A huge element of each Master’s programme at Imperial College Business School is the highly personalised Careers service. As part of this, each student is appointed a dedicated Career Consultant to help them through every step of the job application process. Ultimately they make sure that they make sure that our students take the first step in their dream career after graduating from the Business School.

In this article, two of our MSc Career Consultants share an insight into their role and how they work with students, as well as their favourite part of the job.

Hannah Salton

When I was in my final year at Manchester University, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my career. I think it’s a real challenge knowing exactly the right career path is for you without trying out a few things first. Luckily, I ended up on a Business Management graduate programme at BT that allowed me to do exactly that. In my final rotation in the graduate recruitment team, I discovered I had a passion for careers and went on to work for five years in total at BT before spending three years leading UK graduate recruitment at a top global law firm.

I changed career in 2017 to become a career coach and consultant, and split my time now between working at Imperial College Business School and coaching private clients. I love the variety this gives me, although most of the clients I work with outside of the Business School tend to be graduates or those just a few years into their professional career too! I decided to work full-time in careers because personal and professional development is something I’m passionate about. I’ve had ups and downs in my own career, and have found that the right support from a coach, mentor or line manager can be invaluable. Whether we like it or not, our careers are heavily tied up in our personal identities, so if we’re struggling or feeling lost in our career, the rest of our life can suffer too.

My favourite part of the role at the Business School is definitely the one-to-one student appointments as their Career Consultant. Sometimes these can be challenging if students are feeling frustrated, but when you help someone turn their experience around and start to see solutions instead of problems, it’s the best feeling in the world. In particular, I love doing mock interviews with students. Having done hundreds of ‘real-life’ interviews in a corporate setting, I feel it’s an area I am able to add real value with, providing detailed and specific feedback for each individual answer given. I also love helping students prepare for interviews generally. The biggest mistake we see is students trying to memorise word perfect, scripted answers to each and every interview question they think could come up. These can really lack authenticity and passion, so it’s our job to help students get so comfortable with their experiences and motivation that they can speak naturally, without it becoming a memory test.

There are a few students who I have worked with who felt overwhelmed by the job application process, and it has really affected their motivation and confidence – two things that are very helpful in a job search! At the Business School, we often encourage a networked approach to job hunting  – trying to create meaningful and long-lasting connections with people who work in industries they’re interested in working in. This may sound simple, but the reality of putting yourself out there and having conversations with people you have never met before can feel intimidating and (understandably) very daunting to our students.

My favourite success stories are from students who aren’t natural networkers, but have pushed their comfort zones and built a whole host of new connections at their target companies, ultimately leading to a successful job offer.

Megan Camacho

I am a Career Consultant supporting the energy sector. , I worked across a variety of organisations including Goldman Sachs, KPMG and Avon Cosmetics. My role in each of these organisations was across recruitment and learning and development, focusing on graduate development, leadership and management skills.

I chose to become a Career Consultant due to my interest in helping students develop their skills and identify what they are passionate about. Part of my role as a Career Consultant involves coaching students on their ambitions and interests whilst identifying potential career opportunities. The role is widely varied with activities ranging from delivery of skills workshops, meeting one-to-one with students to support the application process, conducting mock interviews and liaising with key organisations to identify employment opportunities and events for our students. My favourite part of the job is the satisfaction I receive from knowing my support has helped a student to secure a role.

A highlight of my time at Imperial has been supporting a student through the interview preparation, including writing the initial application through to networking within the organisation and conducting mock interviews. Through much hard work and practice, the student was able to secure the role with their dream employer. My advice to anyone who is going through the interview process is: practice, practice, practice.

Imperial College Business School is special due to its students. The diversity, talent and experience are unrivalled. I have been honoured to meet so many individuals with talents across the board. Each person has a unique story to tell and that’s what makes Imperial College Business School special to me.

Sunil Ramakrishnan is Head of Blockchain for the Oil & Gas Industry at IBM Europe and a member of the Global Online MBA class of 2017-19.

We spoke to Sunil about his career, his time studying on the programme so far, and about Blockchain technology.

What does a Head of Blockchain do?

Sunil is the Head of Blockchain for the UK and Europe for two verticals. Chemicals and Petroleum, involving all the big oil and gas companies across Europe, and Industrial Products, including all the big mining, industrial and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies.

He says that most of their clients are looking at ways to reduce costs in their organisation.

“For example, most CEOs want to see how they can grow their business. Not just 1% but potentially by 20%,” he said.

“Most Chief Information Officers (CIOs) are thinking: currently I am spending a billion dollars on technology. How can I make it more efficient, and possibly reduce this cost by 20-30%? It’s one of the few times in an era where the CEO and the CIO are jointly looking at something transformational.”

These changes can not only help them to massively reduce costs, but also to get into new business areas far more easily, improve trust that exists between different partners and remove intermediation, says Sunil.

“Currently, there are numerous intermediate companies that exist. If I am a big trading organisation, a lot of money has to be paid to brokers for actually doing a trade, and a lot of money to clearing exchanges for clearing transactions.”

A once in a lifetime opportunity

“Blockchain is enabling is the removal of intermediation by numerous entities between a company and the customer.”

It’s an extremely great opportunity, maybe once in a lifetime, where technology is changing something in a massive way for technology groups, and therefore for their suppliers, customers, regulators, auditors and so on.

Sunil’s role also includes helping companies reduce risk, improve their security and protect themselves against cyber-attacks and hacking.

