Meet Oxford Saïd’s MBA Class of 2018 - Poets&Quants

Some of the MBA students in the Class of 2019 at Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford

Picture for a moment a classroom at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School. What do you see? Is it Hogwarts Lite, with students decked in striped ties with a house emblem emblazoned on their cardigans? Are they following the cautious customs of Jane Austen using the decisive diction of Downtown Abbey? And do their lifeless lectures revolve around the soon-forgotten minutiae of factor costs and reverse logistics?

Hardly.

Instead, imagine a strikingly diverse student body from 51 nations and nearly every conceivable background. In class, their gripping exchanges might race from how falling birth rates will re-shape banking strategy to the impact of climate change on food production and distribution. Barely two decades old – yet already ranked among the top one-year MBA programs – Saïd is dynamic and forward-leaning, a community that dares to ask the hard questions – and isn’t afraid to tackle the big, the complex, and the ambiguous.

A DESIGNER AND FINANCIER ATTACK POVERTY FROM OPPOSITE ANGLES

Look no further than the Class of 2018. Take Eva Hoffmann, a Stanford grad who describes herself as a “nomadic, sustainability-obsessed designer who spends too much time dreaming about poverty eradication.” At d.light, she was a design director who helped launch the A1 solar lamp, a $5 solution that can save poor and rural families up to 20% of their annual incomes. You might find Hoffmann roaming the halls with Barati Mahloele, an aspiring financier who plans to return to Africa to increase access, opportunities, and social mobility by “disrupting existing business models in financial services and capital, energy, education and affordable quality health care.” It is also a class of creators like Sidhya Senani, who founded a children’s school based on egalitarian decision-making and self-discovery. And it is a class of talents-in-transition like Conor Healy, a successful screenwriter with a passion for promoting renewable energy.

Such students hardly fit the stereotypes of self-centered snobs. You know the stereotype: the entitled and indulged progeny of the privileged who bunked together at Gordonstoun or Eton and view Oxford as a refuge for rowing and formal dinners. In reality, Oxford is elite but shuns elitism. Chartered a generation after the Magna Carta, Oxford is associated with prestige and tradition and shrouded in legend and awe. Saïd, however, is something altogether different. Think of it as Tesla plopped down in the middle of Monte dei Paschi di Siena – an ambitious startup culture that reaps the synergies of a long-established and resource-rich parent. It is a place to blend and build as much as reflect and review. Even more, as the school is fond of saying, it is an MBA program designed to prepare students for what business will be like in 20 years.

Saïd Business School at Oxford University

During her visit to Oxford, Katie-Coral Sicora, a 1+1 scholar who earned a masters in Nature, Society and Environmental Governance at the school before starting her MBA, worried that the school would be, quoting Joni Mitchell lyrics, too “old and cold and settled in its ways.” Instead, she was impressed by how the students and faculty, top-to-bottom, lived up to the school’s purpose. “Said’s mission aligns with what has always driven me—that I can and should leave the world better than I found it,” she says.

THE PLACE TO GO TO CHANGE THE WORLD

For Mahloele, the appeal of Saïd is its diversity. In her experience, it attracts “incredible people from all corners of the world, and vast backgrounds, but all with a common fibre of wanting to contribute in some way to transforming individuals, business, and ultimately society.” That, she says, is what truly sets the school apart.

“The dean once said that if you want to change careers, geography or progress up the corporate ladder, then in all honesty, you have a plethora of business schools to choose from,” she recalls. “However, if you want to change the world – then there is no better place than Oxford Saïd. There is no bigger pull factor than that!”

Thus far, the program has more than lived up to its promise of impact for the greater good, says Hoffman. “The classmates I’ve met so far have already completely amazed me with how considerate, diverse, and globally-conscious they are,” she shares. “Oxford Saïd’s self-definition as “the business school the world needs” sounded like a catchy marketing slogan to me at first, but each conversation I have with students, staff, and professors here only reinforces how true this tagline is. I am so excited and humbled to be a part of this!”

FROM A “RECOVERING LAWYER” TO A “MODERN HIPPIE”

International…entrepreneurial…fearless…committed…These are all virtues you could apply to the Class of 2018, a class that thinks big like so many before them at Saïd. Many have taken some stunning journeys just to make it to Oxford. Yogan Appalsamy, for one, is truly grateful to be a member of the class. He grew up in the tumultuous 1990s in South Africa, as a brutal apartheid regimen gave way to a fledgling democracy – and the hope and freedom it promised. “Against the odds, I’ve managed to build a long and successful investment banking career at top international banks, travelled the world, and now have the privilege to live and study in one of the world’s most historic universities.

Others faced down their biggest obstacles when they arrived at Oxford. That was the case with Sicora,

who had a baby last year as a masters student. For many, that means sleepless nights, time tradeoffs, diaper duty, and baby blues. Then again, Sicora has a talent for finding the best in any situation. “Not enough people talk about how much FUN it is to help a small person come to know the world and become wholly themselves…Plus, you get to build forts!”

Yes, the class is quite cheeky too. Sicrora, for one, calls herself “ELECTRIC” (in all caps, no less). “I have the audacity to see possibilities and gumption to act,” she exclaims. And she is hardly alone in bringing their high ideals and big personalities to campus. Ash Walker’s story is that he’s a “recovering lawyer whose promising sporting career was cut short by a severe lack of talent.” Want formidable? Perhaps you should recruit Andi Garavaglia to your side. A former soccer player and executive with the National Hockey League, she is “driven by an academic’s curiosity and a goalkeeper’s determination.” Despite her McKinsey and PwC roots, Itua Iyoha thinks of herself as a “modern hippie who believes in the magic of logic and love.” She isn’t the only one in the 2018 class with a dual identity, however. Just ask Appalsamy, a “finance nerd by day and an aspiring guitar player and a red-wine connoisseur by night.”

GETTING A LULLABY…FROM MORGAN FREEMAN

Saïd Business School Sainsbury Library

Boy, do they have some stories to share at their respective college dinners. Think of Hoffmann as Oxford’s dirty jobs answer to Mike Rowe. “I embrace pretty much any challenge as a learning opportunity, and as a result I have had a really bizarre set of jobs – catching sharks in the South Pacific; teaching 3D printing; sorting recyclables with Cambodian wastepickers; writing copy for pharmaceutical ads; and combing rats’ fur in Africa.” Not to be outdone, Garavaglia motivated her college soccer teammates to camp out in front of a Tex-Mex chain to win free burritos for a year. “We claimed our prize, but not before I was told to write a letter to NCAA governance explaining that we were not paid promoters,” she jokes.

