Anna-Sophie Schwendtner

Anna-Sophia had three criteria for the choice of master’s degree. After an undergraduate degree in International Business Administration, she wanted to study a specialisation instead of a generalist management degree. It was also important for her to choose a reputable university with strong academics. And finally she wanted to live in a global metropole with fellow students and friends from all over the world.

Your time at Imperial College Business School

Why did you choose to study your programme and why specifically at Imperial College Business School?  

With Imperial’s MSc. in Climate Change, Management and Finance I found a degree that exceeded all my conditions and expectations: Studying a degree with purpose and relevance, at one of the top universities, and in a cosmopolitan city like London.

What was the most important learning point you took with you from the Business School? And the most surprising thing about the programme?

That making a change towards a more sustainable future must be embedded in all the choices we make and actions we take, equally for individuals, businesses, or policy makers.

I was surprised that the programme managed to teach the topic of climate change and sustainability in such a practical way. I really enjoyed all the projects that we were challenged to realise within teams from our very international, diverse and fun cohort.

What advice would you give to a prospective student considering studying the same programme as you?

This programme is for anyone how is driven to learn about and apply systematic change in any institution. In any case, it also is a commitment to an intense year of academics and project work (but with a great bunch of people that impressed me everyday!)

Tell us about your current job

How has your programme contributed to your career success? 

Imperial is a renowned academic institution with access to and demand from many well-known employers. The nature of the degree and the urgency to transform businesses to fight the climate crisis have been a contributing factor to the many opportunities that I luckily had at hand after finishing my degree. I decided to take an offer from BCG with the desire to drive change from within many firms for the largest possible impact.

How do you plan to use the skills and knowledge you gained during the programme within your career going forward?

I most value the awareness for climate change and for its impacts that the programme has equipped us with and the skills to apply our knowledge in practice to drive change effectively.

What are the most exciting/difficult challenges facing your sector currently?

I would say that Covid-19 has left its marks and has become sort of an excuse for businesses to de-prioritise climate action. Nevertheless, it’s exciting to see that there is still a growing number of firms that demand help from BCG to develop or transform their approach towards a sustainable future.

What is your proudest achievement in the job so far?

Being in consultant is like riding a rollercoaster, there are many ups and downs, but my proudest moments are those, when clients actively express their gratitude for our team’s work. Being able to make a positive impact is what motivates me to go to work every day.

Alumni community

In what way is remaining connected to your alumni network important to you?

Foremost, I of course want to stay in touch with my cohort, but also make us of Imperial’s access to resources, events and continuous learning opportunities.