In this installment of our Real Humans: Alumni series, we meet Samuel Paris, a recent IMD MBA graduate who chose business school to develop his soft skills and strategic mindset. Here, he shares how his internship during the program confirmed his desire to work in a project-based, dynamic environment with different stakeholders, and how IMD prepared him for the unique projects he has completed since beginning his consulting career at BCG.
Samuel Paris, IMD MBA ’25, Consultant at BCG
Age: 30
Hometown: Bogotá, Colombia
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Management at Universidad de los Andes, MSc in Finance at emlyon business school
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Consultant, Mastercard, 5 years, Payments/Technology
Post-MBA Work Experience: Consultant, BCG, 2 months, Consulting
Why did you choose to attend business school?
I chose to attend business school because I wanted to further develop my soft skills and strategic mindset.
Why IMD? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
For me, IMD is the best business school for leadership. The quality of the program has no match, and the faculty’s constant involvement in the industry makes it highly relevant and up to date.
What about your MBA experience prepared you for your current career? How do you feel that your MBA has been an asset when it comes to navigating new challenges, such as AI?
My MBA experience prepared me for my current role as a consultant with two engaging projects throughout the year:
Supporting a startup in the energy sector with their GTM strategy in Europe
Advising a global restaurant brand to improve their sustainability strategy in South America
The MBA has been an asset because I learned how to leverage AI as a sparring partner and what skills we as humans have that no AI will ever be able to replace.
What was your internship during business school? How did that inform your post-MBA career choice?
My internship experience was with Impact Scope, a sustainability startup based in Europe, where I supported many strategic initiatives, from client onboarding to new use cases for the technology we used. That confirmed my belief that I wanted a highly dynamic environment, and similar to consulting, working project-based with different stakeholders is an amazing opportunity to learn.
Why did you choose your current company? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to work?
I chose to join my current company because I believe after the MBA it’s the best time to challenge yourself and learn as much as you can, and consulting is an ideal setting for this. I initially wanted to stay in Europe, but the skillset I would acquire in this company is pretty much the same whether I am based in Colombia or elsewhere. I also leveraged my previous experience in the market as part of my value proposition during the interview process.
Advice to current MBA students:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of the job search?
Be open and flexible. You never know where the next big opportunity comes from, and there are tons of learning opportunities where you can grow a lot. It’s about mindset.
–One thing you would change or do differently as part of the job search?
Network more and create deeper relationships with the people I met throughout the MBA. Having a larger network can help in the future.
–Were there any surprises regarding your current employer’s recruiting process?
I thought the first-round interview with a virtual case with an AI agent was extremely hard and that I was not good enough, but fortunately it was only a small part of the full process, where the following rounds were much more important.
–What piece of advice do you wish you had been given during your MBA?
Don’t stress too much about grades. Create good friendships and enjoy the process. It’s a unique and irreplaceable time in your life, surrounded by so many brilliant people from all over the world.
