Sushrut Deo

 ”I travelled to another state to play a chess tournament, and that got me my international rating in chess”

Hometown: Pune, India

Undergraduate School and Major: Bachelor of Commerce, Savitribai Phule Pune University

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: AllianceBernstein, Associate

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

London is an extraordinary place to pursue an MBA because it combines academic excellence with the energy of one of the world’s most influential financial and cultural capitals. For someone with a background in finance, the city becomes a ‘living laboratory’, in the sense that markets, institutions and ideas are not abstract concepts but part of your daily environment.

What sets London apart is its density of opportunity. Within a few tube stops, you can move from financial institutions to marketing giants, from venture capital firms to entrepreneurial names of the future. This proximity creates a unique ecosystem where classroom learning is constantly reinforced by real world exposure.

Finally, London rewards ambition. Whether one is exploring finance, entrepreneurship, sustainability or technology, the city offers unmatched access to industry leaders, networking events and career pathways. Studying here doesn’t just give you an MBA; it immerses you in a global hub where ideas, cultures and opportunities converge.

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

Imperial’s Full-Time MBA stood out because it feels like a leadership and innovation lab embedded in a STEM powerhouse. For me, the way Imperial blends analytics, technology and entrepreneurship into the core of the programme was decisive. A key differentiator was the ability to shape the programme through flexcore and multiple elective options, including defined tracks of concentrations. Coming in with CA (Chartered Accountant) and CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst), this flexibility is important because it allows me to build beyond traditional finance pathways into data-driven decision-making and digital strategy.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Imperial Business School?

For me, this year at Imperial is not just about learning technical skills. I would also like to share my prior relevant experiences with the larger Imperial circle and polish my decision-making and leadership skills. For this reason, I am looking forward to the Imperial Student Investment Fund (SIF), which is an investment fund run by the students. I would love to share my experiences of working within the investments industry to help the fund build upon its existing policies and, at the same time, refine my portfolio management skills to help in my future career.

Additionally, there are numerous networking events taking place throughout the year. I even had the opportunity to moderate one of the events for Careers on the investments- buy side. This helped me connect with like-minded aspirants and seasoned professionals from the space. I believe this is a good avenue for building and strengthening one’s personal as well as professional profile.

The Imperial MBA is known to strike a balance between core business knowledge and skills that emphasize vision, judgment, and innovation. What area do you hope to strengthen during your year of business school and why?

One area I am particularly focused on strengthening during my MBA is strategic judgment in environments of uncertainty. I amcomfortable with analytical rigour, structured problem solving and data driven decision making. However, the world we arestepping into increasingly demands something more: the ability to make high quality decisions when the data is incomplete, the variables are shifting and the path forward isn’t obvious.

Imperial’s emphasis on innovation, experimentation and cross disciplinary thinking is exactly the environment I need to stretch that muscle. Through modules like Managerial Economics and Strategy, along with real world finance and investing projects and exposure to London’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, I want to learn how to balance analysis with intuition; how to move from “What does the model say?” to “What is the opportunity we’re not seeing yet?”

Strengthening this capability matters to me because it is the foundation of modern leadership. Whether evaluating early stage ventures, shaping strategy in a fast moving market or guiding teams through ambiguity, the leaders who thrive are those who can pair sharp analytical skills with vision, creativity and sound judgment. That is the kind of leader I am working to become at Imperial.

What is your unique quality that will enable you to make a big contribution to the Class of 2026?

My most distinctive quality, and the one that will shape my contribution to the Class of 2026, is my ability to bridge analytical rigour with creative, human centred thinking. From my prior background, I am trained to break down complexity, challenge assumptions and bring structure to ambiguity. But alongside that, I have always been someone who thinks in stories, metaphors and big-picture ideas. This comes to me from writing on my blog. All of this is a combination that allows me to translate numbers into narratives, and strategy into something people can connect with. In group settings, this shows up as a talent for synthesising diverse viewpoints and helping teams move from debate to clarity.

This blend of analytical depth and creative expression means I can contribute not just as an analytical person, but as a collaborator who elevates the thinking around me. Whether it is shaping investment theses, crafting compelling presentations or navigating uncertainty in team projects, I bring both precision and imagination, a combination I believe will add real value to the Class of 2026.

The Imperial MBA is also known for its strong emphasis on technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Why does the program’s focus on technological insights and mindful leadership appeal to you? How have been able to leverage this approach in your career so far?

Imperial’s approach resonates with me because it blends two qualities that are rarely taught together: a deep understanding of emerging technologies and a human centred philosophy of leadership. It is not just about learning new tools; it is about learning how to think and make decisions that are both strategically sound and ethically grounded.

In my career so far, I have already begun to leverage this mindset. Whether analysing investment opportunities, building financial models, or advising portfolio managers, I have learned that the real value comes from connecting the technical with the human. This blend of analytical precision and mindful decision making has helped me navigate ambiguity, communicate complex ideas clearly, and build trust across teams. Imperial’s emphasis on innovation and reflective leadership feels like the natural next step given this thought process.

When you think of Imperial, what is the first word that comes to mind? 

“Crossroads.” Imperial feels like a crossroads where business, technology and science intersect in a very real, everyday way.
Being embedded within a globally leading STEM university means the Business School sits at the junction of engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs and future business leaders, all on one campus. This creates constant opportunities to move between disciplines, collaborate on ideas and see how financial and strategic decisions shape real technological innovation.

On a personal level, it also represents the shift from being a finance specialist to becoming a leader who can stand in the middle, understand multiple perspectives and help convert innovative ideas into scalable, sustainable businesses.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:

My biggest achievement would be that I have advised portfolio managers on multi-million-dollar investment decisions. In my previous role as a fundamental research analyst, I was fortunate to present investment credits to portfolio managers. The securities that I pitched and recommended investing in were bought across multiple investment portfolios and also gave decent-sized returns. Moreover, I have also prepared automated databases which helped analysts and portfolio managers easily track sector updates, investment holdings and other details.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Imperial Business School’s MBA program?

The best advice I would give to potential applicants is to show clarity of purpose and authenticity of voice. Imperial is not looking for a single “type” of candidate; it is looking for people who understand who they are, what they want to build and why this environment matters for that journey.

I would also say to lean into evidence of curiosity and adaptability. Imperial likely wants to see that you are not just comfortable with change but rather are energised by it. Whether through your career, side projects or personal learning, show moments where you stretched yourself, learned something new or navigated ambiguity with maturity.

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