This summer, I interned with Jumanji, an impact-driven start-up studio based in Paris, France. The studio is dedicated to bringing products and services that drive the world towards a more sustainable future. Among the suite of products and services the studio is working on is an appliance rental service called HomeCycle. HomeCycle’s mission is to reduce e-waste and grow a circular economy, making consumption practices more sustainable. 

• Read more about Embracing Sustainability: A Journey of Impact and Learning

When I joined the Climate Tech Bootcamp for an internship, a global virtual programme that supports early-stage climate entrepreneurs, I had no idea what I was getting into. My background as a civil engineer had taken me across Africa, working on construction projects, but this was a whole new ballgame. My task was to figure out if starting a venture capital fund for climate startups in the Middle East was a smart move.

• Read more about My Internship Journey: Exploring Climate Tech in the Middle East

Turner MIINT is a hands-on education in impact investing for business and graduate school students. It is facilitated by impact investment firm Bridges Fund Management in conjunction with the Wharton Social Impact Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania. 2023 marked INSEAD’s seventh participation in the programme. How did we perform this year? Read our journey below to find out!

• Read more about Empowering Future Impact Investors: Our Experience in the 2023 Turner MIINT Programme

From 2018 to 2019, I went through the INSEAD Global Executive MBA (GEMBA), then from 2021 to 2023, I enrolled in the INSEAD Executive Master in Change (EMC). These five years were literally a transformational journey, and I would like to share my view on how each programme benefits you and give you a better insight on which programme might suit you better (or both perhaps).

• Read more about Two Distinctive Paths of Transformation: Insights from GEMBA and EMC

July 3, 2023, marked the beginning of a transformational journey for 30 strangers at the INSEAD campus in Fontainebleau. These were individuals with a purpose and a sense of curiosity; they were there to learn a new language as part of their impending MBA programme. Little did they know that the coming three weeks would offer experiences far exceeding their expectations.

• Read more about Why You Should Opt for the INSEAD Intensive Language Programme

We were all very surprised to learn that the cultural heritage site we would be focused on for Master Strategist Day (MSD) was right in our backyard – the Château de Fontainebleau! While many students walk past it every day, there was much to be learned about the buildings, the gardens, and its history to create an effective strategy for the 21st century.

• Read more about Master Strategy Day 2023: Reimagining the Henri IV Building

I still remember last year when we were in Singapore with classmates from China talking about when we will be able to resume our classes in Beijing without quarantine. It is unbelievable that this came faster than we expected. Here we are, finally all gathered together at Tsinghua, the prestigious university in China, to learn about data, models and decision-making, frontier economic issues in China, and corporate governance. This was the first time I returned to China after COVID.

• Read more about What It Feels Like Returning to China after 4 Years

27 days - the number of days after I decided to apply to INSEAD before I submitted my application. Considering an MBA on a long-winded impulse, I told myself I would only look into schools once I knew where I stood in my GMAT results. I would not even allow myself to imagine as I grew up never academically good enough.

• Read more about How I Cracked INSEAD MBA Admissions Despite My Academic Insecurities

I joined the INSEAD MBA to expand my knowledge of and opportunities within a variety of business sectors. Coming from advertising, I knew a lot about marketing, had heard of finance, accounting, and strategic consulting, but did not know many other sectors. Additionally, being a more creative and qualitative person, I knew that I did not want a career based in spreadsheets and hard numbers. So, I entered INSEAD with an open mind, determined to understand other areas of business.

• Read more about Discovering Careers in Creativity and Innovation During the INSEAD MBA

Being a lawyer didn’t make the MBA a logical move. I had left the law firm industry quite early in my career, spending the six years before INSEAD in asset management. However, the assets I was working on were still legal by nature: my fund provided the financial means necessary to companies taking part in lawsuits to cover all related expenses in exchange for a share of the proceeds in case of success.

• Read more about Ex-lawyer the First Day, but Full and Unique INSEADer Thereafter