“At Imperial I have been able to improve my problem-solving and leadership skills, and meet a community with similar interests who are always ready to support those in need”
My name is Marina Moncayola Lobato and I am in my final year of the Weekend MBA (WMBA) programme at Imperial College Business School. As a part-time student, I combine my studies with my full-time job as Internal Auditor for a multinational company in the construction sector in London, assessing risks and advising and helping to implement recommendations after analysing projects and processes. I started my career as an External Auditor at EY.
Previously, I studied Law and Business Administration and Management, and completed a Master’s in Auditing and Financial Management in my home country, Spain. The reason for taking this double degree was that I wanted to understand how laws and businesses need to adapt to society to ensure sustainable growth and prosperity.
During my undergraduate studies, I was able to study abroad in Belgium and India and those experiences helped me to understand, explore and adapt to different cultures and traditions. I learned a lot from the dynamism of New Delhi, and how to adapt to thrive in such a demanding environment.
My WMBA at Imperial has provided another opportunity to combine my passion for improving my skills and traveling – this time in Singapore and Kenya. In Singapore I was impressed by the efficiency of its multicultural society through the contribution of public and private stakeholders. And in Kenya I was impressed by the social-impact businesses that are tackling important problems to allow sustainable progress. There is no one recipe for success in business, but understanding societal needs and cultural background is key to thriving.
During my studies at Imperial, I’ve had the opportunity to join the Staff Student Committee for my cohort, and become Vice-President for Societal Engagement on the Dean’s Student Advisory Council. I was able to collaborate on different projects, including fundraising to help India during the Covid crisis. I also collaborated with Professor Celia Moore and Advisory Board Member Mary Meaney to support Ukrainian refugees in France. For this work I was awarded the Dean’s Community Award for Improving Society.
These projects were a great example of the values and commitment of the community at the business school. They also helped me to understand how the knowledge learned in my studies can be applied to help society to solve very complex problems.
At Imperial I have been able to improve my problem-solving and leadership skills, and meet a community with similar interests who are always ready to support those in need. I am very proud of being part of the Imperial community and my experience has exceeded my expectations. From learning and understanding why businesses are successful, to helping to tackle societal needs, you can find everything at Imperial thanks to its amazing community and network.