2017 MBAs To Watch: Oscar González Arguimbau, University of Oxford (Saïd)

Oscar González Arguimbau

Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

“Resilient, proactive and collaborative.”

Age: 27

Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico

Fun fact about yourself: I’m afraid of pigeons, and Europe is full of them.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Economics, Mexico

Where did you work before enrolling in business school? JPMorgan, Corporate and Investment Banking (Intern, Analyst and Associate); Serficor (IMAP), M&A Associate

Where did you intern during the summer of 2016? TMT M&A Summer Associate, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Investment Banking Division, London.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: Chairman of the Private Equity Oxford Business Network, Goalie of the Oxford Said Football team.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? Being part of the winning team from Oxford in the Hermes GPE Private Equity Challenge, a Business Case and Financial Modeling competition that brought together London Business School and Oxford Said students interested in PE.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? On top of my day-to-day banking job, I taught a finance class in my former university; seeing my students going to top tier BB jobs has being extremely rewarding!

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Andreas Angeloupolus, because he took me out of my comfort zone and taught me the practical approach in a theoretically driven Leverage Buyout course.

What was your favorite MBA Course and what was the biggest insight you gained about business from it? The course that has been one of the biggest influencers to my learning thus far has been the Oxford Said Finance Lab. It has given me the confidence and tools to learn how to succeed at a new level in terms of investment banking, my chosen field. Through it, I have gained insights into not only typical modeling and valuation techniques but have met and spoken with the very people who have negotiated these transactions.

Why did you choose this business school? My post-MBA goals were clear: I wanted to work in investment banking in London upon graduation. I did not like the idea of simply attending a business school but rather preferred to be part of a greater institution so that I may take advantage of all services offered. As such, Oxford was the natural choice for both its pedigree and diversity of student body.

What did you enjoy most about business school in general? Overall, learning from my classmates in a number of different environments has proven to be a remarkable joy in all aspects of my studies. With a student body representing 57 different countries, we have the incredible ability to learn from people with an impressive diversity of backgrounds.

What was the most surprising thing about business school for you? People are way more collaborative than I thought they would be.

What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? Become a fan of Harry Potter and understand how the books relate to the Oxford experience.

What is the biggest myth about your school? The rivalry with Cambridge – We are more friends than we are rivals.

What was your biggest regret in business school? That I cannot stay here forever.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Tara Gooding, given that she has taught me that you can always make time to help a friend.

“I knew I wanted to go to business school when…I realized I knew nothing about marketing.”

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…climbing a different wall.”

Who would you most want to thank for your success? In my mind the person who has been the biggest influencer in my mild successes thus far in my life has been my wonderful wife Paty. Not only did she support my decision to apply to schools in Europe, but she also moved out here to be my rock while I navigated the challenging MBA program.

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? Oscar is a happy person.

Favorite book: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Favorite movie or television show: The Whole Nine Yards

Favorite musical performer: Mijares.

Favorite vacation spot: Maldives.

Hobbies? Business school was the chosen hobby of the year.

What made Oscar such an invaluable addition to the class of 2017?

“Oscar is a smart and mature MBA, with an open mind and a strong focus on his career path. A popular student highly regarded for his inclusivity, he is deeply immersed in School life, showing a great commitment to the Finance Lab, Oxford Business Network and employer events.”

Ian Rogan

MBA Programme Director

 

DON’T MISS: MBAS TO WATCH: THE STORIES OF 100 EXTRAORDINARY GRADUATES FROM THE CLASS OF 2017