David Wardle, IMD’s MBA Class of 2022
Age: 29
Hometown: Woking, United Kingdom (Morges, Switzerland last 5 years)
Undergraduate Institution and Major: University of Nottingham, Philosophy
Pre-MBA Work Experience (years, industry): 5 years, Sport Management
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
I was fortunate enough to have worked in the sports industry since the start of my career across strategy roles and had recently finished a project to secure a major investment. While I loved my time in sports, the end of this project seemed like the moment to explore the possibility of working in other industries. I also felt that while I had gained a wide base of knowledge, there were topics such as leadership and corporate finance that I wanted to understand better. Business school seemed the perfect place to gain this additional knowledge and make an industry pivot.
Why did you choose IMD? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
I was initially attracted by the emphasis placed on the leadership and entrepreneurship streams in the program. The possibility for individual sessions with both a leadership coach and analyst meant that the program would be more than textbook learning on traditional business topics. The learnings from the leadership stream could also be implemented in real-life situations through integrative exercises, working with a start-up and through international consulting projects.
But it was my first interaction with an alumnus that made my decision to choose IMD. After reaching out through a mutual connection, I was on a call within thirty minutes and discussed the program for more than an hour. Following the call, I knew that I wanted to be part of such an open and supportive community.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2022?
I have quite a unique career background, having worked in sports in four countries, from start-up to multi-national and across functional areas. I think that this has been useful in both teamwork and career discussions as I can offer insights and perspectives that differ from classmates who come from a more traditional background. Having also worked for several years in the Lausanne area, I could help to act as a tour guide for the class!
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I am learning how to kite-surf!
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
I was worried that my industry experience and background as a professional athlete was too niche to be accepted into an MBA program. But, after speaking with people close to me, I decided to put it front and centre in my application. I think that owning these experiences was what set me apart during the application process. It was important to bring something to the process that I could talk about with confidence and passion while showing my authentic self. Looking back, my past experiences were very relevant as an MBA candidate, and I would try to be even more confident about my past experiences.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
I would have started my application process and preparation much earlier. I made the decision to pursue an MBA before the last application deadline and this ramped up the pressure at each stage of the process.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
I would have skipped the GMAT! Given my short timeline, I didn’t have much time to prepare but this helped me to focus. I knew where my strengths and weaknesses were and really focused on bringing up my scores in the areas where I felt I had the most room for improvement rather than focusing on one-point increases.
What is your initial impression of the IMD students/culture/community?
Being in a cohort of only 100 people means that the class is very close and supportive. For example, at MBAT IMD had one of the smallest groups of participants but were definitely the loudest supporters! Alumni are also very willing to support current students and it is great to be a part of that community.
What is one thing you have learned about IMD that has surprised you?
The number of ‘real-world’ experiences during the programme has been a surprise. This year I have worked with an insurtech start-up, completed two integrative exercises, been on a two-day external leadership course, travelled to Buenos Aires and San Francisco for discovery expeditions and I am currently working with an NGO on a consulting project. While classroom study has been fantastic, it is really these events that bring the learning experience together.
What is one thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
IMD is a very intense one-year programme, meaning that it can become challenging to balance all of the classes and deliverables, as well as start to think about the end-of-year job search. I have found that prioritising these activities is important to managing the workload across the year.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I was most excited about the Discovery Expeditions. I had never travelled to Buenos Aires or San Francisco and to do it with classmates was an amazing experience.