“As a company, we have been working on around 450 Blockchains globally. Out of that I’ve been involved in around 15-20 of them in UK and Europe,” he says.

Why choose a career working in Blockchain?

Sunil previously lead KPMG’s analytics practice in Europe for 11 years, and before consulting he worked for a client organisation in their business function, so he has an understanding of how businesses are run, how processes enable this and how technology adds value.

Blockchain brings it all together in terms of my background in business, Big Four strategy consulting and technology.

“I think I’m in the best place to take advantage of my position in business and processes,” he said. “IBM’s background in technology brings it all together. “Blockchain is one of the technologies that has the potential to make a big change. I personally would like to be in the middle of this transformational technology,” he said.

What are the challenges of working in Blockchain?

“Blockchain is a technology area which not everyone usually understands,” says Sunil.

He says that usually a CEO, MD or Chief Financial Officer (CFO) wouldn’t talk to a lot of consulting companies. But Blockchain has changed things so that the focus is now on the business side.

“It’s a change of mind-set. Where the discussion is normally with the CIO and Chief Technology Officer (CTO), now it is more with the CEO and head of business on how we can bring this technology to enable them,” he says.

Sunil says the main challenge around Blockchain is it not being a solution in isolation, as there is collaboration involved.

Blockchain is bringing about a new mind-set in terms of working with customers and suppliers, but it’s also about collaborating even with competitors, who these big firms have never worked with before. It’s a completely new ecosystem to a certain extent.

He says another challenge is around presenting the value to the business. There needs to be a robust business case and demonstrable positive return on investment.

“Most of these companies have a clear view of what the ROI should be. It’s all led from the business case, so we need to ensure that we have a solid one that can be challenged and can provide benefits despite any stresses that could be put on it,” says Sunil.

Incorporating Blockchain knowledge in the Global Online MBA programme

“Currently I’m focused on getting the course done, as the first year is pretty challenging on the Global Online MBA, especially combined with a full-time role where you’re traveling all over Europe,” says Sunil.

“I’m mainly focusing on my work, but I’m waiting for the Capstone Business Game to see what projects we can develop.”

What advice do you have for someone wanting to work in Cryptocurrency and Blockchain?

“Blockchain gives you a strong view of what new technology is going to impact the world,” says Sunil.

“It really enables you to look at it from a business perspective as well. Anyone who is interested in how technology and business can intersect and offer new value should look into it.”

There are a number of ways to start building a foundational knowledge of Blockchain, says Sunil.

“There are a few online courses that do exist, including at IBM, so that’s one option. It’s good to look into getting a certification as well as getting some practical experience.”

All of our Full-Time MBA students have the chance to undertake an internship in the summer term. They’re encouraged to employ their networking skills and organise one with a company that interests them, with support from the Careers team.

An internship is a great chance to get back out in the workplace and continue developing your practical skills, while forming useful industry relationships. We spoke to three students from the 2018-19 cohort, who’ve secured fantastic internships at top companies, about their experience and top tips.

Finding an internship

Brian secured his position with Johnson&Johnson, in their international recruitment development programme (IRDP), through an event he organised. “As the President of the Healthcare Club at the Business School, I invited J&J to hold an event on campus last November,” he said. “This event provided students with information about the IRDP and gave an insight into life at the organisation.”

Divya will be spending ten weeks at American Express as a Human Resources MBA Summer Intern. “I applied for this internship online on the American Express website. This was always a company I was interested in and so I regularly monitored their careers page.”

Paulina agrees that ensuring staying up to date is very important. “I searched it online, and I signed up to receive email alerts keep me aware of opportunities,” she said. “It’s very important to subscribe to different newsletters, as they have different perspectives and focuses.” Paulina will be spending eight weeks in Hong Kong at JP Morgan, working in the wealth management sector serving ultra high net-worth individuals.

Applying with help from Imperial College Business School Careers

All three of the students had some help from our Careers team when applying for their internships.

“While I found the position and decided to apply for it independently, I had a lot of help from my Careers Consultant during the application and interview process,” said Divya.

My Careers Consultant helped me refine my resume and cover letter prior to applying. Before the interview process began we worked on mock interviews and continued to meet as I progressed through the rounds for additional practice.

Brian also found his role independently, using the support Careers offers for interview preparation.

“Experienced advice from my Careers Consultant ensured that I was prepared for each round of the interview process. A number of workshops run by Careers contributed to my application success. In particular, the ‘Networking skills’ workshops have been key in understanding how to approach people within an industry or role I am interested in,” he said.

Like her classmates, Paulina also sought help from Careers to prepare for the interview process.

“In preparation I did seek help from Careers a lot. Especially from Andreia, my dedicated Careers Consultant, and the Finance Career Consultant Marie. Andreia helped me to practice some questions before my interviews, and encouraged me to use resources like Wall Street Prep.”

Paulina also got the chance to practice her video interview skills and get feedback. “I really did make good use of this, as nowadays video interviews are more and more popular,” she said.

Taking MBA learnings to the workplace

How will what they’ve learnt so far on the MBA programme help in their internships?

“I’ve learned a lot from my cohort, about time management, elevator pitches, and how to sell myself,” said Paulina.

I’ve learned a lot of soft skills, and had the chance to study electives related to my future job. I am studying Asset Management, Private Equity and Venture Capital, all of which are helpful for preparing to perform well in my future role.

