Damian D’souza

IESE Business School

“Relentless problem-solver, unconventional path seeker, investor in people—navigating life like an erratically-planned heist.”

Hometown: Sharjah, U.A.E.

Fun fact about yourself: At 26, I co-founded and curated Sydney’s inaugural TEDx series in the city’s Chinatown. After our first successful event, our team got to partner with a department of the New South Wales State Government to spotlight the city’s vibrant innovation ecosystem. As curator, I got to collaborate with educators, actors, and entrepreneurs to craft their compelling stories aligned with our themes.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Macquarie University (Sydney, Australia), Bachelor of Commerce – Professional Accounting.

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Oliver Wyman Middle East (Dubai office), Project Manager in ‘Government and Public Institutions’ Practice.

Where did you intern during the summer of 2024? Best11 Group, Madrid (focused on a project to set up a sports-focused Venture Capital fund). My role involved conducting market research on investment opportunities in the sports tech and entertainment sectors, analyzing potential deal flow, and helping shape the fund’s investment thesis and structure. I also worked on benchmarking global sports VC funds, identifying trends in athlete-led investing, and exploring strategies for attracting LPs (such as Real Madrid, Adidas, Ticketmaster) with deep industry expertise. The experience gave me valuable exposure to fund structuring, sector-focused investing, and the intersection of sports, technology, and finance.

Where will you be working after graduation? Oliver Wyman Middle East (Dubai office), Project Leader in ‘Government and Public Institutions’ Practice.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

First Year: Club Director Roles

• PEVC Club (Private Equity and Venture Capital Club) – Conference Director: Helped organize our annual conference, attended by over 300 guests, and coordinated more than 15 panelists.
• IESE Impact Fund (IIF) – Special Projects Director: Supported our annual impact investing competition, coordinating eight other business schools to participate on our Barcelona campus.
• Responsible Business Club – External Relations Director: Liaised with 80+ MBA students to arrange a trip to La Fageda—a social enterprise in La Garrotxa—where they got to meet the Founder (Cristóbal Colón) and tour the facilities.

Second Year: Club Leadership Roles

• PEVC Club – Chief of Staff: Oversaw first-year leadership selection, and the club’s 2024–25 strategy; coordinated the annual conference and various events connecting PE and VC investors with MBA students.
• IESE Impact Fund (IIF) – Co-President: Spearheaded the development of a five-year fund strategy, refined our investment thesis and theory of change, fostered leadership within the fund, and built partnerships with impact-focused VCs in Spain.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? One achievement I’m most proud of is moderating the closing panel at our PEVC conference. Despite launching our marketing just three weeks before the event, I rallied our professors and secured partnerships—such as with Tech Barcelona—to amplify our outreach. Even with a strong number of signups, we hit a major snag on the day when three speakers dropped out at the last minute. Our team quickly recalibrated, and I stepped up to moderate a panel featuring three senior investors from Kenya, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico, engaging our guests in a dynamic discussion on the opportunities and challenges of VC investing in emerging markets. This experience not only validated the faith my second-year peers had placed in me as a first-year student, but also reinforced my ability to manage pressure and be an engaging on-stage presence. As a first-year, I was just entering the world of Venture Capital, so I was nervous but getting praised by the panelists and audience members was a brilliant feeling.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? The achievement I’m most proud of is the decision to leave my corporate job at KPMG Sydney and move back to Dubai to help my father navigate the future of our family business. Unlike a structured corporate role with clear career progression, this was an uncertain, high-stakes decision—but one that taught me invaluable lessons about business, leadership, and adaptability.

Working alongside my father, I focused on modernizing our operations and sales strategy, but ultimately, we jointly decided that selling the business was the best path forward. It was a tough call—letting go of something he had built from the ground up—but we were able to secure a sale just before COVID hit, avoiding what could have been a severe financial drain.

