Last term of the MBA.. future is here!

I re-start my blogging efforts after a long silence.. Many people start blogs to explain their MBA experience, but then the intensity of the course overtakes the initial blogging desires. I'm not an exception.

With only one term left life starts to get back under control and short-term future becomes somehow clearer. After several interviews with many technology companies, I have decided where my post-MBA career will start: Samsung Global Strategy Group! That means that will have to move to Seoul, South Korea, which will make the whole experience incredibly worth.

The name of the blog, London Calling, reflects the journey to London Business School. Should then I update the name to Seoul Calling?

About MBAs and Engineers..

This first month has been very hectic.. Parties and fun have turned into work, work and work! The subjects are really interesting, I do enjoy especially Strategy and Corporate Finance.
I realize that people with technical backgrounds such as mine take more advantge of the skills we receive.. Everything is new! On the other hand, there are many undergads from places such as Columbia, Harvard who have already seen all the stuff and seem to be somehow bored..
From the professional point of view, we have to decide a career goal as there will be interviews for the summer internships very short.. The job market (especially in finance!) looks very gloomy so there are very few spots for many people..

2-weeks partying in London!

It's been only 2 weeks in the MBA programme but it feels as if I had been here for a whole year! The first weeks are being filled with lots of social events aimed at expanding our contacts within the programme.
If I had to choose a highlight for these first 2 weeks I would say it was the party I had with my study group.
We all went to one of the member's place: The house was amazing! A 2-storey penthouse overlooking the Thames river.. The night started with cold Moet (champagne), followed by endless drinks and fine food.
On the other hand the subjects are Ok so far. The "real" subjects will start in about 2 weeks.. On the meantime, let's enjoy the experience!

Working with people from all around the globe!

The orientation week marks the start of the MBA at London Business School. It's all about getting to know each other and specially the study group. They are going to be the people who I will spend most of the time with as all work has to be done in groups. It's definitely the most challenging part of the MBA as my study group is really diverse: American, British, Indian, Zimabwe and Brazilian.. To be honest I am more than excited and looking forward to start the course than ever!

First days in London!

I just moved in a couple of days ago!
These first days are being really exciting. I still don't have a proper place to stay -- I am writing these lines from an aussie's friend flat in West Kensington where I am staying a few days -- but adaptation is being quite smooth so far.
The MBA programme starts in a few days but there are already lots of things to do. Setting up bank accounts, sorting all paperwork, but the one activity I like the most is to network with my future MBA mates. For those who don't know it, networking in London means gathering around a pub drinking endless pints.. In a single night I was introduced to more than 30 people..(whose names I can hardly remember!). I realize that diversity is taken seriously in the LBS program: Among those I already met, there are investment bankers, M&A analysts, engineers, entepreneurs and even a canadian musician.
So after all, I must reckon that getting back to student life is not going to be that tough!

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish

Today is my last day at Siemens. It isn't that easy to leave a job in a company like this. Sometimes one can feel dizzyness: getting back to the student life after several years of working life. I have always thought that we must resist the temptation of feeling comfortable. Though it isn't easy at all. Quitting a well-paid job, leaving a nice car and all the company's gadgets.

The above picture is very inspirational: It shows a young Steve Jobs, who was already millionaire, sitting on the flor of an empty room.. Any 26 year-old man with fresh millions in his bank would spend every cent in useless things, yet this guy was able to keep focused on his activities. As the title says we should always "Stay Hungry and Foolish". Hungry to always look for new goals and foolish to keep trying new and risky things.

Dismantling your life or how to find your karma in 5 weeks

Before moving to London in 5 weeks I have to get rid of all the stuff that is worthless in my new life. I am doing a sort of zen activity as I am selling / giving back what I thought were essential material things like:


- Blackberry (should I say crackberry?)
- Car (Wow.. this is gonna be tough!)
- Motorbike (already sold)
- Dell Laptop (though It will raise my spirit to get a Macbook Air)
- Useless Clothes
- Golf clubs...(guess I will keep these)
- Kitesurfing Material (will have to rethink this one..)



