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Meet the Specialised Masters' class of 2020-21

Illustrated images of students from the Specialised Masters' class of 2020-21

At the start of the academic year, we saw the arrival of the new Specialised Masters’ cohort. This talented group of students chose programmes that have been carefully crafted to equip them with the theoretical and practical skills they need to secure amazing jobs that will support innovative businesses and drive change in the world.

The Specialised Masters’ suite covers a wide range of subjects. The programmes available are:

MSc Business Analytics (on-campus, full-time) and (online, part-time)
MSc Climate Change, Management & Finance
MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management
MSc International Health Management

Each programme focuses on extremely important and relevant subjects within business and beyond. In this article you will find out more about each class, students, their motivations for joining their programme and what the future holds.

Over the year the students will learn about their specialised subject through a variety of modules, electives and projects, all bringing them closer to graduating and securing their future role. We can’t wait to see how our students progress and develop their knowledge and skills over the coming year.

What does the new class look like?

Specialised Masters' 2020-21 class statistics

At Imperial, a key priority for us is fostering a diverse learning environment. Having a class that is made up of a variety of backgrounds challenges our students and encourages them to consider alternative ways of thinking. In this year’s Specialised Masters’ group, this is apparent thanks to the 71 nationalities that make up the 458 strong cohort.

MSc Business Analytics

Ranked #5 in the world in the QS World University Rankings, MSc Business Analytics at Imperial prepares graduates for a future of data-driven and evidence-based decision making. Although grounded in rigorous technical and quantitative training, our programme is also highly applied. Electives and projects are sector-focussed, giving you the opportunity to tailor the programme to your interests.

The programme is available in two study modes, a one-year, full-time programme, studied at our campus in London, or as a part-time, two-year online programme, studied from anywhere in the world.

This year’s full-time, on-campus programme achieves a near equal gender balance (53% female) and has students that come from a wide variety of academic backgrounds, with the most popular being: Economics (27%), Engineering/Technology (20%), Mathematics (18%), Business/Management (16%).

The online, part-time programme students have an average age of 28, demonstrating how many of these students take advantage of the part-time nature of the programme and continue working in their current role where they are able to apply the programme content to their day-to-day projects.

Meet MSc Business Analytics students

Benjamin Schneider

Nationality: German

Education: BSc Economics and Business Administration, Goethe University Frankfurt

What is your experience prior to studying MSc Business Analytics (on-campus, full-time)?
Before starting MSc Business Analytics, I studied Economics and Business Administration with a major in Finance and Accounting in Frankfurt. During my undergraduate studies, I took the chance to enjoy a term abroad in Exeter, encouraging me to complete my Master’s entirely in a foreign country, preferably in the UK. Aside from my studies, I have completed two internships, one in IT consulting and the other in credit risk management. For both internships, having skills in programming as well as data analytics was advantageous. These experiences convinced me to pursue a Master’s in Business Analytics, so I could acquire new skillsets and knowledge in the relevant topics of the future.

What are your future career plans?

I plan to work in a consultancy firm, specialising mainly in the topics of digitisation, data analytics, and business intelligence. During my internship at the IT consulting company, I had to face challenging tasks as well as deadlines every day. I enjoyed every single day because these tough conditions helped me gain an enormous amount of new skills and know-how, over a very short period. It was fascinating to develop specialised solutions either for my team or a client. I came to the realisation that the most important tasks are those originating right from where theoretical business concepts and technological applications come together, and I would love to contribute to creating innovative solutions to these problems. I am convinced that MSc Business Analytics can support me in pursuing this career.

Sherry Aggarwal

Nationality: Indian

Education: BEng Electronics and Communication Engineering, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology

What is your main motivation for studying MSc Business Analytics (on-campus, full-time)?
Everyone has certain guideposts to steer their lives. For me, it is my professional journey that defined my future roadmap. Working in the analytics industry for seven years broadened my analytical thought process, but I want to enhance my statistical knowledge and incorporate a more mathematical approach to drive decisions. With data analytics evolving and progressing towards becoming mainstream and ubiquitous, MSc in Business Analytics at Imperial will help me upskill and stay relevant and competitive. The comprehensive curriculum provides a holistic experience of business knowledge and technical skills that’s usually hard to acquire in one place. Throughout the programme, I seek to develop a solid foundation that will help steer my career in the right direction.

What are you most looking forward to outside of your studies?

Outside of my studies, I am looking forward to learning from my diverse cohort. I enjoy the environment of teamwork and collaboration fostered by group assignments. I also plan to take up leadership roles in various clubs to connect with my peers and build stronger networks. I want to incorporate my professional experience and knowledge to initiate new ideas and organise events and workshops to upskill other students and help them meet their career aspirations. I hope to make the best of the time I have at Imperial to explore, learn, and achieve as much as possible.

MSc Climate Change & Finance

MSc Climate Change, Management & Finance is a one-year programme that gives graduates the interdisciplinary skills required in business on issues relating to climate change and sustainability. On the programme you will learn from leading practitioners and world-class faculty to put the latest academic thinking and business and climate change strategies into practice.

This year’s MSc Climate Change, Management & Finance cohort is made up of 102 students, with 54% of those students being female. A driven and academic group, 58% of students achieved a first-class degree in their undergraduate studies in a variety of subjects, the most common being: Business/Management (29%), Economics (20%) and Arts/Humanities (17%).

Meet MSc Climate Change, Management & Finance students

Calin Basno

Nationality: Romanian

Education: Business/Financial Economics, University of Leicester

What is your main motivation for studying MSc Climate Change, Management & Finance?

I decided to pursue the MSc Climate Change, Management & Finance programme because of its practical and in-depth nature. It dives deeply into the most pressing problems of the 21st century and offers us, the students, the required toolkit to not only analyse these issues, but to also think for ourselves. This enables us to come up with creative solutions for global problems and empowers us to quite literally be the change we want to see in the world.

What do you hope to achieve with the programme?

I hope to achieve a deeper understanding of climate change, its causes and solutions while at the same time tapping into a worldwide network of like-minded peers that strive to make the world a better place. Alongside the programme specifics, I aim to make use of Imperial’s world-class resources such as the Imperial Enterprise Lab to continue my journey as an entrepreneur.

Rachel Choi

Nationality: Korean

Education: Business Administration, Economics & Marketing, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

What is your background prior to studying MSc Climate Change, Management & Finance?

Before I joined MSc Climate Change, Management & Finance, I worked as a Marketing Brand Manager at Morgan Stanley in London and as an Associate within Marketing at BlackRock covering mutual fund products for retail clients in South Korea.

What are your future career plans?

I’m particularly interested in Sustainable Finance/ESG investing in the asset management industry. I would like to be part of a team where my role would include updating stakeholders with the latest climate change related initiatives and ESG trends, providing insights on how to connect and apply those trends throughout the investment process and promote how capital can bring positive impact to the society and community.

MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management

MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management is a one-year full-time programme that builds students’ toolkit in the three key areas of innovation, entrepreneurship and management, teaching them how to manage successful outcomes to create, deliver and capture value from innovation.

As well as the varied programme content, there are many opportunities for students to get involved in Imperial’s dynamic enterprising culture including the Imperial Enterprise Lab.

This year’s cohort of 92 students come from across the world, representing 35 different nationalities and 60% female students. On this programme, the most common degree that students have is in Business/Management (45%), but that’s not to say that other areas are not represented. Following the Business/Management subjects that students have studied prior include Arts/Humanities (16%), Economics (11%) and Finance/Accounting (12%). Despite a variety of backgrounds, the nature of the programme means that all the students are united with a passion for entrepreneurship.

Mariam Asif, MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management, IB Calling competition entry

Mariam Asif, MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management, student joins Imperial from her home country of Pakistan

Nele Wessels

Nationality: German

Education: BA International Business, Cooperative State University Mannheim

What is your main motivation for studying MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management?

I chose the MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management programme mainly because I wanted to accelerate my entrepreneurial journey without sacrificing on an elite management education. I really feel that the programme gives you the right tools at hand to go out and change the world. It is just the right combination of evolving your creativity and sharpening your business acumen, underlined by cutting edge business insights and teaching methods.

Surrounding myself with like-minded people from diverse cultural, geographic and ideological backgrounds really helps me to see the world from different angles and adapt my way of thinking. Since Imperial has a great reputation for its diversity, I felt it is the right place to immerse myself with other cultures and backgrounds. Also, I want to make use of the endless possibilities available in London and that Imperial have to offer as the hub for entrepreneurship, like the Enterprise Lab which helped me with my entrepreneurial aspirations prior to starting the programme.

What are your future career plans?

While I am at the Business School I plan on launching my startup in the UK and therefore plan a is to continue that journey full-time after finishing my Master’s. However, as no one never knows how the things will turn out, plan b is to become an innovation or business development manager in an FMCG or luxury corporate.

