After nearly a decade in marketing and sales at a major telecom company, Juan Francisco Delgado turned to the HEC Paris MBA to sharpen his strategic skills and transition into a more globally focused role. Originally from Lima, Peru, Juan sought a business education that combined leadership development, multicultural collaboration, and real-world impact. HEC Paris delivered on all fronts—offering an environment rich in diversity, academic rigor, and global perspective. During the program, a surprising internship in India helped Juan reaffirm his passion for strategic marketing, ultimately leading him to a role at Ecolab in Paris. Now working in strategic marketing for a global sustainability leader, Juan credits his MBA experience with expanding his thinking, building confidence, and preparing him to thrive in a dynamic, cross-cultural business landscape. Read on for his story in this Real Humans: Alumni.
Juan Francisco Delgado, HEC Paris MBA ’23, Strategic Marketing at Ecolab
Age: 37
Hometown: Lima, Peru
Undergraduate Institution and Major: BSc. In Industrial Engineering
Pre-MBA Work Experience: 9 years (2013 – 2022), Marketing and Sales at Telefonica, Telecommunications Industry, B2C,
Post-MBA Work Experience: 1 year, Strategic Marketing, Ecolab, Chemical Industry & Global Sustainability Leader
Why did you choose to attend business school?
I decided to pursue an MBA because I realized I was reaching a pivotal moment in my career. After more than nine years working within a large corporation, I often found myself reflecting on the strategic direction of a global company operating in a highly competitive landscape. That’s when I recognized the need to build a stronger foundation in Strategy. Having always worked in Marketing with a strategic focus, I saw the MBA as a key step toward advancing into more senior, strategy-driven roles.
Why HEC Paris? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
In my search for the right MBA program, I visited several schools and spoke with both alumni and current students, and I felt a genuine human connection with HEC Paris. First, the program’s strong focus on Leadership and global issues such as Sustainability immediately caught my attention. Second, the diversity of career paths among graduates working across a wide range of industries and roles aligned perfectly with my own aspirations, as I had already ruled out careers in Consulting and Finance before starting the MBA. Lastly, it was also a family decision: my wife was exploring opportunities in Europe, and what better place to pursue that ambition than in Paris?
What about your MBA experience prepared you for your current career?
The most valuable aspect of my MBA experience was the outstanding quality of my classmates. Their natural ambition and the high level of diversity significantly enriched classroom discussions and collaboration. These debates brought forward a wide range of perspectives that expanded my thinking in multiple directions. Everyone was deeply engaged in their own academic and professional development, which created a dynamic and inspiring environment. This multicultural perspective has already proven valuable in my current regional role for the European market, and I’m confident it will continue to be a key asset as I pursue global roles in the future.
What was your internship during business school? How did that inform your post-MBA career choice?
Surprisingly, I landed an internship in Bangalore, India, at Infosys, a global giant in B2B tech services. I was part of a program that brought together around approx. 15 MBA students from other top European schools, and once again, it opened my eyes to the power of multicultural environments and the impact of global companies. Before the internship, I was determined to explore the tech world further. I even earned cloud certifications to deepen my understanding of the field. However, the experience helped me realize that this wasn’t the right path for me. Instead, it confirmed my passion for strategic marketing, which I decided to continue pursuing.
Why did you choose your current company? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to work?
First, it’s important to acknowledge that the post-pandemic professional landscape is highly unstable and challenging from economic, political, and social perspectives. Landing a job after an MBA was definitely more difficult than in previous years, with competition at an all-time high. Nevertheless, I was fortunate to join Ecolab, a global leader in the chemical industry, as part of a Strategic Marketing Leadership Program designed specifically for MBA graduates. It was exactly what I was looking for, a role focused on the broader, more strategic side of marketing.
On top of that, my role is regionally based in Paris, which allows me to continue developing along the path toward global responsibilities. Europe is a highly interconnected yet incredibly diverse continent. Innovating and launching a product here means navigating different local expectations and languages in each country. These are exactly the kinds of challenges I was looking for post-MBA, and I’m grateful to have the opportunity to keep learning and contributing with my experience.
Advice to current MBA students:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of the job search?
Learn from every single failed interview. During the MBA, you prepare thoroughly, research the company, study the role in depth, and leverage your network to uncover opportunities and gain insights that help you get ready for interviews. Yet, things don’t always go as planned. Each interview, whether successful or not, leaves you with a lesson. If it doesn’t go well, it simply means it’s time to work on the areas where you fell short so you’re better equipped for the next opportunity.
–One thing you would change or do differently as part of the job search?
Stay true to who you are as a professional and respect the value of the experience you’ve built over the years. Sometimes, the pressure of competition and the push to be “adaptable” can lead you to consider roles that seem like valid alternatives but don’t truly align with your goals. However, when you focus on opportunities that genuinely highlight your strengths and experience, you not only gain more confidence but also able to demonstrate it more effectively during the interview process.
–Were there any surprises regarding your current employer’s recruiting process?
The people in charge of the recruiting process were truly amazing. They genuinely wanted to build real connections. What helped me the most was receiving a call from the HR manager a few days before the final interview. She told me that all they wanted was to see me as I am, that there was no need to over-prepare or stress about it, and that really helped me approach the interview with a high level of confidence. I was pleasantly surprised that, in such a competitive process, they were focused on capturing who I am as a person and making their decision based on that.
–What piece of advice do you wish you had been given during your MBA?
Embrace uncertainty. An MBA won’t give you all the answers about your future, nor will it eliminate the doubts you may have about your next career steps. But what it will do is equip you with the tools to navigate that uncertainty with confidence. No matter what path you choose, the MBA gives you the ability to sit down with any professional, ask the right questions, and gain clarity. This phase can be emotionally challenging for many, but once you realize that you have everything you need to make informed decisions, managing uncertainty becomes one of your greatest strengths.
