Meet the MBA Class of 2022: Mariano Basombrio Barnechea, University of Oxford (Saïd)

Mariano Basombrio Barnechea

University of Oxford, Saïd Business School

“I am neither especially clever nor especially gifted. I am only very, very curious.” – Albert Einstein

Hometown: The beautiful city of Lima, Peru

Fun Fact About Yourself: Even though I am a very energetic and outgoing person, my favorite thing to do in life is to have long, laid-back, and meaningful conversations over coffee with friends

Undergraduate School and Major: Economics, University of Piura (Lima, Peru)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Business Efficiency Associate, Banco de Crédito del Perú

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Oxford Saïd’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? When applying to an MBA, I wanted a program that would not only give me the theoretical and hands-on business knowledge, but a school that had a strong focus on responsible, sustainable, and impact-driven business. In addition to this, being part of the greater University of Oxford was something extremely appealing to me. I would not only be exposed to my classmates but to people from all sorts of programs, allowing me to constantly learn and be exposed to different subjects and thoughts.

This combination of business and academic resources available to students, embedded within the timeless University of Oxford, just makes the Oxford Saïd MBA the best experience of my life.

What is the most “Oxford” thing you have done so far as a full-time MBA student? Definitely the formal dinners throughout the historic colleges will always be the most “Oxford” thing to do. It is a great time to be with friends while dressing up and enjoying delicious food (and wine!)

Oxford is known as a place where world collides, be it in the classroom or the dining hall. What has been the most interesting interaction you’ve had so far as an Oxford MBA student? As an MBA student, I am constantly having interesting conversations with many people, but an interaction I will always remember and cherish was when I met a now great friend from the Middle East and talked about religion, politics, and history. It was a mind-opening conversation for both of us since we were truly understanding how different and alike things can be around the world. Also, it was pretty great to see that we could share a laugh about our country’s similarities.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: In my previously role, I looked after the retail banking distribution model from an efficiency standpoint and ensured that long-term value was being generated for the bank. This meant that the different actions taken across the different business units were aligned to the bank´s objectives and were synchronized with each other while creating value.

For me, the most significant achievement I had in this team was to create a safe environment for everyone to speak up and share their ideas, as well as bringing different stakeholders to the table to make decisions that would affect the way business was being done. Through an honest and transparent process of prioritizing projects throughout different business units, we achieved to increase value.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far? One of my main goals (and dreams) was to do the famous career triple-jump, where one changes industry, role, and geography. Through much work, alongside the help, I received from the career advisers at Saïd, my classmates, and all the resources available to me, I was able to secure a full-time position in my dream job. This would have not been possible without the support from The Oxford Saïd Business School, and, for that, I will always be thankful. Being able to accomplish this so early in the MBA year makes me excited about what else I will achieve during my year at Oxford.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? I applied to other MBA programs in Europe and been accepted, but for me Oxford was always my first choice school. It had been my dream ever since I was an undergrad and had imagine this MBA for years. It surpassed ALL expectations.

What has been the biggest epiphany you’ve gained about yourself or the world since you started your MBA program? In a good and somewhat bizarre way, I have realized how big and small the world is at the same time. Before coming to Oxford, I thought that the opportunities I had in life were in a way limited and that there weren’t many possible ways to steer my career. After meeting so many people from different countries and backgrounds I have realized how many opportunities are out in the world to do anything one dreams of. It is incredible to see how things are done all around the world. Wherever and whenever one wants to do something, we will always support each other. In that sense, the world has also become smaller. I know that from here on out, wherever I want to go or whatever I will want to do, I will always have someone from my Oxford family around the world ready to help. In conclusion, my biggest epiphany is that there is no place in this earth that will ever be completely unknown to me anymore.

DON’T MISS: MEET OXFORD SAÏD’S MBA CLASS OF 2022

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