Loini ter Avest, a Namibian professional, graduated from Nyenrode with the support of the MBA community at the prestigious Dutch business school. Learn how her educational endeavor shaped her perspective and aspirations.
Prior to her joining the MBA community at Nyenrode Business University in the Netherlands, Loini ter Avest was a Deputy Director in the Office of the President of the Republic of Namibia. Loini’s position encompassed guiding strategic management, ensuring that operations ran efficiently and that costs were minimized.
“My tenure as the Deputy Director, then at the Office of the President, allowed me to hone my strategic managerial and leadership skills while still, of course, making a meaningful contribution to the socio-economic development of Namibia,” Loini says. (01:16)
Elaborating on the duties of her role, Loini says, “One of the key achievements really, in this role, was overseeing the strategic management and planning of the entire office, which involved optimizing operations and minimizing cost. And I’m really proud of the role that I had to play and beyond, of course, the internal operations, I was also responsible for stakeholder relationship management, whereby I worked closely with various sectors, [the] public and private sector, civic society, as well as the demo diplomatic entities, where I was of course tasked to build quite strong connections and foster collaborations.” (00:24)
Serving as a Deputy Director wasn’t just a position of prestige but a profound experience that intertwined leadership, high-level decision-making, and a deep sense of community. Every decision made resonated with a broader community impact, underscoring the importance of ethical considerations and social responsibility.
In a sense, Loini’s job was an excellent springboard for pursuing an MBA degree.
After a tenure of six years at the Namibian presidential office, Loini aimed to move from the public sector to the private sector. Eager to embrace a more global perspective, she chose the full-time MBA program at Nyenrode’s Amsterdam campus.
Loini laughs, “Why the Netherlands? Who doesn’t love the Netherlands?” (04:09)
“The Netherlands is known for its exceptional education system. They are a multicultural environment. And, of course, their commitment, which has become very dear and near to me, to sustainability. And they also have a very thriving business ecosystem,” Loini explains. (05:11)
While she was attracted by the general allure of the country, Loini’s connection to the Netherlands is also personal, her husband is Dutch. While Loini was confident in her choice of the Netherlands, the experience wasn’t without challenges. Challenges she overcame with the unwavering support of her MBA community.
While her studies were in Amsterdam, Loini lived in Eindhoven. Which meant her commute involved an hour and a half train ride between the two cities. On top of this, she had an added personal challenge.
“I was pregnant during my entire MBA journey, and that also presented a whole set of complications. And as if that was not enough, with the whole being away from home so much, you tend to be homesick,” she remembers. (05:54)
For Loini, the MBA community at Nyenrode Business University was her lifeline. Loini specifically highlights the aid offered by the program’s management.
“I don’t know how to thank them enough, I still get emotional to this day. They have been so helpful in the sense that they have these dedicated personal development coaches who would help you with your study schedules,” Loini elaborates. (07:02)
Loini’s supportive MBA community also included her fellow MBA candidates. Her classmates shared their notes and helped explain certain topics through Zoom. “So the whole Africanness in me realized that I felt home because it took a community to make my entire MBA journey possible,” she says. (07:47)
Loini fondly recalls the collaborative ethos at Nyenrode. She brought this ethos back to her job in the Office of the President of Namibia. This renewed focus on collective effort made room for more open discussions and the formulation of plans as a cohesive unit. She was quickly promoted from Deputy Director to Director of Operations.
“That collaborativeness stood out to my supervisors. It allowed me to get a promotion as well, because I think it gave me a new perspective on how to tackle challenges. I was quite big on collaboration and teamwork,” Loini shares. (12:57)
The classes on digitalization, innovation, and sustainability particularly resonated with Loini, given their relevance to today’s global situation. The sense of belonging she felt in Nyenrode’s MBA community influenced her leadership style. Loini became an advocate for collective growth and shared success.
Loini has since returned to the Netherlands and is ready to share her skill set with the business world.
Loini’s journey reflects a deep-rooted belief in the strength of community. She raises a profound set of questions, “How can you give back to the community? How can you give back to humanity too, so that we can all thrive in this really finite earth that we are on?” (16:08).
Nyenrode provided her with the answers. Through its inclusive MBA community and education, Loini felt empowered to make a difference. Loini recalls that she wanted to get out there to show young women from any background that “fear is our only limitation to really being great out there.” (16:43)
She encapsulates her journey with a piece of advice for aspiring MBA students. “If you wanna go fast, you go alone, but if you wanna go far, you have to go together. So, this is me going to the world, this is me opening up and saying that, while I may have come from this small little country called Namibia, which a lot of people might not know about, I have a lot to offer to the world.” (17:12)
Just as she thrived in the nurturing environment of Nyenrode, Loini’s experiences remind us that the strength of an MBA program lies not just in its curriculum but in the bonds formed, the support received, and the shared aspirations of its community.
Are you looking for an MBA where you will get community support to achieve your goals? Reach out to Loini or other Nyenrode ambassadors for first-hand insights.
