Pedro González

Programme: Full-time MBA, 2021
Nationality: Chilean
Pre-MBA: Segment Manager at Banco de Chile, Santiago, Chile
Post-MBA: Trader, International Funding and Investor Relations, Scotiabank, Santiago, Chile
Current industry: Banking
Transition: Function

“Bayes checked all the boxes for me: location, prestige, cultural fit.”

I could see how others around me had benefited from an MBA.

Prior to the MBA, I’d spent three years in the financial industry, working as a business intelligence analyst and then moving as Segment Manager to one of the largest banks in Chile, where I was in charge of value propositions for low-income customers.

I was in a good position with some seniority, but I realised if I was going to make a bigger impact and get to the next level, I needed to broaden my strengths. I thought an MBA could give me an advantage in the same way as it had done for my colleagues.

London is where things are happening – the financial centre of the world.

It’s the bridge between East and West and home to the biggest financial companies as well as hundreds of start-ups. There’s also that rich diversity of people – I wanted to be part of that because I knew I would learn so much.

Bayes checked all the boxes for me: location, prestige and cultural fit, as well as a small, diverse cohort – everything you want from a top-ranking business school. So I left my job and moved to London with my then-girlfriend (now wife). We saw it as an adventure.

I couldn’t have been happier with the MBA programme.

The lecturers were great, the facilities were top-notch and the classes gave you a highly technical view while allowing you to apply what you learnt. The biggest challenge was delivering to the highest standard every time, whether it’s classes, exams, homework or presentations. You have to carefully manage your time and the team you’re working with, putting 100% into everything.

The modules that took me out of my comfort zone were the ones I found the most helpful, such as the Strategy Project and the International Consulting week, where we tackled a relevant business problem and presented the solution to a real clients.

The real value of an MBA is the people you meet.

You can read books and watch YouTube videos to learn, but when you’re part of a group of passionate, intelligent people from all over the world who are willing to collaborate, you just learn so much more. Even now, it’s good to know that there are alumni out there in any industry and Bayes can put you in touch with them if you need advice or support.

The Careers and Professional Development Team is the backbone of the MBA experience.

They connect every dot, from guiding you before you start, to providing workshops and events during the programme. They supported me in so many ways, from speed reading to making sure every word on my CV and LinkedIn meant something. They give you a complete framework for understanding your key strengths and showing you who you are, so when the moment comes you can present yourself in the best way.

They also opened up the opportunity for me to join the Mergers and Acquisitions, and Private Equity societies. Societies are a great way to meet people from other business programmes and develop skills in those areas.

Coming back to Chile with an MBA has given me a competitive advantage.

The global aspect of the MBA, as well as modules like International Finance, inspired me to take up my role with Scotiabank here in Santiago. I work in the treasury and I’m in charge of international funding and investor relations, working on deals with Taiwan, London, Japan and elsewhere. It’s a small team but we’re responsible for a quarter of the bank’s revenues. It’s a very demanding role, both technically and in term of softer skills, and I would not have had the confidence, knowledge or experience to get it without the MBA.