Capucine Le Meur

Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford

“Water security advocate, baking enthusiast, committed to walking everywhere rain or shine.”

Hometown: New York City, NY

Fun fact about yourself: During my undergrad, I worked as a research assistant in an epigenetics lab, where my most unusual task was painting ants for identification. I gave each ant a custom paint job – one colour on the head and another on the thorax.

Undergraduate School and Degree:

• University of Pennsylvania, BA in Environmental Studies & Political Science (2014-2018)
• University of Oxford, MSc in Water Science, Policy & Management (2023-2024)

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Veolia Middle East – Project Engineer

Where did you intern during the summer of 2024? I worked as a fellow for the Global Resilience Partnership and United Nations Development Programme, conducting MSc dissertation research on the role of grants in advancing local adaptation to water-related climate impacts.

Where will you be working after graduation? TBD, but I plan to work at the intersection of water security and climate resilience.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• Co-Chair, Oxford Business Network for Climate – Elected by the class to foster a sustainability community and deliver impactful events in the climate and nature space
• Research Assistant, Oxford Sustainable Finance Group – Analyzed ESG & TCFD reports to train an NLP model to evaluate corporate resilience efforts
• Spring Intern, Systemiq – Contributed research to Systemiq’s Blue Whale Inquiry into the lessons of systems change
• Fellow, Saïd Business School Impact Lab – Engaged in a community of practice centered on social impact and animated by the Skoll Center
• Mentor, Oxford Refugee-Led Research Hub – Supported a graduate applicant in their applications to master’s programs and scholarships
• 2^nd place, Oxford Turner MIINT Competition – Sourced a Kenyan waste-to-value startup for the MIINT impact investing competition
• Secretary, Jesus College Middle Common Room – Elected by Jesus College graduate students to administer meetings, consult bylaws and manage membership
• Oxford-Pershing Square Graduate Scholarship – Received full scholarship for two years of study at Oxford in the 1+1 MBA program
• Forté Fellowship ­– Awarded on basis of receiving a scholarship at Saïd Business School

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? Leading the Climate OBN alongside my four incredible co-chairs has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my MBA experience. From the very start, they inspired me with their dedication, expertise, and shared commitment to driving climate action. I am proud of the events we have organised together, including learning sessions on climate basics, the circular economy, sustainable cocoa sourcing, and nature and finance, a National Geographic documentary screening and panel discussion, and a visit of an energy recovery facility.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? My biggest career accomplishment has been succeeding as a Project Engineer on a major wastewater treatment operation and maintenance contract in Qatar, as the role was a departure from my academic background and prior experience. Stepping into this role required learning to manage technical projects and build strong client relationships in a complex, high-stakes environment. Rising to the challenge has made me confident in my ability to navigate challenges in unfamiliar contexts.

Why did you choose this business school? I chose the Oxford MBA for its deep focus on impact and its 1+1 MBA program, which allowed me to combine the MBA with an MSc in Water Science, Policy, and Management. My career goal is to leverage private capital to bridge the climate adaptation finance gap, particularly by directing investment toward water security initiatives that build resilience against floods, droughts, and other climate crises. The Oxford MBA has been instrumental in equipping me with the financial and strategic skills necessary for this transition, both in class and through extracurriculars. From co-chairing the Climate OBN and participating in the Impact Lab to competing in the Oxford MIINT impact investing competition, the impact programming at Oxford Saïd has provided exactly the platform I needed to grow as a leader in this space.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Definitely Howard Jones, our Business Finance professor. He made a complex subject accessible by being incredibly patient and approaching the material methodically and with enthusiasm. I will miss his rich repertoire of Oxford anecdotes and trivia!

