IMD MBA 2022, Gabriel, shares his student profile. What made him decide to do an MBA at this stage of his life and why did he choose IMD?

After six fruitful years in corporate life in the Philippines, the time had come to start a new chapter in my career. The world is currently at a crossroads – no longer using the same compass for success. It now has its eyes set on the realities brought about by natural, economic, and social concerns. The time to take an MBA is now. A time to be open to opportunities that not only transform organizations, but also positively contribute to society. This is the exact vision of IMD.

Having just turned 29, this was an excellent opportunity to pivot my career path. I wanted to explore my options and seek where I was needed most. A key part of this is being surrounded by an extremely diverse cohort in terms of both nationality and industry. I knew that at IMD I would be exposed to backgrounds I would not see elsewhere. The school atmosphere allows for multiple perspectives and insights to be shared without judgment and encourages healthy debates. But what drew me to IMD the most was the Personal Development stream. The individual career coaching and the psychoanalytic sessions will significantly help me develop my self-awareness, a crucial factor in leadership. And it will therefore also help my career.

The relatively small size of our MBA allows the cohort to create a bond like no other. The mountain experience allowed us to get to know each other through a 3-day sustainability workshop. This, combined with the intensity of the Module 1 core curriculum, creates amazing opportunities to get to know each other. We are not only creating career networks, but long-lasting relationships to support the good moments and the difficult ones.

The first month has flown by so quickly, mainly due to the rigorous and often unforgiving schedule of the core subjects. Although challenging, it is shaping our character and resilience, which is essential for business leaders in our ever-changing world.

Gabriel

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