From corporate law to enterprise strategy, Sumedha Kamra, IESE MBA ’24, had a transformative journey. In this Real Humans: Alumni, Sumedha shares her insights from taking a huge leap, how the IESE MBA supported her growth, and more about her road to American Express.
Sumedha Kamra, IESE MBA ’24, Senior Manager at American Express
Age: 28
Hometown: Bangalore, India
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Jindal Global Law School, Dual Degree in Arts and Law
Graduate Business School, Graduation Year and Concentration: IESE Business School, Class of 2024, Finance concentration
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Associate, 3 years, Corporate Law (advising on M&A, PE/VC deals)
Post-MBA Work Experience: Senior Manager, Enterprise Strategy, American Express
Why did you choose to attend business school?
I came to business school to make a deliberate pivot — to move from advising on deals to being part of the teams shaping them. Law gave me a strong foundation, but I found myself increasingly curious about the strategic and commercial thinking driving those decisions. I wanted to be closer to the “why” — to understand the full picture, not just the execution.
An MBA felt like the most meaningful way to explore that shift — to stretch myself, complement my existing skill set, and figure out what kind of problems I actually wanted to solve. Just as importantly, I wanted to be exposed to different ideas, industries, and ways of thinking — and to learn alongside people with perspectives very different from my own.
Why IESE? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
For me, it started with community. My cousin went to IESE, and hearing about how close-knit and genuinely supportive the network was left a strong impression. What stood out even more was the diversity — not just in nationalities, but in the range of backgrounds and perspectives people brought.
When I thought about life after the MBA, it was clear I wanted to stay in Europe. Coming from a very different background, I was also looking for a two-year program with a structured internship — something that offered the space to explore and pivot. IESE ticked all those boxes. The academics are similar across top schools, but it’s the people, culture, and energy that shape the experience — and for me, IESE stood out in all the right ways.
What about your MBA experience prepared you for your current career?
IESE’s strong focus on the case method was a game-changer. While it sometimes felt like learning by fire, it pushed me to stretch beyond my comfort zone — not just to crack cases, but to see how people from completely different backgrounds approached the same problem. That dynamic taught me as much as the cases themselves.
It helped me build a strong foundation in business fundamentals, but also figure out how to layer that with my own lens — which became a big part of how I started shaping my personal brand. The pace and intensity helped build clarity and conviction under pressure — something that’s been incredibly valuable in my current role.
What was your internship during business school? How did that inform your post-MBA career choice of American Express?
I interned with the strategy team at American Express and ended up returning to the same team full-time. It was a great fit — both in terms of the work and the people — and the internship gave me clarity that this was the kind of environment where I could grow and contribute meaningfully.
Why did you choose your current company? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to work?
I think the decision really came together during the interview process. The people I spoke to were sharp, thoughtful, and direct — and the conversations gave me a clear sense of the team culture and expectations. It felt like an environment where I’d be challenged in the right ways and given the tools to succeed as I stepped into a completely new career path.
Interning with the same team confirmed a lot of that. I was looking for smart, solution-oriented people who challenged the ways of thinking, a generalist role where I could apply the skills I developed during business school, and a work environment I’d genuinely enjoy showing up to every day. Amex stood out across all of those dimensions.
Advice to current MBA students:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of the job search?
It sounds obvious — but do the work. For me, that meant a lot of case prep. Coming from a non-traditional background, there was a real need to upskill quickly. Yes, networking and identifying opportunities are important, but it all comes down to mastering the core skills the role demands — especially when they’re new to you.
What helped was staying consistent and approaching it with a genuine intent to learn. I wasn’t trying to perfect everything overnight — just focusing on making steady progress and asking for help where I needed it. That mindset made a real difference.
–One thing you would change or do differently as part of the job search?
It’s one of those things that only becomes clear in hindsight — but I wish I had taken more time to pause and reflect. The MBA is a lot — socially, emotionally, financially — and it’s easy to get caught up in what others are doing or what you think you should be doing.
Looking back, I seriously considered paths that now feel completely misaligned — not because they made sense to me, but because they were loud and visible. Slowing down to really understand the nuance of your own journey — your motivations, your pace, your version of success — is something I wish I had done more intentionally.
–Were there any surprises regarding your current employer’s recruiting process?
Not really. The process was straightforward and consistent with what had been communicated — no curveballs, which made it easier to focus on showing up prepared.
–What piece of advice do you wish you had been given during your MBA?
I wish I had truly internalized that everyone’s motivations for doing an MBA are different — and that the value of the experience goes far beyond just the immediate job outcome. What will stay with me are the shifts in how I think, how I make decisions, and how I define what matters in a career.
Coming from law, the exposure to new ways of working and thinking was especially meaningful. The job is one outcome (and a fantastic one!) — but the real takeaway is the perspective you carry forward.
