Mark Hosking

For Mark Hosking, choosing to study for his MBA at Waikato Management School was a "no-brainer".

Having spent 12 years working as a veterinarian in the dairy industry, finding a university with strong links to the agricultural sector was the key to helping Mark advance his career.

When Mark took over as Managing Director at Franklin Vets - with 10 branches across South Auckland and North Waikato - he wanted to make sure that he had the right skills to fulfil this challenging role and make a difference.

"Franklin Vets has had substantial growth, so when I started, my goal was and still is to develop our systems, particularly in inventory management, HR and marketing to allow for future growth and development," he says.

Mark believes the Waikato MBA's grounded approach to practical business has given him the skills and confidence to not only take on the challenging role, but more importantly, succeed at it.

"Right from day one, we were encouraged to use our own businesses as case studies for the theory we were being taught. Waikato's MBA programme has allowed me to identify and understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to my business."

The highlight of the programme was the MBA study tour to China, he says.

"It opened my eyes to an area that is going to be strongly related to New Zealand's economic performance over the next few decades. New Zealand's agricultural future lies with our competitive advantage in food safety and our clean, green image."

The trip also had an impact on the way that Franklin Vets, and Mark in particular, will look to the future.

"Greater emphasis will be placed on animal welfare, food safety and sustainability. These are the future critical success factors for our farming clients."