Rima Suppan

Nationality: Austrian

Education: BSc Business, Economics and Social Sciences, Vienna University of Economics and Business

What is your background prior to studying MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management?

Growing up in an entrepreneurial environment shaped my desire to drive change by blending creativity with strong, innovative thinking. I decided to follow this passion and completed my undergraduate studies with a focus on innovation and entrepreneurship. My eagerness to learn new things has allowed me to gain professional experience across multiple business sectors in both startup and corporate settings at home and abroad – from marketing at an advertising agency to finance at a MedTech cooperation and also, my own entrepreneurial endeavours. Furthermore, as a management consultant, I gained insight into various high-tech industries, accompanied a series A late-stage growth funding round and developed the firm’s go-to-market approach to sustainability strategy consulting.

What do you hope to achieve with the programme?

For me, Imperial College’s ecosystem constitutes the ideal conditions to boost creativity and innovative thinking. I am confident that the MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Management programme will provide me not only with the essential scientific research but also with all the necessary hands-on experience and set of skills to successfully cultivate and manage innovation under dynamic circumstances. Particularly with the specialised modules such as Design Thinking and Entrepreneurship, I aim to acquire the competencies to convert a business idea into a product or service and to establish a solid foundation for my aspired career in design and innovation consulting. Apart from that, with my role as the vice-president of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Club and Imperial’s exceptional enterprising culture, I hope to gain valuable leadership experience, unlock business opportunities and establish a network of like-minded people.

MSc International Health Management

Benita Cox, Academic Director of MSc International Health Management, shares her thoughts about how the healthcare management programme provides students with the opportunity to not only develop and grow their knowledge in the sector, but be part of a cohort that is passionate and united about healthcare:

“There has never been a more appropriate time to study MSc International Health Management than now. There is not a country in the world that has not been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and there has been no greater opportunity to learn, both individually and collectively, how to manage healthcare policy and systems. The students on MSc International Health Management programme are a micro-family united in their purpose to improve global healthcare. Multi-modal delivery enables students to develop relationships, study and work together regardless of their physical location, providing them with skills and opportunities that no doubt will be needed in managing the future global environment. In this fast-changing world, we will focus on delivering relevant, timely and contemporary topics to partner, help and support you on their journey.”

This programme combines business-focused teaching and cutting-edge research, giving students the chance to learn from internationally recognised faculty at the forefront of health management research. The programme is specifically designed to give an overview of the UK health system and its application in a global context.

This year’s class of 79 students represent a vast range of nationalities with students joining the class from all over the world. The top countries that the students have joined us from are China, India, UK, Greece and the US. Due to the subject matter, the majority of students (68%) come from the Science/Medicine background and look to enhance their knowledge of business and the health management sector.

Meet an MSc International Health Management student

Ashlyn Scott-Williams, MSc International Health Management 2020-21, student at Imperial College Business School

Ashlyn. C. Scott-Williams

Nationality: Barbadian

Education: BSc Medicine, The University of the West Indies

Role before joining Imperial: GP & Owner, Total Care Medical Centre

What is your background prior to studying MSc International Health Management?

I graduated from The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, with a degree in Medicine in 2016, and subsequently embarked onto my internship, at the primary acute care medical facility on the island. Upon completion of my internship, I transitioned into private health care, and eventually became an entrepreneur - opening and managing my own private General Practice Clinic.

Over the last two years, I have provided medical services to patients within my community and neighbouring areas. This included facilitating educational seminars to help promote good health. Helping others has always been a passion of mine and being able to give back to the community and to see the results of my effort, is fulfilling in many ways.

Within the past year, I was offered a fulltime position as a Senior House Officer, in the Intensive Care Unit, at a private hospital on the island. I accepted this role and have since been balancing duties as an in-house hospital physician, as well as, managing my private practice.

What are your future plans?

My immediate plans are still somewhat uncertain. However, my goal is to be successful and to make the best of all opportunities that are presented to me. I wish to gain knowledge and experience in hospital administration/management, either through working directly with a healthcare facility or via a consultancy firm.

Within the next five to 10 years, I wish to transition into owning a healthcare/life sciences consultancy firm, which would enable me to provide services to the patrons of Barbados, and individuals within the wider Caribbean community.

At that time, I would be fully equipped with the skills and knowledge provided to me through Imperial College Business School. This would contribute to a greater level of service that I would be capable of providing to others, and ultimately bring a sense of satisfaction within, to see my goals become a reality.

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Alumni blog: Revenue growth management

Revenue growth management in times of crisis

During periods of great crisis, when markets fall dramatically, many companies react instantly and fast by cutting costs. They do this in order to protect at least their bottom line as much as possible. This may be a rational response and it may be efficient too, but how effective is it, especially if plans and actions are limited to that only?

Before a company decides to cut costs, it should do a detailed exercise regarding the potential opportunities it may have in relation to top line/revenue growth (both, in terms of volume and value) and gross profit protection. This process will help them become more effective, efficient and make the right strategic choices in relation to the long–term course of business.

This holistic approach is particularly useful and necessary in periods of falling/stagnant markets and intensified competition.

Pricing

Premium and value for money, not meaning the cheap but well worth its money, will gain ground. At the same time, consumers’ income will be squeezed.

What companies need to do first is redefine the price positioning of their products in an objective way and in accordance with the new market conditions. Second, run price elasticity studies, in order to measure the response of consumers at different price levels. This will help in making the right decisions in terms of pricing. To put it simply, companies have to ensure that for every dollar they invest in their customers, they get correspondingly profitable sales.

Trading Terms

Discounts of all kinds, contractual and non-contractual, are usually one of the biggest expenses of a business.

In times of crisis, due to the pressure in sales, there is a tendency to loosen the management of this very critical line. This is a result of the pressure that salesforce has in order to sell-in or sell-out more and thus grow the top-line. It is not necessarily that in times of crisis companies must reduce discounts, but more that in such situations, companies have to revisit their discounts and ensure that they handle them as an investment and not just as an expense or merely as a ‘cost of doing business’.

To make this happen, companies should revisit the terms and rethink their approach. Ideally, they should end up in a model with the following characteristics in trading terms:

Clarity in definitions
Simple (understandable)
Easy to execute
Balanced (between customers and across channels)
Transparency (contractual and non-contractual)
Effectiveness and efficiency
Maximum conditionality
Return on investment

Remember this is a thorough Sales – Finance exercise.

It is not necessarily that in times of crisis companies must reduce discounts, but more that in such situations, companies have to revisit their discounts and ensure that they handle them as an investment and not just as an expense or merely as a ‘cost of doing business’.

Mix of Sales

What is the mix of sales in terms of brands, channels and customers? This is important to revisit. Ideally, the business has to defend its ‘cash cows’, invest in rising stars, take some reasonable risks with a few important questions marks. Doing this you will find opportunities even in the deepest crisis.

When you do this and identify all positive combinations, the next step will be to reallocate investment across brands, channels and customers.

Promotion Evaluation

Promotions is another important area, because during consumption pressure, promotions are an ‘obvious’ driver in order to improve the top line. But consider:

At what intensity?
With what objectives and goals?
What exactly will be the revised mix of A&P?
And most importantly, how does the business evaluate promotions effectiveness and efficiency (ROI)?

In relation to the latter, we know that there are various models of promotions evaluation. I recommend two simple things:

Make promotions evaluation an integral part of trade marketing grid
Keep it Simple. And this is a very difficult task. will always be the risk of not having all the necessary data, or the risk of becoming very analytical and building unnecessary complexity. The simpler the process, the more efficient it will be - you just need to draw some basic conclusions and measure RO

Distribution/Assortment

The development of distribution is one of the most effective ways to grow the top line. And this is because it is simple, straightforward and direct:

Measure the gap of distribution per brand, channel and customer
Benchmark this gap vs major competitors
Set specific distribution objectives
Develop a plan, including specific incentives (customers/salesforce) that will help to boost distribution
Execute, measure, evaluate and reward

Under this topic, businesses may review and include new product launches. The key here is to be highly focused, selective and have a cohesive plan of development, supporting both the sell-in and the sell-out.

Credit Risk Management

In periods of severe recession, the lack of liquidity increases significantly the credit risk.

The problem with credit risk is that if it happens, it has a full and direct impact on profit, with painful effects. As a result it should be a key priority (especially during recession).

There are three things that highly affect the final result:

Very good knowledge of the market and customers
Very good routine coordination between Sales, Credit Control and Finance
Speed of reaction in case of negative developments

Stay loyal to Customers

It is during these hard periods that customers need to feel you by their side. This doesn’t mean that you will do what customers want. But it means that you have to listen to their needs, understand them and take them into account when making decisions.

Your customers want to that you stay calm, disciplined, consistent, trustful and see empathy as you manage the situation.