Divya agrees. “Academically, modules like Strategy, Organisational Behavior and Decisions Analytics have helped me prepare. Working in teams throughout the MBA and with such a diverse group of students has also really helped me. In addition, giving presentations regularly has helped build up my confidence.”

Want to land an internship at a top company?

We asked Paulina, Divya and Brian what their top tip was for students looking to find their perfect internship.

“Know why you are interested in the company, the job and demonstrate why you are the best fit for the vacancy through your resume, cover letter and finally during the interview process,” said Divya.

Paulina highlighted the importance of being open: “I would encourage students to be open minded, and to do more research on all the possibilities, to widen your job searching scope to non-traditional roles and opportunities in additional countries. You may find the hidden gems,” she said.

She also mentioned making good use of alumni connections. “Throughout my preparation for this role and others, I found there were alumni who’ve worked in that company before. Often, you can easily message them on LinkedIn, introduce yourself, and they are really helpful.”

They will tell you all about the practical side of the job, and may be able to share useful tips and tailored advice according to your background. Alumni are a great network.

Brian thought that being open and putting yourself out there was the key. “An MBA programme immerses you in a new environment with new people. Aim to put yourself outside your comfort zone and take opportunities that come your way.”

Focus on learning new things and meeting new people. Building connections and networking can be the difference in helping you to secure a job or internship. Be brave and put yourself out there. You have nothing to lose.

Exciting times lie ahead for our students

“I am excited about the opportunity to work with people from all over the world, learn from my colleagues and managers, and most importantly make a significant impact through my work,” said Divya.

Brian is looking forward to making an impact on a global business, whilst learning more about the pharmaceutical industry. “It creates a platform where I can utilise the healthcare experience from my career and the commercial skills that I have developed on the MBA. Most of all, I am excited to work in a cross-functional team that creates value for its patients.”

“I’m looking forward to everything,” said Paulina. “I am really excited about the opportunity to progress my career in private banking. I am ready to leverage my relationship management experience and credit knowledge serving large-cap corporate, and I’m keen to learn the skillset required to service ultra high net-worth individuals.“

We’re wishing all of our students undertaking internships this summer the greatest success!

When Shivangi Gupta (MSc Economics and Strategy for Business 2018) became the go-to person for career advice for friends and family she was happy to help. What she didn’t realise back then was that she was laying the foundations for a path to fulfilling the educational dreams of young Indians and transforming the system one school at a time.

Not long after completing her programme at Imperial, Intelligent Education was born and Shivangi started her career as an Education Advisor and entrepreneur. Based in Delhi she works towards creating a brighter future of individuals and educational institutions. In her role as consultant she provides career and education counselling, profile building, advice on overseas education and soft skills training. She is also helping to transform the curriculum for schools and institutions through motivational talks and speeches. Plus her website provides insightful blog posts, such as what makes you stand out from the crowd and how to hone your study skills.

“The idea for my business bloomed from different facets and incidents,” explains Shivangi. “My friends and family always sought advice from me as to what should they do in the future and were always intrigued by my plans. I used to conduct extensive research on career options in different fields and opportunities to widen my horizons.

“In addition to this, I knew a lot of people in Delhi were looking for someone reliable to provide them with advice, but many of the education and counselling providers were overly commercialised. They also lacked information and knowledge of the new non-traditional options. These factors along with my willingness to help Indians make better use of their overflowing human capital, led me to pursue this as a career.”

Using the research, business, analytical and presentation skills she refined at Imperial, Shivangi is now working towards a Certificate of Counselling to enhance her offering to clients. And it seems as if this is already paying off. “I’m delighted that I’ve already been able to successfully help some people. I trained a group of young people in soft skills and have helped others get into their dream college. Honestly there’s no better feeling than that.”

Imperial taught me a lot. Apart from honing my business skills, it also polished me as a speaker and presenter. It helped me fine-tune my research skills, which is an important basis for any idea. I was also lucky enough to meet people with wonderful ideas and views, opening me to such different ideas and opinions from around the world.

“I am currently working with some clients to build their personal profile, as well as collaborating with some universities.”

Looking back at her time at Imperial, it was the conglomeration of business and economics – “Everything I like in one go” – which intrigued Shivangi about the programme. “The cosmopolitan nature of classes and the ambience of the School also appealed to me.

“Imperial taught me a lot. Apart from honing my business skills, it also polished me as a speaker and presenter. It helped me fine-tune my research skills, which is an important basis for any idea. I was also lucky enough to meet people with wonderful ideas and views, opening me to such different ideas and opinions from around the world.”

“I believe there is no better investment than investing in yourself and continuously growing and adding value to yourself. And education is the best way to achieve this. Hence, continuous education is mandatory in my belief.”

And it is this drive that motivates and fuels her future ambitions; presenting motivational TedX talks and being recognised in the Forbes 30 under 30. So watch this space!

William Soulier is an expert in the wine, spirits and luxury goods trade, with good knowledge of the hospitality, entertainment and media industry. He has experience in operational, digital and trade-marketing with strong commercial and creative skills. Add to this an MSc in Strategic Marketing (2014) from Imperial and it is no wonder he is founder and CEO of a major global brand influencer.

Professional background

“I decided to study at Imperial while working at LVMH because I was looking to fine-tune my marketing skills and move up the corporate ladder with a higher degree in my pocket. With a Bachelor in Business Administration from ESSEC, Imperial’s MSc Strategic Marketing seemed like the ideal fit in terms of prestige and curriculum.” 

