Rahul Sharma

“The finance industry is going through tremendous change, so now is the right time for a robust finance degree.”

Rahul Sharma knew in 2008 that he wanted to study finance in depth; it was a long-established goal. But he was based in Tokyo back then and resolved only to study at a globally reputable institution. “LBS is the best in the world,” he says, “there wasn’t anywhere like that in Japan.” So he waited. 

With a career spanning almost two decades, Rahul, who is now based in London, has travelled the world and banked years of professional experience in corporate turnarounds, M&A, strategy and business development. His career seems to spin on an eight-year cycle with “eight years in Delhi, eight years in Tokyo” and his sights set on London for a “neat eight”.

Rahul, who has an MBA and majored in marketing, didn’t start out in finance. After working in sales and marketing, he’s spent the last 11 years in senior positions at top-tier financial institutions. Somewhere along the road he “wound up working in banking”, and loving it.

Experience isn’t a substitute 

“I don’t want to change my career. I’m doing well,” says Rahul, who chose to study and work simultaneously. 

So, why does a highly experienced manager working in the finance industry, who admits to loving his job, choose to study the part-time Masters in Finance (MiF)? 

“I wanted to take a step back and sharpen my technical skills. I wanted to back up my experience with factual evidence and proven concepts,” he says.

“The finance industry is going through tremendous change, so now is the right time for a robust finance degree.”

Practical insights 

The case-based approach to learning at London Business School (LBS) was the clincher for Rahul, who has already worked in the finance industry for more than a decade. “It’s not just theoretical. In class we look at live practical examples of real companies and analyse them.” 

He adds that it’s the interactive nature in class and the calibre of his peers that takes learning to the next level. “I don’t want to talk about theory that I can read myself.

“I want to be challenged. It feels like the entire investment bank is sitting with you in the classroom and that’s an amazing opportunity to learn. You learn as much from your classmates as from the faculty.”

Rahul says finance is the backbone of any business, company, or country. “It touches people’s lives in community, health, education and more.” 

As he masters finance, Rahul is certain that the lessons learned at LBS will last him a lifetime and, as he puts it, “have some bearing on the world”.