Take care and focus on commercial agility

To be commercially agile, you need to ensure that in these difficult times your salesforce remains sharp, speedy and with high morale. So, take care of your salesforce.

Yiannis Zarkadis (MSc Management Science 1987), is Founder of CONSULT2XL. In his blogs he draws on his experiences working at Unilever, GrandMet/IDV, SC Johnson and Bacardi, over his extensive corporate career.

Nurturing leaders on the Executive MBA via the Executive Leadership Journey

The desire to become an effective business leader is one of the core motivations for candidates studying Imperial’s Executive MBA programme. In recognition of this essential component and the need to grow responsible leaders who are equipped to deal with the challenges of a technology-driven world; the Executive Leadership Journey (ELJ) is a combination of coaching, assessment and teaching that runs throughout the two-year Executive MBA, and is designed to develop candidates into decisive future leaders of business and society.

Drawing on themes from other modules studied during the Executive MBA such as Organisational Behaviour and Responsible Leadership and Corporate Success, the ELJ gives candidates the opportunity to practice what is taught in the classroom and develop the behaviours they will need to succeed in their careers.

This begins in year one where the focus is on identifying each student’s strengths, personality and leadership style though a series of tests that uncover how these elements interact with one another, and which ways of working are best suited to their individual preferences. Particular attention is paid to how candidates lead in a team setting and how they function in an organisation.

We know that really great leaders understand themselves. The Executive Leadership Journey gives students the opportunity to understand who they are as leaders, and put classroom theory into practice.

Fiona Sandford - Course Lead, Executive Leadership Journey

From here, a combination of academic learning (integrated into the core curriculum), personal development from experiential learning experiences, and both group and individual coaching sessions allow candidates to further explore what makes them tick by putting theory into practice.

Mila Komarova, Executive MBA Careers Consultant at Imperial College Business School

Mila Komarova is one of the Executive coaches on the programme, who, having spent nearly ten years as a consulting professional herself, started her own coaching practice in 2019 and focuses on helping candidates learn more about themselves.

“All students get a dedicated executive coach who works with them throughout the programme on one-to-one and group basis. This work is completely bespoke: sometimes more specific and immediate, e.g. helping the student prepare for an interview, and other times more in-depth and long-term – such as supporting them in progressing to a C-level position.

The Executive MBA programme requires intense self-exploration and at times brutal honesty with oneself – ‘who are you as a leader?’ ‘what makes you stand out?’ and ‘what parts of you get in your way?’ These are all million-dollar questions, and ones that can make all the difference between an average career and a brilliant one – so we are committed to helping students address those.”

Whether candidates hope to accelerate their careers within their current organisation, or create opportunity for a change in direction, the Executive Leadership Journey offers them an invaluable opportunity to maximise their time at Imperial. By analysing their own behaviours and discovering how to transfer learnings from the Executive MBA programme into their working lives, students leave the Business School well-equipped to develop into inspirational leaders of tomorrow.

How can the Imperial Executive MBA impact your career?

As Senior Buying Manager and Consultant for one of the fastest growing supermarkets, Lidl UK, Will Fletcher (BSc Business Studies 2002) talks about his journey into retail buying, the challenges facing the sector and why you should never stop innovating.

Tell us about your role

What attracted you to work in the retail industry?

Retail is really the final step in the consumer product supply chain, it doesn't sit apart from that and is only differentiated from the rest of the chain in that it competes with other retailers selling potentially the same products and holds the strongest negotiation position in the chain in most instances.

It is a massively dynamic and competitive industry, especially in the UK and especially in 2020. Thriving on challenge and change makes being at the leading edge of a retailer a very attractive proposition.

The route I took to retail was not direct, but the more I found out about how it worked and what it took to win at retail it became clear they were things I was interested in.

My Imperial Business Bsc gave a lot of exposure to product development, manufacture and route to market, coupled with in depth work on competition and marketing. This led me initially to a British company who design and manufacture tech in the consumer audio visual field (Cambridge Audio, a celebrated British tech company). I was at Cambridge Audio for four years, initially working on Projects as the CEOs assistant then managing sales to retail to a key customer (Richer Sounds) and later running the global purchasing and logistics team at the age of 25 gave me a rounded exposure to the supply chain of a product from conception to delivery and highlighted what a challenge working with innovative retail was.

I left Cambridge Audio to pursue a career in retail buying, initially for the leading premium tech retailer Sevenoaks Sound and Vision (which included Harrods Sound and Vision department) as a Consultant Business Process Planner, subsequently pursuing a number of retail business change opportunities in burgeoning retail sectors where change heralded the opportunity to drive real innovations in businesses and transform results.

These steps included putting Tech into HMV, bringing global mega player Best Buy to the UK with their purchase of The Carphone Warehouse, setting up the Goods offer of the dot-com unicorn Groupon then revitalising Toys R Us tech offering (as featured in BBC World Business Report), then washing the same change philosophy over Babies R Us unit in the UK, then for Europe for Babies R Us and subsequently Toys R Us.

What has been your biggest success to date?

Challenging perceptions of what was possible in terms of customer positioning, commercials negotiation and retail proposition. I helped set out a bold vision and delivered on promises in Tech at Toys R Us then repeated the same game-changing results in the Baby category at Babies R Us. This was registered high for me as it proved that well- thought out new and innovative strategy will trump repeat of previously successful proposition and real change is the only way to repeatedly unlock double and triple figure growth.

What skills did you learn from your time at Imperial that you use in your work?

The thing about an Imperial business degree is the 360 approach to learning the subject. Capturing Marketing Accounting and Finance, Business Law, Business Information Systems and Business in Practice gives you a solid base understanding of each function of a business, something which many could otherwise spend their careers wondering about. Heavily featuring case studies brought study to life and a year I spent at a leading drinks company in the production department allowed me up close experience before fully having to commit to a commerce sector. Further to this the Business in Practice module allowed us to create market research projects, develop conceptual products and launch plans - the favourite being where we created a tech item back in 1999, the tera-media player, which would be a tera-bit (1000Gb) portable media player and answered customers new demand to store their downloaded mp3 downloads and listen on the move (sound familiar...?)

What makes a good buyer – what are your top tips?

Dynamism and competitiveness.

How has the industry changed over the last 15 years?

Retailers who offer the customer what they want won 15 years ago and win today. As the customer needs change ever faster, those who can also change fast win and those who cannot fall away ever faster. Following a sustained boom for retail in the early 00's a number of cashing-out events left big retail names carrying debts or leverage which simply hadn't left them scope to change at the speed consumer needs have, culminating in the wave of change currently happening on the high street.

How is online shopping affecting shops?

The rapid rise of online exacerbates the problems for retailers who could not change their business model fast enough to consumers current needs. It is creating a tipping point for retailers but is really just one of the reflections of consumers changing behaviour and not the single problem for retail which it is often described to be.

What can shops do to combat this and future-proof themselves?

Keep an offer which aligns to consumers current and future needs and remain flexible.

What do you look for in a new product?

A hit product solves a current consumer need effectively and offers what the consumer will recognise as great value. As a buyer I don't treat my role as a product developer more as an ever developing feedback mechanism between what consumers want and what is currently being made.

How do you stay ahead of the competition?

Never stop innovating. Always challenge long held beliefs.

What the Imperial Women's Network means to me

Xia Chen (MSc Management 2015),Enterprise Architect at Inchcape Plc, has been an outstanding member of the Imperial Women’s Network since 2016. With an engaged community of over 900 Imperial alumni and friends, and hosting events from personal growth to financial understanding, unconscious bias and women’s health, the committee continues to grow.

We spoke to Xia about why she is so passionate about the Network and supporting women’s leadership in business.

What made you want to get involved in the Imperial Women’s Network?

The initial planning around the Imperial Women’s Network (IWN) began in 2014, when Hardeep Parmar, an Executive MBA alumnus and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemists, and Mona Habib, also an Executive MBA alumnus with a medical engineering background, first met and discussed their career progress. Though there are many initiatives at Imperial College Business School focused on connecting industry with current students, an idea sparked between them for an opportunity to close the gap between graduates and industry. They had a vision to set up a network to enable women who are approaching or have reached their career ceiling, to connect with others in the alumni community who have successfully made it through this phase.

In April 2016, with the full support of Imperial College Business School, they set up an initial launch event where they shared their vision of creating a professional network for alumni of all genders.

I was very impressed and motivated by the energy at the event and to my surprise, I was asked to be part of the team running the network. Of course, I said yes!

A committee was formed and the IWN was born. Using the ideas and comments from the attendees at the launch event, we created our Strategy and Proposition.

Initially we began with a series of professional events to build the brand and member base and over the following two years, with the active support of the Alumni Relations team at Imperial, we had grown to over 400 members.

This experience has developed my leadership, event management, networking skills, given me insights into latest trends in various industries, and allowed me to learn from leading professionals who have successfully managed challenging situations in the workplace.

