Pat Palalikit

“The practical elements you learn are more useful than theory alone in the real world”

“What surprised me about London? The weather’s not so bad,” laughs Pat Palalikit, who’s on the cusp of completing the Masters in Management programme at London Business School (LBS). Being from Thailand and completing his undergraduate in economics and accounting at the University of California in Los Angeles means he’s used to sun, sea, sand and hard work. 

Pat relocated to London with a clear goal in mind: to get into consulting. And he’s edging closer. He’s already secured a job as an associate with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in Bangkok. 

“Economics covers the macro level and accounting covers the in-depth firm level. I wanted to find the link between these two areas. Business fills that gap: that’s why I came to LBS.”

Pat was awarded £10,000 towards tuition fees on academic and professional merit in 2016 with LBS’s Huckleberry Scholarship Thailand. It helped him convince his parents, who knew more about some of UK’s older institutions, that LBS was the right move. 

Pat himself didn’t need persuading. He wanted to “move away from individualistic finance and towards working in a team that operates as a machine”. LBS, he says, was the place to help him do that.

Why LBS? 

There are three reasons Pat chose to launch his consulting career at LBS. Firstly, he loves cities: “I’ve always enjoyed living in a city; it's where I want to be. More importantly, all the major firms are here. The ease of travelling and meeting up with someone working in consulting is valuable when it comes to getting a job.” For instance, his new employer, BCG, is a stone’s throw from LBS. “That proximity is a big advantage.”

Secondly, Pat thrives in trans-global learning environments. He says: “The cultural diversity is one of the most valuable things from my learning experience. You work in study groups and discover how people from different backgrounds see the world. You can take the best from everyone's culture to help you move forward in your career.” 

Thirdly, the School’s emphasis on putting theory into practice won him over. “The professors are great at bringing their personal experiences into the classroom. I think the practical elements you learn are more useful than theory alone in the real world: it offers context.”

Pat adds that studying at LBS will have a major impact on his career. “Once you step back, you see how the different classes link together and how they build your skillset.

“I need a purpose in life: something I can accomplish, a goal I can conquer. I want to have a profound impact that changes the way people live their lives.”