This experience gave me first-hand exposure to entrepreneurial problem-solving, strategic decision-making under pressure, and the emotional complexities of family business transitions—lessons I wouldn’t have learned in a traditional corporate setting. More than anything, it reinforced my belief that business isn’t just about growth, but also knowing when to pivot, adapt, and make the hard calls for long-term sustainability.

Why did you choose this business school? An underlying and very prominent aspect of IESE’s messaging has always been service before self. I chose IESE because this core value resonated deeply with my personal and professional compass. IESE champions the human side of business through responsible leadership and genuine, personalized engagement. From the very beginning of the recruitment process, I felt seen and valued as an individual rather than just a number, allowing me to better define what I wanted from my MBA experience. For someone like me—who began my career in the non-profit sector and now continues to balance impactful work with a corporate career, there couldn’t have been a better school for me.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? While there are several professors that I’d like to mention, my favorite MBA professor was (and is) Professor Anneleos Raes, who taught our Leadership course in the first year. She was a fantastic teacher who brought each class to life by encapsulating the nuances behind effective leadership very succinctly. I left each class reflecting on how I’d want to incorporate her teachings into my journey towards being an effective leader.

One assignment that will stay with me was writing a magazine-style article envisioning my life 10 years after graduation. What I appreciated about this article was she never asked us to make it a “business magazine”. It gave me a chance to reflect on what I’d done up to that point and what I should do now, moving forward, that would make my professional journey more meaningful.

Not only was she an exceptional instructor, she also served as a deeply caring mentor. When I was struggling to settle into MBA life in a new city, she generously took time outside of class to listen and offer insights that helped me regain my footing. I’m truly grateful for the lasting impact her guidance has had on my development. She reminded me that leadership means nothing without empathy.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? My favorite course was an elective on Search Funds, taught by Professor Jan Simon, a leading authority on entrepreneurship via acquisition. His no-nonsense, direct communication style was initially intimidating, but I soon came to appreciate his approach. Professor Simon didn’t just teach the technical aspects of setting up a search fund; he also shaped our thinking as professionals and future leaders. He shared incredible insights from his own career and brought in excellent guest speakers who candidly discussed the struggles of managing a search fund and acquiring a company. He never sugar-coated the challenges of being a company executive, which allowed us to immerse ourselves in simulations—stepping into the roles of CEOs, investors, and board members to tackle difficult scenarios. One particular scenario that was memorable was when he made us enact a board member having to fire an un-ethical CEO. He made sure we understood that being entrepreneurs, CEOs, investors or Board members isn’t just about the glitz and glamour, but understanding the pressures behind these roles.

Beyond the class, Professor Simon took the time to guide me through shaping my professional journey. His advice to me was not to focus on “success on paper,” but to focus on creating my own path—regardless of financial gain—and to always strive for personal growth and paying it forward.

What is the biggest myth about your school? One of the things I constantly heard before coming to IESE was that it had an exceptionally strong, community-driven culture—a place where students, faculty, and alumni truly support each other. At first, I thought this might be an overstatement—after all, every business school claims to have a great community. But once I arrived, I realized that this wasn’t just a selling point—it was the foundation of the IESE experience.

The second-year students play an active role in shaping the first-year experience, not just as classmates but as mentors. They train us for recruiting, guide us through case prep, and connect us to employment opportunities—all while running professional MBA clubs that create invaluable learning experiences. Because of the program, we overlap on campus with the second years, and this allows us to build great relations with them. I was even invited by four of my seniors to work with them on setting up an investment club (which we officially launched in Dec ’24).

The academic faculty and staff are equally invested, providing unwavering support both inside and outside the classroom. And the alumni network? They are quite literally just a LinkedIn message away, always willing to share advice, make introductions, or offer guidance. I’ve been able to confirm some very senior investors for our IESE PEVC conference (e.g. an MD from General Atlantic, a Partner from Mexico City, a Head of VC from the European Investment Fund) just because they as alumni are so open to coming back to campus to support us students.

