We are excited to welcome the Oxford MBA Class of 2021-22 to Oxford this September. Get to know our incoming students in this blog post series as they prepare to join Saïd Business School.
- Sector/Industry you worked in pre-MBA: Consulting
- Sector/Industry you are hoping to work in post-MBA: Consulting, technology or CPG (consumer packaged goods)
- Country of residence before coming to Oxford: India
- College: Green Templeton College (I chose GTC because it’s an all-graduate college with the largest MBA population and with accommodation very close to the School).
In one word, how would your best friend describe you and how would your manager describe you?
- Best friend: Resilient
- Manager: Diligent
Tell us about where you have come from and what has led you to Oxford, and more specifically, the Oxford MBA.
Soon after graduating, I joined KPMG’s front-end Risk Consulting practice where I designed and implemented risk management systems that were aligned to clients’ strategic priorities – assurance and business processes, internal control systems and frameworks for legal/regulatory compliances. Within around three years, I not only worked with global clients from varied sectors, ranging from food and beverage to solar energy, but also worked with multiple teams of varied sizes that honed my people-management skills.
However, despite learning immensely in the first few years, I did not see myself in risk consulting in the long term. The work became repetitive and less challenging, and my learning curve flattened. That’s when I knew I had to upskill myself so that I could move to roles that were far more stimulating, and required a global mindset, dexterity, and out-of-the-box approach – an MBA was a natural step in the process.
While shortlisting MBA programmes, I followed the process of elimination based on geography and duration of the MBA. I wanted to pursue my MBA in the UK and was more interested in the one-year programmes. Having got through two programmes of my choice, the Oxford MBA stood out because of the university experience, diverse and truly international cohort, and strong brand value across the globe.
What have you done to prepare yourself for the MBA?
I’m a deferred candidate and, despite all the personal, financial, and professional hardships, I wanted to make the best of the pandemic year. I joined Sattva Consulting (a management consulting firm with a focus on impact) for four months on a special Covid-19 project – and eventually was promoted to the newly founded Corporate Strategy team for the next eight months. There, I worked closely with the co-founder to strategise and implement Sattva’s three-year strategy, improve internal processes and programme manage leadership projects. This work experience enabled me to further build on my critical thinking and problem-solving skills and I felt better prepared for the MBA.
Additionally, I attended Saïd Business School Career Coach Dan Kiernan’s incredible career workshops, talked to School alumni from different target industries, pursued basic finance courses on Wallstreet Prep, and connected with my future classmates on Zoom to learn their motivations and ambitions.
What do you hope to gain from completing your MBA?
In hindsight, my deferral year was a blessing in disguise and I realised how much I loved to problem solve, especially in an ambiguous environment. I hope to further build on my problem-solving skills and structured thinking, and learn from my incredible classmates’ experiences and professors in classrooms to prepare myself for roles at the intersection of strategy and technology.
What is the best advice you received before commencing your MBA?
The best advice that I received before commencing my MBA was to start narrowing down career choices early by speaking with school career advisors, alumni, industry experts, and classmates. While I still cannot pick a particular industry or function that I want to be in, I feel I have considerably narrowed my choices from when I initially started three months back and made a shift from an 'explorer' to a 'transitioner'.
Do you have any advice about the Oxford MBA application process for candidates thinking of applying?
I have two major pieces of advice for prospective students thinking of applying to the Oxford MBA:
Do not self-reject – trust your abilities and apply whenever you feel you’re ready! When I was applying, I was told by many naysayers to wait for a couple of years before even considering the MBA because I had just 2.5 years of work experience. But I believed in my quality of work and went ahead with my application, and guess what – I got through!
Talk to alumni and current students before kick-starting your application process – and especially connect with people who were able to successfully make the career transition that you’re targeting.
What part of the programme are you most looking forward to?
One programme that I’m looking forward to the most is the Creative Destruction Lab. The programme pairs students with science-based, early-stage companies for almost eight months and I feel this programme will provide me with hands-on experience in technology and entrepreneurship.
What do you think will be the most challenging part of the programme?
Since the programme is for one year, the most challenging part of the programme will be its fast pace. There are dozens of activities happening every day and FOMO will kick in, so it’ll be very important to create a healthy balance among various extra-curriculars, peer networking and academics.
How do you plan to take the learnings from the MBA to influence positive change?
I really appreciate how the School’s programme is structured around the core theme of 'impact'. With the introduction of the compulsory subject 'Capitalism in Debate' and GOTO (Global Opportunities and Threats: Oxford) project, the school will enable us to challenge our pre-conceived notion and truly think like the leaders of tomorrow.
While I might not necessarily be working in social impact (actually, you never know!), I’ll be more conscious of my actions towards all the stakeholders of a business. This will enable me to influence positive change in whatever role I am in. I also believe that technology has two extremes – for better or for worse – and I am looking forward to creating products or implementing ideas that will smooth disruption and improve wellbeing to create better social outcomes.
Are there any sports teams, societies or clubs you're hoping to become a member of?
There is something for everybody at the University of Oxford, which makes the MBA experience ever richer and more exciting! In the wider University, I’m really looking forward to joining the Oxford Strategy Group and Harry Potter Club! Within Saïd Business School, I will be joining the Consulting and Global Industries OBN (Oxford Business Network), Oxford India Club and Women in Business Alliance.
