Testing Ideas, Building Perspective: My PGP MFAB Experience

Working in a family-run specialty chemicals business, every decision I make today has a long shadow. It affects not just growth numbers, but people, roles, and the future of leadership itself. That is what drew me to the ISB PGP MFAB programme Class of 2026.

I am part of Tathatintan Pharmacome Limited, a Vadodara-based manufacturer of specialty chemicals. My current responsibilities span market analytics and customer relationship management, while I also undergo formal training in international business development. Most of my professional exposure so far has been in sales and marketing, which has shaped how I view the business.

Managing the Paradoxes of Family Business

One of the subjects I am enjoying the most is Managing Paradoxes of Family Business Management. It is deeply relevant to everyone in the classroom and entirely case-based, which gives every discussion real context. What makes it powerful is that someone in the class is either living that situation right now or has just come out of it. The conversations are mature, practical, and engaging, and the learning feels immediately applicable.

This is one subject where I know the takeaways will be lasting. It has already started influencing how I think about succession planning, leadership development, and the way I was inducted into the business. It gives structure to questions that family businesses often struggle to articulate clearly.

Cohort that feels like a Testing Ground

My interaction with the cohort feels like a boot camp in the best possible way. I test ideas here before taking them back home. If I am considering a solution to a business problem, I discuss it with my peers, get honest feedback, and gain a 360-degree external perspective. Those conversations often become the foundation for how I introduce new ideas within the family business.

The way PGP MFAB is structured gives me exposure to functions I would otherwise reach only through years of trial and error. Over the next 15 months, I will engage with parts of the business I have not yet worked in and build background knowledge across multiple domains. That broader understanding will help me contribute more meaningfully, not just within my division, but across the organisation.

Synopsis

Shimoni Shah, part of the ISB PGP MFAB Class of 2026, reflects on her learning journey as a family business professional. From engaging case-based discussions on family enterprise challenges to peer-led idea testing, the programme is helping her gain cross-functional exposure beyond sales and marketing, while shaping her approach to leadership and succession planning.