In February 2017 William launched Talent Village. This clever online platform allows brands to manage their social media campaigns quickly and easily, with the help of ‘hyper-engaged models, athletes, authors and other key talent’. Simply put, the platform matches online influencers to brands who promote their products through social media posts. The concept behind ‘beautiful people selling beautiful things’ is not a new one, the difference with Talent Village is the intelligent algorithms, the online platform and monitoring/tracking functionality behind this brand influencer.

Talent Village

“At our core, we are a blend of creatives, geeks and marketing innovators. Our aim is to innovate the way influencer campaigns are conducted, by automating all steps through our tech solution, whilst providing the flexibility and responsiveness of a boutique creative agency.

I knew that when launching a business, it was key to immerse myself fully into the industry – to understand the competitive landscape, specifics of the trade and who the main players are.

“We have quickly established Talent Village as a pioneer of high-end influence, specialising in the luxury sector. With the vast majority of luxury brands struggling to enter the era of influence, anxious to protect the image of their identity, they do not let anyone represent them on social networks. This is why we help target both the intended audience and the talent’s personal profile, allowing the advertiser to ensure that the influencer’s appearance, character and values are in sync with the brand’s DNA. We have managed successful campaigns for Estée Lauder, LVMH and Chanel, providing brands with access to the most influential talents of the moment.

“We are committed to providing our clients with authentic content and ensure our talent is credible and have expertise in their profession. Marketeers now have a tool to access brand influencer budgets and build lasting partnerships with their talent.”

Advice to budding entrepreneurs

“I knew that when launching a business, it was key to immerse myself fully into the industry – to understand the competitive landscape, specifics of the trade and who the main players are. It is important to keep your eyes peeled and interact with your opponents, you have to become one of them! A lot of entrepreneurs are so focused on what they are building that they close up and forget that building strong relationships is critical for success.”

Looking back on your time at Imperial

“The course was extremely hands-on with multiple marketing projects and even a marketing consulting job which had to be executed for a partner company. We were also lucky enough to have some of the best professionals of the marketing industry give conferences regularly which helped bridge the gap between academics and the expectations of the corporate world. This enabled me to develop pitching skills and benchmark my work to professional standards. Finally, Imperial gave me the opportunity to build great relationships with like-minded students eager to give the entrepreneurial adventure a try.”

Written by Tina Chen (Full-Time MBA 2018) founder/Chief Tea Officer at myTEA is Mighty.

At myTEA, we real-brew wholesome, plant-based tea lattes with Fairtrade, organic ingredients. We also follow a triple bottom line business model, supporting physical and mental well-being initiatives, utilising sustainable packaging, and promoting upcycling and circular economy techniques.

Today, I’m spilling the tea, and I want to share with you my journey of starting myTEA is Mighty, and my top three tips to get you up and running your own mighty business!

Don’t be afraid to ask for help and support. LinkedIn is your new best friend.  Go ahead and ask away!

Prior to studying for my MBA at Imperial College Business School, I worked as an IT consultant at Accenture. I possessed no prior beverage industry experience or knowledge. During my MBA, I focused on innovation and entrepreneurship, sustainability, and social impact modules. Participating in the WE Innovate Programme run by the Imperial Enterprise Lab  allowed me to experience the entrepreneurial world in a safe setting. I decided that entrepreneurship was the path I wanted to follow after completing my degree.

I wanted to start a business that brought both positive social and environmental impact. Through utilising my connections at Imperial and the Enterprise Lab, I was able to receive the support and business advice needed to launch my drinks company, myTEA is Mighty.

The Enterprise Lab offers an array of useful resources for Imperial students, ranging from business coaching, entrepreneurial speaker series, experts-in-residence sessions, and pitching and networking events. It’s a great space to receive support and meet fellow entrepreneurs. I ran my first tea tasting and feedback session at the Enterprise Lab, which provided valuable feedback on the taste, flavours, and visuals and really helped me refine the recipes.

As an alumna of Imperial College Business School, I reached out to Imperial’s catering team about stocking myTEA Lattes at the brand new vegan café Plantworks. The Imperial community is strong, and you should make use of it when reaching out for advice and feedback. Everyone you meet during your time at Imperial from fellow classmates to professors are forever a part of your Imperial family.  My marketing professor at the Business School provided me with sound advice on marketing techniques as well as moral support.

Maintain a strong mission and value for your business. Understand clearly what your company stands for.  Solve a problem with your business and fill a gap in the market.  Passion is key

Also, networking is key to building a community of people who share your interests and values. I attended numerous relevant events run by food and drink communities like Bread & Jam, Young Foodies, and YFood. For entrepreneurial startup support, I would recommend the Virgin StartUp StepUp programme, a two-day bootcamp that allows you to learn the fundamentals of sales and funding. And just as important, you should connect with people you meet on LinkedIn or exchange business cards in order to stay in touch.

Throughout my entrepreneurial journey, I reached out to founders of successful drink companies via LinkedIn.  Through a concise LinkedIn message, I was able to set up calls and in-person meetings with numerous founders, who generously offered their time to talk and meet with me and share their valuable experiences. This gave me insight to the steps I needed to take to develop a product and brand and start giving out samples to gather feedback.

I also attended many food and drink trade shows and conferences, like Food Matters Live, IFE, and London Coffee Festival where I met other founders, who have kindly shared with me their routes to market and knowledge on manufacturing and supply chain. And although asking for help is important, I think it is also equally important to give back your time as well, so I’m happy to help others.

