Not all MBAs come from consulting or finance. INSEAD values diversity not only in terms of nationality, but also in terms of professional background. Every year the school accepts candidates with widely ranging experiences -- like Paul, a British national who was an international correspondent for Reuters before coming to INSEAD.

Paul embarked upon his career in journalism shortly after university. As a young and fearless graduate armed only with a desire to learn Spanish and a passion for writing, he moved to Caracas, Venezuela.

With no job, Paul was able to make ends meet by seeking out freelance writing opportunities. While covering everything from elections to earthquakes, his Spanish improved and his journalistic scope broadened. Soon, Paul had caught the attention of major international news organisations and was contributing to the BBC and Time magazine (to name a few), before taking up a full-time position with Reuters.

‘It was an amazing job,’ says Paul. ‘I got to see almost all of Latin America, interview presidents and pop stars and witness history being made.’ 

Six years later, Paul returned to London with Reuters and reconnected with his group of friends from university.  

‘One of them had just finished her MBA at INSEAD and it was remarkable to see how much more confident she seemed,’ says Paul. ‘But just as I was starting to think about applying to INSEAD myself, Reuters offered me the chance to manage the bureau in Tehran. It was too good to miss.’

Paul spent four years in Iran, interviewing clerics, visiting nuclear facilities, covering the Iraq war and delving into a fascinating and what Paul sees as a ‘much misunderstood culture.’ He says, ‘It’s the most complex and challenging place I have worked and when I returned to London, I felt like there was little left for me to achieve in journalism.’ Looking ahead toward an MBA, he decided, ‘It was time to move on.’

However, with a rather unconventional background, Paul had some concerns about getting his MBA. A few years older than the average candidate, he wondered if he would fit in. Would he be able to keep up with those who had pursued the corporate, consultant or banker trek so common in most programmes? He had serious doubts, yet he put his fears aside and decided to go for the top.

Paul knew that if he were to get an MBA that he would want a highly reputable, world renowned, international programme. The more he researched his options, the more he knew that INSEAD was the only school he would consider. 

He’s not alone. Approximately 50 percent of INSEAD participants only apply to INSEAD. Perhaps this is because they do not see another equivalent in the vast universe of MBA programmes. Taking a chance, Paul applied, and (obviously) he was accepted. 

For someone who barely knew what Microsoft Excel was prior to the programme (his group mates had to show him what the ‘file with the little green boxes’ was), he was quite pleasantly surprised that he enjoyed the quantitative side of the courses. He even made the Dean’s list, an extraordinary honour reserved for the programme’s top academic performers. 

’Everyone expected me to excel in courses where soft skills were emphasised more,’ Paul says. ‘They expected me to only take courses on leadership and marketing and so on. But I actually really got into the number-crunching courses, and I found myself taking more and more financial electives.’

Outside of the classroom, he has enjoyed the tropical lifestyle Singapore offers and getting to know Asia. ‘For those of us with partners, Singapore has been an excellent choice because there’s plenty to do here,’ he says. ‘My wife loves it and we’ve made a lot of great friends among the students and other partners.’

Paul graduated in July and has accepted a position with Bain & Company in Dubai. For the long term, he notes that an interest in entrepreneurship has been ignited. He’s convinced that not too far down the road, he will likely be teaming up with either his current INSEAD classmates or those in his vast INSEAD alumni network to launch a company.

With over 36,000 alumni in over 160 countries, he will never be short of contacts, and with the INSEAD community behind him, the possibilities are infinite. Regardless of what the coming post-INSEAD years bring, without a doubt, Paul’s future will continue to be marked by tremendous success.