So I guess that after parting with all my gadgets I will feel closer to my real karma.. Though I am a bit scared to see what will I find within myself!

Last days of consulting life

I am getting close to the last days of my consultant life.. Funnily enough, I am having my best work experiences right now. I will leave my job in less than 4 weeks and still have to sort out quite a lot of things, both at the professional and personal side.

I am taking along loads of good moments where I have learned from great people, both at the client side and at the company side. I would definitely advise anyone who is keen to learn and to garner experience in a short amount of time to enroll in a consulting position right after the end of the degree.

Yet do not enroll in such a position if you don't like planes: according to my estimates I have taken almost 250 flights in 3 years of work and spent more than 400 nights in a hotel room elsewhere.

Accepted LBS2010!

I am in!Accepted! I have been longing for this very moment since the time I started my blog.. as the title says "London Calling" is all about my journey to London. So now it seems that one journey ends: GMAT exams, recommendation letters, essays, loads of nerves.. And another very thrilling starts: become a student (!!) again, find a flat in London, meet new friends there, and so many other things I can not even think of.. I will be moving to London in about 6 weeks! That's so close and I have to arrange so many things.

iPhone 3G in Spain or Vodafone vs Movistar

In less than 3 weeks the new iPhone 3G will be within our borders. Movistar has been granted exclusive distribution rights in Spain.. From my point of view it has been a great achievement for the spanish operator.. The move will surely "force" many high-end users (contract & 50€+/month), the most precious asset operators have, to their company. I myself have been a very loyal Vodafone customer for more than 11 years. I do have a 30€/franchise and will surely switch to Movistar only to get an iPhone 3G.. and best of all: I will keep paying the same bill but will own a iPhone with unlimited data access.
I am certain many users will follow the same steps.. Good luck Vodafone/Orange.. iPhone 3G is coming!

Uncertainty..

Uncertainty.. that's what I feel! As summer gets closer, many things drift within my mind.. Will I be taking my MBA next year or will I have to wait until September 2009.. How will be life in London? Sometimes it is hard to cope with change yet I am ready to accept whatever the outcome is next week when I will finally (hope so..) know the Waitlist decision.. At least one thing is guaranteed: my spot at London Business!

Chris' round the world trip

This is one of the pictures my friend Chris Ambridge has taken recently while doing his round the world trip. He started his journey more than 10 months ago. So far he has visited more than 20 countries and 3 continents: He has walked the Maia Route in Peru, enjoyed the Argentinian nights at Buenos Aires, surfed the australian waves and right now he is traveling through South East Asia.

He is a good photographer and has been taking pictures all the way through. I recommend you check them through as they are worth watching at!

My Favourite English Band!

While I still am a little dizzy after last week's news from London Business School, I want to move on and change topics.. though not too much.

Today's picture shows the cover of an Album by an english band I discovered while was living in London 3 years ago which is called Saint Etienne (french it may sound). It is so-called "conceptual" because all songs of the album relate to the same concept: Every song tells a story of people living in a building which is hipotetically situated in an East-London neighbourhood. It is a great album. Hope you enjoy it!

Aaaaargh!

Aaaaaaaargh! This is the first sound that came up from my mouth after reading the email from the London Business School.. Their decision is to.... keep me on the waitlist!

There are good news though: If I do not make it into this year's class I am guaranteed a place for the MBA starting on August 2009.. that means that I will not have to go through the application process again..

There will be a review on June 27th which will determine whether I will make into this year's class or I will have to wait a year.. So it seems that my journey hasn't ended yet.. Yet good things are never easy to get!

Back where it all started..

I am writing this post from the very same place where I started my application, in a Hotel room in Gijón by the Cantabric sea .

It has been more than 8 months since I started and tonight or more likely tomorrow I am going to get the final response (unless I am waitlisted.. which would be really painful). I am trying to keep my nerves down yet it is somehow hard!

