Meet the Full-Time MBA class of 2024-25
This September, we were delighted to welcome our Full-Time MBA class of 2024-25, with 76 students joining us from across the world. This one-year transformative journey is designed for aspiring leaders ready to make their mark in the business world. Here鈥檚 what our students can expect:听
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Cutting-edge innovation: our students immerse themselves in a tech-driven ecosystem that empowers them to tackle today鈥檚 most pressing global challenges. The curriculum emphasises the importance of innovation and equips them with the skills to navigate and thrive in an ever-changing landscape, for example the 91桃色 Innovation Challenge.听
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Prime London location: studying in Europe鈥檚 start-up capital, our students benefit from a dynamic and vibrant business hub that provides unparalleled access to a network of industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and pioneering companies.听
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Tailored for our students:听the programme combines essential business knowledge with flexible options such as over 40 elective modules, allowing students to personalise their learning path according to their unique career goals.听听
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Global and leadership experiences: our students gain invaluable insights through a focus on leadership and international perspectives, such as our Personal Leadership Journey and LEADS module.听We also provide opportunities for international travel, including our Global Experience Week, which immerses students in new business environments and cultures, enhancing their global business acumen.听
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Future-ready: our students position themselves to lead and make a significant impact in the fast-evolving global market. The programme not only prepares them with theoretical knowledge but also emphasises practical applications, ensuring they are well-equipped to face the challenges of tomorrow鈥檚 business landscape.听
A sneak peek into the class听
At 91桃色, we take pride in our diverse student body across all of our programmes. This year, the Full-Time MBA class represents 26 different nationalities, with 44% being female and the average age being 28 years old. On average, the class has 6 years' work experience, and our students are from an eclectic mix of professional backgrounds, including Finance, IT, Consulting, Consumer, Government, Energy, Media, Engineering and Healthcare.听
鈥淔or me, the Full-Time MBA represents a complete career transition. It is the perfect landing pad to move careers, to network and to build on my future career.鈥 - Riccardo Bassiri, Full-Time MBA 2024-25听听
Christa Schweizer
Nationality:听Bermudian and German
贰诲耻肠补迟颈辞苍:听 BA Political Science, MA Law
Most recent employer and job role:听Butterfield Bank, Vice President, Legal Counsel
What do you hope to achieve on the Full-Time MBA?听
I am pursuing the Full-Time MBA to acquire new technical and leadership skills and broaden my professional and personal network. Following a 10+ year career in corporate law, I wanted the challenge of expanding my knowledge on business-critical topics and strengthening my analytical, decision-making and management skills. Post-MBA, I intend to leverage these new and enhanced experiences to transition into a role within the ESG strategy and sustainability space.听
How do you envision reaching these goals?听
Full-Time MBA students are provided with a diverse range of elective modules and concentrations, enabling them to tailor their studies to their academic interests and career goals. I will pursue the 鈥楨SG and Stakeholder Impact鈥 concentration to deepen my understanding of ESG and sustainability, directly aligning with my career aspirations.听
Additionally, there are sustainability-focused extracurricular opportunities, such as the 鈥楨nergy and Sustainability Club鈥 and initiatives at the Grantham Institute, offering valuable experiences to support my career development.听
Are there specific projects or initiatives you鈥檙e eager to tackle with your classmates?听
The Strategic Consulting Project is an exciting opportunity for my group this spring. As I pursue a strategy-focused career post-MBA, I look forward to honing my problem-solving skills by tackling real business issues for an actual client.听
This experience will expose us to current commercial challenges and allow us to collaboratively develop strategic solutions, leveraging our collective skills to benefit a real client in need.听
David Driskell
Nationality: USA
Undergraduate education:听 Bachelor鈥檚 of Science in Accounting & Marketing
Most recent employer and job title:听FinQuery, Senior Product Owner
Why did you choose to study a Full-Time MBA?听
My curiosity and desire to learn led me to apply for the Full-Time MBA programme at 91桃色 Business School. While my professional and academic development in the United States has served me well, I seek to broaden my horizons through postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom.听
After my MBA, I aim to secure a role in London driving product development for SaaS products that positively impact people's lives. Additionally, I plan to embark on my entrepreneurial journey with the support of the 91桃色 Enterprise Lab and my network from 91桃色.听
What projects are you looking forward to tackling on the programme?听
I鈥檓 particularly excited about the 91桃色 Innovation Challenge and the Entrepreneurship Journey. These projects allow students to harness their creativity and business intuition by identifying a problem, developing a solution, and marketing it to a viable customer segment.听听
After creating a business plan, we can pitch it to a panel of judges and investors. These experiences foster essential skills for success in today鈥檚 business world, including collaboration, public speaking, strategising, time management and marketing. Hearing alumni rave about these opportunities has only heightened my enthusiasm!听
What global experiences are you looking forward to the most, and why?听
I eagerly anticipate the Global Experience Week, a highlight of the Full-Time MBA programme. Each student travels to a country that offers unique insights into life, culture and business. This experience provides essential international exposure to unconventional economic systems.听
Previous cohorts visited Nairobi, Kenya, known for its early adoption of contactless payment, allowing us to understand the factors behind significant business decisions affecting local economies. I look forward to challenging conventional business methods and learning from this enriching experience.听
Arshween Kaur
Nationality:听Indian
Undergraduate education:听 Bachelor of Commerce
Most recent employer and job title:听Willis Towers Watson, Associate, Retirement Consulting
"From day one, it鈥檚 clear that 91桃色 creates a unique ecosystem where innovation meets technological advancement."