Perhaps the best example of this tight-knit culture is how IESE embraces even those who are here for only a short time. Last year, we had exchange students from other MBA programs who became so deeply ingrained in our community that we adopted them into our cohort—and now, they’re even joining us for our end-of-MBA grad trip. That’s the kind of place IESE is—a business school where connections run deep, and community isn’t just a concept, but a way of life.

What movie or television show (e.g. The Big Short, The Founder, Mad Men, House of Lies)

best reflects the realities of business and what did you learn from it? A surprising but fitting pick for me would be Ratatouille, a film that reflects the realities of business—especially in industries shaped by skill, reputation, and hierarchy.

On the positive side, the film underscores the power of learning by doing—Remy hones his craft through hands-on experience rather than formal credentials, proving that talent and persistence can outweigh pedigree. My own career has followed a similarly unconventional path. I didn’t attend a top-ranked undergraduate school. Instead of launching my career in a prestigious corporate firm, I started in the non-profit sector, where I learned to lead and adapt with limited resources. Later, I put my corporate career on hold to support my family’s business, trading the structured world of audit for the unpredictable challenges of entrepreneurship. And most recently, I paused my career again to pursue an MBA at an older age than many of my classmates, not just for career advancement but to rediscover my professional identity and explore where I could make the most impact. Like Remy, I’ve learned that growth doesn’t always follow a linear or traditional path—success is about seizing opportunities, embracing risk, and continuously learning through real-world experience.

Yet, the film also highlights the barriers of hierarchy and gatekeeping. Remy is constantly underestimated, not because of his abilities but because he doesn’t fit the mold of what a chef “should” be. I’ve faced similar challenges— entering the corporate world later than most and taking career detours that didn’t fit the traditional mold of success. In many industries, pedigree and networks often outweigh capability, creating barriers for those with non-traditional backgrounds.

Ultimately, Ratatouille is a story of resilience, adaptability, and challenging expectations—themes that have defined my own journey. The film reminds me that while talent and effort matter, real success comes from having the courage to defy convention, carve out your own path, and prove that excellence isn’t confined to those who follow the traditional playbook.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? One of the most significant ways IESE has integrated AI into the MBA experience is through the establishment of the AI Club in 2024. Recognizing the growing influence of AI across industries, the school actively supported four students—Balakrishnan Suresh, Chantal Li, Alex Lerner, and Diego Esteves—in launching AI as a standalone, officially-recognized club. The club’s mission extended beyond just connecting students with AI-driven employment opportunities—it also focused on how AI can enhance learning, improve workplace efficiency, and transform business decision-making.

IESE reinforced this initiative by bringing in leading AI researchers and industry experts for campus talks, panels, and conferences, helping students explore both the real-world applications and ethical considerations of AI.

Personally, AI has helped me become more efficient in structuring my work and sharpening my written communication. However, the biggest insight I’ve gained is that AI should never be a substitute for critical or innovative thinking. While it is a powerful tool for analysis and structuring information, the true value in business still lies in human ingenuity, strategic decision-making, and creative problem-solving. AI can enhance decision-making, but it cannot replace the instincts, adaptability, and leadership that define great business leaders.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? The classmate I admire most is Mercedes Sevilla. We were section mates throughout our first year. At first, I assumed she was quiet and reserved. But as the year progressed, I came to see her as someone with unwavering drive, humility, and an exceptional ability to balance multiple priorities with grace. After securing a highly competitive consulting internship with one of the most rigorous recruitment processes at IESE, she opened up—and I saw firsthand the dedication and resilience that defined her. She not only excelled in her internship but secured a full-time offer, a testament to her hard work.

By our second year, Mercedes was juggling an extraordinary number of commitments. She held leadership roles in the Spanish Business Club, the Core Christian Club, and the PEVC Club, all while managing a four-month VC internship and competing in the TURNER MIINT Impact Investing Competition against top global business schools. On top of this, when floods devastated Valencia (her hometown) in 2024, she took the initiative to lead relief efforts, rallying the IESE community to provide aid.