Throughout the last months I have learned that taking an MBA is not that important, yet an email that I will receive within the next 24 hours will surely determine my personal and professional life for the next 2 years..

In the meantime I will enjoy some Sidra and Cabrales which will help me go through the last moments of the whole application process!

Macbook vs Macbook Air!

Some months ago I took a decision: I need an Apple. My old HP laptop is ageing and I won't replace it with a Vista-powered PC nor will I go for an old-fashioned Windows XP. So I have one only choice: Switch to Apple. This is the easy part of the dilemma..

Now comes the real pain: Do I buy a Macbook or go for the ultra-slim Mackbook Air? There are some pros and cons.

• With 1000€ I can afford a powered version of the Macbook


• Macbook is already a mature product (which has a backlash: I might be replaced soon..)


• Macbook Air is intended to be a 2nd computer (like owning an Audi and then a Porsche..)

Reason points to Macbook, yet my heart wants me to go for the Macbook Air! Its slim body, elegant keypad, ... It is a hard decision to take. I will keep you informed!

MBA turns 100 years!

I have come across an interesting article in the ft.com in the analysis section. It is about MBAs, but is not the typical pro-MBA stuff.. It rather asks whether MBA programmes, which turn 100 years this month (Harvard is the oldest school awarding MBAs), really add up to the whole business community. It gives some pros and cons.

Among the cons it mentions that they can be far from reality sometimes (publishing paper with titles like "Baynesian methods in strategy"... who the hell reads that??) . Then it mentions that MBA "democratize" the board-rooms as MBA do not understand of social classes (this applies more to US than Europe).

Overall I think is a good article worth reading for those interested in the programme. And for me is just a help to wait for the long awaited D-day! (May 21st..)

Mobile Marketing "Made in Barcelona"

I have found out a company located in Barcelona called DAEM Interactive which specializes in Marketing over the Mobile. They have a very interesting approach that I would call "push" marketing (guess there may be already a technichal name but I do not know it).

Let's put an example: As I walk along a busy city street I see an advert in a wall that displays a pair of shoes I fancy. If I want more info I just have to take a picture of the ad using my camera-phone and shortly afterwards I shall receive info about those shoes such as price, retail shops, wallpapers, etc.. The idea looks really interesting to me as it is the user who drives the action rather than the marketer. Moreover it takes advantage of technologies already available in the market (camera-phone, MMS, GPRS,etc).

If I had to bet I would say that this kind of marketing will work out and succeed.. And, surprisingly enough, this idea doesn't come from Finland nor Japan it comes from and it is been fully developed in Barcelona. Take a look!

Out of Office!

I am getting a most deserved week off! I am going to Sardenya with Cristina and her surfing-cousins. We are going there in a Volkswagen Van packed with all kite-surfing stuff, barbacue, etc.. We will camp by the beach and stay at the south of the island for 7 long days and nights! I will update some pics in Facebook as soon as I get back. In the meantime.. I promise to myself a few things:

• No mobile phones (specially the damn bb)


• Will not say the word MBA... nor the word LBS :)


• Will read a lot


• Will learn to surf the italian waves

And over all, HAVE FUN!

The Interview!

I finally got the mail I was waiting for: The contact of the LBS alumnus that will interview me.

After exchanging a couple of emails we have arranged the location (his office) and the time (monday April 21st). It is both surpring and pleasant to receive a mail with the header "London Business Interview" and then find out that the text begins with an "Apreciat Albert" (i.e. the whole email is written in Catalan).

Short after receiving my interviewer details I have started to find out more about him. Linked In has proven very fruitful as I have a complete CV of my interviewer (surprisingly, he started his career at was my dream-company, the no-longer-existing DiamondCluster). I have also found out that he is involved in a few companies as a Board Member, and more suprinsingly one of these companies is aimed to Marketing over the Mobile!.. So, to sum up, I think it will be definitely an interesting interview.

In the meantime, I will rehearse and write down the main strenghs, weaknesses, MBA motivations, why London, etc etc...