Andres Paz-Ares

Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management

“Curious, sociable and open-minded, with a strong belief in cooperation to improve society.”

Hometown: Madrid, Spain

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am an enthusiastic alpinist. I have climbed several mountains over the world and my ultimate dream is to summit Mt. Everest

Undergraduate School and Major: Bachelor in Business Administration, CUNEF (Class of 2015)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Nomura, Investment Banking Associate

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Besides being accepted at MIT Sloan, I believe my biggest accomplishment has been receiving the scholarship from the Barrie Foundation to cover the tuition of the MBA program. The Barrie Foundation scholarship is one of the most prestigious in Spain and I would like to emphasize how thankful I am for their support in this thrilling journey

When you think of MIT, what are the first things that come to mind? How has your experience with the Sloan program reinforced or upended these early impressions? I see MIT as a community where passionate people come together to change the world with revolutionary ideas and a collaborative mindset. The whole process has helped me to better understand that this unique environment is fostered by the talent and spirit of every single person involved in this community

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? The quality I most admire of my classmates is their passion. They are smart, humble and driven individuals with the aim to make a positive impact in all aspects of their life

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? One of the most important factors that drove my decision to pursue the MIT Sloan MBA was its strength in Healthcare Finance, the field where I would like to develop my career. MIT Sloan is well-known for its prestigious professors in this area (e.g. Andrew Lo) and its unparalleled resources (the Finance Track, the Healthcare Certificate, etc.)

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I am particularly interested in the Investment Banking Club, where I hope to continue developing my skills in this industry, but also where I can support potential “career-changers” to banking with my experience in this field

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? I found writing the cover letter one of the most challenging parts of the admission process. Describing yourself, your motivations, achievements, and dreams – and fitting it into such a short span of words – was not easy. However, it ended up being an extremely useful, stimulating and eye-opening exercise

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I had been promoted from Investment Banking Analyst to Associate at Nomura. This means, among other things, that you need to shift from being a “doer” to being a “thinker”. I felt I needed to develop certain personal and professional skills in order to successfully develop my career in this sector, and the MIT Sloan MBA program was the perfect thing to do at this point

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Columbia and Wharton

How did you determine your fit at various schools? The factors I gave most importance to were the combination of a rigorous curriculum, strength in Healthcare Finance, a cooperative and friendly environment and the overall prestige. After thoughtful research into other B Schools, forums and conversations with students, I knew MIT Sloan was the perfect place for me

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? When I was 14, I left my family and home in Madrid to go to study in the United Kingdom. This unique experience helped me mature and taught me the importance of being an independent individual. I believe these traits have allowed me to be more determined and to make wiser decisions during my life

Where do you see yourself in ten years? I see myself creating the first healthcare-specialized investment banking boutique in Spain.