Paul Fitzgerald

Warwick Business School

“Made in Ireland; over competitive, fun loving, with a passion for learning new things!”

Hometown: Dublin, Ireland

Fun Fact About Yourself: I was always destined to be a professional golfer. Unfortunately, my skills were never willing to co-operate with destiny!

Undergraduate School and Major: Dublin City University, B.Eng Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team, Aerodynamics Design Engineer

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I had the privilege in my career to design and develop the floor and mid chassis section of the Mercedes Formula One car; helping in reducing lap time by approximately 2 seconds per season, bringing 74 race wins and 5 double championships across 5 years. Working with some of the most gifted engineering minds in the world was an incredible experience.

Describe your biggest accomplishment at Warwick so far? My biggest accomplishment so far has been a better self-understanding. Being given a platform to practice management techniques and “courageous conversations” has helped me learn more about my strengths and weaknesses in one semester than in my career to date.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? It would have to be the diversity of the classmates. Getting to know people’s cultures and past careers has been a valuable experience. Going into the course, I think everyone has their own ideas of how companies are and should be run; hearing all these diverse opinions have been fantastic and a great learning experience.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? Warwick ticked all the boxes for me. One of the biggest selling points was the huge network that they are connected to. What grabbed my attention the most was the links with Dublin and the tech industry. Moving forward with my career, Dublin and the Tech industry are two big attractions to me.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I am really excited about taking my overseas module in Shanghai. Learning about the digital industry in China and the culture is going to be a memorable experience.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I got to the point in my career where I wanted a change and to move further up the ladder. Progression in my previous role was extremely slow and restricted. The MBA was the best option in my mind to move forward. I have a passion for leadership also, the MBA will give me the best chance to get into a leadership position later in my career.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? I didn’t! I had researched other schools and been to open days. Warwick stood a mile out from the crowd and I made it my goal to get a place.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I had a rating system when it came to my research. I shortlisted a few schools that had a great reputation and ranking. I researched each school’s website and created a ranking system to pick a winner. I won’t delve too deep into the detail, but I based it around some of the following factors – in no particular order:

• Within my budget
• Alumni network size
• Rankings
• Open day quality: information, staff, facilities
• Careers support

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? My defining moment for me came when I was about 15 in school. The principal of my school told me I wouldn’t be capable of doing higher level math and didn’t allow me to select it as a subject. It was a confusing statement, as my results argued differently. I wanted to be an engineer, and this would stop my career in my tracks. After appeals, I had no other choice but to leave that school, losing some close friends as a result. It took a lot of bravery, especially at that age, to stand up to someone of that level and stand my ground. I got a great grade in math, followed with a degree in engineering and a successful career in my dream job.

Where do you see yourself in five years? In five years, I see myself as being home in Ireland and developing a strategic career in tech. The most exciting thing I have found from this course is that I may find a new opportunity in an industry and job role I have previously never thought about. 5 years ago, I don’t think I could have seen myself doing an MBA to be fair!