Sofia Castillo Guerrero, London Business School’s MBA Class of 2028
Age: 28
Hometown: Bogotá, Colombia
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Universidad de los Andes. Major in Economics and Industrial Engineering
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Ab Inbev, Growth Manager, 5 years; BCG, Pre-MBA Summer intern
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
Throughout my career, I noticed that most of the leaders I admired had one thing in common: an MBA. They were all very ambitious people who I noticed were perceptive and persuasive when managing their own emotions and their teams. This gave them the power of influence within organizations, and I was amazed by how much that shaped the way people followed them. I’d always thought that this ability was something they had learned and when I started researching master’s programs, I found that this is exactly what a good MBA is built around: knowing yourself well enough to use your strengths deliberately.
The timing made sense too. After five years of working in retail, I felt ready to broaden my perspective, to step back from the day-to-day and understand what else is out there, both in terms of industries and in terms of who I could become.
Why did you choose London Business School? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
Professionally, I had worked in retail for five years in Latin American markets coordinating people’s work even though I didn’t have a direct team reporting to me. I really enjoyed working with lots of different people, so what drew me to LBS was a class that is genuinely global rather than diverse on paper. Here I find students who already think and work across borders, teams and industries. For me it felt like the natural next step.
There’s also a personal thread: I knew I wanted to live in Europe/UK and to go to a top MBA. I had lived in London as a kid, so coming back to study here feels like making my dreams come true.
Another thing that really convinced me were the conversations I had with students and alumni. I kept hearing the same words: intellectually demanding, collaborative, rewarding, global, diverse. These matched exactly with what I was looking for. And beyond the program itself, LBS’s emphasis on self-knowledge alongside strategy is what brought me back to my original reason for doing an MBA: the leaders I admire most aren’t just smart, they’re perceptive about themselves and about the people around them. LBS felt like the place built to develop both.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2028?
One thing I’ve learned is that this class is truly global. In my study group alone, we are six people from all around the world: Singapore, Australia, India, Colombia, Italy and Lebanon, and just working together every week I have already learned so much from them.
The diversity is not only about countries, but also about industries too: in my class we have a theatre producer, a doctor, a musician, lawyers, among others. This is great because both in class and after I get insights I have never thought of. And what I have learned about my classmates is that we are all very down to earth: ambitious and collaborative, always ready to help, ready to teach you about your country or anything you know, and just as ready to learn from others.
On top of that, the parties, the treks and getting to know London together has been amazing, and it is starting to feel like home.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I speak four languages, and am currently starting to learn a fifth one.
Post-MBA career interests:
Retail in Europe, Management consulting
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Talk to current students and alumni: ask us anything as we’re happy to share details of our experience. Get into these conversations understanding that you are, in a way, also evaluating the business school through the people in it. Do they match with you? Ask questions, be curious, ask anything, and look for perspectives from different people. One trick I liked was using the LinkedIn search engine to filter “LBS MBA” for my country and my industry. Then I wrote to those people and tried to get to know them. Not all of them will answer because they are busy, so try lots of people!
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
I wish I had started the self-reflection essays earlier, so that I’d have had more time to revise instead of compressing everything close to the deadline.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
The GMAT 😉 it really helped to have a support group of friends and family who understood the importance of the exam and helped me emotionally, cheering me on along the way.
What is your initial impression of the LBS students/culture/community?
First, it is amazing how the program and culture is built to help us get to know each other’s stories. They split the whole class into streams of about 80 people, so instead of getting lost in a class of 500+, you get close to the people in your stream fast. On top of that, they organize a lot of events just so we can get to know each other outside class.
The first few weeks also have a big focus on leadership and understanding yourself, classes like GLAM, where you get feedback from the people around you, your ex-teammates and a professional coach, plus sessions focused on belonging and building trust before the academic pressure really kicks in.
Also, all the professors have PhDs, but a lot of them also come from industry, so classes feel rigorous and practical. And overall, what has surprised me the most is how warm and exciting the people here are; you can feel it in every conversation.
What student organizations have you joined/are you hoping to join and why?
I got elected as student representative for my stream, so I get to oversee building the LBS community. I love this because I get to organize events that help us all get to know each other better.
I’m also joining the Women in Business Club and the LatAm Club, as I’m eager to understand business through these lenses.
I’m also thinking about joining the rugby team.
What is one thing you have learned about LBS that has surprised you?
The amount of business knowledge from other industries that I didn’t know about. In every class, someone comes with a new example, whether it’s a different industry, a different way of leading, or a different ethical dilemma.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
Understanding the opportunity I could have to pivot in industry, location and role. We are just starting recruitment, and it feels like there are so many opportunities out there. I’m excited about them all and about landing my internship.