Maintain a strong mission and value for your business. Understand clearly what your company stands for and filla gap in the market

At myTEA, we not only real-brew tasty, naturally energising vegan tea lattes, but we also aim to empower you through our “me time, tea time, any time” values.

I started myTEA because I was frustrated by the lack of true tea beverages in the ready-to-drink sector. Through market research and analysis, I found out that one of the main causes of obesity is due to sugary soft drinks. On top of this, 1 in 6 people in the UK suffer from stress due to work, so taking a tea break can really help one find mindfulness! That’s why myTEA lattes are made with agave nectar instead of normal sugar and is less than 50 calories per bottle.

We also support physical and mental well-being initiatives as well as promote circular economy by cleaning and reusing the bottles when customers return them to us and donating the cost of the bottles to support these type of initiatives – a kind of social deposit instead of a typical bottle deposit. We use Fairtrade, organic, and plant-based ingredients and sustainable glass packaging because ethical sourcing and eco-friendly design is at the heart of our business.

As a Taiwanese-American living in London, I was inspired by Taiwanese bubble tea concept and British tea drinking culture to create a healthy, well-balanced tea latte that is as tasty as it is naturally energising.  myTEA contains no preservatives, additives, emulsifiers, or artificial flavours and uses actual tea instead of tea concentrate or powder unlike most RTD tea beverages on the market; now, that’s one MIGHTY tea!

Organise your time wisely! Set actionable goals, stay positive, and be proactive and persistent

When you start a business, and especially if you’re a sole founder like myself, one of the things you will lack the most is time! So, it is very important to lay out a timeline for yourself and set actionable goals. I started working full-time on my business idea in October 2018 and decided to incorporate the business on 5 December 2018. Incorporating the business allowed me to gain more credibility when communicating with other companies, like manufacturers and branding agencies. Also, I was able to join the London Agri-Food Innovation Clinic, which supports young food and drink startups with useful workshops and other EU-funded programmes like Advance London, which helps businesses effectively implement circular economy.

I set goals for myself to start selling by spring, and I was able to reach my target and began trading in March. Since then we’ve held pop-ups all around London and sold at farmers’ markets, including specialised vegan markets. Earlier this year we started selling our myTEA Lattes at Plantworks on campus. And in May, we showcased at YFood London Food Tech Week and traded during Borough Market’s Innovation Week. Next steps include getting in to more retail environments, like Selfridges, Planet Organic, and Whole Foods. We are also exploring business catering opportunities.

It is so important to remain positive. Of course, there will be both ups and downs when starting a business, like low margins or legal issues, but just stay positive and you will come out winning at the end! Moreover, remaining proactive and persistent will allow you to stay on track to hit your actionable goals. For example, if you’re trying to gain new leads and send an email to a potential customer, then you may need to send 3-4 emails or even follow up with a call until the person notices or finds time to talk with you. After all, if you don’t ask, then you don’t get. Now, go out there, and start your mighty business!

Find out more about myTEA is Mighty via Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram as well as Tina’s Women4Climate profile.

Written by Andrea Solana (Full-Time MBA 2014) and Imperial Women’s Network committee member. 

‘Innovation in Healthcare Technology’ was the topic of discussion at the latest the Imperial Women’s Network event (15 May 2019). With the help of some leading industry professionals, and an audience of over 40 Imperial alumni and guests, the session explored how innovation can be introduced into healthcare technologies.

Chairing the discussion was Ian Davies, an optometrist who spent the majority of his career with Johnson & Johnson before retiring in 2018. Ian now focuses on coaching and consulting healthcare innovation startups.  

Ian framed the beginning of the discussion by outlining three types of change:

1. Incremental Change – the most common form of innovation involving small process improvements that do not have a significant impact on the current structure or model.
2. Substantial Change – this involves process improvements of a larger nature through a lean exercise to make the structure or model as flexible, lightweight and effective as possible.
3. Transformational Change – this is the disruptive form of innovation and involves identifying new technologies within the existing market.

The current challenge for the industry is the fact that demand and need for healthcare has outstripped the pace of innovation. The key is to work out how to achieve transformational innovation and then how to successfully embed it within the marketplace. 

Ian introduced four the panellists, who then took up the discussion:

Dr Syed Jafri, (Full-Time MBA 2007), Global Head of Clinical and Medical Affairs, Linde PLC’s Hospital and Home Healthcare businesses

Syed focused on how all innovation starts with a small idea which needs to be scaled. He discussed how pilot studies can be adopted and moved into a mature system that benefit patients and provide quick learning. He gave the example of COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and the RightCare Pathway pilot run by the NHS in conjunction with other partners. The trial highlighted that patients often delay seeking treatment of early symptoms, which led to hospitalisation. But if they treated their early symptoms, then in most instances hospitalisation could be prevented. This could lower costs and save more lives.

Syed went on to explain that unless a pilot study is performed in an environment that is similar to the one in which affected patients live, the results will not necessarily be reliable. Therefore it is important to ensure that studies do not take place in curated population environments and that the environment matches the characteristics of the actual population with the affliction.

The aim for innovation is that it is effective, usable, reliable, scalable and valuable.

Dr Amber Kennard: Director, Deloitte (Deloitte UK Health Innovation team)

Amber began by explaining how once innovations have been validated they need to be rolled out, which can require a very different approach to that traditionally used. Amber discussed a technology that is still in its infancy but has shown great potential to be commonplace in hospitals in the future. The solution called RITA – ‘Referral & Intelligent Triage Analytics’ – seeks to quickly and efficiently assess patient triage. In its early implementation, RITA has been accurate more than 90% of the time in predicting the urgency status of patients in hospitals. It is only in instances where the confidence level of the assessment is too low that a clinician must review. The solution allows for real time capacity assessment, faster patient triage, quality assurance and education all whilst saving clinical time and money.