To say Connor King is “active” and “adventurous” would be an understatement. This aspiring sports agent has already visited every continent except Antarctica. How is this for a story? Most people associate attorneys with throwing tantrums and disrupting proceedings – and Walker did just that…as a baby. However, there was one person who knew the secret to pacifying him. “Morgan Freeman took me from my mother’s arms and quietened me with his soothing voice after I disrupted the filming of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (starring Kevin Kostner) with my foghorn-like wail at a castle in France.”

Go to page 3 to see in-depth profiles of incoming Saïd students.

Exterior of Saïd Business School

Indeed, 2018 is a cosmopolitan class – one whose impact is already being felt across the globe. Garavaglia was part of the Global Sports Mentoring Program (GSMP) that’s sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. Here, she excelled in improving the opportunities for female leaders worldwide. “I assisted a Ukrainian hockey professional in establishing sports clinics for children impacted by the Crimean conflicts; twins from India in sharing record-breaking ascents of the Seven Summits to counteract traditional gender bias; and, most recently, a Macedonian entrepreneur in drafting a business plan for an eco-tourism agency,” she notes. “Through GSMP, I recognized sport’s role as a powerful mechanism for social change.”

Such change requires courage…and grit. And Mahloele possesses each quality in spades. True to the Saïd spirit, she tackled the Ethiopian market, despite peers shying away because it was an intricate and long-term proposition. Sensing the opportunity behind the obstacles, Mahloele charged into the market, providing “much needed products to the bottom of the pyramid consumers.” In the process, she discovered her calling. “It was the first time I could tangibly link my finance role to on-the-ground impact in Africa, as the impact of the investment has resulted in job creation and economic growth and development for the region,” she explains. “This was one of the main reasons I decided to pursue my MBA. I wanted to continue to make sustainable and scalable investments in Africa.”

PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN TOPS 40%

Looking at the class as a whole, the numbers represent a step back and a step forward. Overall, the school enrolled 334 full-time MBAs, up seven students from the previous year. In terms of the GMAT, the Class of 2018 falls a bit short of its predecessor. The class averaged a 685 GMAT with the median coming in at 690, down from the 692 average and 700 median from the year before.

The headline for the class, however, stems from a jump in female enrollment. This year, the class boasts a 41% share of women, up five points from the previous year. It also tops London Business School and Cambridge Judge, which each posted a 39% mark (not to mention INSEAD and HEC Paris, which both came in at 34%). That said, it is a slightly less diverse class, with the number of nations represented falling from 58 to 51 over the past year (though the current class includes 60 nationalities).

Surprisingly, North Americans compose the largest bloc of the 2018 Class at 28%. In fact, just 12% of the class hails from Western Europe, making it truly a global melting pot. What’s more, the school is careful to mold a student mix that prevents nationalities from drowning each other out. East Asia (13%), Africa (11%), and South Asia (10%) are the only other regions that reach double digit representation in the class. Southeast Asia (9%), Australia and New Zealand (6%), and Latin America and the Caribbean (5%) also constitute substantive shares of students.

In terms of professional experience, “diversified industries” account for the largest number of 2018 students at 21%. Finance (20%), consulting (18%), and technology (6%) also constitute important segments of the class.

OVER 20% OF GRADUATES GO INTO ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SOCIAL IMPACT

However, a big differentiators at Saïd is where students ultimately work. Traditionally, 11% of graduating classes immediately launch businesses after earning their diploma. The Class of 2016 – the last class with reported placement data – continued this trend. Even more, these graduates landed positions in 37 countries, a testament to the program’s increasing global reach.

Interest in the program’s acclaimed social impact programming is also swelling. Last year, 10% of the class entered the social sector, more than double the rate of past classes. Saïd’s prowess in the social and startup sectors – along with its reputation for excellence and innovation – has made it extremely enticing to employers. In Bloomberg Businessweek’s annual survey released this week, the program notched the third-highest scores among international programs from both employers and alumni. What’s more, employers are paying a premium for Saïd savvy, as 2012 grads saw their pay increase by $121,400 on average over the past five years.

One reason may be that the program is constantly evolving. Like any great business, Saïd is always on the lookout for game-changing benefits that can give it an edge with students. This took the form of an advanced virtual lecture theater, installed in September, which makes Saïd just the second organization in the world to incorporate this technology.

“Students, alumni, faculty and staff will no longer need to be on-site to learn, teach and work together, as the room and software will be accessible from anywhere in the world,” writes Dean Peter Tufano in a statement to Poets&Quants. “With a large wall of high definition screens, the host of the session can see each participant’s face and communicate with them directly. They can host live polls, split the room into breakout groups, and the system even measures participant engagement levels via expression monitoring.”

ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS THE SOUL OF SAÏD

The program is also doubling down on investing in its strengths. Tufano cites the October opening of the Oxford Foundry, a new hub for student entrepreneurs that builds on the success of the Oxford Launchpad.

Oxford Foundry

“The Foundry will house a large co-working space and an incubator for accelerating start-ups,” he explains. “It will host and curate programming for entrepreneurs, and support the school’s curricular and research activities. Whether the companies formed within the Foundry go on to tackle crucial issues facing humanity, or simply provide goods and services more efficiently, we believe that scaling up our support for Oxford’s entrepreneurs will enhance our ability to address world scale challenges.”

In fact, entrepreneurship is among the three themes that shape the Saïd MBA curriculum. While global rules may be its brain and responsible business acts as its heart, entrepreneurship is undoubtedly Saïd’s soul. In fact, students are required to start a business during their year at Oxford, a recognition that identifying gaps, devising solutions, and opening up opportunities is the pathway to social reform. That may be one reason why Saïd startups aren’t your typical trifling dating apps or Groupon rip-offs. Instead, they are more inventive enterprises like Spacebase, which applies the Airbnb model to renting meeting spaces. By the same token, these ventures tend to follow the more socially conscious route of firms like Off Grid Electric, where pre-paid solar energy makes power affordable – and even available – in some remote areas of Tanzania.

SKOLL CENTRE TIES ENTREPRENEURSHIP TO SOCIAL IMPACT

The popularity of entrepreneurship at Saïd can also be traced to its Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship. The Centre has increasingly grown into a campus nerve center, bringing together students, faculty, researchers, and alumni from various specialties for interdisciplinary collaboration. Tapping into these world class minds and deep resources, Saïd is able to better spark far-reaching discussions, build student capabilities, broaden networks, and spur more sweeping and inclusive solutions. Even more, the Skoll Centre is designed to centralize these collaborations and channel them into commercial venues.

