Rick Lewis

How would you describe your profile before joining London Business School?

I’m originally from Dallas, Texas, and studied at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin for my undergraduate degree. I then joined Boston Consulting Group, where I focused on consumer work with clients such as travel brands and restaurants. As an associate and then a consultant, I worked on projects across the US and occasionally further afield, including one in the Middle East.

After three years at BCG, I wanted the opportunity to explore different industries and career paths. Consulting was the only thing I had done since graduating, so I was keen to try something new through internships and broader exposure. I had also seen the positive impact MBAs had on the people around me, particularly in terms of soft skills and team leadership, which encouraged me to go back to school. The combination of a two-year programme and the opportunity to live abroad made London Business School a natural choice.

Is there a particular skill, mindset, or opportunity from London Business School that you draw on today?

If I had to narrow it down, I would say there were two electives that have really shaped me since graduating. My elective in Negotiating and Bargaining has been particularly useful because, regardless of the industry, you are often trying to reach some form of consensus or a better outcome in a deal. Brand Marketing was also important for me. Coming from a finance background, it helped me understand how companies build an almost intangible emotional connection with consumers.

On the experience side, I completed internships with the NFL UK and with the travel platform Expedia at its subsidiary Hotels.com. At the NFL, I built on my classroom understanding of branding to tackle a core challenge: how to take a sport and a brand that is huge in the US and grow it in the UK and Europe. The work was focused on growth strategy, entering a new market and drawing on fan insights, and it felt almost like working in a startup environment. At Expedia, my work centred more on brand loyalty, which is directly relevant to the type of work I do in consulting today.

Learning from my peers was also a big part of the experience. In the classroom, the discussion-based format meant that, having already worked for a few years, you could move beyond theory and focus on how ideas actually play out in practice in different global contexts. That same dynamic carried through into clubs and activities, where I developed my leadership skills in an environment where I worked with peers rather than managing direct reports. It taught me how to align people around a shared goal, create an environment where they can succeed, and bring together different perspectives in a way that feels collaborative rather than hierarchical. I still draw on those conversations and experiences when thinking through client situations.

Is there a specific opportunity or turning point in your career that you’d attribute to your time at London Business School?

In part because of the experience I gained during the MBA, I was able to transfer from BCG’s Dallas office to London after graduation. That geographic move was probably the biggest turning point for me, and one that has clearly shaped the trajectory of my career since, ultimately leading me to my current role as Managing Director and Partner at BCG.

The School also gave me a network and community that made the move feel viable on a long-term basis. More than that, it was the friendships I built during the MBA that made London feel like home, even though I had never lived here before. That sense of community is a big part of why I’ve stayed.

What’s your favourite memory from your time at London Business School?

Tattoo stands out as a highlight. It’s a huge student celebration on campus where you see so many different cultures come together, which really brings the international side of the School to life. The Japan Trek was also incredibly special. We started in Tokyo and then travelled to Hiroshima and Nagoya, taking in a lot of important history along the way. It was an amazing way to experience the culture, from the customs and the food to visiting an onsen spa, and to see the pride people had in sharing it. I also had the opportunity to visit India, Lebanon, and many more countries during the programme. I don’t think I expected to travel as much as I did, both for social and school-related trips, but each time felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

I often liken the School to air travel. In the same way that travelling to a new country allows you to exchange ideas and think across cultures and geographies, the MBA creates that same kind of environment, bringing together different perspectives and cultures, and enabling new ways of thinking.

Looking back at your Orientation photos, how do you feel you’ve grown since then?

I definitely feel like a different person, mostly because of how London Business School has expanded my global perspective and given me experiences that have shaped who I am today. The two biggest changes are my self-confidence and the way I approach leadership, both of which developed during my time at the School.

I wouldn’t say I was shy before, but the MBA pushed me to really go for things and pursue what I was interested in. Having so many new experiences in such a concentrated period also helped me become a more mature leader, with a stronger sense of empathy and a better understanding of perspectives different from my own. I now have a much clearer sense of how to create an environment where people can succeed, and how to bring a team together around a shared goal or vision.

If you had to describe your overall LBS experience in three words, what would they be?

It might sound a little cheesy, but my first word would be fun. There are tough moments along the way and times when you feel frustrated, but overall, it is such an enjoyable experience.

My second word would be growth. As I mentioned with the Orientation photos, when I think about who I was when I arrived compared to when I left, it has shaped and changed me in so many positive ways.

My third word would be global. Before the MBA, I didn’t fully appreciate just how much impact a truly international cohort would have, both inside and outside the classroom. Being in a study group where everyone is from a different continent, going on treks around the world, and even just sharing food and culture from different backgrounds makes it an incredibly rich experience.