We caught up with our Cambridge MBA team ahead of the Impact Investing Case Competition held in Rotterdam;
Diana Goldenberg: I’m excited to harness the tools I have gained in the MBA programme and contribute to positive social and environmental impact creation at the Impact Investing competition in Rotterdam School of Business. Looking at the preparation process, which included forming and leading this incredible team representing the University of Cambridge, evaluating investment opportunities, collaborating with industry leaders such as Dr. Christopher Marquis and impact investors from all around the world to promote sustainable development goals, has been an incredible experience that has sharpened my business acumen. Additionally, the competition provided me with a unique opportunity, not only to practice conducting market research, financial modelling, designing governance structures, and strategic planning, but also to utilise those as a force for positive change. I look forward to arriving in the Netherlands, putting it all into action, and meeting the teams from top global business schools!
Christian Conitsiotis: The momentum is growing behind the circular economy and investing for sustainable impact. I am looking forward to travelling to Rotterdam to participate in the RSM Impact Investing competition to share views with other participants on how we can employ a more holistic view when considering the impact of the investments we make. This two-day competition will be a great opportunity to showcase the insights we have developed during our time at Cambridge Judge, discuss best practice in sustainable investing, and to connect with investors and other MBA peers from across Europe.
Maxim Baban: I’m excited to participate in the RSM Impact Investing Case Competition because I’m interested in a career in that space, and would love to meet other MBAs with similar interests. It will be a great opportunity to learn from students and professionals in one of the foremost centres of sustainability in the world. Preparing for a case competition like this is a commitment, but it has been great to work with a team of fellow Cambridge MBAs to organise our work, conduct research, and create an assessment for a potential impact investment. We’re now in the home stretch, and looking forward to putting finishing touches to our presentation and joining other MBA teams in Rotterdam later this week!
Nicholas Norman: In early October, I was approached by Maxim Baban and Diana Goldenberg to take part in the Impact Investing Competition at the Rotterdam School of Management which begins this week. I was extremely excited to join the team, with Christian Conitsiotis joining later on as well. As someone who has never worked in the sustainability or venture capital space, I thought this would be an ideal competition for me to join. The MBA for me has always been about getting out of my comfort zone. I’ve brought my experience on business valuations from my previous work, but have also been learning about the more qualitative aspects of valuation in the new venture industry from my team members. Working with the team has been delightful so far, not to mention getting some additional insights from our sustainability subject professor, Christopher Marquis. Wish us luck!
The Cambridge MBA team achieved a top spot at the Impact Investing Case Competition held in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Thank you to the MBA team; Diana Goldenburg, Christian Conitsiotis, Maxim Baban and Nicholas Norman, for sharing their insights.
For more on MBA competitions, treks and activities, ‘beyond academics’, visit our student experience pages here>