Meet the MBA Class of 2025: Ed Vickers-Willis, London Business School

Ed Vickers-Willis

London Business School

“Professional Athlete turned Strategy Consultant; passionate trail runner, meditator, and lover of cereal.”

Hometown: Melbourne, Australia

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am a bit of a fiend for live music and last year I managed to fit in ~35 gigs around the world – highlights including Bon Iver in Glasgow, Olafur Arnalds in Dusseldorf, Parcels in Amsterdam, and Bonobo in Melbourne.

Undergraduate School and Major: The University of Melbourne, Bachelor of Commerce (Majoring in Economics & Finance)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Boston Consulting Group, Senior Associate; Professional Athlete, North Melbourne Football Club (AFL)

What makes London such a great place to earn an MBA degree? Coming from Australia, the people, cultures, ideas, and businesses you are exposed to in London are much broader than at home. London truly is the global stage which adds a lot to the MBA – you get a great insight into the different pathways your career can take and the myriad of ways you can have impact in society, business, and within your community. The huge breadth of internship opportunities London offers, be it in sport, social impact or tech, is something I’m really looking forward to and was a major differentiator from other programs!

London Business School 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 two years? As a sportsperson and consultant I have predominantly worked with Australian colleagues, clients, and businesses. Learning from my peers and hearing how things operate around the world will be incredibly helpful to open my eyes to new ways of working. There will be countless opportunities for me to reflect on my personal and professional values and ideals; being exposed to such a diverse group will really help me to hone the type of leader I want to be and gain a greater appreciation of the skills I need to attain as I enter the next phase of my career.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of London Business School’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Coming from consulting, I am really excited by the breadth and flexibility of the coursework and the opportunity to get real-world experience in industries different to those I have seen so far in my career. LBS provides a great platform to test yourself in areas you may not be comfortable in and this was a big drawcard towards the program. For me this means angling my coursework and extra-curriculars to develop skills in entrepreneurship – complementing the corporate and analytical skills I have developed at BCG.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at London Business School? I remain incredibly passionate about sport and will dive into the Sports Business Club to gain insight into the opportunities existing across the industry and to learn from peers and industry leaders. I am also keen to join the LBS running and live music communities – I know my peers will be able to show me some great trails and new artists!

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I think what I am most proud of is the purpose I have found in my work after my professional sporting career finished. I had 11 operations in 6 years playing Australian Rules Football and at many stages I didn’t really know what the future held. To have been able to support some of Australia’s leading companies to navigate the post-COVID world, including with some of their biggest decisions, is not something I thought I would have been doing three years ago and I am incredibly grateful for the experience. This is what motivates me at LBS – to use this opportunity to become clearer on where I can best use my skills to empower people and create outcomes that are important to me.

What do you hope to do after graduation (at this point)? After graduation I hope to return to BCG, either in Europe or back home in Australia. I want to begin specializing in an industry or functional topic – having been a true ‘generalist’ to this point. I’m keen to use the MBA to help me explore my passions and gain clarity on whether I pursue an industry (e.g. Sports, Media) or functional area (e.g. People and Performance, Sustainability). I have had a taste of many things but crystalising where I truly want to have an impact will be critical as I build a longer-term career in consulting or pivot towards industry.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into London Business School’s MBA program? Reach out to current students, alumni, and the admissions staff and be really open with who you are and what you want out of an MBA experience. I found when I opened up to people who have lived the LBS MBA and knew the program well they were able to help me truly understand why I wanted to come to LBS and what I would get out of it both professionally, and personally. This authenticity is sure to come through in applications, essays and interviews!

DON’T MISS: MEET LONDON BUSINESS SCHOOL’S MBA CLASS OF 2025