Our network gained momentum, delivering quality events with good feedback and we were delighted to be honoured with the Dean’s Community Award for Alumni 2018.

We now have over 900 members in our LinkedIn group. Over the period of great uncertainty brought by COVID19, we will look to recruit new talents to our committee, tailor new events suitable for an online audience, so that we can continue delivering quality events to support our alumni. We are currently open to recruiting new members.

What benefits have you found from being part of the Network both personal and professional?

It’s been a very rewarding experience. We have been continuously amazed by the positive vibe we get at each event from our alumni. It is a privilege to meet and connect with alumni who are proactive and passionate in their lifelong continuous learning, people who are driven in their career progressions and willing to share their experiences to help others in the same process. We became supportive forces in each other’s life and career, and for this I am always grateful.

Professionally, being a key contributor of the Network, I had the privilege of shaping the direction of travel for IWN to grow from designing the vision, delivering maintaining the strong reputation of our quality events, to future planning. This experience has developed my leadership, event management, networking skills, given me insights into latest trends in various industries, and allowed me to learn from leading professionals who have successfully managed challenging situations in the workplace.

Receiving the positive energy from the speakers and audience at the end of each event gives me happiness and satisfaction.

The committee is currently looking to attract more committee members. Why would you encourage others to get involved?

There is a common saying amongst women’s networks, “Seeing is believing”. In my opinion, the female networking groups are essential in:

Encouraging and providing a platform for successful business / opinion leaders to share their views, advice, and knowledge
Bridging the network and sharing personal, organisational, and innovation successes across different industries
Providing leadership training and coaching outside one’s organisational networks
Influence organisational leaders to take actions for diversity and inclusion

The IWN aims to target:

Women who are ambitious and actively looking to challenge the glass celling
Women who are ambitious but are not actively looking for support, they don’t see any role model to make them believe they themselves can achieve their goals
Women who are not ambitious, troubled with unconscious bias challenges they are facing in the workplace, and are not looking for support
Men at leadership position who are open-minded and supportive to diversity and inclusion
Men at all grades who are unaware but could be influenced to support diversity and inclusion.

Culture and perceptions will take time to evolve. We believe it will be easier to promote diversity at work if we include all genders in our conversations. The ability to have open and honest discussions is one of the key initial steps to understanding and dealing with diversity-related differences together. This is why we make it clear that the IWN welcomes male advocates for diversity to join us, to see past gender differences and value an individual based on their merits, not their gender.

What’s your top tip to achieve gender parity?

Do more and regularly reflect on past experiences. This helps you to build a wealth of experiences to know yourself better, your capacity, skills and working styles, and with sufficient experiences accumulated, you can identify generic patterns of situations and be able to formulate better solutions.

An immediate action we can take is to always work on causes that we believe are purposeful, because this motivates us to give our best. As we become good at what we do, we will have more confidence, and become respected by a wider range of diverse people. When we are in influential positions, encourage the culture to reinforce and celebrate diversity. We will notice ourselves become real agents of change for a fairer society.

Celia is responsible for all the communications to Business School alumni and this includes the monthly newsletter, alumni profiles and features, alumni blogs, event marketing, the website and social media. Please contact Celia if you have any queries regarding communications to alumni of the Business School.

Q&A with Executive MBA career coach Mila Komarova: supporting EMBA students to achieve their goals

A crucial aspect of the Executive MBA is nurturing the potential of our students to help them grow into truly exceptional leaders. The Careers component of the Imperial Executive MBA is just as important as the academics.

Through the Executive Leadership Journey careers track that runs for the duration of the programme, students are assigned an executive career coach. This coach works with them over the two years on their personal and professional development, helping them better understand themselves so that they can reach their full leadership and career potential.

In this Q&A, we speak to Mila Komarova, one of the Executive MBA coaches. She gives an insight into how she supports our Executive MBA students to achieve their career aspirations through support from Imperial College Business School Careers.

Can you tell us about your background and journey that led you to become a career coach?

My background is in consulting – prior to joining Imperial, I spent nine years at Finalta, a McKinsey data analytics company. While I was following the ‘classic’ consultant career path, I was finding coaching and mentoring to be the most rewarding parts of my role. I was also increasingly approached by people outside of the company for career coaching, and what started as a side project became my full-time occupation in 2019. At the moment I’m working with the Executive MBA, Global Online MBA and Weekend MBA students at Imperial alongside my own coaching practice.

What is the role of Imperial College Business School Careers and how do you support Executive MBA students throughout their programme?

We all know that simply doing a great job does not automatically lead to promotions and the best career opportunities. You also need to actively manage your career, build your network and promote yourself in the right way – something that senior leaders know all too well, and something that the Careers team help Executive MBA students to achieve.

Throughout the programme, students work with dedicated executive career coaches to define their goals and progress towards them. Part of this work could be strengthening their self-presentation via CVs and interviews. Students are also supported in expanding their networks through targeted events and training – a critical element of effective career transitions. Knowing where Executive MBA graduates tend to go, we help them meet potential future employers through panel events and access to executive recruiters.

For students interested in entrepreneurship, there is additional support through the Imperial Enterprise Lab where they get feedback on their ideas and on-going mentorship to help bring those to life faster.

Executive MBA candidates have a different profile to someone studying an MBA full-time – the candidates you work with are still working full-time and are in senior roles. What specialist support do you provide to EMBA students?

Executive MBA students work with executive coaches who understand specific challenges involved in a senior role and are experienced in supporting development and job searching at senior levels. Candidates also benefit from sector-based support around senior roles in industries such as finance, consulting and tech – through dedicated events and working one-to-one with industry specialists.

Something that actually surprised me a little when I started working with Imperial Executive MBA students is how engaged they are with all things careers. I think this reflects how they are used to managing intense schedules, but also a testament to the quality of support they get from the Careers team.

How does the relationship between an Executive MBA student and their personal coach develop over the programme?

All students get a dedicated executive coach who works with them throughout the programme on one-to-one and group basis. This work is completely bespoke: sometimes more specific and immediate, e.g. helping the student prepare for an interview, and other times more in-depth and long-term – such as supporting them in progressing to a C-level position.

Can you tell us about an exceptional Executive MBA student who you have worked with at Imperial - how did they used your support and the programme to achieve their career goals?

I recently worked with a very talented legal professional who wanted to become one of the youngest in the office to be promoted to Partner. Spoiler alert – he made it. He mentioned three things that have been particularly helpful to his success. Firstly, the programme helped him improve his understanding of the business’ strategy and ability to contribute at a level above his own. He felt more confident in important stakeholder meetings, and it showed. Another crucial step was to construct a clear action plan for his promotion application, focusing on ways to showcase his strengths and build some key relationships that influenced the outcome. Finally, we had a few meetings to get him ready for the interviews, giving him the opportunity to practise in a safe (but challenging) environment, get feedback and make tactical amends which eventually helped him feel more confident and relaxed in his real interview.

What piece of advice would you offer someone who was considering pursuing an Executive MBA in 2022?

At the moment I am speaking to many leaders whose career plans have been put on hold, or made uncertain, because of the pandemic. I believe that in times like these, one of the best things anyone can do professionally is to stay on top of new and relevant trends, continuing to develop themselves and, most importantly, their networks.

As I mentioned before, simply doing a great job might not be enough to have a competitive advantage in the (tough) job market. I think that those who will make the effort to consciously manage their career, strengthen their value proposition and their network in these uncertain times, will be rewarded.

How can the Imperial Executive MBA impact your career?

September saw the start of a one-year journey at Imperial College Business School for students from our Finance Master’s programmes: MSc Finance, MSc Finance & Accounting, MSc Financial Technology, MSc Investment & Wealth Management and MSc Risk Management & Financial Engineering.

A total of 612 students joined us across these five programmes, bringing with them a breadth of experience from a diverse range of backgrounds, with over 76 nationalities represented across the cohort, and degree backgrounds that span from economics (24%) to business/management (15%) and finance/accounting (23%).

Whether they’re seeking a career in corporate finance, investment banking, wealth management or any other area of finance, our Finance Master’s students will gain a wealth of experience in both quantitative and qualitative fields, helping them develop skills that will propel them into top jobs.

Finance Meet the Class 2020-21 stats image

Although students study the majority of their programme separately, shared electives in areas such as Corporate Dealmaking, Entrepreneurial Finance and Real Estate Investment provide an opportunity for all five programmes to study together. Students will also get many opportunities to mingle and socialise across programmes at multiple events held throughout the year which helps them build a robust finance network. There’ll also be opportunity to engage in other extra-curricular opportunities such as the Student Investment fund, which gives students the chance to gain real-world experience in buy-side investments, or the Finance Careers Club, which provides members a platform to build knowledge and skills; while encouraging them to explore their career ambitions across the financial sector, both in London and internationally.

