Maria: “Investing in the education of future leaders is one of the most impactful investments.”

I came to London Business School from Peru, determined to explore different environments and perspectives and discover an industry where I could make a meaningful impact, which ultimately led me to healthcare. 

Before moving to London, I was working at Alicorp, the main consumer goods company in the Peruvian market. My professional journey started in warehouses and materials planning. Over the years, I became their business development manager identifying growth strategies. Besides that, whilst in high school I started an NGO in my hometown on the Peruvian coast. Initially, we focused on supporting families by providing food and supplies. Later, we expanded into creating training and educational initiatives for young leaders to develop their own social impact projects in the field of environment, women’s safety and others. During the pandemic, in collaboration with a local municipality in the Peruvian jungle, we developed a second programme focused on providing small enterprises with training to implement digital marketing and promote their products online. I was also working in my own small company selling accessories made by Peruvian artisans in Lima. 

Even though I enjoyed all of my professional endeavours, and it is safe to say they kept me busy, I was curious to explore different industries and perspectives. My true passion lies in healthcare and creating a positive social impact through it. With my mom being a nurse and my sister a doctor, healthcare and its challenges have always been a topic in our house. I wanted to contribute in some way and decided to obtain an MBA to allow me to bridge the gap between where I was and where I wanted to be. Due to its reputation and location, London Business School was my number one choice. 

Receiving a scholarship made a huge difference because I wouldn’t be able to afford this education on my own. During that pandemic, I was financially supporting not only myself but also my family so afterwards, I didn’t have sufficient funds to pay the full tuition. The financial relief that the scholarship provided was the main driver to finally come to London Business School. Another advantage of having a scholarship is being part of the scholars’ community. It has allowed me to connect with incredible people, attend fascinating events and access opportunities that keep me growing. 

I’m happy to say I’m already accomplishing many of my goals. I am currently a Transformation MBA Intern in the NHS. And I’ve accepted a job offer with a top consulting firm which will open new doors for me to contribute to projects in the healthcare and wellbeing projects. I can already see how useful is to have the LBS brand behind me, especially in this very competitive market.  

Another key benefit of LBS is the network you gain. I now have all these talented people whose opinions and diverse perspectives I will continue to trust and value in my professional future. And who knows, perhaps we will go from friends to business partners. 

I think investing in the education of future leaders is one of the most impactful and rewarding investments one can make. The impact you create is being replicated and passed on to people we will work with and hire, organisations we will lead and the positive change we will create in the world of business. Having interacted with my fellow scholars, I know we are all already working hard towards creating a positive impact. To everyone who philanthropically supports scholarships at LBS, thank you for being the crucial catalyst.