Nishank Bhanu
I was a Naval Architect (primarily building ships in India, South Korea, China & Norway) with around 10 years of work experience before coming to IE and was looking for a change in my career profile and geography. IE helped me do the same. Now I work as Marketing & Communications Manager in Rail Industry.
"IE is a once in a lifetime experience where you learn, make new friends for life and change your career path for good. IE gives you a chance to look at inner you and redefine your career objectives."
DEFINE YOUR EXPERIENCE IN ONE WORD
Lifechanging
IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU THINK PROGRAM HAS CHANGED YOUR LIFE PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY?
Professionally I was able to switch my career track and move geographies because of IE. My dual degree program in Marketing & Communications helped me take a deep dive into a specific stream combined with multiple industry projects helped me change my career stream.
Personally, I think I am more culturally aware about various cultures around the world, and have friends in almost 50 countries around the world. IE has also made me think more critically for various things happening around the world.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY OF YOUR EXPERIENCE?
My favorite memory comes from our group meetings. Initially, I thought that group meetings are only to get our assignments done but actually these meetings are much more than that. These meetings are a boiling pot of ideas, a grand cultural awareness classroom, communication masterclass and most importantly an innovation hub. As I recollect now, these group meetings made me a better professional who try to understand teams’ perspective before making a decision.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO STUDY THIS PROGRAM AT IE?
Apart from being a top business school, IE offers a unique opportunity to learn in a multicultural environment where innovation is given the prime importance. Being in Madrid for the program was another reason to choose IE.
WHAT WERE SOME OF THE MAIN CHALLENGES THAT YOU ENCOUNTERED ON YOUR WAY? HOW DID YOUR MASTER PROGRAM AND IE HELP YOU THROUGH THESE CHALLENGES?
All my education before IE was in India and let me accept it that it was very different. It is a completely different challenge when you are sitting in a classroom with more than 50 nationalities and each student brings varied and rich experiences from all walks of life. For me, first term at IE was just about understanding and getting a grasp of this whole new system of learning. But then I think this was the biggest take away from IE.
WHAT IS NETWORKING LIKE IN THE PROGRAM
I never realized the value of networking until I interacted with a diverse group outside the classroom. This allowed me to make true friends whom I can call in the middle of the night half way across the globe and they will be ready to help me in whatever way they can. For me networking was believing that I know someone in at least half the countries worldwide.
