5 Best Finance MBAs London
London’s economy is built upon finance. In fact, the city is considered the world’s leading financial centeer. It’s the largest financial exporter in the world, and the city is home to exchanges, banks, brokers, investment managers, pension funds, hedge funds, insurance companies and more crucial financial positions. It’s also an important center of international finance, being home to the Bank of England—the second oldest central bank in the world. And in 2009, London handled 36.7 percent of global currency transactions.
So, there’s no doubt that London is a great place to live, work and gain an education if the finance industry is your preference. But how do you join the 315,200 people who work in London’s financial services sector? First, it’s about finding the right school for your education.
London has a variety of schools that offer an exceptional Finance MBA program. We’ve outlined the top five below along with why we think each program stands out in the crowd. Continue reading…
International Students Wary Of Potential Immigration Changes
As the wake of the recent presidential election begins to settle, among the first effects has been a possible trajectory change where international students pursue an MBA.
The Financial Times recently followed the story of Amrita Dwivedi, a marketing executive from New Delhi who has worked with Google and Deloitte. Prior to last Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, Dwivedi was considered several standout U.S. business schools. After the results, however, they’re rescinding those suggestions, instead opting to focus on the London Business School and Insead to pursue their MBA.
“I want to be able to work in the country where I study after graduation,” they said in an interview with FT reporter Jonathan Moules. “So it is important to be in a place that is immigrant-friendly.”
Even in Europe, however, those options may also soon become limited. Just months after Great Britain opted to leave the European Union, new Prime Minister Theresa May has already gone on record saying that the number of student immigrant visas will likely be reduced. This could also potentially impact Dwivedi’s final decision.
The potential changes come after a wave of international students joined U.S. business schools with a record number of applications at many institutions, including at Michigan Ross.
Ross’ recently hired dean Scott DeRue shared some similar concerns over what could come during a Donald Trump presidency, as the new president-elect has gone on record multiple times against many immigration policies.
“I understand and empathise with those concerns but let’s remember that most presidents campaign in poetry and govern in prose,” DeRue says.
“If there was a restriction on visas to students that would clearly be somewhat harmful to us,” adds Chicago Booth School of Business dean Douglas Skinner. Booth has seen a precipitous rise in applicants in recent years, including a double-digit percentage increase in 2016. However, Skinner notes that nearly a third of students at Booth are from overseas—a figure that’s actually lower than many other business schools across the U.S.
Shading optimism, Skinner also notes that there’s a significant chance that domestic applicants may rise in the wake of policy changes. That, and the fact that Booth has been through some tough times before.
“We have been around since 1898, and the school has survived lots of ups and downs in the economy during that time,” he says.
LBS Adds New Video Submission Element to MBA Application
London Business School (LBS) this fall has introduced a new video submission element to its MBA application. In a blog post last week David Simpson, admissions director for the MBA and masters in finance programs, shared his team’s thinking behind this newest addition to the LBS application process.
“This was not a decision we took lightly,” Simpson writes, adding that they’ve been giving it some thought for a couple of years. In fact, the team piloted the process last year with a handful of candidates, primarily those whose English-language skills warranted assessment. “But this year we are going all-out and using the videos to help us learn a lot more about you,” Simpson says.
Earlier in his post and in past interviews with Clear Admit, Simpson has stressed the importance of the LBS alumni interview. “We gain a HUGE amount from the interview process and love having our alumni conduct them, so that you can learn a huge amount about life at LBS, too!” he writes.
Like many other top business schools, LBS recently reduced the number of written essays it requires of its applicants, keeping just one, about candidate’s aspirations. “A top MBA is a career and indeed life-changing experience,” he writes. LBS’s remaining question on future goals is key, he continues, even though, given the transformative nature of an MBA, those aspirations will change during your studies.
LBS Adds New Video Element for All Invited to Interview
But as it drops a written essay, the London school has decided to add a video submission for all applicants who are invited to advance to the alumni interview portion of the application process. Round 1 LBS applicants who made it to the interview stage all received an invitation to participate in the new video element.
But have no fear, reassures Simpson. “We are being very thoughtful about how we use this exciting new addition to our process,” he says. A video component has its limitations, and he and his team have set their expectations accordingly.