"At the end of every year, I ask students what they enjoyed most about the year. There is a great variety of responses but the one that comes up the most frequently every year is ‘the friends I have made’. As academic director it gives me huge pleasure to think that we are creating an environment that enables real, special friendships to start. Maybe we will all need to work just a little bit harder in this challenging environment, but I am so sure it will be worth it. I know that you have all come from very different backgrounds and – even in your young years –have done some really outstanding things, so there is so much to discover about your fellow students. It is a super rewarding year but it is a tough work year too. So I would suggest that the class of 2020-21 try to be organised from the start. It always amazes me what some students are able to achieve with just some simple thought and planning. One final tip – and this will be especially pertinent this year – remember that even if you receive a hundred rejections and only one job offer that is a success! So approach the job search with a steady determination and do not be put off by early rejections, because these rejections will just make it sweeter when you get that offer in the end. Good luck."

Professor James Sefton

Academic Director, Finance Suite

Find out more about the class profile of each Finance Masters’ and meet some of the students on each programme.

MSc Finance

Ranked #1 in the UK* and #9 in the world in the Financial Times Masters in Finance Ranking 2020, MSc Finance is our flagship finance programme. With world class faculty and ongoing relationships with major employers in the finance sector, the MSc Finance equips students with practical experience and the confidence required to present themselves to the world’s top companies.

The programme also helps our MSc Finance students to obtain their Chartered Financial Analyst designation as a member of the CFA University Affiliation Program.

The new class of 2020-21 consists of 81 students of 33 different nationalities. The students are very academic, with 63% possessing a first-class degree. The majority of students join from an economics degree background at 52%, followed engineering/technology at 14% and business/management at 11%.

*excluding multi-campus programmes

Meet MSc Finance students

Claudia Oliver Cortadellas

Nationality: Spanish

Education: MEng Aeronautical Engineering, Imperial College London

What is your main motivation for studying MSc Finance?

Finance has always fascinated me, and after completing an internship within the industry, I realised the many careers paths that one can pursue. Eager to thoroughly explore financial instruments, and to understand how these relate to the industry, I believe the MSc Finance will allow me to explore my interests, and to broaden my perspective of the choices that lie ahead of the programme. Equally, given the complex and competitive nature of the industry, Imperial’s distinguished technical approach to finance will certainly set me at an advantage whilst pursuing my career. Overall, my main motivation is to learn as much as possible; I believe this is crucial to understand my passions and to foster an exciting career.

What are you most looking forward to outside of your studies?

I consider myself very lucky, as having completed my undergraduate degree at Imperial I can assert that Imperial’s possibilities go beyond the academics. The encouragement that the Business School gives to students to engage in societies and in roles of responsibility is amazing. These experiences help students forge strong bonds, which certainly makes your time at Imperial unforgettable. In addition, Imperial’s unique location offers privileged access to one of the largest financial centres in the world, which combined with the Business School’s links with the industry, is a clear advantage when building a professional network.

Jack Traube

Nationality: British

Education: BA Physics, University of California, Berkeley

What is your background prior to studying MSc Finance?

Prior to studying MSc Finance at Imperial, I attended the University of California, Berkeley, where I majored in physics. Although I was a physics major, my internships were in the tech industry. I interned for Adobe as a customer success manager in the Experience Cloud and then as a product intern for a company in the blockchain world, called Hedera Hashgraph.

What do you hope to achieve with the programme?

Coming from physics to finance, my main goal is to figure out what part of finance most interests me. While I have a general idea, I hope this programme will enable me to explore and figure out exactly what direction I want to go in. Other than getting a strong understanding of the theory behind finance, I also really want to learn the necessary tools and frameworks to apply this theoretical understanding into real world situations. With respect to that, I hope to improve my programming skills and learn how to best utilise them to solve complex financial problems. What I am most excited about is the range of electives that we can choose from, which will allow me to really focus on my interests. One particular elective that I am excited about is ‘Blockchain and Crypto Assets’. Finally, I hope to meet a lot of new people and make some lifelong friends. Students on the programme come from all backgrounds and perspectives, so I hope to learn as much as I can from them.

MSc Finance & Accounting

The MSc Finance & Accounting programme is the largest of our Finance Master’s programmes. Accredited by both ACCA and CIMA, the programme prepares students for careers in financial or professional services.

This year’s class of 176 students represent an incredible 45 nationalities. The top countries students join us from on the programme are China, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, and India.

A large majority of students on the programme join us from either a finance/accounting background (44%), or business/management background (31%), and a small number of students also undertake this programme after studying in other areas such as medicine or arts/humanities.

Meet an MSc Finance & Accounting student

Anara Kukenova

Nationality: Kazakhstan

Education: BSc Biochemistry, Imperial College London

What is your background prior to studying MSc Finance and Accounting?

I was born and raised in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and I came to the UK in 2015 to do my A-levels. After that, I moved to London to pursue my BSc Biochemistry undergraduate degree at Imperial College London. Over the course of my degree, I have taken part in many finance and entrepreneurship competitions and work experiences. I was also a Student Ambassador throughout my time here, which enabled me to meet many new people and contribute to Imperial's student life.

What do you hope to achieve with the programme?

I believe that in uncertain times, such as this year, the best thing you can do is to take the time to invest in yourself and your education. One of my key reasons for choosing the programme was the wide range of core and elective modules available, from Investments and Portfolio Management to Innovation and Strategy in FinTech. I am very excited to have the opportunity to tailor the programme according to my interests and build up my knowledge of fundamental financial concepts and technical skills. As the world shifts towards digitalisation, it is essential for finance professionals to have strong software and coding skills. I hope to make full use of the coding modules offered on my programme and develop my skills in R, C++, and VBA this year. I believe these are the skills that will become increasingly crucial in any industry in the future.

I am excited to join some of the many clubs on offer at Imperial College Business School and meet like-minded people. Imperial is an incredibly international university, and I am very looking forward to meeting students from all around the world and learning about their stories and cultures.

Last but not least, is, of course, career prospects. As Imperial students, we are incredibly lucky to have a very supportive Careers service and be located in the world's financial capital. This summer, before my programme even started, the Careers team already helped me with CV and cover letter checks, and there were many online resources and workshops available for us to get a head start. I am thrilled to see what this year will bring!

MSc Financial Technology

Now in its second year, our MSc Financial Technology provides graduates with the skills to embark on a successful and exciting career in fintech or in the financial services sector.

This year’s class of 99 students have the most diverse range of backgrounds of any of our Finance Masters’. Between them, they cover business, finance, engineering, science and mathematics fields, with no more than 20% of students joining us from any one of these areas.

In the coming year, the sophomore MSc Financial technology class can expect a programme that combines the intellectual rigour of an Imperial Master’s with a practical understanding of the potential and limitations of cutting-edge financial technology. This means combining strong foundation modules in finance theory and computer science, including machine learning and coding skills, with the latest thinking and innovation in these new technologies.

Meet an MSc Financial Technology student

Parth Bansal

Nationality: Indian

Education: BSc Economics, University of Warwick

What is your main motivation for studying MSc Financial Technology?

As we swiftly move towards a more tech enabled world, I wanted to add to my knowledge and skills in finance by learning about some of the new disruptive technologies and their real-world applications. The MSc Financial Technology is a highly innovative degree which will equip me with relevant coding skills and the ability to use large datasets to conduct analysis, derive insights and predict outcomes. During the programme I will also develop machine learning skills with applications directly relevant to the financial sector, as well as build a good understanding of blockchain technology and its applications. With more and more companies rushing to adopt the latest cutting-edge technologies and embracing this switch from physical to digital, the skills and knowledge gained from the programme are only going to increase in relevance and importance in the future.

What are your future career plans?

I am fascinated by the prospect of integrating the latest developments in technology and the vast amount of data (or rather Big Data), that we are generating to help improve processes, decisions and most importantly lives. Thus, my goal after graduating from Imperial College Business School is to work within the data analytics or technology division of either large investment banks or professional services firms. Such a career path will allow me to apply my skills and knowledge to challenge the status quo and drive innovation.

MSc Investment and Wealth Management

MSc Investment & Wealth Management is designed to prepare students for careers in investment, private equity, and asset management. The programme is both grounded in theory and also highly applied, with the opportunity to find solutions to real-world investment challenges.

This year’s cohort of 90 students consists of 33 nationalities. 50% of whom are from the Asia/Pacific region, with the remainder spread across Europe, the UK, Africa/Middle East, and the Americas. The most common degree backgrounds among MSc Investment & Wealth Management students were economics and finance/accounting, making up 40% and 30% of the cohort respectively.

Meet an MSc Investment & Wealth Management student

Salma Belmaachi

Nationality: Moroccan

Education: BAEcon, Business Studies and Economics, University of Manchester

What is your main motivation for studying MSc Investment & Wealth Management?