Peter Drobac, who heads the Skoll Centre, believes it offers a groundbreaking proposition that MBA candidates won’t find anywhere else. “The Centre combines two powerful assets: a world-class business school at Oxford Saïd with a deep commitment to entrepreneurship and solving world-scale problems, and the Skoll Foundation, which provides thought leadership and curates a global ecosystem of social entrepreneurs, Drobac told Poets&Quants in an August interview.

Go to page 3 to see in-depth profiles of incoming Saïd students.

Oxford Saïd Graduates

The Class of 2018 more than agrees with him. In fact, social entrepreneurship – and the Skoll Centre, in particular – was listed by many candidates as the final touch that led them to choose Saïd. Sicora, for one, appreciated programming like the Oxford Global Challenge Challenge (where students map out interrelated variables that perpetuate global issues); the Skoll Academy (a six week series of workshops on social or environmental change); and the Leading for Impact Fellowship (coaching-driven leadership development workshops conducted over the weekends). In contrast, Mahloele is looking forward to the centre’s impact investing boot camp that will immerse her in cutting edge financial models to serve emerging markets.

A VIEW OF BUSINESS AS AN ORGANIZING FORCE TO PROMOTE SOCIAL GOOD

They’re not alone in relying on Skoll to provide tools that benefit their causes. Walker plans to take his lessons to help Australia Aboriginal community gain greater independence, calling the know-how a “vehicle to bring about meaningful and lasting change.” Healy, a proponent of sustainable development, is heartened by how social impact is treated as a “central tenet” of the program – one that “creates a culture that attracts faculty and students who share those values.”

This commitment to action over lip service in social impact also set Saïd for Hoffman. “It’s so exciting to see Oxford constantly prototyping new initiatives, courses, and workshops to refine how it prepares students for meaningful social impact,” she says. “Most MBA programs will talk about how they support social innovation, but when you look at the impact that alumni are actually having on the ground, Oxford Saïd’s track record is outstanding!”

Indeed, Saïd sponsors a unique view of business: one where it creates value through entrepreneurship, community through shared interests, and impact through using business tools to achieve social ends. Here, commerce isn’t the solution, but an organizing force that hatches ideas, collects insights, manages resources, and ultimately galvanizes action.

Amphitheatre at Saïd Business School

ATTACKING “WORLD-SCALE PROBLEMS” IN GOTO

“Society’s largest problems are inherently complex, and cannot be solved by a single entrepreneur or organization,” Drobac admits. However, he believes business brings unique tools in addressing these seemingly-overwhelming challenges. “Businesses — and their resources that are often greater than government, nonprofit, and non-government organizations — can step up and fill spaces left by current organizations tackling society’s toughest issues,” he adds. “Businesses have the resources, commitment to innovation, and practice of measurement and continuous improvement that are too often lacking in governments and nonprofits. Business is also uniquely positioned to scale and spread effective solutions across borders.”

Alas, the natural extension of Saïd’s mission is through global business. In fact, the school’s creative regularly touts that its curriculum is geared towards “addressing world-scale problems.” One way the program approaches this is through its Global Opportunities and Threats (GOTO) project. Here, students work in communities that may include peer students from areas like information technology, sciences, liberal arts, and law to tackle big picture issues like the future of healthcare (the topic that’s been assigned to the 2018 Class). Using an online platform, students and faculty conduct research, brainstorm ideas, explore options, and debate solutions.

Think of GOTO as a method for exposing students to a range of perspectives to challenge their thinking and stir their creativity. Even more, it is a window into how interconnected the various fields can be – and how their developments can re-shape established business models. “Business leaders should be at the forefront of thinking and implementing solutions to these issues, whether or not they are self-described social enterprises,” argues Iyoha. “I’m proud to be attending a business school that seeks to cultivate a new generation of responsible business leaders who have the confidence to take on such complex issues as water scarcity and migration.”

AN EXTENSION OF OXFORD TRADITION

Perhaps such ideals could only come from Oxford, a creative cauldron whose students have been credited with everything from discovering cells to building the first web server – not to mention blessing the world with hobbit-ridden shires and rabbit hole exits to Wonderland. It is home to rigorous research and raucous debates – an enlightenment ideal that pairs of splendidly with a digitally-decentralized dreamscape. Such collisions and fusions, between business, technology, arts, mathematics, and social sciences – not to mention class, culture, and convictions – is the real value of Oxford. It is a place where students can discover for themselves what truly matters – and why!

The trick at Saïd, however, is sifting through the many layers and opportunities, says Appalsamy. “The vast array co-curricular activities such as the Oxford Said Finance Lab; Venture Idea Exploration Workshop and Entrepreneurship workshop (to name just a few) are an attraction because it allows for individuals to find a topic that resonates with them – or, alternatively, learn something outside their comfort zone – that’s the beauty of Oxford, there’s something for everyone.”

University of Oxford

Make no mistake: While Saïd may not possess the centuries-old cache of other Oxford schools, MBA students are integral part of the ceremonies, formal dinings, and street fairs that personify Oxford traditions. They are placed in one of the 38 “colleges,” where they live and socialize. They can even take advantage of extracurricular activities, whether that be joining rowing crews or playing in the music society’s vaunted orchestra (talent permitting, of course).

“FOR THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE ME. FOR THOSE WHO COME AFTER ME. AND JUST A BIT, FOR ME.” 

In fact, some members of the 2018 Class, such as Healy, consider just getting into Saïd to be an accomplishment. That doesn’t mean he plans to rest on his laurels, however. “I get to spend the next year at one of the most intellectually stimulating places on the planet, developing relationships with incredibly diverse and impressive classmates, self-reflecting, and honing my professional skills. I am going to relish this journey and not take it for granted.”

Other class members are coming to Oxford with a plan firmly in place. For Sinani, success means coming away with “a social business plan worked out that can be implemented. A team of founders with defined roles in place that formulated the plan and will be part of implementation.” On the other hand, Garavaglia plans to take a more personal journey, one that builds on her identity while leaving something behind for classmates who are sharing this once-in-a-lifetime experience with her.

“Back when I played soccer (football), I developed a bit of a mantra,” she reminisces. “Before each game began, I would tap my goalposts and say aloud, “For those who came before me. For those who come after me. And just a bit, for me.” My vision of a leader is not someone who is solely concerned with his or her individual legacy, but someone who honours past efforts by learning from them and improves the way forward for future generations. In one year, I want to graduate SBS poised to become that type of leader. I want to have created, not solely consumed. I want to have engaged in self-reflection, not solely in self-promotion.”

