Meet London Business School’s MBA Class Of 2023

10 REASONS TO CONSIDER LONDON BUSINESS SCHOOL

1) Program Flexibility: “The programme allows you to graduate in 15, 18, or 21 months. This allows you to tailor your LBS experience to your personal development and career goals. It provides room to accommodate global immersion experience, numerous internships, and even start-up opportunities. Programme flexibility also enhances diversity by being able to accommodate candidates with varying life goals. The richness in the diversity plays out in the classrooms where ideas are exchanged and differing perspectives are actively discussed.
Ken Lee (’23)

“I was also really drawn to the flexibility of the LBS curriculum. The school provides the ideal combination of a highly structured, rigorous set of fundamentals in the first year and a significant amount of latitude to specialize and explore particular interests in the second year. There is even a lot of flexibility in the course formats themselves; some classes are offered on a term basis and others in as little as a week of intensive sessions, allowing students to plan out their course commitments alongside other learning experiences, like term-time internships or study-abroad programmes. I find this aspect of the programme really valuable because it lets me take the lead on designing my business school experience and pursue the opportunities that come with being an LBS student and living in London as they arise.”
Lien Le (’23)

2) London: “The easy answer would be to simply say that London is a global, diverse city and in many ways the financial center of the world. And, while all of this is true, there’s so much more to why London is a great place to earn an MBA degree. Growing up in NYC, I learned young the value of being a student in such a big, non-stop, bustling city. You have access to everything outside of your academics: international travel, internships and job opportunities, new cuisines, and people from different places you’ve never even heard of – which I think is key for growth, personally and professionally. MBA students are nothing if not incredibly driven and motivated individuals, but studying in London forces you to really capitalize on all these amazing opportunities on your own. It’s not a small campus where everything is easily accessible — if you want it, the world is at your fingertips. But you have to go out, seek it and want it enough for yourself to put in the work. I think that makes London an exceptional place to get an MBA degree.”
Julia Hamilton (’23)

“London is a whirlwind of opportunity, both professionally and personally,­ and LBS is situated right in the middle. LBS students live and learn in the most bustling metropolis in the world. Global premier business institutions thrive in the high streets as a vibrant social scene. Entrepreneurship is visible on every street corner. Planning a career and a future here means invaluable contacts, networks, and resources on your doorstep. Not to mention, there are hundreds of different languages, ideas and cultures you’ll encounter. Equally importantly, London is an easy place to call home – and will always feel as such! Energy, greenery and welcoming people are the hallmarks of this city. Before even beginning our MBAs, we 2023 admits have been exploring restaurants and museums in the heart of the city, playing games during picnics in the green parks and wandering through some of the most famous streets in the world – all within half a mile of LBS!”
Jemima Maunder-Taylor (’23)

3) Global Mindset: “One of the key strengths of LBS is that we have a global mindset at all areas of the school, from academics to careers. We’re not just focused on London, but use London as a launchpad for global thinking, global careers and global conversations. I love how connected we are to the whole world across all our initiatives and it truly creates a unique MBA experience!”
Giri Kesavan (’21)

“The rate of globalisation is only going to accelerate, and it is increasingly important for business leaders to be agile in their mental faculties in adapting to these global trends. For example, COVID-19 has taught us that it is possible to work remotely, and to have teams based in different locations and across multiple time zones. Hence, what it means to be an effective leader would require one to embrace these cultural differences and create value from, and not be burdened by, diverse perspectives. An effective leader should also be able to promote effective communication and collaboration, cross-culturally. I believe that London Business School is the best place to put these into practice.”
Ken Lee (’23)

4) Tattoo: “Tattoo. This was an easy choice, not least because it was the last event I attended pre-pandemic. Tattoo encapsulates everything that is great about LBS. It was a great opportunity to sample the awesome traditions brought together by the LBS student body. The dance competition is also a memory I will never forget, despite the Africa Club being robbed of a well-deserved victory by the South Americans.”
Adekolapo Agbede (’21)

5) Sammy Ofer Centre and The Windsor Castle: “By walking through the new Sammy Ofer Centre, which is a combination of the iconic Marylebone Town Hall and a new state-of-the-art learning environment, you can see that it embodies both the rich history of LBS and its status as a leading school.

As for The Windsor Castle, this is not a reference to the royal residences based in Windsor but instead The Windsor Castle pub that is closely attached to campus. There is even a secret door from campus that leads to the back entrance of the pub! London Business School fosters a genuine community feel…Thinking back to the late studying sessions, student-led professional campus events or even just the regular Thursday sundowners, heading to The Windsor Castle served as a reminder of both the collegiate and personal nature that permeates the London Business School experience.”
Ayo Gabriel (’18)

6) Travel:  “As cliché as this will sound, it is very hard to pick a single best memory. First, getting to know the six classmates who formed my study group is a great memory in itself. My study group hailed from Brazil, France, US, Myanmar and Canada. It has been wonderful to discover, share, and learn more about their personal journeys.Then there was the three months spent studying at HKUST in Hong Kong and exploring Southeast Asia, as well as learning to play Rugby and joining classmates to compete against other MBA schools at tournaments such as MBAT in France.”
Ayo Gabriel (’18)

