Ekant Chopra

“As a sportsperson, I thrive on teamwork and inspiring teammates to achieve collective success”

Hometown: New Delhi, India

Fun Fact About Yourself: I can walk backwards on a slackline.

Undergraduate School and Major: Delhi College of Arts & Commerce, University of Delhi. Bachelor of Commerce

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Sports Consultant, Board of Control for Cricket in India

What makes Manchester such a great place to earn an MBA degree?

On my visits to Manchester, I’ve been captivated by its rich sports culture and heritage. Coming from a sports background, particularly in football, I’ve always aspired to build a career in this field. Manchester, home to iconic football clubs like Manchester United and Manchester City, feels like the perfect place to pursue this ambition.

Additionally, as a passionate fan of rock music, I’m drawn to Manchester’s vibrant music scene, renowned for producing legendary bands such as The Stone Roses, Oasis, and The Verve. The city’s unique blend of sports and music creates an environment that feels both inspiring and familiar, giving me a strong sense of belonging.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Alliance Manchester’s MBA curriculum and programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? 

The renowned consultancy projects were a key factor in my decision to choose Alliance Manchester’s MBA program. I found that many other business schools in the UK lack such a hands-on opportunity. Often, being in a business school can feel disconnected from the realities of the corporate world. However, Alliance Manchester’s consultancy projects bridge this gap, allowing students to address real-world business challenges and apply their academic learning in a practical setting.

For someone like me, coming from a niche background, these projects are very important. They provide an opportunity to learn from experienced peers and broaden my skill set. Additionally, the chance to engage with C-suite executives during these projects not only enhances our professional learning but also helps us expand our network significantly.

The MBA experience is a unique stage in our careers that offers opportunities to build meaningful connections, and Alliance Manchester’s year-round consultancy projects play a pivotal role in making that happen.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most at Alliance Manchester? 

Our trip to Brathay Trust was one of the most memorable experiences of my time at Alliance Manchester. Taking place early in the course, it was perfectly timed as we were just beginning to connect with our classmates. The experience was thoughtfully curated and played a significant role in fostering camaraderie within the cohort.

The activities we participated in tested both our physical and mental abilities, teaching us invaluable lessons in communication, teamwork, patience, creativity, confidence, and stepping out of our comfort zones. One unforgettable moment was rowing a boat with seven teammates from different parts of the world. Coordinating our efforts to ensure we didn’t sink or veer off course was both challenging and rewarding.

Another standout activity was balancing on a rope 50 feet above the ground, relying solely on the support of my teammate. This task not only pushed me out of my comfort zone but also built a remarkable level of trust within our group.

The trip offered more than just adventure. It gave us the opportunity to forge meaningful friendships that I believe will last a lifetime. I never imagined that an MBA program would include such a unique and impactful experience, but it truly helped us feel connected and united as a cohort.

Alliance Manchester is known for its hands-on consultancy projects. Tell us a little bit about a project you worked on? What did you learn that will make you a better professional?

Our client for the project was the Manchester Football Association (FA), and I was fortunate to work with a sports entity, aligning with my seven years of experience in the sports industry. The project’s objective was to determine if Manchester FA had a commercially viable offering, which we explored by analyzing different revenue streams over a 12-week period.

While we successfully delivered convincing recommendations to the client, the project was a significant learning experience that contributed to my professional growth. One of the key takeaways was mastering time management. The consultancy project ran parallel to other coursework, including classes, presentations, and assignments. While we managed to balance our time effectively, we recognized areas for improvement, such as coordinating more frequent team meetings. There were instances when conflicting schedules made collaboration challenging, but overcoming these hurdles reinforced the importance of efficient planning and adaptability.

The project’s structure, with its tight deadlines and concurrent commitments, is intentionally designed to teach the art of time management and prepare students for real-world challenges. Additionally, it immersed us in a multicultural team environment, with members from diverse cultural backgrounds, each bringing their unique working style. Although navigating these differences was occasionally challenging, it was a valuable opportunity to develop cross-cultural communication and collaboration skills.

Overall, this project not only enhanced my ability to work effectively in diverse teams but also prepared me for future organizational roles where such dynamics are the norm. It was a transformative experience that has equipped me with the skills to navigate both professional and cultural complexities confidently.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:

In my previous role as Sales and Marketing Manager at Twenty First Century Media, a leading sports marketing agency in India, I was part of the sports operations and business development team during the pre-pandemic era. When COVID-19 struck, all sports events came to a halt, leading to a significant revenue loss for the company. The sports operations business, which accounted for approxi

mately 30% of the company’s revenue, was particularly affected.
To adapt, the company pivoted its business model to focus on sponsorship acquisition and management, tasking employees with driving profitability in this new direction. Transitioning from a sports operations role to a sponsorship management role was the most significant professional challenge I faced. With no prior experience in sales, I had to quickly adapt to the demands of this target-driven environment, working with high-pressure stakeholders while learning the nuances of sponsorship acquisition and management.

Despite the challenging market conditions, I successfully secured sponsorship deals worth USD 150,000 in my first year in the role. These deals supported India’s bilateral cricket matches, including the England tour of India in February 2021 and the India tour of Sri Lanka in July 2021. In addition, I contributed to generating sponsorship revenues of USD 300,000 in FY 2021 and USD 500,000 in FY 2022 through the company’s in-stadium advertising rights business, covering cricket series and football leagues. While I initially relied on my interpersonal and leadership skills honed in my previous role, this experience revealed my untapped potential in business development and revenue generation, allowing me to make a meaningful impact on the company’s growth.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in Alliance Manchester’s MBA program so far:

As part of our Social Impact Consultancy project, I had the privilege of working with the Manchester Football Association (FA) to address a key business challenge. Drawing from my sports background, I collaborated with a diverse and talented team to enhance their existing revenue streams, aiming to make Manchester FA a more sustainable football association in the years ahead.

Our team successfully identified and provided actionable leads across three different revenue streams, each with significant potential to generate income for the organization. This project marked my first consultancy experience, and it was uniquely rewarding. Our team comprised individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, including Mexico, Ghana, Chile, Egypt, Indonesia, and India. Working together over a tight three-month timeline presented challenges, particularly as each team member brought distinct working styles and approaches.

Despite the initial hurdles, we communicated effectively, embraced our differences, and ultimately delivered recommendations that resonated strongly with the client. The Manchester FA appreciated our work and provided positive feedback to AMBS, which was immensely gratifying. This experience stands out as a significant accomplishment, demonstrating our ability to adapt, collaborate, and deliver impactful solutions in a challenging and multicultural environment.