DON’T MISS: THE PIONEERING MBAs OF THE CLASS OF 2019 OR MEET THE OXFORD SAID MBA CLASS OF 2017

To read profiles of incoming Saïd students — along with their advice on tackling the GMAT, applications, and interviews — click on the links below.

 

Students	Hometown	Alma Mater	Employer
Yogan Appalsamy	Johannesburg, South Africa	University of the Witwatersrand	Standard Bank Group
Andi Garavaglia	St. Louis, MO	Stetson University	National Hockey League
Conor Healy	Newark, NY	University of Chicago	Stiletto Entertainment
Eva Hoffmann	New York City, NY	Stanford University	IDEO U
Itua Iyoha	Edo, Nigeria	American University of Nigeria	McKinsey
Connor King	Ottawa, Canada	Western University	Accenture
Barati Mahloele	Polokwane, South Africa	University of Kwa-Zulu Natal	CDC Group PLC
Katie-Coral Sicora	Ventura, CA	Emerson College	Bluebeam Software Communication
Sidhya Senani	Satna, India	University of Delhi	The VITS School
Ash Walker	Sydney, Australia	University of New South Wales	La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council

Yogan Appalsamy

Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Hard working, ambitious and highly competitive achiever with a passion for finance, technology and business

Hometown: Johannesburg, South Africa

Fun Fact About Yourself: Finance nerd by day and an aspiring guitar player and a red-wine connoisseur by night.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of the Witwatersrand, Bachelors of Commerce in Finance with Honours

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

Standard Bank Group – Vice President

Standard Chartered Bank – Associate and Analyst

J.P. Morgan – Research Analyst

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Growing up in South Africa during the 1990s has provided me with a unique and humbling perspective on life. I was old enough to remember a number of the injustices of the apartheid era, but I was also able to enjoy the freedom that one would not necessarily had been able to enjoy under apartheid. Against the odds, I’ve managed to build a long and successful investment banking career at top international banks (where many have failed or given up), travelled the world (including many countries in sub-Saharan Africa), and now have the privilege to live and study in one of the world’s most historic universities, Oxford.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? For me, the first step to applying to business school was to understand how I wanted to further progress my career. Once you have a clear understanding of this, it is then important to choose a school whose curriculum and specialisations are closely aligned to your objectives. It is critical to do this early on, so that you focus on applying only to schools that meet your criteria, thus giving yourself the best chance of being accepted to your school of choice.

In terms of preparation, there’s plenty of research out there which tells you that practice is most important whether it’s GMAT, essays or interviews. My advice is twofold: (1) Start preparation early and find a routine or method that works for you; and (2) Be yourself, back your talent and convey how you can be a unique proposition to the plethora of ideas, innovation and debate that is at the heart of Said’s and Oxford’s culture.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? Business, politics, technological change and society do not exist in isolation, but are perpetually influencing each other. The fact that Oxford’s MBA seeks to integrate a range of different skills, ideas and approaches is a key factor in choosing this school.

The curriculum is up-to-date, reflecting complex problems and a turbulent environment that business and society operate in. The opportunity to rely on Oxford University’s world-class research and knowledge from various disciplines as an additional approach to finding pragmatic and innovative solutions to these problems is a key differentiator which can help play a key role in addressing social and economic reform, particularly in developing markets.

The vast array co-curricular activities such as the Oxford Said Finance Lab; Venture Idea Exploration Workshop and Entrepreneurship workshop (to name just a few) are an attraction because it allows for individuals to find a topic that resonates with them – or, alternatively, learn something outside their comfort zone – that’s the beauty of Oxford, there’s something for everyone.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? I would define success by the opportunities that I have had during my time at Oxford – to share my ideas, insights and thoughts, pursue entrepreneurial opportunities, exchange and debate perspectives on global matters, and help solve global issues with my peers across the university. Furthermore, engaging with individuals on a personal level to foster friendships and networks that will last a lifetime will also define my time at Said.

Andi Garavaglia 

Saïd Business School, University of Oxford 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less:  Sports business professional. Internet/society researcher. Driven by an academic’s curiosity and a goalkeeper’s determination.

Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Fun Fact About Yourself:  As an Italian-American, I have a predisposed affinity for food. I even once convinced my friends to sleep outside of a Tex-Mex chain because the location’s first customers would win free burritos for a year. Many of my friends, like me, were members of our university’s NCAA soccer (football) team. The chain was so pleased with the team’s patronage that they published a picture of us in the local paper. We claimed our prize, but not before I was told to write a letter to NCAA governance explaining that we were not paid promoters of the Tex-Mex chain; rather, interest in a year of burritos was disproportionately higher amongst my friends on the team than my friends in the general university population.

My senior thesis explored the psychology of undergraduate Facebook use. To comply with the requisite experimental framework, I convinced more than 100 students to commit to one month of being Facebook-free so I could test Facebook users against abstainers. While post-hoc analysis did not return significant results, the “Facebook Challenge” sparked enormous discussion and reflection on campus over the role of social media.

I feel supremely lucky to have a twin brother who is three minutes older and likely three minutes wiser than myself.

Undergraduate School and Major: Stetson University- BA Psychology; Minor Marketing; Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

2014 – 2017; National Hockey League; New York City, USA; Manager, Retail Sales & Marketing

2011 – 2013; Brighton Agency; St. Louis, USA; Account Executive, Project Manager

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My role at the NHL allowed me to give back to a sport that shaped many childhood conversations around the table, that motivated both of my brothers through echelons of elite competition, and that served as the backdrop for most father-daughter outings. Helping the league develop engaging content, inspire young athletes, and provide families with treasured memories was an honour and a lot of fun, hard work. Upon reflection, two initiatives are particularly salient:

1. 2017 NHL Winter Classic— The Winter Classic is the NHL’s most prestigious outdoor game. In 2017, I was responsible for event retail operations in iconic Busch Stadium, home to the St. Louis Cardinals. It was incredible to contribute towards the hometown crowd’s experience, and the retail results were some of the strongest on record.  After the event, I assembled a panel of female colleagues from the league, the St. Louis Blues, the St. Louis Cardinals, and Adidas to speak at a local, all-girls high school. The message was two-fold: that students should follow their aspirations despite adversity, and that financial literacy is of the utmost importance. Given that enrolment in the school’s finance classes doubled, it seems the panel’s messages may have resonated.

