Tanaka Business School congratulates Executive MBA student on prestigious broadcast shortlisting

Tanaka Business School, Imperial College London, today welcomed the shortlisting of executive MBA student Kavita Maharaj in the 2005 Business Broadcast Journalist of the Year by the World Leadership Forum.

Until she left CNBC to study at Tanaka Business School in January 2005, Kavita was the anchor of the business broadcaster’s prime time European Closing Bell show, an interview-format program providing in-depth analysis, opinion and perspective on the day’s major financial and economic issues. Kavita also anchored the Power Lunch midday show and hosted special programs, including Media Talk and Live Long and Prosper.

Kavita is currently studying for her MBA at Imperial College’s Tanaka Business School, and said the nomination was surprising but very exciting: “I never expected to be shortlisted, and it is such an honour, as I was up against some of the best journalists in the business, including the winner, Sky’s Michael Wilson.

“People can’t believe that I would give up such a great job at CNBC to go back to school, and I must admit that there are many things I miss about working in business news – like the adrenaline rush of breaking news of new deals in the market and chatting with CEOs.

“But I love the MBA programme and I’m especially glad I chose Tanaka Business School. Managing any media organisation is about managing technology, and you don’t get better than Imperial when it comes to talking about anything to do with technology!”

Kavita joined CNBC Europe in 2003 after anchoring for the London regional news bulletins within ITN’s News at Ten with Trevor McDonald. Before that, she spent two years hosting Bloomberg Television’s flagship show, and covering news for the network’s unscripted and fast-paced business morning program On The Money.

About Kavita Maharaj

Kavita began her career in Coral Gables Florida and has worked as a producer for NBC’s Today Show, Dateline NBC and The Nightly News with Tom Brokaw. She has interviewed some of the world’s most powerful decision makers, including US Treasury Secretary John Snow and President of the European Central Bank Jean Claude Trichet, and was the first Indian woman to be given a main anchor role for both Bloomberg and CNBC in Europe.

In 2001, she was selected as a finalist at the Asian Woman of Achievement Awards under the patronage of Cherie Blair. In 2002, she was invited to join the select group of Ambassadors for Prince Charles’ Prince’s Trust, where she has been able to advise young people from ethnic minorities on breaking into careers in the media.