Meet the MBA Class of 2022: Fernando Yllanes Almanza, Warwick Business School

Fernando Yllanes Almanza

Warwick Business School

A cheese and beer lover with a passion for theatre.”

Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico

Fun Fact About Yourself: I love acting musical theater! At the end of my first performance (Aida) I prepared a brief act with my friends, where I told the story of how I met my wife and then proposed to her on stage.

Undergraduate School and Major: Universidad Panamericana (Mexico City, Law and Fordham University (NYC), Master of Laws

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Yllanes Ramos, Director of Legal Counsel

What word best describes your classmates and give an example of why? Passionate. Since the very start of the programme, I have noticed that I am surrounded by very passionate individuals and professionals.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Warwick Business School’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you?  When I was doing my research on business schools, one of the most important elements for me was their view on sustainability and how it was approached in class. Climate change is the biggest challenge of our generation and companies play a huge role in the ‘green transformation’ the world needs. Warwick is a top-ranking university in sustainability. During our first term, we used our knowledge and skills to propose solutions to real-life business cases that address the challenges of the Sustainable Development Goals. It was very interesting to see how my classmates approached this task and the very creative solutions they came up with.

A great example of this approach is an exercise we completed during the module ‘Managing in a New World’, where we were asked to come up with a scenario to change enough public policies to achieve the established 1.5° C goal established in the Paris Agreement. Whilst this proved to be a challenging task, it helped me realise all the business opportunities that will arise from the massive changes needed in the world as we move forward to a more sustainable economy. I’m happy to say I’m in the right place to become a Change Maker of the world.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Warwick Business School? The Strategic Thinking module during my first term was by far one of the most interesting modules I’ve taken. This was, not only because the module allowed us to conduct an in-depth analysis of the business strategies taken by real companies, but also because of the professors’ exceptional delivery of such relevant and useful information.

What has been your best memory at the Warwick Business School so far? Why? I cannot come up with just one single memory that takes first place. My experience at the university has exceeded all my expectations so far and every week I create new experiences with my classmates and friends. However, karaoke night at the Dirty Duck Pub is without a doubt one of the most entertaining experiences so far.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I was able to restructure the company I used to work for by changing the teams in the organisation and the roles of the leaders. This allowed us to take on new challenges and bring new accounts to the firm from multinational companies that would normally work with bigger firms than us.

What do you hope to do after graduation? I am ready to take on new challenges and help make a difference in the world. I am looking forward to becoming a consultant in sustainability focusing on the internal changes a company must face while transitioning to more sustainable practices.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Warwick Business School’s MBA program? Prepare, prepare, prepare! Study for the exams, plan your application and become an interesting person! A professional career is not just work experience and school credentials. It’s the little extra things we do in life that makes a difference, and that’s what WBS is looking for: exceptional people.

DON’T MISS: MEET WARWICK BUSINESS SCHOOL’S MBA CLASS OF 2022

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