Juan Algorta wouldn’t have imagined a couple of years ago while working as an accountant for Ernst & Young in his native Uruguay, that he would be the MIP MBA ambassador for Microsoft’s MBA Tech Talk event in the United Kingdom in November 2018. I have already mentioned in my previous articles the diversity of the MIP alumni. Now I would like to introduce another classmate from the 39th edition of the International Full-time MBA, sharing his experience at Microsoft’s UK Headquarters.

What was it like to attend the MBA Tech Talk in England?

Juan – I was very excited, because it was my first journey to Britain. Microsoft (an official partner of MIP) had invited MBA candidates from the best European universities to showcase the latest advances regarding Quantum Computer Technologies. This was a very important opportunity for networking with people from all over the world and a chance to get a better idea of the working culture inside Microsoft. It is worth mentioning that, like me, many of the attendees didn’t have professional experience in the tech industry. Nevertheless, we were all very curious to know more about the development and possible impact of technological innovations in the not-so-distant future. There were three engaging talks, which gave me relevant insight that I hope to apply during my MBA journey and in my future career opportunities.

Which were the main topics discussed during these talks?

Juan – The first seminar was Learn about the current and future IT trends by Lee Stott. It focused on trends related to artificial intelligence, a predominant force for the future of technology. Scott explained how machine learning will be the key to recording human interactions for the creation of 3D holograms, for analyzing the reality surrounding us. Afterwards, Anita Ramanan gave her talk entitled Quantum Computing – Don’t Panic. She explained the new generations of computers currently being developed by different technology giants. Traditionally, binary codes were used for programming computer systems. With Quantum, each code can be a complex combination of 1 and 0, enabling systems to enlarge storage capacity as well as processing velocity. This technology will also be a relevant force for the development of both machine learning and artificial intelligence. The last intervention was by Heidi Jenkin, who focused on how an MBA student can be successful in the tech industry, by initiating startups and even becoming an entrepreneur. She also stressed the importance of networking during an MBA as the prime action for shifting your career, even if you don’t have a background in technology.

Which was the highlight of that day?

Juan – The final part of the conference was a meet-and-greet session with seven Microsoft employees, who introduced themselves as former MBA students that came from different backgrounds. I spoke with Alonso from Spain who came from the finance industry, like me. His story was very inspiring and changed my perspective for applying to a position in a company like Microsoft, which I had not thought about before attending this MBA Tech Talk.

What is your takeaway from this experience?

Juan – Being exposed to so much new information, I feel more curious than ever to continue researching. Technology is very important for the future of business. I used to be an auditor in Uruguay, focusing on productive processes. I believe these processes are continuously evolving with the digital technologies, so it is important to keep learning about innovations so as not to be left behind in the global trends for business development. I have also become more confident about my future outlook and would like to remain in the financial sector, but with an updated and global mindset.

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