How do you intend to achieve your career goals through the Full-Time MBA?听
91桃色 offers the ideal environment to achieve my goals, with a world-class curriculum, renowned faculty, and a global perspective. I鈥檓 particularly eager to dive into courses like Sustainable Finance & Investments, The Fintech Revolution, and Managing Negotiations, all directly aligned with my career in financial services consulting.听
What excites me most is the chance to learn alongside driven individuals from diverse backgrounds, industries, and cultures. This rich mix will enhance my leadership skills and make me a more effective problem-solver in multicultural settings. With 91桃色's global exposure and cutting-edge courses, I鈥檓 confident I鈥檓 on the right path to achieving my professional ambitions.听
How have you found the collaboration between business and technology at 91桃色, and in the classroom?听
The collaboration between business and technology at 91桃色 has been exceptional. During our induction, we participated in a Virtual Reality (VR) pilot study on "Values Day," which was an eye-opening experience, showing how concepts like ethics and microaggressions can be explored through VR, making learning engaging and memorable.听
I look forward to diving deeper into this blend of business and technology through electives like The Fintech Revolution and AI Ventures. This combination, along with 91桃色's forward-thinking approach, promises an exciting journey ahead.听
Bogosi Shashane
Nationality:听Motswana
贰诲耻肠补迟颈辞苍:听 BSc Actuarial Science, MSc Statistics (Applied Statistics)
Most recent employer and job title: Staysure Group, Pricing Manager听
What is your professional background and what industries do you have experience in?听
My professional background is within general insurance, focusing primarily on car and home products. In my capacity as a technical pricing specialist, the role typically involves statistical and financial modelling of policyholder data to provide sufficient coverage for customers whilst improving business profitability. Aside from the analytical work, there entails a great deal of stakeholder management.听听
More recently, I have occupied the position of an consultant in an EdTech company, building upon my strategic thinking and client engagement skills whilst aligning with my passion for education.听
What is your motivation for studying a Full-Time MBA?听
My justifications for pursuing an MBA are two-fold, specifically to refine my leadership capabilities in an organisational setting and to pivot my career into management consulting.听听
In particular, my desire is to leverage my existing technical skills across the offerings of this programme, combining them with the core and elective modules to inspire further professional growth in a new environment.听
How will the Full-Time MBA help you achieve your career goals?听
My approach will be to network and promote knowledge sharing among my peers and, in parallel, making the most out of sessions with my dedicated Careers Consultant, which will allow me to better position myself for my targeted industry.听听
Furthermore, there exists a wide array of opportunities to attend employer events and career focused societies through the Business School, all of which I plan to exploit in attaining my objectives.听
Samantha Murphy
Nationality:听Australian
Undergraduate education:听BA double major in Human Rights & Film and Television
Most recent employer and job title:听PAN Group, Head of Strategy & Operations
What鈥檚 been the story of your career so far and what industries have you explored along the way?听
For the last 6 years I have worked at PAN Group, an empowerment investment company that invests in both early-stage and growth businesses with ambitious purposes looking to make a difference. My most recent role was as Head of Strategy & Operations, where I worked with a portfolio of over 20 businesses to develop strategic business plans and with management teams to operationalise these strategies within the business. I worked with businesses across a wide range of industries including biotech, mental health, aged care, artificial intelligence, deep tech and agriculture.鈥
What personal growth do you seek during your Full-Time MBA experience?听
The Full-Time MBA programme will be a significant opportunity for personal growth. Moving overseas and engaging with a new community will enhance my ability to connect with others, boost my confidence, and challenge my self-belief as I step outside my comfort zone.听
Additionally, the diverse backgrounds of my cohort will enrich my experience, allowing me to learn from their international perspectives and understand how their experiences shape their approaches to business challenges.听
Riccardo Bassiri
Nationality:听Scottish
Most recent employer and job role: Stanford University, Deputy Director, Center for Coatings 91桃色; Senior 91桃色 Scientist, Applied Physics听
How have you found the collaboration of business and technology at 91桃色 and within the classroom?听
