Mario SOSA TORRES

INSEAD

“Seasoned public servant transitioning into working for the greater good through impact-driven companies.”

Hometown: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Fun Fact About Yourself: Cooking for friends and family is one of my greatest passions; I apprenticed in a professional kitchen.

Undergraduate School and Major: Vassar College, New York; Economics

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Legislator in the City Government of Santo Domingo

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? INSEAD’s uniquely diverse student body was a major factor in my decision to join the MBA program for two main reasons. First, I believe that diversity in cultural perspectives and professional backgrounds enriches class discussions. My experience has taught me that multiple perspectives foster the open-mindedness essential for quality divergent thinking, which is necessary to creatively tackle the toughest and most complex business challenges. This diversity is also especially valuable for conducting rigorous analysis when selecting, evaluating, and refining the most promising ideas.

Second, as I prepare for a global business career, honing my ability to communicate and collaborate across different cultural contexts is critical. Spending a year in such a diverse community will undoubtedly help us provide one another with the cultural capital and sensitivities needed to navigate our increasingly interconnected and multipolar world.

Why did you choose a one-year program over a two-year program? How do you see an INSEAD MBA giving you an advantage in the marketplace? Given my extensive professional background in the public sector, a one-year MBA program was the ideal choice for me. I wanted a full-time program that would equip me with the knowledge and network to transition into a new stage of my career without sacrificing two years of income, which is important for me as a husband and father.

The companies I am most interested in working for are based in Europe and Latin America, and INSEAD is highly regarded within the business communities of both regions. An MBA from INSEAD, coupled with my extensive career achievements, I believe will position me as an attractive candidate for companies that engage with public sector stakeholders, whether through regulatory bodies, public-private partnerships, or impact-driven projects. My background in public service, combined with the business acumen gained at INSEAD, will enable me to provide the public-facing leadership necessary to drive strategic initiatives within these organizations, as well as foster strong partnerships and collaborations across a wide range of stakeholders.

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? INSEAD is renowned for its academic rigor, which was particularly important to me as a non-traditional student seeking to gain both breadth and depth of business knowledge in a condensed timeframe. Diving into a curriculum that spans such a wide array of subjects and will consistently challenge me intellectually is one of the aspects I am most looking forward to.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at INSEAD? There are two clubs at INSEAD that particularly excite me. First, I am eager to engage with the Environment and Business Club. My goal is to connect with current students and alumni who have expertise in founding, managing finance, overseeing operations, conducting research, building teams, and developing strategy for companies with significant environmental impact. I admire many European firms for their environmental efforts, and through active participation in this club, I plan to organize events that bring business leaders to campus.

The second club, which I aim to establish once I am settled, stems from my belief that communities are built around shared meals. Unlike classroom debates, which are by nature guided by the topic at hand, sharing a meal at home facilitates unhurried discussions. Fostering nuance and depth, these meals allow for a more comprehensive and empathic understanding of another person’s views and beliefs. This is why I want to start the INSEAD Cooking Club, where once a week students can gather to share and eat good food (the ingredients available in Fontainebleau are absolutely incredible!).

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. Getting to know INSEAD alumni during my MBA application process truly made me fall in love with the school. Whether it was during formal interviews or through casual encounters facilitated by mutual acquaintances, all the alumni I met were incredibly brilliant, interesting, and well-rounded individuals. I would have cherished the opportunity to share an academic journey with them. It appears that INSEAD consistently attracts people who are open to the world and value diversity of thought as a precious asset. This resonates deeply with what I seek for myself and my family, making it the ideal place for us to spend the upcoming year.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: As a legislator of the City Government of Santo Domingo, I spearheaded the “Ensanche La Fe” initiative, an urban renewal project aimed at transforming a large semi-industrial and low-density residential area into a pedestrian-centric district poised to become the new urban center of the Dominican capital. This project is set to facilitate the development of over 40,000 new homes and generate more than US$6.1 billion in real estate value over the next twenty years. Despite being part of the opposition and a legislative minority, I successfully negotiated and secured unanimous legislative approval for this landmark urban planning legislation.

Knowing that in the not-so-distant future, I will be able to comfortably walk through the new urban center of the largest and most developed city in the greater Caribbean region, and feel directly responsible for its creation. Thinking about its ten-meter-wide sidewalks, abundant public spaces, and dense tree coverings, gives me a great sense of pride and satisfaction—a dream come true.

What do you hope to do after graduation (at this point)? Contributing to the greater good has been a guiding principle throughout my life. This commitment led me to spend over a decade in the public sector and now propels me toward the business world. I firmly believe that businesses should actively contribute to making the world a better place and not simply act as individual competitors vying for market share. Instead, they should function as responsible entities that enhance society’s well-being.

There are leaders who have founded companies with these very goals, focusing on benefiting both people and the planet. Post-graduation, I envision myself thriving in such environments. Specifically, I am drawn to the infrastructure sector due to its significant impact on collective well-being and the opportunity it presents to utilize my skills in managing large-scale public-private partnerships. My ambition is to lead the design, financing, development, and operation of transformative infrastructure projects, particularly in emerging markets and, ideally, in Latin America.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into INSEAD’s MBA program? Applying to MBA programs was inherently valuable to me, as it led me to reflect deeply on my career thus far and where I want to go from here. My biggest advice would be to give yourself ample time to reflect on the prompts required by INSEAD. Additionally, have as many conversations as you can with both MBA students and alumni, as well as business leaders. These insights will be of great value not just for getting admitted into the program, but also for your broader professional development.

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