London Business School’s Class Of 2018

Ellie Stoneham

London Business School

Describe yourself in 15 words or less:  Driven, determined sports fan with a sense of adventure always seeking a new challenge!

Hometown: London, UK

Fun Fact About Yourself: I’m a qualified ski instructor.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Oxford – Geography

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

BlackRock Investment Management:

> 2015 – Present: Vice President, Head of Africa Retail

> 2013-2014: Associate, Middle East and Africa Sales

> 2012-2013 Analyst, BlackRock Graduate Programme

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: At the end of last year I successfully pitched for and won a $150m strategic client deal to provide seed capital for BlackRock’s Real Estate Securities Strategy.

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to future business school applicants? The three pieces of advice I would give to others are applying are to, first, thoroughly research the different schools you are applying to. Take time to speak to current students and faculty members if possible so you can find out what makes them unique and what truest would be best for you.

Secondly, leave enough time to prepare for GMAT as practices key.

Finally be very clear on your motivation for applying, what you will contribute to the school community, as well as what you hope to get out of it.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? London Business School stood out to me for a number of reasons. London is an exciting global city that gives unparalleled access to leading industry experts. Secondly the diversity of MBA class profile in terms of geography and professional background as I wanted to learn from others with a broad range of experiences. Additionally the opportunity to practically apply the theoretical course content through their immersion programme and global business experience, really appealed to me.

Tell us about your dream job or dream employer at this point in your life? Upon completing my MBA, I would love to obtain a leading role within a Social Finance firm, which works to find more sustainable long term ways to address the financial challenges faced by charities, governments and NGOs looking to expand their services to the disadvantaged and vulnerable or for environmental gains.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program? I would hope that my peers will say that I am a great team player and contributor both in and out of the classroom.