LBS recognizes that factors ranging from cultural differences, diverse professional backgrounds and differing personal comfort levels with being in front of the camera mean that not all applicants will approach the video submission feeling on equal ground. “Some people will feel a lot more comfortable than others filming themselves answering questions,” Simpson recognizes. But even those who are apprehensive should rest assured, he says. “We are NOT looking to use this as a tool to disqualify candidates or ‘catch you out’.” (For those unfamiliar with the term “catch you out,” is just means to expose error or shortcoming in someone.)
In fact, you don’t even need to worry too much about timing your answers just right, Simpson says, adding that they won’t deduct points. “We just want to see how you perform on both the prepared question and the unprepared section,” he says. “We love meeting candidates at events, but it’s not possible to meet you all, so this helps us see you in action.”
LBS partnered with Kira Talent, an online platform that allows higher education institutions to interactive video and written components into their application processes. Kira Talent’s other customers include Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, INSEAD and the Foster School of Business, among others.
“First round applicants have all now submitted, and we can’t wait to watch all the videos!” says Simpson.
Round 1 LBS applicants who have taken part in the new video component, don’t forget to share your experience with others in the Clear Admit Interview Archive!
This post was originally published by clearadmit.com
The Best Finance MBA Programs in London
The economy of London is dominated by the financial services industry. In fact, the city is the largest financial exporter in the world and is home to exchanges, banks, brokers, pension funds, reinsurance markets and more. It’s also a notable center of international finance and home to the second oldest central bank in the world: the Bank of England. Other major financial institutions in London include the London Stock Exchange, the London Bullion Market and HSBC.
So, it’s no wonder that London is a top destination for MBAs looking to enter the financial industry. But where should MBAs head to school for their best chance at success post graduation? We’ve outlined our top five Finance MBA programs in London to give you a head start on the process. Continue reading…
LBS MBA Student Named Future LGBT Leader By Financial Times
London Business School student Dr. Nicholas Deakin, ‘17 MBA, was among the honorees named to this year’s Financial Times “2016 OUTstanding LGBT + Future Leaders” list, coming in at an impressive fifth overall.
Dr. Deakin has already made a long-standing positive impact in the LGBT community as an acting co-president of the LBS Out In Business Club and volunteer member of the school’s Diversity Role Models program. He was one of three LBS alumni named to the “Future Leaders” list, alongside Samuel Rensing, ‘16 MBA, and Emmeline Tang ‘15 MBA. Elliot Vaughn, a ‘05 LBS graduate and current partner and managing director at the Boston Consulting Group, was named to the “Top 100 LGBT Executives” list as well.
“Diversity is part and parcel of life at London Business School, whether you look at the professional backgrounds, nationalities, genders or the sexuality of LBS students,” Deakin told LBS after earning the honor. “We are united by difference and represent the truly cosmopolitan nature of London.”
Co-leading the school’s Out In Business Club, Dr. Deakin helped land the school’s largest ever LGBT student intake in 2015.
“The Out in Business Club has developed into one of the most active clubs on campus, driven by corporate support from the school’s biggest recruiters and buy in from the very highest levels of the School including faculty,” he noted.
“We are tremendously grateful to LBS for providing the funding for our first ever LGBT+ scholarship candidate. Sitting between the school and the professional community, we connect our students with the most forward-thinking recruiters, current LGBT+ leaders and professional organisations who are demonstrating the return on diversity in business.”
The Financial Times’ methodology behind this year’s “Future Leaders” ranking weighed performance and potential, with a strong focus on LGBT inclusion. Those honored on both the “Future Leaders” and “Top 100 LGBT Executives” list were nominated by their peers explicitly with permission that they be published, hence why Apple CEO Tim Cook is curiously missing from the latter. Gigi Chao, executive vice-chairman, Cheuk Nang Holdings Ltd. led the “Top 100 LGBT Executives” ranking—the first time an Asian executive has earned the top honor.
This year’s “2016 OUTstanding LGBT + Future Leaders” list can be read here.
The Economist Ranks London MBA Programs
The Economist has revealed its annual ranking of the top full-time MBA Programs in the world. This year, five London schools made it onto the list, with three schools landing in the top 50.
