When Professor Dharmintra Pasupathy enrolled in the University of Sydney Business School's Executive MBA program in 2024, he was already an accomplished clinician and researcher. He knew, though, that to create real, lasting change in maternal and child health, he'd need something more than medical expertise alone.
That investment in leadership development is now paying dividends - not just for Professor Pasupathy, but for countless families across New South Wales. He's just been awarded $4 million from the NSW Government's Prevention Research Support Program to lead groundbreaking research into maternity care and the first 2000 days of life, the most critical window for a child's long-term health and development.
"The Executive MBA gave me the frameworks to think more broadly about systems change and how to translate research into policy impact," says Professor Pasupathy, who is also the Director of the Reproduction and Perinatal Centre at the University of Sydney.
From the clinic to the boardroom
The Executive MBA attracts senior executives seeking to lead in complex, fast-changing environments. Through international study modules and real-world projects, participants learn to lead through uncertainty and drive innovation across sectors. Delivered across 10 weeks away from work in two-week intensive blocks, the program takes participants around the world - from Sydney to Europe, the US, Asia to India - exposing them to different business ecosystems and leadership approaches.
The deliberately small cohorts within the EMBA bring together executives from vastly different industries and sectors, creating a rich learning environment where a healthcare leader might be working alongside a tech entrepreneur, a government official, and a corporate strategist.
For Professor Pasupathy, the program's focus on leadership and strategic thinking proved invaluable. "It helped me understand how to navigate complexity and bring together diverse perspectives from clinicians and researchers to policymakers and community stakeholders," he said.
Translating global insights into local impact
The PRSP funding will support evidence-based interventions designed to improve outcomes for mothers and babies during pregnancy and early childhood, directly supporting NSW Health's push toward preventive care.
Associate Professor Massimo Garbuio, Executive MBA Program Director, says Professor Pasupathy represents exactly the kind of leader the program aims to empower for future challenges and lasting impact.
"Dharmintra shows what's possible when you combine deep expertise with strategic thinking. He's not just conducting research. He's shaping policy, building coalitions, and creating systems-level change.”
For Professor Pasupathy, it all comes back to those early frameworks learned in the Executive MBA. "You can have brilliant clinical insights, but if you can't get them implemented at scale, they remain just insights. The program taught me how to turn ideas into breakthrough action."