Meet The Berkeley Haas MBA Class Of 2021

Cristobal Sarquis

University of California Berkeley’s Haas School of Business

“Love sports, beaches, outdoors, barbeques, Arabic food, and my country. Need family, friends & fruits.”

Hometown: Santiago, Chile

Fun Fact About Yourself: I proposed to my wife, Veronica, in a penguin colony in the island of Tierra del Fuego, the southern-most part of my country. I was so excited while driving back that I was going to get married that I didn’t notice that the road suddenly ended, and I almost crashed with my wife in the middle of nowhere. Instead we ended up in a pasture of guanacos and llamas.

Undergraduate School and Major:

  • Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (research on Electricity Markets), Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Faculty of Engineering
  • Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Electrical Engineering, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Faculty of Engineering

Most Recent Employer and Job Title:  Head of Financial Research, Consorcio Nacional de Seguros Life Insurance Company

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Close friendships with every workmate and boss I have had.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why?  I think the four Defining Leadership Principles encompass my classmates, especially “Confidence Without Attitude” and “Beyond Yourself.” I have been greatly surprised by how everyone here is willing to help. The WhatsApp and Slack class groups are full of spontaneous tips, authentic help, and detailed how-to’s. Obviously, it is also full of sports, fun, and partying too.

Berkeley Haas is founded on four Defining Leadership Principles: Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself. Which pillar resonates most with you and why? Fortunately, in my professional life, I have had the opportunity to meet many great professionals who are quite qualified but share opposite kinds of personalities and leadership styles. This has made me realize that “Confidence Without Attitude” is something that’s really important to me. It seems to be central not only in class or at work but also at home or at social events! Taking that into account, “Beyond Yourself” is definitely the pillar that inspires me more in life and in relation to the MBA. I couldn’t conceive of studying business if it weren’t oriented towards others. Studying only for my knowledge, background, track record, equity, or myself is not really exciting, motivating, or worthwhile.

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? Location. That’s not just because California is a really great place to live as a family given its great climate, incredible landscapes, and amazing people. Instead, it is because it is located in the center of innovation, the Bay Area, where every company wants to be and so many people want to grow their ideas. Living in a place like this, odds of memorable experiences are in your favor.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I want to participate in plenty of clubs, research initiatives, and work opportunities. For clubs, I am keen on the following: Berkeley Energy & Resources Collaborative at Haas (interdisciplinary and cutting edge on innovation and research); Berkeley Haas Technology Club (I have no tech experience, a sin being here); the Finance Club, Private Equity Club and Investment Club  (love investment); Haas Policy and Politics Club (business leaders can change the world!); Challenge 4 Charity: a great mix of sports and charity, (love them both); Haas Arts Club –I am married to an artist; Haas Beer, Haas Soccer and Redwoods (I don’t know yet a better blend than sports, outdoors, and beers.)

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? “Tell me about a difficult relationship with a co-worker…”

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career?  I’ve been an analyst for all of my professional life, first in risk management and later in investments for a life insurance company. At this point in my career, I needed a broader business overview and strategic vision to complement the analysis. For that leap, there is no better program than an MBA at a world-class, broad, and international school like Haas, where I will learn from the experiences of others.

At the same time, during my last position as head of research, I realized that leadership, team building, and innovation are so important in tackling complex projects (at a startup or traditional company) so it is worth having a systematic experience such as the one offered by Haas.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? I applied to Berkeley Haas and Stanford GSB.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? There is nothing better than meeting people! I went to the campus, attended admissions events at home, met alumni, and talked to current students to evaluate my fit with the schools, their culture, their strengths and their areas of focus. I felt the affection of every MBA community member for their school and experience and their openness in advising me during the research process was really incredible.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? I see myself back in Chile, working hard to help the growth of my country, trying to pave the path for Chile’s future development, with a special focus on the one million citizens still living below the poverty line.

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