“To overcome our challenges is to build resilience for the future.”

Lubna Patel

Head of Youtube Subscriptions Partnership for APAC, Google
MBA 2012

 

In three sentences or less, could you tell us a little more about yourself?

I am from a very small country in the middle of nowhere called Mauritius. Growing up I read books that talked of a world so different from mine and it was my way to travel. I was lucky to get the chance to start exploring the world from the age of 18 and have since lived and visited many countries. Being far away has also increased my curiosity about my home country and made me try to explore and understand it better.

 

Any fun facts?

Even though I grew up on an island I only learned how to swim by taking adult swim lessons at the age of 26. I also spent three years trying to master a handstand through yoga and although mastery is a stretch, I have been able to hang up there for a few seconds.

 

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Lubna Patel

Why did you choose INSEAD?

My older sister considered getting an MBA and always raved about INSEAD. That stuck with me and when I decided to get an MBA I immediately looked into INSEAD and decided it was the place for me.

 

How would you describe your INSEAD Experience?

It was completely beyond what I expected.

It opened my eyes and widened my mind to so many new possibilities. My life took a completely different path when I went to INSEAD. It was amazing to meet friends from such different places and backgrounds and yet feel a deep connection.

 

 

What is one important lesson you gained from INSEAD?

INSEAD taught me to deal with both internal and external change. I learned to be OK with the fact that what I want can change or the world around me can change. And in both cases I can get through and weather the shift.

 

Has the INSEAD MBA benefitted your career?

Yes, very much so.

First by opening my mind to new opportunities that I didn't even know about. Prior to my MBA I was a Software Engineer and I honestly did not know much about other career paths that were even available to me.

Second, my classmates inspired me with their experiences and to this day the INSEAD alumni community continues to do the same.

 

What is your proudest achievement?

I would like to think that it is not about single major achievements and instead about many small achievements along the way. I am proud to be a woman in tech starting out as a Software Engineer to now being in business development, both of which still remain highly male-dominated fields.

 

What is your greatest fear?

I used to really fear being alone and then one day someone told me that “being alone does not mean being lonely". In that moment I realised that, in fact, loneliness is my greatest fear, however it is not related to how many people are around me. I now see it as an internal resilience that I need to build for myself.

 

What do you love about yourself?

My love for reading. I have always devoured books whether fiction, non-fiction and in various languages. Books give me a lot of pleasure.

 

What does it mean to you to be Limitless?

To me, being limitless means always learning and finding something new and interesting to try and understand.

 

 

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