Lachie Cairns

HEC Paris

“Travel and outdoor adventure enthusiast with 6 years of experience in commercial and operational Agriculture.”

Hometown: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Fun Fact About Yourself: Having spent a large portion of my childhood in Bangkok as an expat, and having backpacked for a significant period of time after completing my undergraduate degree, I’ve had the privilege of traveling to over 40 countries.

Undergraduate School and Major: BSc – Animal Science and Management, University of Melbourne.

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Senior Agribusiness Analyst at an Australian-based asset management firm

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of HEC Paris’ MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Working in the Agribusiness industry has made me acutely aware of the challenges posed by climate change and the growing demand for sustainable food production. I’m driven to pursue a career where I can make a meaningful impact on these global issues. With concentrations in sustainability and Tech & AI, HEC Paris is best equipped to deepen my understanding of these critical areas, both of which are crucial to shaping effective future solutions in overcoming such issues in the Agribusiness industry.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at HEC Paris? All of the extracurricular opportunities HEC Paris provides sound extremely exciting – I can’t wait for the MBA Tournament (MBAT) and the Outdoor Leadership Seminar! I think these opportunities provide a really good platform to develop strong and lasting relationships with peers and contribute to the broader learning environment.

HEC Paris is just 17 kilometers from Paris. What do you see as the best part of earning your MBA so close to Paris? Aside from the business opportunities that come from being close to a major global city, it will be really important to have outlets from the rigorous study requirements of an MBA. What better place to reset then in the rich cultural history and unmatched culinary scene of Paris!

Why did you choose a 16-month program over a one-year program? How do you see a HEC Paris MBA giving you an advantage in the marketplace? A big focus of mine, in completing an MBA, is to expand my horizons and meet like-minded individuals – like-minded in the sense that we have all chosen to complete an MBA and are excited at the prospect of taking a step forward in our personal and professional growth. A key reason for choosing a longer program was to have more time to meet, work, and learn with my peers and create meaningful relationships that will last beyond the duration of the program. These relationships have built a large and diverse alumni community at HEC and being a part of that community could prove to be a huge advantage – as they always say it’s not what you know, it’s who you know!

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Working at an asset management firm, I have overseen the growth of an agricultural portfolio by 187% over a 4-year period.

What has been the defining experience in your life? How has it prepared you for the rigors of business school and your career in general? When I first started working, I completed a short graduate rotation on an operating dairy farm. The aim of this was to gain a ground up understanding of the business I was working for and to get an appreciation for the operational drivers. I relocated to a new town, made new friends in the community and worked 12+ hour days. I think this experience in some ways will be very similar to the first few months of the MBA!

Looking ahead two years, what would make your MBA experience successful? Success to me looks like more than just academic results or a job at the end of the degree. Success in the MBA program would be building meaningful relationships with my peers that will last beyond the duration of the course and ensuring I leave no stone unturned.

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