Ayush Sharma

Country of origin: India

What did you do prior to joining the MBA?

I worked for about four years with EY, India, as a Senior Technology Consultant. The majority of my clients were in the Healthcare and Life Science sectors.

Why did you decide to do an MBA?

While working at EY, I met different individuals with diverse skill sets, and that made me realise that I needed to increase my knowledge bandwidth apart from Technology. I was making business decisions and felt that I needed to develop an all-around business acumen to understand the impact of those decisions in the longer term. That's what made me decide to do an MBA.

Why did you choose Lancaster University?

I did a lot of research and made my decision on the basis of different KPIs like Business School Rankings, Experimental Learning, Value for Money, International Exposure. Lancaster came out on top of these KPIs.

What did you enjoy most about the Lancaster MBA?

I loved the Strategy Consulting module. It made me pivot completely from Tech to Strategy Consulting. The approach of experimental teaching and learning on the go in that module was the highlight of the year for me. It was hectic and fun, but I have never learned so much in just five days.

The different business challenges are perfectly designed to prepare you for real-world problems. The Business Management Challenge and Consultancy Challenge were some of the most amazing modules. It was such an enriching experience working with clients with real problems, recommending a solution to them based on our learnings from the program, and seeing that solution make an instant impact.

How do you think the Lancaster MBA benefitted you?

The whole program was designed in such a way that you learn something, and then you implement that and see how it works. While working as a Strategy Consultant now, I still go back at least 2 times a week to my MBA notes and modules while dealing with different clients, which speaks for itself. I see things and problems with a different lens post my MBA, which adds a unique perspective to any firm.

What impact has your Lancaster experience had on your career?

I wanted a perfect blend of my previous experience while adding something new to my artillery of knowledge. The pivot to Strategy Consulting wouldn't have been possible before the MBA. So, I am currently working in the perfect mix of Tech, Healthcare, and Strategy that was difficult without the MBA.

Is there anything else about your MBA experience that you'd like to share with us?

When I look back to our MBA experience and learnings, I think we had a very diverse batch in terms of skillsets and sectors along with experience that we brought to the table. There were people from Marketing, Fashion, Tech, Oil and Gas, Finance, Automobile, Military and so much more. I learned a lot from my batch mates during our assignments because each one had a different approach to the problem at hand.