What is your background prior to the MBA?
After completing my undergraduate degree in Actuarial Science from the London School of Economics, I returned to my native Barbados where I worked as an actuarial consultant for a boutique firm, then in the inhouse pricing and product development team for a large regional life insurance company. In 2017, I switched careers and worked in the investment banking team of a regional bank which had operations in 16 territories in the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean.
What was your recruitment experience like in first year?
Honestly? Rough. I initially placed 100% of my focus on securing a consulting internship but when that did not pan out as planned, I had to rethink everything. However, this setback turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it forced me to expand my horizons and explore other interests, which (unexpectedly) I thoroughly enjoyed. Ultimately, I was able to use my network to find an amazing opportunity at a vibrant fintech company in Berlin called Ratepay.
Describe your internship in Fintech (project, company, team, project, your contribution)?
At Ratepay, I was a Business Development Manager in the Executive Internship Program for the summer and I executed two main projects.
In my first project I initiated and managed the kick-off of a pricing strategy initiative, which sought to achieve more dynamic (and thus competitive) pricing, by conducting pricing variance analysis, identifying development areas, and designing a set of recommendations for senior leadership of the company.
The second project was to assess economic attractiveness of several strategic options by leading market intelligence as part of strategy task force which included the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Commercial Officer, Head of Strategy & Special Projects, and Head of Commercial Excellence, and in doing so, shape the company’s medium-year strategy.
Did any first year courses/experiences/connections help you with the internship?
Overall, all concepts taught during the first year of the MBA allowed me to excel during the summer internship. However, some concepts from courses were used more often than others. Courses which came in particularly handy were Communications, Business Analytics, Managerial Accounting, Analysis of Business Problems, Marketing Management and Competitive Strategy. Together these courses helped me to communicate effectively and provide frameworks to assist with analysis, critical thinking and strategic problem solving.
What would you advise to the incoming class looking to have a similar experience?
My advice to the incoming class would be to be open-minded yet strategic in your internship search. Leverage your network and do your research beforehand to optimise the overall experience.