The London Marathon – fundraising for the Samaritans and my motivation to take part
I have recently entered the London Marathon to raise funds for the Samaritans, a charity helping people deal with emotional stress and mental health to avoid suicide. Having recently lost my father and Nick Koster (Queens’ College, Cambridge Judge Business School 2018) who both faced complicated internal battles, it’s a worthy cause and close to home. If anyone is able and willing to support the charity, please do so here: https://2025tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/pieter-daneel
It’s my first global marathon but I am up for the challenge and looking forward to the opportunity and privilege to run and raise funds to support others. As part of my preparation, I will be running the London Landmarks Half Marathon to support and create awareness for the MCC Foundation (MCCF), a cricket charity delivering projects across the UK and around the world. The MCCF aims to empower all boys and girls to reach their full potential in cricket and life, to unite and inspire communities, and to promote physical and mental wellbeing. I had the privilege to support the MCCF in Rwanda during 2024 where we spread the Spirit of Cricket through coaching and working with the local communities in Kigali and more rural areas in Rwanda.
Leading and supporting my MBA cohort – sport and a global pandemic
Nelson Mandela famously once said, “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does”. During our 2019-2020 MBA we faced several challenges during the second half of the year as the UK and the rest of the world went into lockdown as a result of COVID 19. In true Cambridge Judge Business School (CJBS) spirit, we pulled together as a cohort and used sport as a facilitator to support each other from a physical and mental health perspective through several student led initiatives. My MBA cohort, strictly in line with UK government guidelines of course, organised daily run clubs, outdoor fitness groups, touch rugby and five-a-side football gatherings by Grange Road in Cambridge. These initiatives formed the core of networking, support groups and daily socially distanced interactions that kept the group together and helped to further cement our life long friendships and networks. Word quickly spread across the Cambridge community and soon we had several CJBS programmes, Colleges and Blues’ teams rock up to our sessions due to its popularity. Our cohort organised a fiercely contested CJBS Wimbledon/Ginbledon tennis tournament (singles and mixed doubles) that remains one of the highlights of the year. Our MBA cohort also organised an MBA Varsity football game against GDBO’s MBA team at Jesus College – which we managed to win 4-2 (both on and off the field).
On personal front, I took up the challenge to run 6km+ for 100 days in a row along the River Cam (which was huge given I generally consider running as exercise and “sport” as something that involves a ball) and was lucky enough to have access to the gym and sport facilities at Jesus College, my own College, where several MBA students could spend time together outdoors. A Personal highlight of the year remains scoring a match winning first class century in a big Varsity win against ‘the other place’ with several of my MBA friends cheering along from the Hughes Hall balcony at Fenner’s Cricket Ground.
Representing the University of Cambridge in sport during my MBA
I have previously played cricket at a high level representing South Africa at an under 19 world cup in Sri Lanka and representing Boland at first class (professional) level. Cricket is a unique sport in the sense that it is both a team and an individual sport – you are very much responsible for your individual performance that ultimately contributes to the team’s success. The lessons learnt from cricket include discipline, commitment, strategy and being a team player that have helped me tremendously in my professional career.
On Day 365 of my Cambridge MBA journey, I was fortunate enough to represent the University of Cambridge in cricket’s annual Varsity Match against the University of Oxford. This first class fixture is considered to be the pinnacle of student sport, with a rich history of 200 years of cricket between these two prestigious and well respected institutions. I was lucky enough to wear Baggy Light Blue Cap number 782, being the 782nd Cambridge player to represent Cambridge in the Varsity Match, the oldest version of sporting rivalry between Cambridge and Oxford, dating back to 1827 (two years before the first Boat Race).
Not many people know this, but cricket is regarded as the original Full Blue and as such the Cambridge Blues cricket blazer is plain blue with a blank pocket, as opposed to the other sporting codes (like rowing, rugby, hockey etc) with their respective crests on the pockets to identify and differentiate the subsequent Blues. Playing against ‘the other place’ in the oldest Varsity Fixture and beating them comprehensively in the last first class fixture is something that will remain with me forever.