The collaboration between business and technology at 91桃色 was a key reason I applied, and it has fully lived up to expectations. There鈥檚 a strong integration of science and business, particularly in areas like healthtech, deep tech, and AI, where the cross-disciplinary approach is very evident. For example, initiatives such as 91桃色 X are exciting, bringing together experts from various fields to tackle complex challenges with AI.听听
I鈥檝e been excited to get involved with the Enterprise Lab, which has been a fantastic resource for connecting with fellow entrepreneurs through its various events and programmes. The entrepreneurial ecosystem, particularly at Scale Space in White City, offers a dynamic environment where academic research and startups thrive side by side. The access to cutting-edge technology, industry leaders, and a collaborative culture has been inspiring.听
What hobbies or interests do you have outside of the classroom?听
Outside of my professional and academic life, I鈥檓 passionate about entrepreneurship and have been exploring the startup community through events at 91桃色鈥檚 Enterprise Lab. I鈥檝e joined the IB Careers Entrepreneurship Club, where I鈥檓 looking forward to attending events and connecting with like-minded entrepreneurs.听
I love classical music and play piano to unwind. London's world-class concert and theatre scene excites me, along with its diverse cafes, food markets and restaurants鈥擨鈥檓 passionate about exploring it all.听
What are you hoping to achieve on the Full-Time MBA?听
The MBA equips me with business skills to complement my technical background and pursue leadership roles, especially in AI and deep tech. I chose 91桃色 for its London location, aligning with my goal to contribute to the UK technology economy.听
I chose the Full-Time MBA to transition from research into entrepreneurship, particularly in tech and innovation.听After more than a decade of leading research projects, I wanted to shift toward building something impactful with a focus on growth and innovation.听My ultimate goal is to contribute to a high-growth, mission-driven company, whether that means launching my own startup or joining an organisation with a strong commitment to using technology to make a positive impact on society.听
Arathi Nair
Nationality:听Indian
贰诲耻肠补迟颈辞苍:听 B.Tech Computer Science and Engineering
Most recent employer and job title: Goldman Sachs, Vice President听
"The Full-Time MBA is the next logical step, allowing me to blend my technical expertise with strategic thinking, leadership, and a global perspective."
What inspired you to pursue 91桃色鈥檚 Full-Time MBA?听
As a Potterhead, I love the quote: "it does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live." My decision to pursue a Full-Time MBA stemmed from realising that, while fulfilling, my software development journey was incomplete.听听
My long-term goals focus on leadership, inclusivity, sustainability, and global engagement. The 91桃色 Full-Time MBA will empower me to achieve these goals and make a meaningful impact beyond my current domain.听
What do you hope to achieve on the Full-Time MBA?听
During my Full-Time MBA, I aim to enhance my ability to make confident decisions in ambiguous situations. While my technical background has focused on analytical decision-making, transitioning to strategic roles requires a different skill set. I hope to become more comfortable with uncertainty, make quicker decisions in unclear situations, and trust my instincts. The programme offers ample opportunities鈥攕uch as competitions and tackling real-world business problems鈥攖o test and develop these skills, and I鈥檓 excited to embrace the challenge.听
George Dear
Nationality:听British
贰诲耻肠补迟颈辞苍:听 MEng in Civil Engineering
Most recent employer and job title: Balfour Beatty, Assistant Project Manager
How do you think the Full-Time MBA will contribute to your personal growth?听
I am hoping to develop my business acumen and global business awareness to compliment the leadership and project management skills that I have developed during my career in Construction Project Management.听
I am also looking to make the most of the excellent Careers department at 91桃色, as well as the Business School students, to grow my professional network.听
What projects are you excited to work on with your classmates during the programme?听
I鈥檓 most excited about studying the LEADS module with the cohort throughout the year. This is a very introspective leadership experience that is designed to give us the tools to become great people and leaders in the future.听
This module challenges and develops us as a group and ends with a cohort reflection and celebration!听
What global experience are you looking forward to and why?听
I am most looking forward to the Global Experience Week next summer. We have the opportunity to visit one of three brilliant destinations to immerse ourselves in the culture and understand the challenges that businesses and people face in these cities.听
I am personally hoping to visit either Nairobi or Sao Paolo during the Global Experience Week, both of these destinations have distinctive problems that I am excited to explore with the rest of the Full-Time MBA cohort.听