During my time as a business and economics undergraduate I had the opportunity to take a diverse range of courses, but my financial modules are the ones that I relished the most. My financial academic background and my work experience as an ESG and Equity Analyst Intern at Amplegest in Paris inspired me to apply to MSc Investment & Wealth Management. This programme is extremely interesting and builds on the skills I acquired in my undergraduate degree. The Investments and Portfolio Management and Derivatives modules appealed to me as I will have the opportunity to implement the various financial theories that I previously studied. I will also acquire new skills like solving case studies using R programming language and valuating complex financial instruments like forwards, futures, swaps, and options. Furthermore, the faculty provides its graduates with the most experienced people.

What are your future career plans?

I strongly believe that this Master’s programme will provide me with the necessary analytical tools and concepts to build a career in the financial services industry, and reach my ultimate goal: acquiring the CFA Charter and becoming a buy-side analyst in an asset management company.

MSc Risk Management & Financial Engineering

Accredited by the Professional Risk Manager’s International Association (PRMIA), MSc Risk Management & Financial Engineering is a highly quantitative programme, tailored to prepare recent graduates for careers in financial engineering and risk management. The programme is designed for technically minded graduates who want to engage in deep, analytical study of risk management and financial engineering.

This programme has a near gender balance – out of the 166 students in this year’s cohort, 52% are female. As might be expected, a large majority (60%) of the students on this cohort come from a mathematics background, with the rest sharing equally quantitative experience in fields such as economics. This year’s class is also extremely academic, with 72% holding a first-class degree.

Meet an MSc Risk Management & Financial Engineering student

Kimberley Xia

Nationality: Chinese

Education: BSc Statistics, Economics & Finance, UCL

What is your background prior to studying MSc Risk Management & Financial Engineering?

I studied my undergraduate at University College London majoring in statistics, economics, and finance with first-class honours. My undergraduate study at UCL reinforced my passion for finance and consolidated my desire to become an elite member of the financial industry. I received thorough training in statistics with a specific focus on economics and finance, which has laid a solid foundation in my knowledge base regarding quantitative methodologies in financial contexts. Moreover, academic experiences, such as case studies and group projects, have aided in the development of my data analysis and financial modelling skills, whilst connecting me with real issues as they arise in the financial industry.

In terms of practical experience, my last internship at KPMG focused on financial risk management advisory where I conducted in-depth market analysis, portfolio stress testing, and derivatives risk management.

What do you hope to achieve with the programme?

I believe the MSc Risk Management & Financial Engineering will help to equip me with a deeper understanding of financial risk management, as well as skills that support my career development. With further instruction on financial engineering offered by Imperial, I believe I can make an impact working in promoting financial risk management and make encouraging financial innovations. Furthermore, the range of available clubs, societies, and conferences I can attend will be helpful to expand my professional network. The alumni network is also be an incredible source of inspiration and global opportunity for me to gain insight into the companies that interest me. Learning with a like-minded group of entrepreneurial individuals is an invaluable experience, and these peers and faculty will form an invaluable network who can help me achieve my goals further down the road.

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Find out more about our Finance Master's programmes

The APAC Team (Careers Week)

The APAC Team (Careers Week)

Every year Business School Careers host an Autumn Term Careers Week. All our Sector Teams and Employer Relations Manager host a plethora of events and learning focusing our students on their Career and Job Search.

Both myself and XiaoBei(Bei) Wu delivered two APAC specific events - let me tell you a what we covered.....

A Prospect of the Financial Market in Greater China - 07 October 2020

Lawrence Lu, joined CICC in 2010, having established and managed global commodities business since afterwards. Prior to that, he served several global banks in London on various commodity trading positions between 2003-2010. He has an MSc in Financial Mathematics from Cass Business School, an MBA from University of Oxford, and a Bachelor of Finance from Shanghai International Studies University.

Lawrence took guided our Students through these topic areas:

1 Particulars about Financial Markets

2 About financial industry in Greater China

3 How to tap into the industry

4 Some fragmented pieces of advice

The China Deep Dive: Consulting Industry - 20 October 2020

Eric XU is a senior professional focusing on management consulting, corporate strategy, marketing/branding strategy, organization and consumer insights. With over 9 years corporate strategy and management consulting experience in China and US, Eric has extensive experience as strategist serving multiple types of clients, from Fortune 500 MNCs to local private companies, collaborating partners from Asia, North America and Europe. During the past 5 years, Eric mentored and coached thousands of students and young professionals by offering personalized career development plan, job hunting/networking/interview skills, and inspiring them to discover their strengths. Eric holds an MBA from University of Cambridge and an MS degree in management from University of Colorado. He also holds a BS degree in marketing and an MA degree in management in China.

1 Overview of Consulting Industry in China

2 General Misunderstanding of China’s Consulting Market

3 Insider Information for You to Succeed in China’s Consulting Market

4 Career Development and Application Action Plan in China Market

Both these talks gained wide spread 5 Star reviews from the students who attended with student quotes:

'Great, deep insight about China's finance market'

'Everything was useful!! Super insightful'

'A very comprehensive overview of the greater China market. Some insightful advice for career planning and career development'

Tara Linyi He, Head of Employer Relations (APAC)

XiaoBei(Bei) Wu, Career Consultant (APAC)

Meet the Imperial Global Online MBA class of 2020-22

From the first class of 98 in September 2020 to another 121 students joining in January 2021 we are delighted to welcome 219 new students to the Global Online MBA class of 2020-22. They have joined us at a time when the value and accessibility of online study is more pertinent than ever, the cohort is full of motivated and diverse students from around the world.

Each student comes with the desire to join a global community of like-minded individuals who’ve made the decision to challenge themselves and invest in their future, despite testing times globally

For the new class, the road to the Global Online MBA at Imperial meant hours of commitment crafting their application (in many cases while working in demanding full-time roles) and interviewing with our specialist admissions panel, all while navigating the process online. An impressive achievement in any circumstance.

Find out more about this inspiring group of future business leaders and hear from them directly about their backgrounds, as well as what drove them to study the Global Online MBA at Imperial.

What does the new class look like?

At Imperial we are committed to creating an environment that gives our students an opportunity to develop and learn with a global perspective – which is supported by the diverse range of students that make up each cohort. The students in the new Global Online MBA class of 2020-22 excel in this area with 53 different nationalities represented across the 219 students in the cohort.

As you might expect, the Global Online MBA class of 2020-22 bring a significant amount of experience across a wide range of industries. Before enrolling on the programme, they accumulated an average of 10 years’ work experience in areas such as banking and finance, consulting/professional services, engineering and healthcare/pharmaceuticals, among others.

The STEM influence that runs throughout the School, due to close ties with Imperial College London, means that we attract many students who worked in in these areas before embarking on the Global Online MBA, as well as those who are interested in continuing their career in STEM industries.

Global Online MBA Meet the class statistics: 219 students, 36% female and 53 nationalities represented

"I would like to welcome this year’s Global Online MBA class. It is a very strong class, and it lives up to the label ‘global’ by being exceptionally diverse in cultural, geographic, and professional terms. They have decided to do their MBA at a particularly critical time, against the background of the global pandemic. Even though their degree is an online degree – and hence very suitable in this particular period – the pandemic will still pose challenges as workplaces, family and personal lives are all affected. Regardless, I am convinced that this year’s class is fully focused on the MBA, and I wish them enjoyment with their studies. Use this time with us for a period of personal and professional growth and delve deep into those areas that have always interested you, whether that is marketing, finance or entrepreneurship. Also, use the time to get to know as many of your colleagues as possible – make those connections that will last you for a lifetime."

Markus Perkmann

Academic Director, Global Online MBA

Meet the Global Online MBA students

Boncicia Tam, Global Online MBA 2020-22, student at Imperial College Business School

Boncica Tam

Role: Program Manager, Boost Group Limited

Nationality: British

Can you describe your career journey up until now?

I studied my undergraduate in Biology at Imperial College London, during that time I had my first taste of business by running a social enterprise project for three years. After that, I started working in the market technology sector in Asia, designing and implementing client engagement strategies, leading teams through business expansion to exceed business goals. To prepare myself for the next phase of my career, I have invested in studying project management technologies and techniques to become a Project Management Professional certified. This landed me in my next role in program management where I lead and implament the largest loyalty program in Hong Kong, where half of the population has participated. It was the number one app in Hong Kong in 2020 and we only launched at the end of July 2020. I have now moved into a regional role for APAC, expanding our footprint in South East Asia.

How did you come to the decision of studying an MBA, and why did you choose the Global Online MBA?