2. Global Sports Mentoring Program (GSMP), sponsored by the U.S. Department of State — As a member of the NHL’s mentor-team, I helped emerging, female sports leaders design action plans encouraging development of infrastructure run by or designed for women in their home countries. I assisted a Ukrainian hockey professional in establishing sports clinics for children impacted by the Crimean conflicts; twins from India in sharing record-breaking ascents of the Seven Summits to counteract traditional gender bias; and, most recently, a Macedonian entrepreneur in drafting a business plan for an eco-tourism agency. Through GSMP, I recognized sport’s role as a powerful mechanism for social change.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? 

Start early. The decision to go to business school is probably not a whim, so do not create your application on a whim. There are a lot of pieces and parts to tackle. I had calendar appointments set 90 days, 60 days, and 30 days out from my submission deadline to keep myself on task.

Evaluate your application holistically, as though it’s a brand portfolio. All parts of the application— essays, recommendations, interview— should convey a consistent, clear vision of yourself and your ambitions. Consider jotting down a few key themes and ideas that reflect you as a b-school candidate; then, allow those ideas and themes to inform how you draft your essays, who you ask for recommendations, and what you reinforce in your interview. This designed approach will allow you to submit your application with confidence that it emphasizes your strongest merits.

Study the GMAT, specifically. My most critical error was that I studied math covered by the GMAT as opposed to “GMAT-math” specifically. I strongly recommend accessing online resources (such as Magoosh.com) that mimic the GMAT experience, and studying with someone trained in GMAT-specific quant strategies. After focusing on “GMAT-math,” my cumulative score increased by more than 100 points.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? I attended University of Oxford for a study abroad term in 2011 where I self-designed curriculum in Psychology of Social Media. My tutors did not ask me to regurgitate information; rather, they empowered me to read widely, draw my own conclusions, and defend those analyses. This experience convinced me of the enormous value of Oxford’s educational philosophy.

My interest in the disruption potential of technology did not subside; in fact, it characterized a good deal of my professional experiences. Computer-mediated workforces, economies, and marketplaces are rapidly changing the nature of business as well as the skillsets demanded of organizational leaders. For this reason, it was important to me to attend a business school with a global network, an emphasis on world-class research, and a modern approach to curriculum. University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School uniquely meets these criteria and, accordingly, was my only application.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? As one of the first SBS candidates to enter the school directly from a professional sports league, I feel a profound obligation to favourably represent my industry. I hope to introduce classmates to the dynamic microcosm of society and industry that sport represents, as well as some of the complex challenges facing the industry today.

Additionally, I want to enhance my awareness of internet and society research, potentially even pursuing an MSc in the subject. I want to be an organizational leader that can navigate offline and online ecosystems with sophistication and respect for the capabilities and limitations of each.

Finally, back when I played soccer (football), I developed a bit of a mantra. Before each game began, I would tap my goalposts and say aloud, “For those who came before me. For those who come after me. And just a bit, for me.” My vision of a leader is not someone who is solely concerned with his or her individual legacy, but someone who honours past efforts by learning from them and improves the way forward for future generations. In one year, I want to graduate SBS poised to become that type of leader. I want to have created, not solely consumed. I want to have engaged in self-reflection, not solely in self-promotion.

Conor Healy

Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Passionate storyteller dedicated to fighting climate change and promoting sustainable development.

Hometown: Newark, NY – USA

Fun Fact About Yourself: I was named after the main character in Leon Uris’s novel Trinity.

Undergraduate School and Major:  The University of Chicago, B.A. in English Language and Literature

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:  All of these jobs were in Los Angeles, where I was living and working for seven years as I simultaneously pursued a career as a professional screenwriter:

Studio 8 (Film and TV studio) – Coordinator, Business Affairs

Storied Media Group (Film and TV literary management and production company) – Coordinator

Stiletto Entertainment (Music management company) – Assistant to President & CEO, then promoted to New Artist Manager

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: In 2015 I sold one of my screenplays to Relativity Studios. Although the project eventually died when Relativity later went bankrupt, it was the culmination of years of hard work and perseverance, and it validated all of those efforts. 

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Talk to as many current students and recent alumni as you can from every school you are considering. Do this before you apply. Even if you don’t know any alumni personally, reach out to the school and they can put you in touch with people. It’s essential to have a first-hand perspective on a program before you apply. This will help you understand the program better and help you articulate why it’s the best fit for you on your application, or it may even help you realize you don’t want to apply to that school at all.

This advice applies to the entire application process, including the interview. Stay true to who you are and why YOU want to go to business school. Don’t try to shape your story into one you think the admissions committee will want to hear. If you don’t really want to go into I-banking or consulting, don’t pretend like you do. Always be honest and straightforward about your strengths, weaknesses, passions, and ambitions. Be yourself. Embrace your differences and let them shine through. If a school doesn’t respond to what you have to offer, that’s okay. It’s probably for the best because that school probably won’t be the best fit for you anyway.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? Saïd’s focus on social impact made it the perfect fit culturally and programmatically, based on my personal values and career aspirations.

My career ambitions to promote renewable energy and sustainable development perfectly align with Saïd’s mission to transform industries and society by solving world-scale problems.  Climate change is the most severe threat facing humanity. Thus, renewable energy and sustainable development won’t merely transform society; they will protect its very existence.

Furthermore, the emphasis on social impact permeates every aspect of Oxford Saïd, from the coursework to the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship. Making social impact a central tenet of the school creates a culture that attracts faculty and students who share those values, and those are the people with whom I wanted to learn and grow. The program truly offers the perfect environment in which I can lay the foundation for my future career.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? Oxford Saïd’s MBA is a one-year program, so securing a job I’m proud to have, one in which my daily work helps quantifiably reduce carbon emissions on this planet, would be a real success.  However, because I’m making a radical career pivot, I know it won’t be easy and I might not get my dream job right off the bat. But that’s okay, because really, I feel like I’ve already succeeded.  I get to spend the next year at one of the most intellectually stimulating places on the planet, developing relationships with incredibly diverse and impressive classmates, self-reflecting, and honing my professional skills. I am going to relish this journey and not take it for granted.

Eva Hoffmann  

Lincoln College / Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: A nomadic, sustainability-obsessed designer who spends too much time dreaming about poverty eradication.

Hometown: New York City, New York

Fun Fact About Yourself: I embrace pretty much any challenge as a learning opportunity, and as a result I have had a really bizarre set of jobs — catching sharks in the South Pacific; teaching 3D printing; sorting recyclables with Cambodian wastepickers; writing copy for pharmaceutical ads; and combing rats’ fur in Africa.

