David Lluís Madrid Garcia

About you

What work experience/internships did you have before beginning with Imperial College Business School?

Prior to joining Imperial, I worked as a consultant intern for 12 months at Deloitte. I implemented and tested software (SAP) for a multinational energy client operating in Mexico, Brazil, Spain and Italy. In addition, I have worked as a volunteer treasurer and monitor in an educational organisation in Barcelona, focused on implementing social and environmental projects for children aged six to 18. I have also worked as a private tutor for groups preparing students for A-levels in subjects such as maths, physics and chemistry.

Why did you decide to study an MSc Climate Change, Management & Finance at Imperial College Business School?

During the last year of my degree in Aerospace Engineering, I studied electives modules including Wind Turbines and Energy Efficiency Systems. I have always been interested in environmental and social problems, but after finishing these two modules and working at Deloitte in the energy sector, I realised I want to work on sustainability. This MSc offers the perfect combination of science and business, which was exactly what I was looking for at the moment of the application.

Did you receive a scholarship?

I feel very grateful to have received the Imperial College Business School Scholarship, a great financial help. The scholarship motivates me to keep working and to start building some of the projects I had in mind before joining Imperial in London.

Programme

What aspects of the programme do you most enjoy the most?

What I enjoy the most about this programme is the combination of science and business. Almost all of the finance and management modules are taught completely touching on sustainability. In addition, the fact that some of the lecturers are from the Grantham Institute gives a unique value to the programme. From my point of view, having both excellent researchers and business leaders as professors brings together the whole picture of the consequences of climate change.

Which has been your favourite module so far and why?

My favourite module so far has been Business Economics, Climate Change and the Environment with Dr Mirabelle Muûls. During my undergraduate, I barely studied business topics, which made this module a completely new experience. Also, Dr Muûls has a particular way of teaching that I really enjoyed. We prepared for the lectures by doing some readings, and then in class we had interactive and interesting discussions about what we had read.

What has been the most rewarding part of the programme?

The most rewarding part of the programme has been the weekly external speakers talks. Industry professionals come to Imperial to present what their company is doing and share insights about climate change. In addition, we get exposure to a big number of events, challenges and competitions focused on sustainability and green finance. 

"Industry professionals come to Imperial to present what their company is doing and share insights about climate change."

What has been the most challenging part of the programme? 

In my opinion, the most challenging part of the programme is planning all the coursework, exams, society events, participation in challenges and personal life. There are a lot of things going on at the same time and organising everything can be challenging, especially in exam period.

People

How would you describe your cohort at Imperial?

The mix of backgrounds and interests is incredible. People are very open-minded and everyone is willing to help. Also, given the different areas of expertise, everyone has something to learn and to teach, which helps to quickly build great relationships.

Opportunities

What has been the greatest opportunity you have had at Imperial?

The greatest opportunity I have had at Imperial has been participating in different sustainability challenges and work on personal or other colleagues’ ideas. Being on this programme has allowed me to meet incredible, innovative people that want to make a positive impact in the world and have professional experience in some areas that I hadn’t studied before. 

"Being on this programme has allowed me to meet incredible, innovative people that want to make a positive impact in the world"

Career

What are your future career goals and how have they been realised since being at Imperial?

I would like to work in providing sustainable technology solutions for developing countries, and I would also enjoy working for climate change adaptation/mitigation projects within these countries. The UN has a broad expertise in this area, and it is currently one of my main career goals. On the other hand, I am very interested in renewable energies and I really enjoy the consulting world, so I am also looking for opportunities within this sector. Finally, being able to implement the ideas I am currently working on would be a dream come true.

How did the services from Careers help you in your professional development?

Imperial College Business School Careers has been helpful for practising interviews, building a strong CV and improving my networking skills. In addition, they have provided me with valuable feedback on my LinkedIn profile and how to structure job applications. Careers also provides me with a broad range of resources to build stronger communication, writing and analytical skills, as well as case studies and other materials useful for real interviews.

London Location

Do you think studying in a central location such as London is beneficial for networking and career opportunities?

Absolutely! Being at the heart of the city allows you to assist in daily events, attend talks in company’s offices, have meetings with potential employers and more. In addition, being in this part of the city gives you the opportunity to go running to Hyde Park, visit museums and enjoy good food restaurants.

Tips

What advice would you give someone who is thinking about applying for the programme?

The first thing I would recommend is to know why you want to study this Master’s. What do you expect to learn? Why is it useful for your future career goals? What experiences do you hope to have at Imperial? Why specifically a Master’s that combines the science of climate change with business?

The second piece of advice I would give is to be completely open-minded and willing to change about opinions or interests. The programme provides you with plenty of different inputs that can make you realise you are much more interested in a topic than you previously thought.