Sport at Cambridge opening doors for me
Sport at Cambridge opened several doors to me both from a sport and professional perspective. I’m now a member of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), The Hawks’ Club, Cambridge, The Quidnuncs, The Oxford and Cambridge Club and Teddington Cricket Club which all have strong Oxbridge links. Through these networks I’ve managed to meet several interesting people, from different backgrounds, countries and schools of thought. From our CJBS cohort, I have made lifelong friends and stayed in touch with several other ‘Blues’ including Bethany Kanten (MBA, football), Tom Lovelace (MBA, rugby), Flip van der Merwe, James Horwill (both EMBA and rugby), Niel Botha (MFin, cricket and golf), Jeff Blaylock (MBA, ice hockey), Max Montgomery (MBA, cricket), Sarah Lester (MBA, triathlon) to name a few. I made a conscious effort to integrate myself into collegiate life at Cambridge and the various Jesus College societies through sport by playing football, as well as rowing during Michaelmas Term and forming the infamous J-Crew with MBAs and our Master.
Why did I choose Cambridge for my MBA studies?
I was fortunate enough to receive offers from both Cambridge and Oxford. Why did I choose Cambridge? Well, as the privileged the Cambridge MBA Professor Jochen Runde Scholarship for South African Nationals for leadership, academic and sporting excellence, Cambridge’s smaller cohort and the deliberate focus on entrepreneurship, innovation, special interest groups (SIGs) and the wider University of Cambridge strong collegiate system (including sport) were distinguishing factors. Now, 5 years later and looking back, I am confident that I made the right decision. Cambridge Judge Business School provided a platform and opened several doors to life changing experiences and a network second to none. Where else in the world can you learn to punt, sharpen your negotiation skills and have the opportunity to have lunch with an astronaut?!
An experience with impact: 365 days on my MBA
To illustrate the international flavour of the Cambridge MBA, I have had the privilege to work on consulting projects with an Austrian, an Indian, a Canadian, a Japanese, a Brazilian, a German, and a Chinese. Not only have I learnt valuable soft skills alongside technical skills, but I have made connections and friends for life. The Cambridge MBA has been a life changing experience, over way too fast, but without a doubt a continuous 365 days with impact through collaboration and diversity. My experience working with a diverse group of students during the Cambridge Venture Project (CVP) and the MBA Global Consulting Project (GCP) have taught me lifelong learning lessons in terms of culture, collaboration and resilience. Serving on the student led negotiations team and the entrepreneurship and family business special interest groups (SIGs) also gave me remarkable access to a diverse group of people and their diverse skillsets, a valuable network that I can tap into now and into the future.
From a family business in South Africa to private equity in London
The Cambridge MBA cemented my gut feeling that entrepreneurship, a strong network and being “solutions-driven” are key building blocks to being successful in both family and PE-backed businesses. From an early age, my father used to emphasise in true Jeff Bezos’ style that “the client always comes first”. This is something that has stuck with me. Post MBA, I have done the proverbial “triple jump” by changing roles, sectors and geographies. I have really enjoyed working in London in Business Development roles in PE-backed businesses covering consulting, wealth management and professional services.
Recipient of the Cambridge MBA Professor Jochen Runde Scholarship for South African Nationals
South Africa remains close to my heart, and I have been lucky enough to support and mentor a few other subsequent Jochen Runde scholarship applicants and recipients. By doing this, hopefully as a collective, we can spread the skillsets, networks and lessons to other Africans over the longer term. I still believe emerging markets offer great opportunities and democratisation is a theme that will continue to build momentum across geographies and sector. There is no better place to learn and build networks than at Cambridge Judge. I was lucky enough to attend 2 MBA courses offered by Jochen Runde himself during my year and had several one-to-one conversations and mentoring discussions during and also after the MBA year.
For more about the MBA year from Pieter Daneel see these features>