What was your favorite course as an MBA? I really enjoyed the Capitalism in Debate course. Amidst the more typical MBA courses such as Business Finance, Accounting, and Strategy, it was refreshing critically to examine the assumptions underpinning our business education. Through a mix of lectures, structured debates, and class discussion, we tackled the big questions: Who should firms be accountable to? Is it desirable for firms to take on roles traditionally filled by the state? How are power dynamics influencing global supply chains and climate action in our capitalist system? Our discussions were stimulating and relevant for any business leader navigating today’s complex world.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? The Saïd Business School Career Development Centre organised a weekend Impact Investing Bootcamp, wherein Aunnie Patton Powers and guest lecturers expertly navigated us through the mechanics of sourcing and due diligence, creating funds, and building portfolios. It was great to hear practitioners’ insights on their organisation’s strategy and impact and the future of the impact investing market. The bootcamp cemented my interest in impact investing, while the high attendance from my classmates on a weekend underscored how deeply embedded the focus on impact is within the Oxford Saïd community.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? I wish I had better anticipated just how intense and all-encompassing the MBA year would be. Coming from an MSc program with a class of 25 and fewer teaching hours, I underestimated the challenge of balancing academics, extracurriculars, and social life in a cohort of 348. As I was already familiar with Oxford and aware of the many opportunities it offers, I overcommitted to extracurriculars, thinking I could manage it all. In hindsight, I wish I had carved out more time in the early months to get to know my amazing classmates and build even deeper connections.

What is the biggest myth about your school? I have heard concerns that a one-year MBA does not provide enough time to career build or to foster meaningful relationships. The Oxford MBA has definitely been fast-paced and densely packed, but the intensity actually accelerated my learning and networking, while the high in-class contact time has strengthened our bond as a cohort.

What did you love most about your business school’s town?  I love that Oxford is a small, walkable city that still attracts world-class thinkers and vibrant intellectual exchange. I was raised in New York and have studied and worked only in major cities (Philadelphia, Sydney, Paris and Doha), so I found Oxford’s slower pace refreshing. I even committed to walking everywhere rather than getting a bike to immerse myself in the historical atmosphere. The college system made the experience even more special, as students get the unique chance to peek behind college walls and attend formal dinners in centuries-old halls.

What movie or television show best reflects the realities of business and what did you learn from it? I learned a lot from watching Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber last year. The series depicted the many ethical dilemmas Uber encountered during its rise and highlighted the challenge of balancing growth and sustainability, respecting regulations while lobbying to change them, and driving visionary leadership without compromising on inclusive culture.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? Our amazing Technology & Operations professor, Agni Orfanoudaki, dedicated her last lecture to the opportunities that AI unlocks for operations management. She broke down the different machine learning approaches – supervised, unsupervised, reinforcement and deep learning – and how to choose between them to achieve desired outcomes.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Answering this question was difficult, as I am surrounded by many incredible, accomplished and mission-driven MBA classmates. However, I would love to highlight Sofia Benmouffok, former Executive Director at Acre and all-around amazing human being. With a deep expertise in sustainability recruiting and vast knowledge of the climate sector, Sofia has consistently been incredibly generous in sharing her insights on key issues, giving thoughtful advice and helping classmates navigate careers in sustainability. I also had the pleasure of being on Sofia’s team for the MIINT competition, where her experience with climate VC was invaluable – she was instrumental in designing our sourcing strategy and evaluating startups. Her collaborative spirit and dedication to impact truly set her apart.

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

• Drive large-scale private investment towards water security and climate resilience in emerging economies.
• In a few years’ time, teach a university course on water management as a guest lecturer to educate future leaders on the vital role of water in society, ecosystems, and climate resilience.

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

“I had the privilege of supervising Capucine Le Meur’s dissertation and as her MBA 1+1 advisor, where she stood out as a thoughtful, articulate, and driven Individual. Selected through a competitive United Nations recruitment process, she embarked on an ambitious research project to enhance climate resilience for women in vulnerable communities in Bangladesh and Vietnam. Despite tight deadlines and logistical challenges, she remained organized, adaptable, and proactive, collecting strong data to support her work. Her final dissertation was both insightful and impactful.

Beyond her academic achievements, Capucine continues to engage thoughtfully in discussions about creating meaningful impact within profit-driven organizations. Her curiosity, strategic thinking, and hands-on experience in the field position her as someone who seeks real-world solutions to complex challenges. I am confident Capucine will continue to excel as a changemaker and will bring the same dedication and intellectual rigor to any endeavour she pursues.”

Abrar Chaudhury
Senior Research Fellow

DON’T MISS: MBAS TO WATCH: CLASS OF 2025

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