Ex-Citi employee Leonardo Banegas has lived in Central America, Taiwan and China. He joined the ESSEC Global MBA to learn a fourth language and build an international career!
Leonardo Banegas is on the
ESSEC Business School Global MBA. The Honduran national, who has lived in Taiwan and China, plans to get business experience in Singapore, Dubai, Germany and South Africa this year!
We spoke to Leonardo to learn more about his experience so far at ESSEC and his post-MBA plans.
Leonardo has a BEng in Industrial Engineering from Universidad Catolica de Honduras and a Master in Industrial Engineering and Management from Yuan Ze University, Taiwan.
He’s also worked as a Regional Project Manager for Citi and in that time toured most of Latin America and North America.
How have you managed to live in so many places including the US, China, Taiwan, Panama, Costa Rica, El-Salvador, Honduras, and France?!
I grew up in Honduras and started to work for Citi when I graduated from university. My job at Citi required me to travel to different countries in Central America. I also had to live in New York and Miami. In 2010 I decided to leave Citi because I wanted more academic exposure. I still wanted to maintain that international experience so I chose to go to Taiwan.
I spent two years in Taiwan and during that time I lived in Shanghai for three months taking an intensive Chinese language course.
So, why did decide to go to business school in France? Why not a school in the US or Spain?
Most Hondurans go to the US or to Spain but I wanted something different, especially the chance to learn a new language. I had already practised my English from working at Citi, Spanish is my native language and I know Chinese from living in Taiwan, so this time I thought I could learn something new.
While I was in Taiwan, I had some French and German friends who got me interested in experiencing a third continent. I looked at programmes in France and Germany and I found
ESSEC to me the best one.
What about the ESSEC Global MBA appealed to you the most?
I am someone who is pursuing an international career so I had to do something global. I want to do business in emerging countries and it’s important to be familiar with the local culture and to understand their behaviour.
In our MBA class, I have friends from 14 nationalities! There are people from Qatar, India, Mexico and China, people who have served in the military in Afghanistan, people who have PhDs. This all enriches the Global MBA experience and the discussions we have make it clear that cultural factors are important when doing business internationally.
What are your short-term objectives for when you graduate?
I'm looking for opportunities with international corporations in Europe or Asia. My long-term objective is to create my own company but I need to work on the idea and gather enough capital first.
Have you been involved in any MBA clubs or initiatives?
I’ve been working on a social enterprise with four other students. We will compete at the Hult Global Case Challenge in Dubai in March. We're working hard to turn the idea into a business venture with help from ESSEC professors and the business school’s Corporate Social Responsibility group.
What advice would you give to professionals about to experience new cultures?
Be open. You will experience culture shock but that’s the point of leaving your comfort zone. Be ready for new food, traditions, and different religions. Your preconceptions might also be wrong. For example, I was surprised at the level of infrastructure in Taiwan and China.
What do ESSEC Global MBAs do on the weekends?
At the moment we are doing a lot of group work. This is because we leave for Singapore in February so we are trying to do as much work as possible so that we can enjoy the time over there!
The most fun part of being on the Global MBA is all the places we get to spend time in. We’re also going to Germany in April and South Africa in May. This is incredible exposure to the different markets.
Read more stories about students, alumni, and programmes at ESSEC Business School, here. You can also read more about why students choose to go to business school in our Why MBA section.
Student Reviews
The best intercultural university
There are more than 50 nationality in the grade, so there are opportunities to interact with people from all around the world. In terms of academics, the BBA course offers diverse courses for the 1st
Creativity, adaptability and entrepreneurship
The Master in Management program at the ESSEC Business School allows the students to choose their courses accordingly to their preferences and their professional targets. We can also go through international exchange and take part in internships with companies that are also partners with the school. The school is also next to the city of Paris.
Top business school in France
Doing PhD in essec took some time, to be precise about five years. But the experience was very good and cost effective too. There are opportunities for the student for teaching assistantship and that helps both financially and in career. In the final year I could manage to teach marketing to M1 students and this helped shape my career
Great college
The program is well suited for early professionals with an engineering degree preferably or a degree in economics. I would suggest taking the ceasure irrespective of the experience level as it helps you take your time to adjust to the job market.
Good school in France
I am currently enrolled in M2 in Essec business school. I am specialising in marketing management. The Grande Ecole programme is valued in France and my school ranks very high up. There are a lot of opportunities for internships and CDD.
The program curriculum
BBA program. The program is really practical and useful, provide us many international opportunities. Like internship and humanitarian experience, and the flexibility is also really cool, we can choose different campus and tracks as we want.
International Course
This school is very international and business oriented. Highly recognized by the companies The campus has been renovated and is very functional and modern from now on. Excellent atmosphere. Reputation of essec is a plus
Friends, Career opportunities.
The program I did gave me the opportunity to start in Singapore. I got the chance to know all the students that started there and we bonded and made some friends for life. The career opportunities that ESSEC also gave me were unbelievable.
Practical and useful
I think the best thing about Essec is that it's not focusing on academics rather it emphasizes on future job mindset and professional experiences..
The classes are interesting and we have plenty of workshops attributing to different sectors..
The campus is very nice with a good cafe and wonderful library.
The only problem is the location of the campus. It's quite far from Paris.
Amazing experience! Must try
I think its a very amazing school with great and experienced faculty. Also the alumni network is very solid and useful. The school has a great balance of studies and work experience which is really essential for a student.
GBBA: Diverse, Enriching, and Career-Boosting
My experience at ESSEC Business School has been outstanding. The Global BBA program offers a rich academic curriculum and diverse learning opportunities. I appreciated the chance to study on different campuses, including an international exchange, which broadened my perspective. The social environment is culturally diverse and vibrant, enhancing both my personal and professional growth. The administration is attentive, constantly offering new academic and student life opportunities. The campus facilities and classrooms are excellent. I highly recommend ESSEC for its excellence, global exposure, and career opportunities.
ESSEC BS BBA REVIEW
The English track BBA program at ESSEC is simply exceptional. Courses are taught by internationally renowned professors who are experts in their field. The subjects taught cover a wide range of disciplines from marketing to finance, strategy and entrepreneurship. The English track is a major asset because it allows you to develop perfect mastery of professional English, essential in today's globalized business world. Some students love student life at Essec, which is one of the best in France, but it all depends on taste.
Great program, incredible school
I love almost everything about this school, from the student life to the academic program and the opportunities it provides.
I'm currently at the Paris campus, in Cergy, and I'm really enjoying it.
The BBA program is very rich and diversified, you can start with geopolitics and then finance, what I mean is that there's a great balance between the subjects in this program.
I was also lucky enough to spend a semester at the Singapore campus, and I loved that experience on the other side of the world.
ESSEC is also known for its dynamic and rich student life, with access to several parties a week and the various associations within the school.
If I could recommend just one school, it would be this one - I'm 100% satisfied.
Great experience
First of all, what I appreciate the most is the academic environment. The courses are extremely stimulating and are taught by high-level professors, often experts in their field. The diversity of subjects offered, ranging from marketing to finance, including entrepreneurship, allows you to acquire a complete and versatile education. The group projects, although sometimes stressful, are also an opportunity to learn to work in a team, which is essential in the professional world. One area that I feel could be improved is the management of student events. Although many activities are organized, I have noticed that some events can lack organization or communication, which can frustrate those who want to get involved. Better coordination between the different student associations and the administration could really improve the overall experience.