Undergraduate School and Major:

BA, Human Biology, Stanford University 2011

MS, Mechanical Engineering Design, Stanford University 2013

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

Beyond Interiors (Cambodia) – Recycling Design Consultant

Proximity Designs (Myanmar) – Design Fellow

Stanford Solar Decathlon – Interaction Design Team

d.light Design – Design Engineer

d.light Design – Design Director

IDEO U – Teaching Assistant

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: At d.light, it was the launch of the A1 solar lamp, which is the world’s most affordable quality solar lamp (retailing around US $5). It has already improved the lives of millions of consumers in developing economies by allowing them to stop using dangerous and costly kerosene lamps.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Don’t be afraid to keep looking until you find a school that is the perfect fit; go with your gut rather than what you think you’re supposed to do. Talking to my peers and mentors in the US, I felt a lot of pressure to go to school there; I probably wouldn’t have considered schools outside the US if a colleague hadn’t encouraged me to apply to Oxford Saïd. But even Oxford’s application process made me fall in love with the school, and I knew that it was right for me.

Restrain yourself from spending too much time looking at ranking and admissions stats of schools — you will drive yourself crazy and it will never help you get a sense of which community is a good fit for you!

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? Saïd’s commitment to social impact, and the fact that the school actively invests in establishing itself as a leader in the social innovation field. It’s so exciting to see Oxford constantly prototyping new initiatives, courses, and workshops to refine how it prepares students for meaningful social impact. You really see this paying off when you look at what happens after graduation. Most MBA programs will talk about how they support social innovation, but when you look at the impact that alumni are actually having on the ground, Oxford Saïd’s track record is outstanding!

I also love that Oxford has become a magnet for people that share this commitment to positive impact; the classmates I’ve met so far have already completely amazed me with how considerate, diverse, and globally-conscious they are. Oxford Saïd’s self-definition as “the business school the world needs” sounded like a catchy marketing slogan to me at first, but each conversation I have with students, staff, and professors here only reinforces how true this tagline is. I am so excited and humbled to be a part of this!

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? It would be having a diverse network of classmates that I can rely on to challenge me with unexpected questions and new perspectives. At this point in my career, I’ve easily built a network of people with similar experiences and approaches, but I believe it’s far more valuable to be able to call on peers who stretch my thinking by pushing me in unexpected ways. Thanks to a cohort that is ultra-diverse in pretty much every dimension, Oxford Saïd is the ideal place for me to build a lifelong network of friends who think so differently that our conversations knock me off my feet.

Itua Iyoha

Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: A modern hippie who believes in the magic of logic and love.

Hometown: Edo, Nigeria

Fun Fact About Yourself: I enjoy re-reading and re-watching my favourite books and movies; I’ve read every book in the Harry Potter series at least 6 times and watched Les Miserables five times!

Undergraduate School and Major: American University of Nigeria, BSc (hons) Communications and Multimedia Design

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

(In reverse chronological order)

McKinsey and Company – Business Analyst

Eatrightnaija.com – Founder

PricewaterhouseCoopers – Associate Consultant

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Setting up a performance management system that helped a federal agency in Nigeria drive accountability from over 100 stations across the country, and training agency staff to administer the system.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? The essays are the most important part of your application, so be sure to invest sufficient time on them. This is where you have the chance to reflect and really understand who you are, what is important to you, and why you want to go to business school. You also have the chance to show the admissions team who you are behind the generic data – most other applicants will have good GMAT scores, glowing recommendations, and an impressive resume. Your essays will make your application stand out and help the admissions picture you as a member of the incoming class.

Answer the questions honestly. Tempting as it may be, resist the urge to present the persona that you think the admissions team will want to see. Of course, that does not mean that you should not be putting your best foot forward, but you need to do this while remaining your authentic self. There are two reasons why this is so important. First, the admissions team is experienced enough that they can see through pretense quite easily. Second, even if you were able to get admitted using this fake persona, chances are the school would not be a good fit for you anyway. The real you may have been happier at a different school that would have gladly welcomed your true personality. So don’t sell yourself short by giving insincere responses.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you?  One of the many factors that led me to choose Said Business School was its emphasis on addressing world-scale problems. Given the power that corporations wield in the modern economy, I believe that business leaders should be at the forefront of thinking through and implementing solutions to these issues, whether or not they are self-described social enterprises. I’m proud to be attending a business school that seeks to cultivate a new generation of responsible business leaders who have the confidence to take on such complex issues as water scarcity and migration. One of the ways that SBS does this is through the Global Opportunities and Threats (GOTO) project, which provides the opportunity to explore a global issue in-depth from a business perspective. I’m very excited about this year’s topic: the Future of Healthcare.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? At the end of the programme, I want to be able to say that I have done the following:

* Experienced tremendous personal and professional growth.

* Learned a great deal from my peers and in return, made a meaningful contribution to their MBA experience.

* More clearly defined my career goals and articulated my path to achieving them.

* Made the most of this amazing opportunity while having a lot of fun!

Connor King 

Saïd Business School, Oxford University

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Active, adventurous, Canadian management consultant passionate about the business of sport.

Hometown: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Fun Fact About Yourself:  I’ve travelled to every continent except Antarctica.

Undergraduate School and Major: Ivey Business School, Western University. Honours in Business Administration

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

Management Consultant, Accenture

Consulting Analyst, Accenture

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: In my most recent engagement at Accenture, I managed a team that defined and implemented the value realization approach for a $75M+ technology transformation at Canada’s largest Crown Corporation.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? I found the best way to prepare for my GMAT was by using previous test questions from the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) books. Although there were detailed tutorials and explanations in other prep books, I found these to be no substitute for practice tests.  By using the GMAC materials, I also ensured I was preparing at the appropriate level because I found that other resources (Kaplan, Princeton Review) had questions that were significantly different in expectation level than the actual questions found on the GMAT.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you?  When selecting schools, I was immediately drawn to Oxford Saïd’s mission of empowering students to take on new challenges and equipping them with the requisite skills to not only be successful in the workforce but more importantly to tackle global problems. I have been fortunate to have lived on three continents and have travelled to over twenty-four countries.  My international experience has motivated me to learn how business is conducted in different markets, a skill which I wish to continue to develop while at Saïd. I am excited to join a group of hard-working individuals from across the globe to think critically, learn from diverse cultures and engage in important discussions that ultimately produce industry-changing ideas.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? Upon graduating from the Saïd program, I have aspirations of working in the sports talent management field as an agent. I have always been passionate about sport and am excited by the chance to combine these interests with my experience in consulting, where I developed strong client management skills and a sound business acumen. My goal is to work with one of the established global agencies such as CAA, IMG, or Octagon to hone my skills, learn directly from established agents and build a network within the industry.

