Tell us about where your career has taken you since Graduating from LBS in 2017.
After graduating from the Global Masters in Management in 2017, I kick-started my professional career in strategy consulting at The Boston Consulting Group in London where I supported 10 different projects spanning multiple countries and industries. During a particular project with BCG Digital Ventures (now known as BCG X), I discovered my love for startups, entrepreneurship and operations and thus decided to leave consulting behind and embark on a four-year-long journey as Operations leader at the logistics tech company, Stuart Delivery.
From 2019 to 2023 I led operational teams in London and the UK through the Covid pandemic and held positions such as Director of Operations, where I was responsible for the operational and financial performance of Stuart UK while overseeing a department of 55 operators. However, having always had an interest in social impact and humanitarian work, I decided to pivot my career after six years in the private sector, into the new world of development. I joined the international NGO, TechnoServe, in Ethiopia in July 2023 as Market Systems Development Advisor, focused on driving the creation of 49,000 new jobs for women and youth in Addis Ababa.
Has the LBS global network continued to have an impact on your career – years later?
The LBS network has always played a direct or indirect role in my careers in consulting, operations and development. For instance, it was the LBS network that initially opened the door to consulting, providing me with boundless mentoring opportunities. In addition, my experience in Shanghai as part of the Global MiM was a critical factor for me to be able to join a China-based venture project at BCG Digital Ventures, which ultimately triggered my decision to join Stuart Delivery as Operations leader. Finally, at Stuart, a close-knit LBS peer helped me navigate the decision on whether to pivot my career into the development space. In short, the LBS network has always been there at critical points in my career, helping me charter my professional journey.
What made you want to apply to LBS and the Global MIM programme in particular?
My motivation to apply to LBS and particularly the Global MiM was based on the following two factors:
- The practical & hands-on nature of the LBS Masters: The close alignment to business both within and outside of the LBS curriculum is a great way to develop as a professional and acquire the practical skills needed to excel in a corporate environment. All while being directly exposed to these businesses through on-campus recruitment events, lectures and company visits.
- The ability to further my international career: As someone who had lived in Luxembourg, Philadelphia, New York and Tokyo prior to LBS, it was important to me to pursue my Masters in a truly global environment. The combination of London & Shanghai allowed me to explore new European and Asian business hubs, understand their ways of working and acquire cultural sensitivities that have been invaluable ever since.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about applying to the Global MIM programme?
When in doubt – apply! It’s a unique opportunity to take two years at the start of your career to really understand what drives you and what kind of opportunities are out there. In particular, the second year in Shanghai will equip you with the cross-cultural sensitivities and skills to pursue any international position afterwards.
How did your experience at LBS help shape your decision to go from consulting to social impact?
LBS is the kind of place that brings together different people with diverse ambitions. I have been fortunate enough to surround myself with this network since graduation and learn from my peers’ career choices. Through this exposure, I realized that it’s never too late to pivot your career and that as LBS graduates, we have invaluable experience to bring to a number of jobs, even in less traditional sectors such as development.
How did LBS and the Global MiM programme prepare you for diverse and global business landscapes?
Firstly, there’s the cultural challenge of adapting to development work in Ethiopia. Through the experience of living in Shanghai as part of the GMIM, I learned how to quickly get up to speed with a very different country including via the language, market research and local outreach. I managed to transfer this “playbook” to my first few months in Ethiopia which has allowed me to adapt relatively quickly to the local workplace and development context.
Secondly, the GMIM equipped me with a comprehensive and industry-agnostic “skills toolbox” that can be easily transferred to a number of roles and industries. The focus on critical thinking, strategy, communication and teamwork as well as the emphasis on networking and international business, allowed me to transition quite seamlessly from UK-based strategy consulting at BCG and operations at Stuart to development at TechnoServe in Ethiopia.
Written by Nuria Riechenberg, GMiM 2017.
We’re here to help: To support you in making the right decision when considering the GMiM programme we recommend reaching out to our Student Ambassadors and alumni who are happy to share their experiences and reflections. To gain more information about the programme structure, application process and requirements, get in touch with the recruitment team. They offer 1:1 consultations and profile feedback to support you in submitting the strongest application possible.