Dr Jean Nehme (MSc Surgery and Cancer 2011), CEO and Founder of Touch Surgery

Jean believes that training is critical in the adoption of new procedures and technologies. He noted that there are currently 5 billion people around the world without access to safe surgical services. Disease that stems from surgery causes more deaths worldwide than many major illnesses. Jean has helped develop an interactive training tool called Touch Surgery to help simulate surgery and provide a guide to every step of a procedure. Surgeons have the direct ability to test their surgical knowledge and rehearse for surgery. The tool is now being used around the world and is also helping to deliver training for doctors in their residency periods.

Jean’s final advice to those wanting to innovate: First, innovate in an area that you care about otherwise you will give up when times inevitably get difficult. Second, be ready to fail multiple times and be agile before you achieve success.

Liz Shanahan, Non-Executive Director of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Any innovation needs to be integrated into existing health systems, Liz explained as she discussed how innovation is brought into the NHS.  

The Trust has a 300-year history in innovation and has displayed excellence in Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology, HIV Care and Cancer Clinic fast tracking. The focus is on staff-led innovation looking to seek out progressive ideas internally as opposed to looking outside. The Trust hired four people specifically to help to embed innovations within the organisation which increases the likelihood of staff adopting change.

A highlight of this approach was the introduction of a mouth-care improvement programme which resulted in a reduction in hospital acquired pneumonia and a 67% reduction in mortality.

Q&A 

A Q&A session followed, which focused on the next biggest innovation that will come from Artificial Intelligence and what the biggest barriers are in bringing innovation into health care.

The panellists agreed that due to the aging population and current trends, the next biggest innovation is likely to be around keeping people well longer as opposed to individuals experiencing prolonged periods of deteriorating health.

A big barrier and challenge in funding innovation in health care is that investors often view the health care industry against traditional business models which results in health care innovations sometimes being challenged too early and thereby potentially cutting off good ideas before they have the opportunity to get off the ground.

Our thanks to all the panellist for their time and expertise. You can find out more about the Imperial Women’s Network and join the LinkedIn group here.

Working at NASA is something that kids grow up dreaming about. But when you get the itch to do something different, where do you go? For Neel Savani, the journey led him back to a place he’d been before: Imperial College London.

Journey to NASA

It was  2011, and Neel was landing in Washington D.C. to grasp the opportunity of a lifetime. He was about to start working with a group of renowned scientists, drawn from all over the world. At an organisation synonymous with innovation and ambition.

He was about to work with NASA.

After just one application, Neel had been accepted as a NASA Research Fellow. Just a few months earlier, he’d headed out to Japan to take up a prestigious Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Research Fellowship. But this was NASA. It was too good an opportunity to pass up, after completing the fellowship in Japan. He was stationed at the US Naval Research Laboratory, Solar Division. He was part of a large, established team, and had the opportunity to visit the storied NASA centre once a week.

“It was a really prestigious place to go”, he said.

Here Neel began his career in Space Weather studies, a branch of space physics and aeronomy that looks at the time-varying conditions within our solar system. And that was just the start. After his two year fellowship, he continued his work with NASA in the research faculty of George Mason University, as a visiting scientist to NASA’s heliospheric and space weather divisions.

Neel was offered a more permanent role at NASA in 2015 alongside the University of Maryland. He took the lead in developing new technologies in virtual reality to drive new scientific innovation and evolving medical MRI technology for NASA’s use. In eight years, Neel had enjoyed a fascinating ride. But he started to contemplate how his next chapter might unfold.

“People talk about having three careers in their lifetime. And I was ready to move.”

Landing back at Imperial

When you’ve spent years exploring the outer reaches of space and technology, planning an exciting next move is a challenging task. But Neel had a few places he wanted to explore. “I wanted to do something innovative”, he said.

In truth, that was something that had motivated him for years. He’d moved from his hometown of Brighton to study physics as an undergraduate at Imperial. From there, he’d found himself going into investment banking. But after five months, he knew he wanted something more than a big pay cheque. So he returned to Imperial to complete a PhD in Space Physics.

“I wanted to be involved in a PhD that improved my computational skills and used the data side of things, so I chose space physics. It was the perfect mix between what I wanted as a career element and something that I truly love doing.”

So as he sat at this crossroad, he knew what he was looking for next. “I wanted a place that had diversity of people, thinking and methodology.” And that’s how he ended up back in London.

Neel decided to return to his alma mater, and pursue a Full-Time MBA at Imperial College Business School. He had friends that had attended the likes of LBS and Harvard Business School, and knew about their strong reputation. But most of all, he was looking for an experience where he could learn from other students as well as teachers, and an environment that would encourage him to think differently.

“I didn’t want to go through a machine and be regurgitated as someone made to go into management. I wanted to do something with the freedom of thought which, for me, is a starter block for all innovative ideas.”

Neel had also heard good things about the community at the Business School and knew it was the right fit for him. “When you’re working in the real world, you’re working as part of a team and strong collaboration is really beneficial. On the MBA, we all want to help each other improve but we don’t do it at the expense of each other.”

The character of the MBA – and the city it was based in – also gave him the chance to learn without losing sight of the innovative environment he’d been working in.

