Before I started the Cambridge MBA, I tried to imagine how I might feel at the end of it. Would I be radically changed? Burnt out? Crystal clear? The same?
The truth, as it often is, is somewhere in the middle.
This year did change me – professionally, intellectually, and personally. But not through a single moment of transformation. It came instead in a hundred smaller moments: a tough group project that finally clicked. Forty people crammed into my tiny back garden, sharing plates of homemade food. My son shouting “That’s Mommy’s school!” as we biked past the gates of Cambridge Judge.
Together, those moments gave me something simple and hard earned: momentum. Not a perfect five year plan – but a forward motion I didn’t have before.
Making the pivot, piece by piece
I came to Cambridge with a goal: shift from journalism and political communications into a career that supports the green energy transition. What I didn’t fully realise at the time was that “pivoting” isn’t about burning down your past and rebuilding from scratch. It’s about repurposing what already works – and adding to it with purpose.
My foundation was in messaging and storytelling. The MBA gave me the tools to apply those skills to a new context. My marketing capstone, under Professor Jaideep Prabhu, became the launchpad for a summer internship with the Financial Times’ performance marketing team. That experience allowed me to prove to myself that I could translate my communications background into measurable impact in a new sector.
Now, as I apply for roles in clean energy and ESG strategy, I’m not trying to reinvent myself. I’m building on the work I’ve done – layering in new skills, experiences, and a growing sense of direction.
When side projects turn into something bigger
Like many people at Cambridge, I came in with a full schedule and a plan. And then I said “yes” to a hackathon.
The event – Cambridge x Easy A – wasn’t something I planned for, but I joined a team that was brainstorming how to reduce emissions from long-haul freight. Our solution involved using blockchain to tokenise carbon credits and incentivise eco-friendly driving behaviour. We won second place, but more importantly, one of my teammates, Abdur Razzak, decided to take the idea further.
Now, the project – ZenVolt – is moving through the Cambridge Accelerate programme. Abdur has conducted research at Brunel, travelled to a conference in Japan, and continues to refine the model. I’m still on board, helping guide the communications strategy as we grow. None of this was on my MBA roadmap. But I’ve learned that some of the best outcomes come from the things you didn’t plan.
Learning to lead, and let others lead too
This year also gave me space to explore what kind of leader I want to be.
As co-chair of the ESG Special Interest Group, I spent a lot of time listening – trying to understand what my classmates wanted to learn, what they cared about, and how we could bring those topics to life in a practical way. We built workshops, hosted speakers, and held more informal peer-led sessions that became some of the most meaningful conversations of the year.
I also served as Communications Chair for the Cambridge Business School Council and mentored an undergraduate student through the Women in Business initiative at the University of Cambridge. Each experience showed me something different about leadership. That it’s not always loud. That asking good questions matters more than having all the answers. And that helping others grow is one of the most rewarding parts of the job.
MBA meets real life
I came to the programme with my husband and son, and that shaped my MBA experience in ways both obvious and invisible.
There were trade-offs. I rarely stayed for post-dinner meetings or last-minute pub nights. I had pictured myself reviewing lecture slides while folding laundry or cooking, but in reality, the laundry lived in a pile on the floor, and we ordered a good deal of takeout. And there were times I worried I was missing something important – either in my family life or in my student life.
But there were also incredible moments I wouldn’t trade for anything. Eating lunch with my son in the college garden. Biking to day care past King’s College. Watching him proudly point out “Mommy’s school.” Having my family here wasn’t just meaningful – it kept me grounded. It reminded me that ambition and care don’t have to be in tension. They can co-exist. And on the best days, they can even fuel each other.
Global conversations, global aspirations
One of the most powerful parts of this year was being surrounded by people from all over the world – people who think differently, argue kindly, and care deeply about what they do. I had conversations this year that reshaped how I think about global markets, sustainability, AI, public policy, and more. Some were in class. Many were over coffee, or on walks by the river, or in a WhatsApp group at 1 a.m.
As I move forward, I know I want to stay connected to that kind of global thinking. Whether I’m based in the US or somewhere else, I want to work on cross-border problems – especially in sectors like clean energy, where collaboration isn’t optional; it’s necessary.
Final thoughts (and a photo I’ve been waiting for)
A few weeks ago, someone asked me whether the MBA “worked.” Did I get what I wanted from it?
The answer is yes – but maybe not in the way I expected. I didn’t walk away with all the answers. But I have sharper questions. I have new tools. I have friends I trust, mentors I admire, and the clarity to know what kind of work feels worth doing.
And most of all, I have momentum.
Soon, I’ll take that photo in front of the Senate House I’ve been imagining for more than a year. I’ll be standing with friends, proud and maybe a little surprised we made it. And I’ll know we’re not at the end of something – we’re just getting started.