Samuel Mackenzie

With a background in nursing, Samuel MacKenzie realised there were benefits to be gained from combining his healthcare skills with a business qualification.

"I decided to enrol in a Master of Business and Management (MBM) at Waikato and haven’t looked back since,” says Samuel.

After completing the MBM, Samuel was appointed as a business analyst in the Mental Health Service at Waikato Hospital, where he worked on a number of projects focused on the implementation and analysis of management systems.

“My MBM study helped me every step of the way. The course content is relevant and covers a wide range of business topics with equal measure given to hard and soft skills, and I now have a much better appreciation of the potential implications of financial and legal decisions, and the finer points of contracts."

"It also aided me to become a more confident presenter, which has been particularly useful when I have presented to senior management, nationally and internationally."

"The diversity of cultures among participants makes you consider and appreciate different points of view and increases understanding about how business is done in other countries."

"I think it’s the combination of a well set-out curriculum, exceptional and knowledgeable staff, and a wide-reaching array of international alumni that sets Waikato apart. It sits in the top 2% of universities in the world, and it’s certainly shaped my career and presented me with new prospects for progression into increasingly interesting and exciting roles.”

In 2019, Samuel moved into a new role as executive director of Nova Consulting, which providesanalytical reporting, consulting services, and bespoke IT solutions. They work closely with district health boards and other organisations to improve and simplify the health system. "We specialise in bespoke project work, from procurement and systems integration to big data analytics."