What truly sets her apart is not just her ability to do it all, but how she does it—with humility, kindness, and an ever-present willingness to support others. She is a leader who embodies the best of IESE—ambitious, impact-driven, and deeply committed to making those around her better.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

* Scaling the Xaura Investment Club into a Global Investment Network – I recently helped launch Xaura, an investment club designed to increase access to alternative asset opportunities for IESE students and alumni. More than just facilitating high-quality deals, our mission is to build a dynamic, global investment community where members not only invest but also learn, mentor, and connect across geographies and industries. Investing can often feel exclusive, but Xaura seeks to lower the barriers to entry, particularly for first-time investors. Supporting the founding team—four IESE ‘24 alumni—I want to scale this into a long-term platform that fosters financial literacy, investment confidence, and cross-border collaboration. We are already finalizing our first two deals, with a target of 15+ investments annually, and I envision Xaura evolving into a launchpad for future investors and business leaders globally.

* Launching an Accelerator & Early-Stage Fund for Social Enterprises in South Asia – Long-term, I want to establish an accelerator and early-stage fund for social enterprises in South Asia, particularly in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Having grown up with heritage from India, I’ve always felt a responsibility to contribute meaningfully to the region, where entrepreneurship can be a powerful driver of economic and social transformation. Too often, promising ventures in these countries struggle due to fragmented support systems, limited access to capital, and a lack of scalable business models. My vision is to bridge that gap—helping impact-driven startups and non-profits move beyond survival mode and scale sustainably. By providing capital, mentorship, and operational expertise, I want to empower entrepreneurs who want to drive systemic change while building financially sustainable models that don’t rely solely on philanthropy.

What made Damian such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2025?

“Damian is a remarkable individual who combines intellectual sharpness and strong communication skills with a deep sense of empathy and a genuine commitment to making the world a better place. In my class, he was the kind of student who listened intently, absorbing different perspectives before interjecting with a single argument that shifted the entire discussion. He holds himself—and those around him—to the highest standards and is always willing to go the extra mile.

I deeply admire his dedication to inclusion and justice. On multiple occasions, he shared with me his observations about events that had surprised or frustrated him, even when he wasn’t directly involved—demonstrating not just awareness but a drive to continuously improve himself and the world around him.

With his unwavering commitment to positive impact, Damian will undoubtedly excel in any endeavor he chooses to pursue.”

Professor Anneloes Raes
Head of the Department of Managing People in Organizations and Puig Chair of Global Leadership Development
IESE Business School

 

“Damian has played a key role in organizing the VC/PE Conference, demonstrating seriousness, commitment, and a strong ability to build lasting relationships. He has effectively brought together speakers, sponsors, and participants, ensuring the event’s success through careful planning and clear communication.

What stands out about Damian is his ability to gain trust and align people around a common goal. He is structured, reliable, and follows through on his commitments, making him a valuable leader in any initiative he takes on.

As part of the Class of 2025, Damian has already made a tangible impact, and his ability to connect with others and drive initiatives with professionalism will continue to shape the community.”

Mathieu Carenzo
Senior Lecturer of Entrepreneurship
IESE Business School

 

“Damian has been a transformational leader, significantly enhancing IESE’s investment community. As the lead of the PEVC Club, he restructured engagement models, increasing investor interactions and securing high-profile speakers to campus and also expanded PEVC dinners, making them a flagship initiative that fosters deeper connections between students and top investors.

Beyond PEVC, he refined the IESE Impact Fund’s investment thesis, forging key VC partnerships to ensure long-term sustainability and impact. His efforts to connect IESE with underrepresented regions and launch a venture scout program have further expanded student access to investing learning opportunities.

Feedback from faculty, the Career Development Center, students, and alumni consistently highlights Damian’s strategic thinking, execution, and leadership.”

Stefano Lazzeri
Associate Director, Finance Careers
IESE Business School

 

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