Imperial College Business School has a pioneering Global Online MBA programme with a unique balance of core business and technology modules, where I believe it sets the best track for my career to flourish as a leader, an innovator and a collaborator. It has become clear to me that an MBA with Imperial is where I can shape my future professional endeavours in marketing technology, with the support of the new Marketing and Analytics electives available. I'm also looking forward to the Digital Business module as this is where my passion lies. This MBA will unlock doors for me to pursue a position as a female CXO in the future. As of today, there are only 16% female CXOs in the world and it is my ambition to decrease this gender gap, encourage females to pursue a career in technology and build businesses to give back to the community. Since we work and live in a digital age, the Global Online MBA is the best option for me to balance working a full- time job, running a few businesses on the side and passion projects. Through this programme, I hope to be further inspired by the ingenuity of my peers to draw guidance from the reminiscence of others and to reflect upon my practical experiences through the lenses of academic frameworks, so that I may become a better-rounded, better equipped, influencer of tomorrow.

Gabriela Esmeral Herrera

Nationality: Colombian

Role: Senior Consultant, Deloitte

How did you come to the decision of studying an MBA, and why did you choose the Global Online MBA?

I decided to pursue an MBA to broaden my leadership skills and further develop my knowledge in finance and strategic decision-making. Having worked in infrastructure development for the past four years, I was fairly familiar with the main concepts in funding and finance; however, I lacked structured knowledge of how organisations and companies make decisions and how they tackle business investment challenges when investing in the field. Therefore, for me pursuing an MBA was a matter of wanting to master the skills and broaden my knowledge to ultimately be in a better position to take on these challenges.

From the top B-school programmes, Imperial's Global Online MBA stood out as the best option for me because the flexible curriculum and specialised online delivery allow me to hone my understanding of business while continuing to work. In addition, as an international programme, it offered the opportunity to tap into a global, diverse network and engage with students from different backgrounds and experiences.

What are your long-term career goals and how do you believe the MBA will support them?

I have devoted my professional career to working at the intersection of government and business, supporting infrastructure projects that promote private sector participation and generate a positive social impact, and will continue to work in this field after completing the Global Online MBA. For me, the programme is an opportunity not only to enhance my finance, economic and decision-making skills, but more importantly an opportunity to improve my leadership skills and better lead and manage people throughout my career as I move up into senior management and leadership in the next 5-10 years.

Osaze Osunde

Nationality: Nigeria

Role: Team Lead, Primary Market, The Nigerian Stock Exchange

How did you come to the decision of studying the Global Online MBA?

Following the completion of my undergraduate degree at San Francisco State University in the United States, I made considerable strides establishing myself within the Nigerian Capital Markets originating and executing transactions across sectors. The transition to a Senior Manager/Team Lead position at the Nigerian Stock Exchange following a successful investment banking career spanning over seven years played a prominent role in my decision to pursue an MBA at Imperial College Business School.

Why did you choose to study at Imperial?

The Imperial Global MBA presents a unique opportunity to position me for immediate success due to its diverse cohort base and networking landscape. Imperial is majorly a popular name in the business realm and impacted some of the most prominent alumni in Nigeria. The contribution of Imperial to the greater good of the society within the emerging markets has been significantly influential, guiding my decision to attend the Business School.

Most notably, Imperial is an institution that nurtures one’s entrepreneurial spirit, shapes a leadership approach and is perfectly suited in line with unique career journeys such as mine transitioning into a regulatory role with the Nigerian Stock Exchange. I am excited about the world of new possibilities post-MBA.

Christos Filippidis

Nationality: Greek

Role: Director of Product Marketing, ZeroLight

Can you describe your career journey up until now?

I come from a business background and have had quite a diverse career so far in terms of roles and experiences. My professional journey started while I was still doing my bachelor’s degree at Athens University of Economics and Business. From a young age I knew I was passionate about automotive and that’s why I decided to kick-start my career as a sales and marketing assistant at BMW Group in Greece. The economic crisis in the country created a lot of problematic conditions in the domestic job market and that’s when I decided to move abroad to chase better career opportunities.

My first international business experience was in Austria at the headquarters of KTM Group, Europe’s biggest motorcycle manufacturer, where I served as a Product Marketing Analyst. Within a few months, I was promoted into the Global Product Manager role where I managed the company’s largest product portfolio in terms of revenue.

I then decided to move to the UK in order to expand my knowledge of marketing and new technologies, working as a Global Product Marketing Manager at Triumph Motorcycles. As the pandemic hit the automotive and motorcycle industry particularly hard, there was a clear need for me to redefine my professional plan and search for a career still relevant to automotive, but in a sector offering better prospects. I accepted an offer from ZeroLight - my current employer. In my role as Product Marketing Director, I lead the branding, product marketing and marketing communications activities of the company together with a multinational team of marketing professionals.

How did you come to the decision of studying an MBA, and why did you choose the Global Online MBA?

My career accelerated very quickly from the very early days and I realised that studying an MBA would be the best way for me to structure and enhance my business thinking. In addition to this, I wanted to improve my leadership skills and learn from knowledgeable professionals about how I could make an impact and drive change for both my organisation and I.

Because I wasn’t in a position to make the time commitment to take a year out of work for a full-time MBA, I decided early on in my decision-making process to do a part-time MBA. I explored lots of different options that were available with various universities and concluded that the Imperial Global Online MBA was the best option for me. I expected the innovative learning environment and flexibility of the Global Online MBA, in combination with the extremely diverse online community of people, to be by far the most enriching class a student can ever experience – an expectation which I have so far found to be reflected in the reality.

Yeside Onafuye

Nationality: Nigerian

Role: Chief Financial Officer, Zentih General Insurance Company

What are your long-term career goals and how do you believe the MBA will support them?

I chose Imperial College Business School for many reasons, but at the top of that list is the evolved views and expectations of the 21st century CFO. CFO’s are no longer considered corporate hideaways who sit in the dark recesses of companies, crunching numbers and emerging only to report on the results of our accounting. We are expected to devise business strategy and actively drive our organisations to the pinnacle of success. That is where my MBA at Imperial College Business School comes in. I believe my being here will thoroughly and effectively equip me for this and place me in a position where I am not just a supporting arm of the business; but the business itself. I believe that the MBA will broaden my view to support the business, not only in strategy development but also with a deeper understanding of marketing, digital transformation, and innovation.

How do you plan on getting involved in Imperial life outside the MBA?

I see the MBA as not only an academic degree, but one that exposes me to a diverse network of people from around the world. Learning how to effectively harness the power of many is at the top of my mind. I signed up to be a Student Ambassador, and my intention is to engage and help more people make their programme and school selection easier by sharing my experience. I also have a goal to immerse myself as fully as possible into the experience at Imperial, which will extend to my guidance of prospective students; looking to distil more than just the academic benefits of the College. I also intend to apply the networking skills encouraged at the School by connecting with Imperial alumni from around the globe.

Vikki Leung

Nationality: Singapore

Role: Therapy Development Manager, Medtronic

How did you come to the decision of studying an MBA?

I want to broaden my knowledge base to better understand how the key drivers of the business world relate to each other. Despite having a robust academic and professional background, I recognise that there is more for me to learn to truly excel in my career. I want to better understand how strategic decisions are made by senior management, which would then allow me to steer day-to-day actions in a way which better compliments the goals of the organisation. A top-ranked MBA will not only fill that gap in my experience but provide me with a set of value-added skills that can contribute to an organisation at the decision-making level.

Why did you choose to study at Imperial?

Imperial College Business School drives education through the fusion of business, technology, and an entrepreneurial mindset. With digital technology radically transforming today’s businesses, the school’s vision of equipping leaders in a technology-driven world is certainly a key element that drew me to the programme. The fact that the learning experience focuses on creating leaders with an entrepreneurial mindset will provide me with multidisciplinary training to make management decisions in a dynamic business environment.

Furthermore, the Global Online MBA brings together a high calibre of professionals from around the world. I am drawn to the opportunity of being part of a community of individuals from different industries, locations, and stages of their career.

Xavier Navas

Nationality: Ecuadorian

Role: Regional Trade Product Manager Latin America, Citi

Can you describe your career journey up until now?

I was born and raised in Quito, Ecuador. Nevertheless, my deep interest and passion in global financial markets led me to pursue my undergraduate studies abroad in the US and the UK. After internships with an airline company in Spain and with an investment bank in the US, I secured a full-time job as a financial analyst in a rating agency covering structured credit products and financial institutions. Then I decided to join Citi, where I currently work as a Regional Trade Product Manager covering Latin America. We offer and structure working capital solutions to main corporate clients in the region. In a 7-year career with Citi I have had the opportunity to work in Mexico City, Ecuador, and the United States. What I enjoy the most in my current role is the cross-business and cross-country exposure; since I am exposed to both diversity and best global practices.

How did you come to the decision of studying an MBA, and why did you choose the Global Online MBA?

I always had it in my plans to study an MBA; however, I was waiting for the best time to do it. After some years of professional experience at a leading global bank with an accelerated career growth, I realised that for me to continue growing at the same pace, I had to strengthen my skills and knowledge. Thus, an MBA at a leading global university seemed to be the most appropriate choice.

