The Stereotype-Defying MBAs In The Class of 2018

Eugenio González De Peña

MIT, Sloan School of Management

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Chilean lawyer who believes he’s not delusional in wanting to make it big in business.

Hometown: Santiago, Chile.

Fun Fact About Yourself: For a Latin American, I pretty much have zero talent at soccer.

Undergraduate School and Major: Bachelor of Law and Social Sciences (JD equivalent), Universidad de Chile.

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

Philippi, Yrarrazaval, Pulido & Brunner – Corporate / Telecom Group – Junior Associate

Carey y Cía. – Mergers & Acquisitions / Banking & Finance Group – Senior Associate

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I am proud of having participated in the legal team that handled the first acquisition of an American bank by a Chilean financial institution; a historical deal that paves the way for other local banks to enter the international arena.

There were many complex problems to resolve in achieving this milestone. One important one was that the deal involved the acquisition of a holding company in the US, which would test the jurisdiction of Chilean law. We were concerned with the local regulator’s vision regarding this issue. After an intense brainstorming session, we formulated a pioneering legal approach to overcome regulatory hurdles that both supported the acquisition while firmly staying within the parameters of Chilean law.

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to future business school applicants? I consider it is essential to identify your shortcomings right away. As a lawyer with a non-quant background, I wanted to prove to myself that I could make it to a top b-school the hard way and chose the GMAT over the GRE. I focused my preparation on quant section heavily testing my determination with a huge amount of hours of study. It was also humbling to have to request help from others who were often far younger than me, but it helped me achieve my objective. So, don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Achieving your goals and maintaining tension in check requires a good support net. At the law firm I work for, I was lucky to have a great team and boss. Speaking up about my ambition to enter an MBA program and my reasons for this made them feel connected to my goals; we were able to arrange my schedule so that I could spare some hours to study for a couple of months.

Keeping healthy habits helps a lot while doing all the work required for a good application. A quick run or walk clears your head and often gives you the space needed for really great and creative ideas.

One last tip: b-schools are heavily invested in their social media. I found that the information they provided on Twitter, Instagram or Linkedin was really helpful to understanding what defines and separates one b-school from another. Be sure to check them regularly!

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? An MBA is an investment for life. Not only does a program like MIT Sloan give you a top level business education and access to leading faculty, the brand carries a lot of weight. There’s a “Wow!” attached to every response to my acceptance to the program and it is for a reason.

Moreover, a top MBA program attracts world class teachers and, more importantly, world class students. In my experience, what you learn from and share with your classmates makes a whole lot of difference. After visiting MIT Sloan, I am still impressed by the fact that Sloanies had a remarkable professional background and yet everyone was down-to-earth and approachable.

Network is important too. MIT has one of the largest alumni communities and Sloanies really develop a tight-knit relationship. It mattered to me that MIT Sloan has a representation office in Chile that enables you to keep in contact post-MBA and easily reach out to other Sloanies in South America. The closeness is stimulated by Admissions. Meeting with Rod Garcia and Lee Ullmann in Chile and receiving a call from them afterwards really made a difference. MIT Sloan pays special attention to enhancing their network and reputation in South America.

Tell us about your dream job or dream employer at this point in your life? As a career changer, I would be thrilled to get a job that enables me to use my previous experience as an M&A lawyer together with the skills and tools I will develop at Sloan. At the moment, I am thinking of a job in the Private Equity sector, which I hope to access with the connections of Sloan’s renowned MIT Venture Capital & Private Equity (VCPE) Club. After that, I would like to channel MIT Sloan’s innovation culture into the PE industry in Chile. But that’s just an initial idea. I also look forward to having my options expanded. I may even end up in something I had never envisioned before applying to the MBA.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program? “YOU NAILED IT!”