Born in France, I had the opportunity to move to the United Kingdom at the age of 13. Adapting very quickly to my new environment, I have developed new cultural and social perspectives on the world around me. By applying to an English university, I wish to benefit from the British pedagogical and theoretical approaches. My core desire is to understand how the world of business is influenced by economics. I am also interested in the way businesses are run and how they differ from one to another. I strongly believe I will be answered by studying business management at university.

My work placement at EDF TRADING during a month was a fundamental learning experience. I took very seriously the duties of research and administrative support I was given by the European desk department and delivered an internship report which was granted an excellent grade. I developed valuable skills in communication and interaction with others in a working environment. As my tutor was a Manager, I gained relevant insight on how to manage local as well as international and remote teams within blue-chip companies.

Adaptability, pragmatism and rigor are core attributes for business management as I was told by the Project coordinator of Carrefour who I approached for my career guidance project. With more than 500 employees and 13 supermarkets under his command, he shared his experience of the different types of management, such as democratic, autocratic and paternalistic. We discussed the Maslow’s motivation model of the hierarchy of needs, and the triangle “cost-time-quality”. I was particularly inspired by his account of the different strategies aimed at solving complex employee situations such as employees facing personal problems. This conversation was a turning point in my determination to embrace a business management career.

I enjoy reading The Economist which provides an inspiring analysis of the interactions between corporate strategy and the global international economy. I remember reading an article about businesses’ durability. The article explained a key concept in creating a business: the fact that you should create one based on an idea (Amazon) and not technologies (Google). In my opinion, no products or innovations are timeless, but I do hope that my studies will enable me to generate many sustainable business ideas.

Alongside my studies, I am a competitive poker player; I tend to approach the game through both a mathematical and a psychological angle. I try to assimilate each situation to statistics. Poker has helped me develop crucial abilities such as concentration, strategic planning, thinking ahead and patience. Understanding how personalities shape behaviors is also something I learned through this game.

I am passionate about both individual and collective sports: I have been playing Football for 5 years and Tennis for 13 years, both in school and club contexts: Playing tennis has enabled me to address mental as well a strategic challenges. The key things I have learned from tennis is to never give up and to monitor my performance both at individual and team levels: Whilst I was initially ranked in the top 100 under 14 years old tennis French players, I quickly became the captain of my tennis club . This improved my leadership skills as I had to motivate my players and organize the team. I trust these competencies are fundamental for any management situation.

I am looking forward to widen my knowledge by studying in an English university where I can benefit from a multidisciplinary and innovative approach to business management, whilst taping into the rigorous learning methods gained through French education. I am also looking forward to work jointly with new peers and gain a broad awareness of their different cultures and working styles.