7) Clubs: “Due to my interests in Nigeria and Africa at large, I am excited about becoming one of the leaders and faces of the Africa Club. I am particularly looking forward to helping the club plan the annual Africa Business Summit (2022) where I will be a valuable contributor to planning the event. The theme of the summit is often focused on growing opportunities, unlocking value and empowering the growing youth population in Africa by leveraging technology and focused on impact investing, two areas I am passionate about.”
Damilola Olagunju (’23)

“On a more social level, I am looking forward to joining the Cycling Cub and the Expedition Club. London Business School sits in the beautiful Regent’s Park, the circumference of which is a cycling track. I can’t wait to go for pre-class cycles with the club, to clear our heads before delving back into the busy MBA life. The Expedition Club on the other hand is the hub for all climbers and avid hikers. I am really looking forward to testing problem solving skills with my classmates in nature; perhaps on Europe’s most challenging hike, the GR-20 in Corsica?!”
Gina Mirow (’23)

“The Music Club at London Business School excites me the most. Since catching a gig is my favorite way to spend a weekend, I can’t wait to meet peers at gigs I may have not have discovered on my own. If I can meet potential employers in the music tech space in London, even better!”
Kay Hasegawa (’23)

8) Community: “LBS is a very personal school focused on student-impact and peer learning. From the very start of my application journey, the personal element of the school shone through. At LBS I don’t feel that I’m in an MBA programme run by an ‘administration’ – rather I’m part of a shared experience, working together with the school and its students to create opportunity. I wanted to be in a school that championed student-led impact and where I could have a very personal and tailored journey – and LBS was the place to make that happen!”
Giri Kesavan (’21)

9) Hands-On Experience: “The emphasis that LBS places on real-world business immersion was very important to me. I believe the best way to learn is to do, and I felt that LBS’ program really echoed this belief. One is example is the LondonCAP module, that pushes students to apply their learnings from the classroom to projects that are developed with real organizations.”
Kay Hasegawa (’23)

10) Personal Development: “I was particularly drawn to the student-led nature of many of the activities that are embedded in the programme. I had the pleasure of speaking with several LBS students and alumni during the application process, and one of the things that was consistent about their testimony of LBS is how students get the opportunity to create and implement activities related to their career interest, passions, or hobbies. It was very clear from the conversations I had that it is a component of the program that highly contributes to the personal development of students and equips them with practical leadership, management, and teamwork skills – all of which are highly relevant in the business world.”
Opeoluwa Onigbinde (’23)

ADVICE TO APPLICANTS

“Selecting an MBA program isn’t just picking a school to attend for the next 2 years: it’s deciding on a new home base, an opportunity to grow and make lifelong friends. Ultimately it’s a decision to choose yourself for this moment in time, putting your goals first. It is a huge part of the MBA experience who you spend those next few years with during the program (and hopefully for many decades after), where those folks are planning to go career-wise in their own lives, and what experiences you’ll share together.

What you’ll have here at LBS is unique and wonderful. To be successful in your application, you’ll want to truly embed yourself within the LBS community so that your application is a reflection of the school and student’s values, beliefs, and goals — which should in some ways align with your own. Half the battle is demonstrating that you can demonstrate that you believe in the school’s mission, you’re a good fit with the student body, and you can articulate why you want to be here and what your goals are.”
Julia Hamilton (’23)

“I got to know the people behind the application decisions. I always say that it is real people that make the decision. In order to give yourself the best chance to get what you want, you have to show them you are more than what is written down on the application form.”
Adekolapo Agbede (’21)

“I’m an MLT MBA Prep alum. Although the organization focuses mainly on US schools, following the program’s assignments to thoroughly research, speak with students and alumni, and shape my story was essential to my process.”
Tabria Lenard (’21)

MBA Student	Hometown	Undergrad Alma Mater	Last Employer
Seun Akingbogun	London, UK	UCL	BNP Paribas
Hugh Anderson-Elliott	London, UK	Durham University	Century Tech
Keegan Flynn	Scituate, MA	University of Virginia	ECMC Group
Julia Hamilton	New York City, NY	American University	Goldman Sachs
Kay Hasegawa	Tokyo, Japan	Duke University	Kargo Tech
Noam Kan	Haifa, Israel	University of Haifa School of Political Sciences	ADAM CogTec
Sonia Kuguru	Nairobi, Kenya	Wake Forest University	60 Decibels
Lien Le	Palm Springs, CA	Harvard University	Boston Consulting Group
Ken Lee	Singapore	National University of Singapore	Facebook
Jemima Maunder-Taylor	London, UK	University of Cambridge	eatbigfish
Gina Mirow	London, UK	Trinity College Dublin	Skagen Conscience Capital
Damilola Olagunju	Offa, Nigeria	University of Manchester	Boston Consulting Group
Opeoluwa Onigbinde	Ogbomosho, Nigeria	Bowen University	Busara Center for Behavioral Economics
Thomas Pearson-Jones	Mold, North Wales	New College, Oxford University	British Army
Hugo Winn	London, UK	Durham University	Flare Emergency Response