Barati Mahloele

Saïd Business School, University of Oxford 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Ambitious eternal optimist, passionate about African economic and social development – also a marathon runner!

Hometown: Polokwane, South Africa

Fun Fact About Yourself: When I was 9 years old, I was chosen to be a TV presenter on a regional South African kids’ television program called Teeny Bop!

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting)

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

Direct Equity Investments- Africa, CDC Group Plc

Senior Investment Associate, Tshiamo Impact Partners

Supply Chain Finance Manager – East Africa & Emerging Markets, Unilever East Africa

Finance Manager – IT Innovation, Unilever UK

Finance Manager – Spreads & Tea, Unilever South Africa

Assistant Finance Manager – Deodorants & Skin Care, Unilever Australasia

Category Accountant – Ice Cream, Unilever South Africa

Assurance Accountant, Unilever South Africa

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishment was while I was based in Kenya, when I was the finance lead in multimillion-dollar manufacturing infrastructure projects in Ethiopia and Kenya. The Ethiopia project, in particular, involved large corporations that were avoiding the Ethiopian market. Even though it looked great on paper from a GDP per capita perspective, it was (and is) a challenging market to operate in, where you need to have a long-term view on your investment. I was part of the team who fearlessly entered, developed the market, and provided much needed products to the bottom of the pyramid consumers. I lead the financial business case, working closely with my Supply Chain colleagues to ensure that we had a strong business case which met the financial hurdles and return aspirations, as well as delivered on the uncompromising sustainability promise.

The reason this was a highlight for me was because it was the first time I could tangibly link my finance role to on-the-ground impact in Africa, as the impact of the investment has resulted in job creation and economic growth and development for the region. This was one of the main reasons I decided to pursue my MBA. I wanted to continue to make sustainable and scalable investments in Africa, and I wanted to go to the best Business School to equip myself with more world class skills to do it successfully.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Be yourself. Honestly, that’s putting your best foot forward. Don’t try and write essays on what you think the admissions officers want to see, or what you might have read makes the perfect MBA candidate. The admissions officers are so experienced, that you will most probably get caught out eventually anyway. If you are genuine, then your essays, what recommenders say about you, and what you say during your interview will all align. Don’t try morph into Superman when you know you are Robin (or vice versa), just to fit in. Be yourself and the perfect Business School for you will accept you, and there is a place for everyone. Oxford Saïd, for one, is so diverse, with incredible people from all corners of the world, and vast backgrounds, but all with a common fibre of wanting to contribute in some way to transforming individuals, business, and ultimately society.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you?  Oxford was an easy choice, given Oxford Saïd’s thought leadership on Social Entrepreneurship and Impact Investing, Africa, and Responsible business.

If I were to choose just one key factor from these, it would have to be the Social entrepreneurship/Impact Investing. My long-term goal is unlocking scalable economic and social change, by investing in innovative businesses that solve Africa’s most pressing challenges. Given this goal, Oxford Saïd presented the best platform to connect with like-minded leaders from across the globe, and immerse myself in developing innovative financing models to enable this access to capital.

Saïd has a leading edge social entrepreneurship centre – Skoll Centre for Social entrepreneurship. There is also an Impact Investing boot camp that brings in global experts in the field from both emerging and developed markets, and upskills students on this emerging and crucial investment trend of investing not only for financial return, but to have a positive environmental and social impact.

The Dean once said that if you want to change careers, geography or progress up the corporate ladder, then in all honesty, you have a plethora of business schools to choose from. However, if you want to change the world – then there is no better place than Oxford Saïd. There is no bigger pull factor than that!

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? Success for me a year out of business school would be back on the African continent, disrupting current models of access to financial services and capital, energy, education and affordable quality health care. I want to build a solid track record before I embark on my own fund. That’s because as much as investors value the skills gained from an accredited, world renowned MBA program, that is just the license to operate; I would still need to prove my ability to grow investor capital, and develop enterprises. I look forward to the opportunities that present themselves in this space.

Katie-Coral Sicora 

Saïd Business School, University of Oxford 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less:  I’d say I’m ELECTRIC. I have the audacity to see possibilities and gumption to act.

Hometown: Ventura, California

Fun Fact About Yourself: I had a baby this past year during my first masters at Oxford. Everyone told me that having a child would be challenging and rewarding. Not enough people talk about how much FUN it is to help a small person come to know the world and become wholly themselves…Plus, you get to build forts!

Undergraduate School and Major: 

University of Oxford: MSc Human Geography in Nature Society and Environmental Governance;

Emerson College: BS Political Communication, Social Advocacy and Leadership

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

Senior Marketing Specialist (Program Manager), Experiential Marketing, Bluebeam Software

Communication, Brand, and Marketing Manager, Dedoose

Market Research and Operations Projects Manager and Strategic Communication Associate, Maslansky + Partners

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I am quite passionate about promoting the role of women in business, and proud to be a Forte Fellow this year. To that end, I had the good fortune to be a consulting producer on the web series GODCOMPLX, part of Google’s diversity and education initiative. I worked with Google and the creative team to leverage stories from my own career to showcase women in technology roles.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? 

• Decide if the MBA is right for you: I volunteer with the Forte Foundation and one thing that women often tell me is that they are scared that they are not ‘ready’ because they don’t ‘have it all figured out.’ Ladies — In my opinion, people who ‘have it all figured out’ are either lying or just not thinking big enough. Personally, I am excited that the MBA will be a time of exploration and transformation. That said, if you are not sure if the MBA itself is right for you, that is a valid concern, and there are pre-MBA programs that can help you decide. I recommend the Forte Foundation MBA Launch program and/or the Riordan MBA Fellowship at UCLA. I loved both.

• Find the right place: Not every top tier school is going to be thedream school for you, no matter how they rank or who is on the recruiter list, so be patient and don’t give up on finding a program that makes you come alive. And when you find it, focus on building relationships. Go to multiple recruiting events. Show up for the open days. Shadow students and join a club meeting. Ask to connect with alumni in your area. Visiting Oxford, I was concerned that it would be, in the words of Joni Mitchell, it would be too ‘old and cold and settled in its ways.’ I was dead wrong, and instead it was like coming home, to a home I had never known existed. It may sound cheesy, but if you don’t feel that strongly about a school then move on. Life is short and this is a big decision that stretches beyond your first post MBA opportunity.

