I was born and raised in Spain. After spending my last 7 years working in investment banking in South America, I was looking for the optimal way to return to Europe and change sector. The MBA allows you to maintain a certain degree of seniority without needing experience in your subsequent industry.
I chose SDA Bocconi for multiple reasons, 1) because it is one of the best business schools in Europe, both in undergraduate and masters, 2) because it has a fast-track MBA program that allows you to be working in less than a year, 3) for the return on investment, perhaps one of the best in the world 4) and last but not least for the excellent geographical location of Milan and Italy.
It is a unique life experience that allows you to strengthen your academic side and at the same time create a network of friends with whom you share and will share part of your life. On a personal note, the MBA has been a breath of fresh air after some very intense years in finance. It has allowed me to disconnect from my “status quo” and appreciate and give value to other concepts and principles that I had forgotten.
Thanks to the MBA my life has taken a radical change. From South America I have returned to Spain, and from finance I have moved into tech, with changes in ways of working, schedules, culture, routine, etc.
It has been a well-rounded experience achieving all the objectives set from the beginning. I would divide my journey into three stages:
- Academic: the MBA gives you the tools to refresh your existing knowledge and gain new insights. Additionally, it allows you to specialize in what you like the most with professors who are renowned at a national and international level.
- Networking/Social: having a class of 100 students allows you to get to know all of them. After almost a year of classes and activities together, we become a “family” that will last for many years.
- Opportunities: the range of companies, conferences and opportunities offered by the university is vast , I don't remember a single week without activities with top-level companies.
Gerard Chafer Juan