Alexandra Lipski

London Business School

“Young, scrappy and hungry. Former corporate lawyer fighting gender stereotypes through female-led financial education.”

Hometown: Wellington, New Zealand

Fun Fact About Yourself: I didn’t learn to ride a bike until I was 25 – now I’ve become quite fond of downhill mountain biking.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Auckland, Conjoint Bachelor of Arts and Law (Honours)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Russell McVeagh, Senior Solicitor

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of the school’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I am hugely excited by the range of offerings on the 2-year curriculum: it has all the bases covered with its business fundamentals, with great opportunities for self-directed study, global business experiences, and an amazing array of Strategy and Entrepreneurship electives.

What quality best describes your MBA classmates and why? Diverse – we really are from all corners of the world, and so it is easy for anyone, regardless of culture or ethnicity, to fit in.

What makes London such a great place to earn an MBA degree? It’s the world’s most exciting epicenter of finance and politics, culture and arts, industry and innovation. I wanted to live in a city where one will not only enjoy studying, but also every other part of life.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Founding New Zealand’s first and only social enterprise dedicated to closing the gender investment gap through women-led educational initiatives.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? Having explored pathways to pivot out of law, I concluded that an MBA would hone my skills (particularly quant) and build an international network, allowing me to jump into the business world.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? “Who has been the most influential mentor in your career?” This was difficult because there have been so many role models over the years.  

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I spoke to as many current students and alumni as I could find about the reputation of their school and its students, and their experiences.

What have you been doing to prepare yourself for business school? It has been a rollercoaster so far – I’ve been on video calls, watching tutorials, sitting the pre-term online preparation, speaking with other MBA admittees, all among preparing for a move to the other side of the world.

What was your defining moment and how did it prepare you for business school? Immediately following a promotion, I was given a big project that took me close to burnout. I was eager to impress my client and demonstrate I was worthy of my promotion. As a result, I foolishly decided to take on too much of the project myself, rather than utilise the capacity within my team. Before long, I was working well past midnight on a regular basis. It was the first time I was really struggling to get through my work. Fortunately, a senior associate recognised this and worked with me to bring two junior solicitors on board, and helped me to reduce my own workload. From this experience I learned to overcome my pride and admit my own limitations, and also the real value of teamwork – a learning which is particularly important given the emphasis on collaboration at London Business School.

What is your favorite company and what could business students learn from them? Ellevest – a robo-advisor focusing on the needs of female investors. Their messaging is unapologetic in its empowerment of women, and you’ll struggle to find anything pink in their marketing collateral. Ellevest is a shining example of how to effectively generate customer belief in a brand, by building its foundation on a real social issue.

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