I wanted to go back into industry to spend more time with my family, I found that my MBA was a huge support in applying for roles. It seemed to boost my credibility.”

“The future is worth it”

“I remember feeling a huge amount of imposter syndrome when I began my MBA, thinking that everyone else had more experience than me. But I enjoyed the course so much and was so determined to make my way into management consulting, I kept on going.”

Craig initially struggled with some of the Tutor Marked Assignments which accounted for about 70% of his grades. He didn’t pass his first TMA, so he spoke to his tutors about how to better structure his answers and the advice they gave was invaluable.

After speaking to my tutors to understand the best way of presenting my assignments, I used the same structure again and again. If you’re struggling, my advice would always be to ask your tutors for help. That’s what they’re there for and it can make can be the difference between a pass and a fail.

“Squeezing in time to study while working full time was a bit of a struggle but, whether it was studying on the train or scheduling dedicated time at the weekends, I always found a way.

“I can honestly say that I don’t regret any of the time I invested in my MBA as it’s shaped my whole career. I’ve got 30 years of change management experience behind me now and I still use the skills I learned to this day.”

Transforming tragedy into positive power

In 2016, Craig faced huge personal tragedy when he sadly lost his sister to ovarian cancer. Battling his grief, Craig felt compelled to become a fundraising champion for the charity Ovacome, which supports those affected by the disease.

“My sister, Cheryl, was initially misdiagnosed, so I knew I wanted to bring awareness to the symptoms of ovarian cancer and the importance of early diagnosis. I teamed up with my friend to tackle a range of physical challenges to raise money for Ovacome.

“We wanted to find a creative and fun way to bring awareness to a serious message, and to achieve maximum impact we decided to dress up as a pair of ovaries.”

Craig and his friend Sarah, AKA Mr and Ms Ovary, have raised over £80,000 for the charity completing eight London Marathons, 103 half marathons, and even climbing Kilimanjaro. His fundraising success has resulted in an invitation to Buckingham Palace, a letter from former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after receiving the PM’s Points of Light Award, and a visit to Downing Street.

Craig said: “Ultimately, it’s about leaving a legacy in society and making a positive difference.”

His persistent passion and enthusiasm for being a catalyst for change in both his personal and professional life prove that not all heroes wear capes; some wear ovary costumes too.