Rupal Patel
- Programme: MBA
- Nationality: American
- Job Pre-programme: Intelligence Analyst, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
- Job Post-programme: Executive Advisor, Entrepreneur, and Best-selling author
Recruited out of graduate school, Rupal began her career as an Analyst at the CIA, a role that honed her ability to distil complex information, advise senior decision-makers, thrive in ambiguity, and communicate with authority and impact. At London Business School, she would go on to begin a globe-spanning entrepreneurial journey that led to the founding of her executive and board advisory firm, The Global Leadership Lab.
What path led you to London Business School?
I studied for a BA in Political Science and an MA in International Relations in the US. It was during graduate school that I found myself in the incredible position of being recruited by the CIA. I said yes on the spot and soon after began a career doing some of the most meaningful work I’ve done in my life. Being at the CIA profoundly developed my analytical and communication skills, as my role regularly required me to prepare briefings for the President, Congress, senior US and foreign officials, and four-star generals. It also built critical intangible skills around mindset, resilience and performance under pressure.
After six intense and gratifying years at the CIA, I started to consider a move from the public to the private sector. I was particularly interested in entrepreneurship, and had always wanted to live in London, so London Business School was the obvious choice.
“The network has been incredible, and I’ve stayed very active in the community. I’ve had business opportunities and leads come directly from it.”
How did your time at London Business School shape your career path?
Initially I thought I might go down the consulting route, but once I was at the School that all changed. Around the end of my first year, I started to seriously explore entrepreneurship and think about what kind of company I might want to start.
My first business, which I started during the 2nd year of the MBA, is in real estate and construction. As that business demanded less of my operational input, I built up my leadership and advisory work, culminating in the formation of The Global Leadership Lab. I now advise a wide range of global organisations from sectors spanning retail, tech, and media to pharmaceuticals, engineering, and finance.
Lots of elements of the MBA set me on a strong path to entrepreneurship. I found financial accounting, corporate finance, and management accounting hugely valuable because, as an entrepreneur, of course you need to understand and pay attention to the numbers.
But I also gained very practical, hands-on experience. The Global Business Exchange in Greece, for example, during which my team and I developed a growth marketing plan for an olive oil company, brought everything we were learning in the classroom to life.
Being in London also meant being close to a growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. I developed relationships with founders of companies like Bloom & Wild and GoCardless when they were still early-stage startups. Being part of a broader community of founders to connect and learn with as we were growing our respective businesses was invaluable.
“The community is incredibly generous and open, and whenever I’m in a new city, I inevitably end up having coffee or lunch with an alum I’ve never met before.”
What’s your favourite memory from your time at London Business School?
What makes London Business School really special is how global it is. Having classmates lead treks through their home countries is such a unique element of the MBA. Our trek to Ethiopia and Uganda was one of the most memorable experiences of my life, both because the countries are stunning and rich in history, and because travelling with classmates through sometimes exhausting and thrilling situations deepened our friendships in ways that nothing else could.
Ethiopia felt wonderfully off the beaten path and not overly touristy. We saw incredible natural beauty and layers of history that too many people don’t appreciate about the country. I was already familiar with Ethiopian culture, but experiencing it in person was brilliant, especially as it was going through so much growth and development when we visited.
If you had to describe your overall LBS experience in three words, what would they be?
Eye-opening. Gratifying. Fun.
Eye-opening because it showed me the range of career possibilities out there and the huge variety of roles and paths available. I was learning just as much from my cohort as I was in the classroom, and in both contexts demystifying things I never thought much about. I had never really thought about whose job it is to market ice cream, for example, or the logistics and supply chains behind everything we consume. So being in a class full of people who came from different sectors and experiences was like having an X-ray machine for businesses you encounter every day, and seeing the internal workings and mechanisms powering them.
Gratifying because of the relationships. I built lifelong friendships with a few people in my class, and after graduating have become friends with even more. There’s also the wider alumni network, which is an incredible source of connection, friendship, and insight. The community is incredibly generous and open, and whenever I’m in a new city for work, I inevitably end up having coffee or lunch with an alum I’ve never met before. It’s wonderful knowing you can go anywhere in the world and find someone with a shared background to meet up with!
Fun because it was a two-year exploration of what was out there, both professionally and personally. I worked, travelled, and used my brain in ways I hadn’t before and got to recharge after an intense career before deciding what I would do next. That time to pause and reflect was fun in the light-hearted sense and in a deeply profound way, too.
How has the London Business School network influenced your career journey since graduating?
The network has been incredible, and I’ve stayed very active in the community. I’ve had business opportunities and leads come directly from it, but just as important is the ability to access such a wide range of expertise and experience.
You can ask a question on our alumni forum, and there’s a ready pool of experienced alumni who will respond. I found access to that real-world expertise especially valuable as first-time entrepreneur. The strength of the London Business School ties is even greater than I realised while I was there.
What are your aspirations for the future, and how did London Business School help set you up for them?
One of the things I’d like to do more of is invest in other businesses. I’m currently an angel investor in two and am looking to grow my portfolio in the coming years.
My time at London Business School gave me a toolkit to make informed investment decisions and analyse businesses effectively, as well as access to high-potential startups being incubated at the School. No matter what I do in the future, I know the London Business School community will be an important part of it.