Seyon Indran

About you

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

Before joining Imperial, I gained experience across consulting, start-ups, and marketing through several internships throughout my undergraduate degree. These experiences gave me two crucial perspectives: how start-ups internally fuel growth and how VCs and consultancies blend creativity, financial analysis and strategic foresight to accelerate company growth. Seeing these dynamics helped me decide that I want to explore the opportunities open within venture capital during my time at Imperial.

Why did you decide to study an MSc Economics & Strategy for Business at Imperial College Business School?

My undergraduate degree in BSc Economics was mostly theoretical and quantitative; an aspect which I incredibly enjoyed, but going into my third and final year, I knew I wanted to find out how the models and theoretical foundations which I had learnt could be applied in a corporate setting. Having spent weeks researching, I found that Imperial was the only university that offered this unique blend of Economics and Strategy through studying MSc Economics & Strategy for Business. Combined with the fact that Imperial College Business School has employer relations and extra-curricular activities, I knew Imperial was the only place I should apply for.

Programme

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

I’ve really enjoyed meeting and getting to know such a wide variety of people with such diverse backgrounds, whether that be in nationality, academic backgrounds or even career interests and hobbies. It’s a great feeling to be able to share common interests with people from all across the world, but to also learn and explore new things from those same people as well. I’ve also really enjoyed the modules studied so far; not only have they been directly relevant to the industries I want to pursue a career in, but they’ve also opened my eyes to roles that I may also enjoy, such as Strategy Consulting.

"It’s a great feeling to be able to share common interests with people from all across the world, but to also learn and explore new things from those same people as well."

Which has been your favourite module so far and why?

My favourite module is a tie between Strategic Marketing and Corporate Finance. Our Strategic Marketing coursework asked us to pitch an idea for a start-up in any industry; I really enjoyed how broad the task was and found the process of designing an app prototype and pitching the start-up to be incredibly exciting! As for Corporate Finance, the module taught me key technical skills that I knew would be applicable to a career in finance or Venture Capital, such as financial modelling and valuations.

What has been the most rewarding part of the programme?

The opportunities presented and the experiences I have gained are most certainly the most rewarding part of the programme. Getting exposure to industries I have a passion for through great career events and networking opportunities alongside very relevant modules has helped me progress considerably through my desired career journey; leading me to obtain a summer position in venture capital; an industry I’m incredibly passionate about. As for experiences, I’ve really enjoyed being able to work hard and socialise with an incredible group of people; all with a similar work ethic and passion for making the most out of this great opportunity. These extend to not only being able to socialise with an incredible group of people but also the experiences of going through challenging parts of the programme.

"Getting exposure to industries I have a passion for through great career events and networking opportunities alongside very relevant modules has helped me progress considerably through my desired career journey."

Career

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

My aim is to pursue a career in venture capital upon graduation. Over the years following, I aim to develop a deeper understanding of a sector I find interesting and, in the long-run, transition into a strategic role within a start-up operating in that space. Starting at Imperial, I had a variety of roles that I was interested in and was unsure of which industries and roles I should focus on pursuing, so I thought it would be best to speak to one of the Business School’s Career Consultants. My first career planning consultation helped me identify my roles of interest which best aligned with my personality and career ambitions. Having done this, we worked on identifying which areas of my skillset need to be filled in order to be successful and the best next steps, which have so far proven to be very useful.

Tips

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

Firstly, I would highly recommend getting as much exposure to and learning as much as possible about the Business School and the programme you wish to join. To achieve this I would encourage you to attend the relevant on-campus information sessions as this will give you a chance to interact, face-to-face with the people who will be teaching your programme and those already studying it, alongside further opportunities for interaction such as webinars and coffee chats. Furthermore, make the most of the chance to talk directly with the Student Ambassadors via UniBuddy; they’re always happy to answer any questions you have about the application process and our experiences in general.