QS MBA Scholarship Winner: Safeguarding the Arts

Susan Thampi, it seems fair to say, is not necessarily the person who would leap into your mind when trying to picture the typical MBA candidate. How many MBA candidates, for instance, can say they were poached for a position at Dreamworks Animation after self-producing a classical music album? How many have pages not only on LinkedIn, but also on IMDB? How many are internationally competitive opera singers and perform at hospitals for children suffering from terminal illnesses (as part of Art of Elysium)?

MBA scholarship winner Thampi, who is currently studying at Cambridge Judge Business School, can list of all of these things – and more – on her résumé. If you have young children (or are well connected with your own inner child) it’s likely you’ll be familiar with her work at Dreamworks, where she was music manager, responsible for the creative process through which the studio’s films were soundtracked. Films she has worked on include Rise of the Guardians, Puss in Boots and Kung Fu Panda 2.

So, pretty glamorous, all told. But the QS Community MBA Scholarships are not just awarded to those with impressive CVs, but are reserved for those who have given something back to help others enjoy success too. In Thampi’s case, it was her commitment to promoting female leadership within the arts – the film industry in particular – which sealed it for her.

Beyond action movies: Female leadership in the arts

It is not just for the sake of women that she is passionate about this, but for the sake of film itself. “I have always promoted female leadership in film because I feel that the media industry needs women to expand its horizons. Film production requires great attention to detail and an excellent ability to adapt to different types of people. Women possess strong communication skills and are good at managing the creative process because they tend to show more sensitivity. Particularly in the film industry, where there are a lot of artists, women tend to thrive more as leaders.”

A male dominated paradigm, she feels, has led to the proliferation of broad comedies and action films which dominate Hollywood release schedules at the expense of more nuanced and varied pieces.

Unfortunately, entrenched patriarchy sometimes makes it difficult for female voices to be heard:  “I faced several barriers to having my creative voice heard when I first began working in cinema. When 90% of a meeting is filled with men, it is often a challenge to explain the ‘female’ point of view. That said, I was very fortunate to ultimately work for a company where there are primarily women in executive level positions.”

With the talent out there, it must be employers themselves who make the change. “If a business actively addresses the issue of gender diversity, it can be a move in the right direction for an industry as a whole. In entertainment, we have several organizations such as Women in Film, NextGen Femmes, and even collegiate organizations such as USC’s Women of Cinematic Arts, which are all promoting female leadership in film. But none of these entities have as much power as the companies through which women can implement their talents as business leaders.”

However, the aforementioned organizations do of course have a role to play, forcing industry leaders to sit up and pay attention, as well as inspiring and helping women to break into this competitive field.

After graduation from the University of Southern California, Thampi took a role as the director of events for one such organization, Women in Cinematic Arts, a networking organization for female graduates of USC’s School of Cinema-Television. When Thampi joined the organization its membership numbered around 200, while today it boasts 1,500 members and a newly-created student sector. As well as helping women find jobs within the entertainment sector, the organization also helps them to develop into the leaders of the future.

Her interest in helping women enter leadership roles can be traced back to her student days, during which she was involved with USC Helenes, a prominent all-female student group. “Through Helenes, I embraced leadership by mentoring young women, volunteering with community organizations such as Inner City Arts and the LA Aids Walk, and participating in internship programs that empowered female leadership.

But it isn't just female leadership in the industry to which she is dedicated. Her commitment to sharing the joys of the arts has also led her to Romania, where she volunteered at a rural orphanage, giving private and group music lessons to children between the ages of 7 and 15. As well as exposing these children to music they may not have otherwise heard, this also gave them a rare chance to enjoy some individual attention.

At the time of writing, she is working on yet another project – shooting a documentary at the Muhimbili Hospital in Tanzania, the largest center for pediatric oncology in east Africa, as well as engaging in community development work.

The art of business and the business of art

It is this passion for giving up-and-coming artists a platform which has led her to Cambridge Judge. “While I have been in the studio system for several years, my real passion is independent filmmaking. An MBA will strengthen my abilities to finance a movie in today’s economic climate. I strongly believe that independent producers today must fuse their creative skills with some business acumen in order to develop a sustainable business model for their projects.”

Her decision to study at Judge was based on three factors. First is the highly international curriculum, essential as filmmaking becomes more and more global in its nature. Second is the solid grounding in financial principles the core modules promise to instill in her. And the final factor – and this may come as a surprise to some, given her Hollywood background – is the UK film industry.

“London has become a hub for investment opportunities and new business ventures in film,” she explains. “Companies such as Working Title, Archer Street Films, and Bedlam Productions are just a few examples of entities that reflect my creative objectives. At Judge Business School, I believe I will be situated in the right place with the right tools to pursue my entrepreneurial vision in entertainment.”

She intends, post- graduation, to re-enter the entertainment sector as a manager at an independent production company, building up an international network of financiers for future products, with the ultimate goal of launching a boutique production company.

She also has a back-up project in case circumstances render her initial plan unviable – which is nothing short of ambitious, with systematic change its ultimate goal: “I would use my MBA to return to the studio system to help navigate a company through socioeconomic changes in the industry. Statistically, only one in ten movies makes a profit after investors and distributors are repaid. From within a studio, I would focus my efforts to offset the overt expenditures that are crumbling film divisions today. In the long term, I hope to be involved in an industry reformation to help all forms of filmmaking become financially viable.”

So, one thing is clear here: whatever the MBA scholarship winner does, it will be with the best interests of the industry which she loves at the forefront of her mind: “When I began my career, I knew I wanted to make a contribution. I believe that humanity has learned more from the arts than any other medium. Today, entertainment has the global reach needed to educate and inspire mass audiences. Through my creative projects, philanthropic pursuits, and commitment to furthering the voice of women in entertainment, I hope to have a positive influence on cultures both locally and globally.”