Pursuing an MBA while I continue to work seemed, at first, a hurdle too high to overcome; but I took this as a personal challenge to prove to myself that I can keep up with the fast-paced environment that senior positions demand. The Global Online MBA was the perfect fit for multiple reasons, but the most important one is that it is a programme that truly provides students with the relevant skills to succeed in today’s world, which is significantly different to that of five years or even one year ago. In such a dynamic and technology-led environment, there are new skills and tools for business success that are now very valued by employers, in addition to the core foundations of any MBA programme. The strong focus and reputation of Imperial College in advancement of science and technology makes Imperial College Business School one of the most attractive propositions out there.

In addition to the programme focus, the fact that I am able to interact with people from all over the world is also ideal, as it allows me to continue expanding my network outside my regional boundaries. In addition to diversity and networking, I was also looking to share a class with brilliant individuals but who keep their feet on the ground and have a sensitivity towards social responsibility.

Lastly, I was also looking for a university that has a world-renowned name and will endorse my professional profile with the right credentials, whichever region I go to. The Global Online MBA programme at Imperial is consistently ranked among the top three in the world.

Caroline Ehrman

Nationality: British

Role: Strategic Communications Manager - International Projects, Cabinet Office

How did you come to the decision of studying an MBA?

I decided to pursue an MBA as I wanted to build on my professional experience by gaining tangible skills that I could apply to my work and bolster my career immediately.

Why did you choose to study at Imperial?

I chose Imperial because it is a world-renowned university known globally for its excellent business school, and I wish to pursue an international career. I chose the Global Online MBA because of its digital nature, providing flexibility to my work but also because it would draw a more international and diverse cohort, from whom I could learn and therefore provide peer knowledge to the MBA that an on-campus MBA might not.

Adaze Aguele

Nationality: British

Role: Head of Economic Development, Government and Regulatory Management at FMDQ Holdings PLC

What is your main motivation for studying the Global Online MBA programme?

My main motivations are the recognition and the opportunity to improve my career trajectory, while being in an environment to expand my knowledge, and gain personal validation, all of which are important factors for me.

The Global Online MBA affords me the opportunity to learn from world-class professors and be involved in a global community that will be of immense value to me. I hope to come away with the confidence to handle things that are outside of my usual areas of expertise and be better equipped to both deal with uncertainty and adapt to change more seamlessly. I aim to speak confidently on strategic matters, transform organisations, mentor the young, develop infrastructure and save the planet from global warming through sustainability.

Did you have any reservations about doing an MBA? How did you overcome them?

I had a lot of reservations, including the COVID -19 pandemic. As a second-generation alumnus candidate (my father is an engineer and did his Master’s at Imperial), I always wanted to follow suit and do my MBA at Imperial College Business School, but did not have the financial resources or time to embark on it. Opportunities kept coming my way, followed by children, making the road to get here quite a long one!

It is indeed a privilege to be on the programme. After an emotional conversation with a considerate member of the Admissions team where I chatted about my reservations around having a tight schedule, young children and no work life balance, I decided to go with the flow. I have deferred many things in my lifetime. This wasn’t going to be one of those. There is a saying in Chinese - 机不可失，时不再来 "don't let an opportunity slip as it may never come again".

Embarking on the Global Online MBA was a life-changing decision. The circumstances around me such as the pandemic, working from home, schooling the kids at home, and hectic work schedules, were enough valid reasons to defer the programme for another year, until enthusiasm and doggedness took over. Even with the hard work, time and brainpower I need to study the Global Online MBA, I am happy with the decision I made.

What lies in the year ahead?

The Global Online MBA 2020-22 cohort will cover a multitude of subjects over the course of their two-year programme. Having already completed several pre-study modules in preparation, the students are now well underway with their first set of core modules in areas such as ‘Marketing Management’ and ‘Managerial Economics’.

As the programme progresses, they can also look forward to enhancing their skills in a chosen set of electives that focus on more specific subject matter such as ‘Advanced Company Valuation’ or ‘Entrepreneurial Finance’.

They’ll also have the opportunity to put theory into practice over the summer period of the second year with an optional independent project that sees them develop specialised expertise by researching a real business issue and influencing commercial outcomes. Projects range from consultancy assignments to theoretical analyses, and are often sponsored by companies. Students may choose to pair with their own organisation for the project, with the flexibility of choice making it an excellent opportunity to link with individual career objectives.

The programme culminates with the Capstone module, in which students are invited to spend a week on campus working in teams with complimentary skillsets to implement knowledge gained from their strategy, finance, innovation, management, entrepreneurship and leadership modules. Alongside a series of lectures on innovation, design, and entrepreneurship, they will ideate and develop an innovation, before creating a business case for it to be realised within a company.

The Global Online MBA has been designed around and for our students. The cutting edge online learning platform that enables students to stay connected with their peers, tutors and the greater Imperial community allows us to deliver a world-class programme that is built around the exact same content as our on-campus MBAs, and delivered by the same experienced teaching faculty.

Using our state-of-the-art online platform The Hub, means that this year’s cohort are in the best position possible to shape both their programme, and their futures, in a manner which not only fits their lives but also matches their career goals.

At the end of their programme, the Global Online MBA 2020-22 cohort will have a comprehensive toolkit that enables decisive decision making, and the ability to deliver impactful outcomes in their future leadership roles. Here’s to the year ahead!

Find out more about the Global Online MBA

Alumni blog Part 2: 2020 a year of change for diversity and inclusion?

In the second part of her blog post, Candice Gray-Bernard shares her collected treasure trove of inspiration from women of colour in business, as well as her own experiences of moving into senior management.

Know your worth

There is insurmountable evidence that women rarely negotiate salaries. In a survey conducted by Glassdoor 68% of women accepted the salary they were offered and did not negotiate. According to Carla Harris, Vice Chairman and Managing Director at Morgan Stanley women often go into roles because we need a job or want a particular job without knowing the market value of that job. Harris recommends seeking the assistance of an executive recruiter or reference one of the many websites such as Glassdoor.com, Salary.com or Payscale.com.

Women are pre-conditioned to think that asking for a better compensation package is seen as aggressive and improper. This is compounded with unconscious self-biases such as self-doubt or feelings of being ‘under-qualified’. I encourage you to develop an inventory of your qualifications, skills, talents and experiences (both negative and positive). This goes a long way in combating unconscious self-biases, after all ‘seeing is believing’ and is invaluable for crafting powerful resumes.

Build your community

Dr. Terari Trent author of “The Awakened Women” refers to this as “establishing your Sahwiras”. It is essential for a woman to build mutually supportive relationships with other women. In her book “Own It: The Power of Women at Work” Sallie Krawcheck likens networks to a good investment portfolio – “the great ones can have an extremely high ROI, but not right away, and often not from the source that one might expect”. Krawcheck proposes four core rules for networking:

Try to meet at least one new person every month, or significantly deepen an existing relationship
Do something nice for someone in your network every week. It doesn’t have to be a big bang
Spend time with professionals who are different from you
If you don’t get a response to your emails or phone calls, don't take it personally. Reach out again in a week or two.

I encourage you to develop an inventory of your qualifications, skills, talents and experiences (both negative and positive).

Personally, I found such a community of women in the Association of Female Executives of Trinidad and Tobago. However, there are many global networks available depending on your specific need. I recommend Driven Woman.

Within your network strive to have a mentor. Feedback is like a double edge sword – positive and negative. However, feedback through mentorship can not only lead to professional and personal growth and development, but can transform into sponsorship – the person in the room that fights for you.

Finally don’t forget to pay it forward. Become a mentor to someone else. You may find that through this relationship you are being ‘reversed mentored’.

Silence isn’t golden

Women who speak up, who are straightforward, direct, determined, assertive or persuasive are described as feisty, cold, abrasive, pushy, bossy to name a few adjectives. I am certainly no stranger to this. Black women in particular are stereotyped as aggressive – “the angry black woman”. Sue Hawkes author of “Chasing Perfection” recommends embracing “your inner B.I.T.C.H” by reframing negative messages into affirming ones. Most importantly do not allow yourself to be coerced into silence.

It’s a wrap!

As we draw closer to the end of a colourful 2020, celebrations such as Black History Month are even more fundamental in reframing mindsets, stereotypes, biases and norms that have historically and are currently hindering people of colour. “Every person, regardless of their ethnicity or background, should be able to fulfil their potential at work” (Baroness McGregor-Smith CBE). There is certainly a valid business case. For example, according to the Race in the Workplace report it is estimated that the potential benefit to the UK economy is £24 billion per annum, representing 1.3% of GDP if BAME talent is fully utilized.

As a Black woman, a wife and mother I leave you with one of my favourite quotes:

“The question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who’s going to stop me?” – Ayn Rand

Read the first half of Candice's blog on diversity and inclusion in business »

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