Nacho Vázquez Narváez

Nacho, tell us a fun fact about yourself!

I have lived in four countries in the past two years (Spain, UK, Australia and France).

So Nacho, what were you doing before you joined INSEAD?

Before joining INSEAD I was finishing my degree in International Management at the University of Bath, UK. I then worked for two months at the sustainability department of a large Spanish beer manufacturer (Mahou San Miguel).

And can you tell us why you decided to apply for the Master in Management (MIM)? What are your goals post-MIM?

The main reason why I decided to do a MIM was to put into practice everything I had learned at my undergraduate degree and previous work experience, and boost my qualitative and quantitative business skills.

In addition, I wanted to acquire further international experience and build a wide network that will help me thrive as an international leader in the future.

What have your first few weeks been like? Memorable moments so far? First impressions, in one sentence?

The first weeks of the MIM have been extremely intense, but extremely enriching. I have never learned so much in such a short period of time and I feel like every day at the programme is a step towards an excellent personal, academic, and professional development.

Anything unexpected?

To be honest, I did a lot of research before coming to INSEAD so I did not find anything particularly unexpected. However, what has definitely impressed me the most is my colleagues.

My colleagues have undoubtedly been my greatest source of learning and inspiration, and I feel extremely proud and fortunate to be able to work in such a diverse and intellectually demanding environment.

What are you most looking forward to during the programme?

What I have enjoyed the most so far are the practicals and extracurriculars. I am the MIM ambassador for the Environment & Business Club, a weekly contributor to the MIM newsletter and I am currently organising an INSEAD Health Week with some of my colleagues. I wouldn’t say there is one specific thing that I am looking forward to. I try to make the most out of every day, event, or initiative in which I participate.

Any tips for anyone who might be interested in pursuing a MIM in the future?

The first and most important tip is to talk to people who have done the MIM at INSEAD and other universities to really understand what a MIM programme entails and what it can bring to you. A 30-minute call with a MIM student will be much more valuable than hours of individual research online. 

Parting words of wisdom?

Do not hesitate to reach out to me on LinkedIn with any questions you may have about INSEAD or the programme. Last year I learned a lot about the application process and I believe I have strong pieces of advice that could be extremely valuable for anyone who is thinking about applying or working on applications.