IMD has been part of my story from the very beginning. I was born in Lausanne three months into my dad’s IMD degree. He never pushed me to follow in his footsteps, yet IMD was always quietly present – in the umbrellas and notebooks scattered around our home, and in the stories and reunions that brought together a tight-knit group of thoughtful, ambitious, and caring people from all over the world. Watching their bond made a lasting impression. The opportunity to go to their reunion in Rome motivated me to earn my very first job. Now, a decade later, IMD is once again the catalyst – this time inspiring me to launch a career that feels both fulfilling and impactful.
At 25, I’m not the typical MBA student. I’m one of the youngest in the cohort and the only one with a background in psychology. Many of my classmates are here to pivot – I feel I’m here to land. For me, the MBA isn’t a reset; it’s an opportunity to find the red thread in my journey so far and set the direction for the kind of professional I aspire to become.
Growing up on Canada’s wild West Coast shaped my fascination with the intersection of people and the planet. IMD’s integration of the human and environmental dimensions throughout its curriculum has deeply resonated with me. The experience has given me a new lens for understanding sustainability – one that bridges purpose and practicality. When I arrived, I imagined myself leaving as a sustainability consultant. Now I see sustainability less as a specialized track and more as a mindset that belongs within the core of every business. IMD’s framing of ESG as the risks of the environment to the company, versus sustainability, the impacts of the company on the environment, has clarified how I want to contribute. I don’t want to simply report or recommend; I want to work inside organizations to make sustainability an inseparable part of strategy and operations.
It’s important to say: I didn’t come to IMD because of my dad. There wasn’t another program that fit me better. IMD today is not the same as it was a generation ago. The world has changed: the job market is different, AI is reshaping business, and our class is far more diverse. My dad likes to joke that in his year, there were more babies born than women in the program. IMD has evolved along with the world it serves, embracing new perspectives while preserving the rigor and community that first drew me in.
When I applied, I thought I’d pursue my MBA at twenty-six. This was supposed to be a practice round, an early shot to see if I was ready. Some said I was too young, too inexperienced. At times, I wondered that myself. But in hindsight, applying early was one of the best decisions I could have made. Just as people say about investing, the earlier you start, the greater the return, not just in knowledge, but in self-awareness and growth. It may still be too soon to measure the full ROI, but for the people, the experiences, and the transformation alone, it has already been worth it.
As the program nears its end, I know I’ve changed, in ways I probably don’t yet realize. IMD has challenged and reshaped me, giving me the confidence to define success on my own terms. I’m excited to see how the lessons, reflections, and relationships from this year crystallize into the next chapter of my journey, one that I hope continues to blend purpose, curiosity, and impact.