Imperial is a world leader in science and innovation and it’s all on your doorstep. For anyone who loves tech and innovation, London is an adult’s playground.

Since being back in London, Neel’s been able to relink with old friends and connections, as well as discover what’s new on the tech scene.

Next steps

Neel is set to finish his MBA in August 2019. It’s given him the space to think about his next career steps and how he can make an impact. He knows the space sector is where he wants to be, but Neel is waiting for the right opportunity.

“I loved my time in the space sector, as it’s all so new and innovative. I’ve been spending time figuring out what I can do that maximises what I have done before, still makes an impact and can then be reused and re-skilled and has benefits back into the commercial space sector.”

But his time at the Business School has allowed Neel to broaden his interests, and channel his skills into new fields. “I love marketing analytics. It really maximises the data analytics and machine learning work that I have done previously. What I love about it is that there’s a lot of focus on being client-facing and adding value, and there are so many different ways of chopping up data, which I really love.

“I’d like to think it’s my new wild card.”

We would like to congratulate the students from Imperial College Business School who walked across the stage at Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday 8 May as graduates of the Class of 2019. These graduates are to be lauded for their dedication and many hours of tireless work to reach this momentous occasion.

This year we have 1,610 graduates, of which 283 MBA students, 1,308 MSc students and 19 Doctoral candidates. With 803 male and 807 female graduates, the gender split is almost 50/50.

Graduation gives students an opportunity to come together as a class one more time with their friends, family and loved ones in tow. It’s a joyous occasion, but it is also bittersweet. It marks the end of this chapter of their life, and marks for many the beginning of their career, or a continuance of their journey with a new direction. It’s the beginning of a new era of opportunities and professional and personal development.

In classic London style, the Class of 2019 were greeted by a rainy graduation day as they organised their tickets and gowns. However, no downpour could dampen their spirits and the sun burst out just as students ascended the steps to the Royal Albert Hall.

Taking the stage at Royal Albert Hall

We host the graduation ceremony every year at the Royal Albert Hall, a stunning and historic building around the corner from our South Kensington campus. Getting to walk across the stage at the Hall to collect their graduation certificate is something that students will remember for a lifetime.

The location adds gravity to the occasion, graduating from Imperial College Business School is a huge accomplishment and all students should be immensely proud of this achievement. It is the perfect end of the hard work and dedication that we ask of our students.

President of Imperial College London, Alice Gast, delivered an inspiring speech at the ceremony, “Today is a day to celebrate your accomplishments. Your success at Imperial is a testament to your hard work and your passion for learning. You came to Imperial from places both far and near. You’ve come from different neighbourhoods, different counties, different countries, different continents.”

She said: “You have received your degree at an exciting time…And yet this is also a challenging time where we must continue to work together across disciplines, across cultures, and across borders. Our different upbringings, personal histories and cultures bring new insights and link to new approaches into new discoveries.”

“I urge you to be international in your work and in your lives. Seek opportunities to work with others from different backgrounds. Continue to explore the world.”

After Alice Gast’s speech, the ceremony continued with the presentation of certificates to graduates. God Save the Queen finished the proceedings and students spilled out of Royal Albert Hall, cheering at their new status as Imperial graduates.

One of the graduating students is Candice Gray, who completed the Global Online MBA. She travelled to be at graduation from Trinidad and Tobago, where she studied for her MBA part-time while working full-time. Speaking on graduation she said:

It feels fantastic! I’m very happy to be here with my family. They’ve really sacrificed a lot for me to finish this two-year programme.

The celebrations continued with receptions hosted all over the College for each programme, providing graduates with an opportunity to share a drink with their cohort, family, friends, and faculty from the College.

While it saddens us to bid these students farewell, we’re sure this will not be their last time at the College. Graduation doesn’t mean the end of their time with us but marks their transition from students to alumni of Imperial College Business School.

As Leila Guerra, Associate Dean of Programmes said, “Our graudates leave the School with a big community that is now part of them, they leave the School with friends that will be there for life, and they leave with our recognition and the fact that we’re so immensely proud of them.”

Honouring outstanding students

On graduation eve, the Dean of Imperial College Business School, Francisco Veloso, hosted a reception to honour our brightest, most innovative, engaged and overall outstanding students. Francisco took this opportunity to welcome the graduating students to our alumni community.

Amongst those celebrated were the Dean’s Community Award winners, recipients of the Dean’s List, the Dean’s Student Advisory Board members, programme prize winners, our student ambassadors, SSC representatives and student club leaders.

Students came from near and far to be at the reception, so it was only fitting to hold the event at the beautiful Institute of Directors building at Pall Mall, right l in the heart of London.

Francisco Veloso opened the evening with a speech to greet the distinguished students and impart some wisdom with them. He said, “One very important element of what it means to come and study and be with us at Imperial College Business School is to think about you how you can be an agent of change – in your company, in your non-profit, in your family or whatever environment you are now contributing – to think about, with the new tools, with the new understanding and experiences that you gained, how you are going to be that agent of change.”

The graduands spent the rest of the evening catching up with their classmates, lecturers and members of the Programmes teams who supported them through their studies. They also got the chance to forge new connections on both a professional and personal level with students from other programmes.

Thank you to the Class of 2019

We know that this graduating class will go achieve greatness in their respective fields, but will also be the future leaders of global society, leading with integrity. We ensure that students are equipped with the toolkit to excel in our increasingly technology-driven world.

