Jack Arkwright

INSEAD

“The pied piper of Myanmar.”

Hometown: Warwick, Warwickshire, UK

Fun Fact About Yourself:  I auditioned for Harry Potter with Emma Watson.

Undergraduate School and Major: Edinburgh University, Russian Studies

Most Recent Employer and Job Title:  Javelin Services, Non-Executive Director

INSEAD is one of the most culturally and professionally diverse MBA programs in the world. How do you see these global perspectives enhancing the value of your business education over the next year?​Insanity is doing the same thing over-and-over and expecting different results – it’s amazing how many businesses blindly follow the status quo because it’s what they have always done. With such a wealth of knowledge and different cultural insights, INSEAD students should not fall into this trap; we will all hugely benefit from learning from each other.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of INSEAD’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? The time period. Apart from Its extra-ordinary international reputation, INSEAD condenses a 2-year program into 1 intense year. Sadly, I do not have the time nor the budget for a 2-year program, so INSEAD was an obvious choice – life maybe a journey, but it helps to get to the finish line before everyone else.

What has been your first impression of the INSEAD MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far. Tell us your best INSEAD story so far. The INSEAD alumni and students have been extremely kind and generous with their time. This was one of the deciding factors in my choice, as they all said that they loved the experience and that it is the year that keeps on giving.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at INSEAD?  I’m a keen sportsman and enjoy playing hockey – I helped set up a hockey club in Myanmar and want to do the same at INSEAD.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Co-founding and growing a pest control company in Myanmar to become the leading player in the country, when we knew nothing about pest control and I’d never been to Myanmar before!

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? Sadly, due to the military coup, Myanmar’s business prospects are not hopeful. Therefore, I decided to move back to the UK and look to start a new business elsewhere. An MBA allows me to compound my business acumen and develop my business plans and ideas through the help of the INSEAD courses, clubs, and alumni. I hope to find a business partner over the next year and launch after graduation.

What is one thing you have recently read, watched, or listened to that you would highly recommend to prospective MBAs? Why? How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. Obvious, but sound advice, which we sometimes forget. Business is all about people, so it helps if you get along with them!

What other MBA programs did you apply to? LBS and IESE (Both gave me an offer).

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into INSEAD’s MBA program? Start early, especially with the GMAT / GRE – A little bit every few days is better for your understanding and speed, than a few weeks of mad cramming. Speak to people – speak to as many alumni and current students as you can to gain their perspectives, ideas and advice, as it is never time wasted.

DON’T MISS: MEET INSEAD’S MBA CLASS OF 2023