• One note on the GMAT:The GMAT offers accommodations. If you struggle with any kind of disability, you should know there are options for you. From extra time to special chairs or computers to private rooms, the GMAC team can meet your needs. It takes about 3 months and requires a great deal of paperwork and verification, so start the process early.

• A word to the parents: Don’t be too afraid to bring your family on the journey. It was a tough task to have a baby mid-program, but it has also been the coolest opportunity for my son and my husband, who has been the most amazing support. Now, no matter what my son decides to do with his life, he will have his ‘Oxford Aunties and Uncles’ to help him along his way. And that is priceless.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? To me, business plays an important role in improving society and the two key drivers for me are listed below. But more than that, Said’s mission aligns with what has always driven me—that I can and should leave the world better than I found it.

• 1+1 and Pershing Square Scholarship: The 1+1 dual degree program was a huge draw as it pairs a variety of masters degrees across the university with the MBA. I have just completed my MSc in Nature, Society and Environmental Governance and I will now bring a deepknowledge base to the MBA and act as a resource for my peers. I am also grateful to be one of the five students chosen for the Pershing Square Scholarship, which offers full funding plus a stipend for both years of the 1+1 program. My cohort just returned from a scholarship trek this summer in New York where we were able to meet the head of Pershing Square Capital, foundation leaders and grantees such as the Innocence Project, Echoing Green, The Social Impact Fund, the Robin Hood Foundation and many more. I feel honoured that I will be part of such an impactful community for the rest of my life.

• Skoll Centerfor Social Entrepreneurship: I was also inspired by the Skoll Center, which offers a host of co-curricular programming including the Oxford Global Challenge, the Skoll Academy, and the Leading for Impact Fellowship. As a Leading for Impact Fellow this past year, I got to see first-hand the impact that such programming can have and it far exceeded my expectations.

From the recruiting process to now being in Oxford, it has ultimately been the people demonstrated the culture. At every turn, they opened my eyes to the fact that Oxford Said’s mission is not just important for students, but lived in the daily passions of the staff.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? This summer I attended the Forte MBA Conference and met recruiters from Whirlpool and fell in love with the company. I will be joining them for an internship next summer as part of their Global Leader Program, where I will tackle cross-functional projects that can have a real and immediate impact on the business and its global footprint. I think that after this first, and only year, being invited to join the Whirlpool family full time would be amazing. Ultimately, I want to be employed at a company (even my own!) where I can make a difference and where my intrepreneurial mind-set and penchant for seeing global possibilities and taking action to solve problems will be celebrated and encouraged.

Sidhya Senani         

Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Impulsive. Organized. Compassionate. Rational. Music Afficionado. Passionate. Open. Fun. Reader. Sports buff. Listener. Mercurial.

Hometown: Satna, Madhya Pradesh, India

Fun Fact About Yourself: I have a rather husky voice. Most people who don’t know me take me for a male while talking to me on the phone. Don’t believe it, call me up!

Undergraduate School and Major: Shri Ram College of Commerce, University of Delhi, India

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

1. Laxmi Devi Senani Charitable Trust – Project Manager
2. UnLimited Tamil Nadu – Consultant
3. The VITS School – Founder and CEO

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Setting up and running a school on the following philosophy: Every child is born with no limits. The VITS School is a space where the child discovers, life, his voice and his drivers. Our mission is for the child to make his own choices and live life powerfully and happily.

We would partner on small things like no uniform dress for children and collective decision-making with kids during morning assembly. The same would be true on bigger ones like a teaching methodology that makes each class focus on engaging the child and not having any kind of comparative analysis – we decide everything that we want to do in school by ascertaining whether it aligns with our philosophy or not. The focus was on providing an atmosphere where the child explores and develops a conscious meaningful relationship with self and the people, things, nature, and cosmos around them.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Choosing the right school for me was the most important thing. If you can find yourself resonating with the school’s mission, then it’s going to work wonderfully for you.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? Oxford Saïd’s mission – True education is about transformation – is about transforming individuals, changing the way leaders think and act and aspiring to improve the world in which we live. Education is what I want to commit myself to doing. Call it being romantic, but I believe that is my inner calling and I think about education in the above terms. I think to significantly improve the world we live in, we need people to believe it’s possible, believe that they can play a role in the journey and make it their life’s purpose.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? A social business plan worked out that can be implemented. A team of founders with defined roles in place that formulated the plan and will be part of implementation.

Ash Walker

Saïd Business School, University of Oxford 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Recovering lawyer whose promising sporting career was cut short by a severe lack of talent.

Hometown: Sydney, Australia

Fun Fact About Yourself:  When I was a baby, Morgan Freeman took me from my mother’s arms and quietened me with his soothing voice after I disrupted the filming of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (starring Kevin Kostner) with my foghorn-like wail at a castle in France.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of New South Wales, Bachelor of Laws/ Bachelor of Commerce

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

Acting CEO – La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council

Corporate Advisory Lawyer – Gilbert + Tobin

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Although I worked on a number of market leading transactions at Gilbert + Tobin, I count my biggest accomplishments to be the various pro bono matters in which I played a meaningful role. An example of one such matter is that of a youth mentoring charity which needed to carry out an organisational restructure to allow it to be eligible to receive a substantial amount of government funding. The charity had received prior advice on a course of action which would have led to high transactional fees and stamp duty costs. After giving the situation a great deal of thought, my colleagues and I devised an approach which led to minimal transaction costs. This was not only a great result for the charity but also for the youth they mentored as it allowed for those funds to be directed towards much needed community programs.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? My single piece of advice I would give to future business school applicants is to make every effort to visit the business schools to which you are applying. Internet research is, of course, very useful, but I found that it is difficult to get a feel for a particular university unless you are right there on campus. I believe that talking to students, teaching staff and administrative staff on site is the best way to understand what makes a particular business school tick and work out which university is the best personal fit.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? My long-term career goal is to assist in establishing economic independence for my local community and the wider Aboriginal community. I was drawn to Saïd Business School by its unique ability to combine financial expertise with social impact to create an environment where business can be used as a vehicle to bring about meaningful and lasting change. I believe that studying an MBA at Saïd will assist in developing the financial acumen, corporate strategy and organisational leadership skills I need to reach my goal of using Aboriginal owned businesses to create wealth within Australian Aboriginal communities. 

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? I realise that my long-term goal is rather lofty and understand that any positive change that I will be able to bring about will not be immediate. With this in mind, I will be content to be in a position where I am building my practical business skills by learning from leading professionals while dealing complex business issues. I have managed to secure a summer internship at Boston Consulting Group so am hopeful that I will be working in a full-time role in the Sydney office after completing my MBA.

 

     

 

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