We can’t wait to follow the endeavours of the graduating class, our newest alumni of Imperial College Business School.

Entrepreneur and alumnus Melvin Poh (MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management 2015) not only has a thriving startup under his belt, but a prestigious business title too. Recently recognised in the Forbes ‘30 Under 30’ list for Asia in Media, Marketing and Advertising, Melvin spoke to us about the vision for his startup and why access to business knowledge is so empowering.

What gave you the idea for your business?

The idea for The Asian Entrepreneur arose from the uniquely challenging nature of economic and entrepreneurial development in Asia, where business processes are fundamentally different. Asia presents immense economic potential and widespread opportunities for market impact. However there is a knowledge gap surrounding the unique challenge of entrepreneurship and business in the region.

The Asian Entrepreneur was conceived to provide access to business knowledge.  The accessible media platform allows entrepreneurs to share practical insights and valuable experiences. 

How did it feel when your business launched?

Taking the first step to launch the venture was an incredibly difficult decision. The ambitious task seemed very daunting – we were targeting an entire region rather than a single country! I therefore sat on the idea for a long time before actually taking the first step to initiate it. Much time was spent on planning the business model and potential development. I shall never forget the initial mixed feelings of fear, excitement as well as the great sense of purpose and commitment when the business was finally launched. 

What was the greatest challenge you faced in starting out?

The greatest challenge has been scaling our organisation and making it sustainable to realise our unique mission. It is quite challenging because the underlying ethos is to create greater accessibility to knowledge. Therefore we made access to our content entirely free. We also tweaked our business model to ensure the integrity of our content. This means that we cannot rely on traditional methods of generating revenue. For example, our platform does not possess a paywall, users can access everything with absolutely no barriers. We have also largely forgone traditional advertising to create the cleanest user experience possible. These decisions are spurred by the social nature of our organisation. We’ve had to be incredibly creative and tenacious about how to scale in spite of the extra challenges with the business structure. 

What have been the key lessons learned from the whole process?

There are three major lessons that I’ve learnt:

1. Entrepreneurship is an inherently organic and uncertain process. We should accept and embrace this. It is not possible to plan for every scenario with certainty and control every aspect of a business and its development. No amount of planning or risk management can prevent unpredictable external influences. As entrepreneurs, we must be ready to adapt and improvise. Being a successful entrepreneur is an iterative process.
2. Entrepreneurship is inevitably a group effort. Ambitious ventures cannot be realised alone and is often dependent on the team you create, the way you interact with and work with them as well as other people in the business community. It is very much about building and managing alliances.
3. Entrepreneurship is perhaps one of the most tiring career paths. There is this idea that being an entrepreneur is a great escape from the 9 to 5 grind. Ironically that is true, but in the most unexpected and perhaps undesired way. This is because you end up adopting a 24/7 schedule instead, where work is the only constant on the back of your mind. Being an entrepreneur and business owner means that you must oversee every aspect of the business. It took me a long time to get accustomed to this. It is also important to consider the psychological side of running your own business – you don’t want to burn out before you have achieved your goals.

What has been the highlight so far?

One of the greatest highlights has been an email I received from someone in Mongolia. He explained that he was aspiring entrepreneur who always had dreams of pursuing business in Asia. However, he had no idea where or how to start. He never studied business and the resources in his country were extremely limited. But through the discovery of The Asian Entrepreneur, he was finally able to get personal insights on entrepreneurship in Asia. Today, the individual has migrated to Singapore where he has co-founded a financial technology startup. He emailed me to express his gratitude for our work which has aided him in his career. To know we have positively impacted the lives of others is always a highlight for me. It’s a reminder that knowledge has the ability to empower people. That is why our mission is so important and why I am so passionate about my work. 

Any advice to budding entrepreneurs?

In our work, we have spoken to thousands of budding entrepreneurs. Many of them often ask how they can avoid failure. The most important advice I’ve discovered is: do not be afraid to fail because failure is inevitable. The truth is failure is an inevitable part of life and a fundamental component of business. Unexpected results will often arise. There are many examples of how genius entrepreneurs have failed, but gone on to achieve great success. The importance lies in discovering the reasons for failure, rectifying it and adapting one’s approach. Thus, the biggest takeaway is to be prepared of failure and changing your mindset on failure; learn to embrace it. 

Entrepreneurship is an inherently organic and uncertain process. We should accept and embrace this. It is not possible to plan for every scenario with certainty and control every aspect of a business and its development. No amount of planning or risk management can prevent unpredictable external influences. As entrepreneurs, we must be ready to adapt and improvise.

How did your time at the Business School help you?

My time at Imperial has contributed substantially and positively to my entrepreneurial journey. I was previously a barrister specialising in corporate finance, and so Imperial has equipped me with valuable business knowledge and the foundation to tackle starting my own business. It has certainly assisted me in shaping my business ideas and made me much more analytical.

The cross-pollination of multiple disciplines and faculties is also a defining characteristic of Imperial. It was inspiring to study with such diverse people of different nationalities and backgrounds. Interacting with them has endowed me with a global perspective and an alumni network spanning globe. Many of the professors have also been great mentors, teaching important lessons that have shaped many parts of my business today. The Business School has been a great stepping stone towards even greater moments in my life and studying at Imperial stands one of the best decisions I have taken. 

I believe business education is a weapon for progress that can be used to progressively change the world of tomorrow and empower. This is why I believe that accessibility to business knowledge should be a right and not a privilege.