After ten years of work, Parv Bansal decided to pursue his second MBA at emlyon business school in Lyon, France. Gain insights into emlyon’s International MBA program and how doing a second MBA can expose you to an international setting, help challenge you, and, ultimately, progress your career.
After nearly a decade of a successful business strategy and development career in India, Parv Bansal desired to return to school at 36 and earn his second MBA. Having previously come to France to complete his first MBA, he felt it was the right time to do a second one after ten years of working. His main motivations were to push himself out of his comfort zone, explore a new culture, gain international perspectives, and broaden his personal and professional mindset. The International MBA at emlyon business school in Lyon, France, offered him the perfect opportunity to achieve his goals.
As businesses became increasingly digitalized and globalized, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Parv realized that he wanted to adapt to this change, stay ahead of the curve, and give himself greater international exposure.
“It was during those ten years [of working] that I realized the fact that I really need to now have more of a global perspective,” he says. (00:42)
Parv saw the second MBA as an opportunity to go back to the basics, learn about how the international market has changed since he did his first MBA, and update his business knowledge.
As Parv explains further, “I felt like it was a good point for me to just take a step back, to go back to academia [in order] to understand what’s happening in the market, to be in an international community, and then scale myself professionally” he says. (02:38)
Parv updated his strategic and managerial skills while developing an international network by reimmersing himself in an academic environment.
The International MBA at emlyon business school stands out for a number of reasons. The in-depth learning program, hands-on approach, and excellent career services make it an appealing choice for professionals looking to take their careers to the next level. While doing an MBA is an investment of time and money, this program ranks in the top 6% for “return on investment” for graduates globally. In fact, 86% of program graduates find jobs before or within three months of graduation.
In addition, the program’s students enjoy small class sizes and a professionally and culturally diverse cohort that fosters peer learning and knowledge exchange.
Parv reflects, “Because you’re with a community of almost 19 nationalities, we were a group of 39, there’s so much exchange, and there’s so much group work that happens…there’s a lot of cultural exchange, there’s a lot of business model exchange, geographical exchange, so that helps you get a much wider perspective.” (07:56)
The program fosters a close-knit learning environment that encourages personal interaction and in-depth exchange of ideas. Students learn from each other, share their own work experiences, and gain first-hand insights into how businesses operate in different countries and industries.
Three of the students in Parv’s MBA cohort were doing their second MBAs. As Parv explains, “All three of us had the same objective. We were doing pretty well professionally, but we really wanted to challenge ourselves and come here to France to be in an international surrounding because that’s how we see the world progressing.” (16:34)
Core courses, including Mastering Business Fundamentals, Driving Business Performance, and Developing Yourself and Others, help students gain a strong foundation in business knowledge.
They also have plenty of opportunities for group work throughout the “Challenge Learning Projects,” where they can implement the theory they learn in class in real-world situations in collaboration with professors and companies.
Students also have the opportunity to go on a study trip. Parv’s cohort traveled to Berlin to learn about business sustainability. He notes, “We did have a trip to Berlin where we got an opportunity to meet startups who are operating in sustainability functions. It was an eye-opener for a lot of us… it was good to see that what we’ve been discussing in the classroom, there are people who are actually working towards it.” (05:59)
Program applicants are required to hold a Bachelor’s Degree and possess at least three years of professional work experience. The program is taught in English, and students have the option to tailor the length of their MBA program. They can complete the program in an 11-month or 16-month track.
A second MBA can broaden your professional network by connecting you with peers from various industries and backgrounds. Pursuing an international program can also further enhance your global exposure. This was precisely Parv Bansal’s intention when he chose to pursue his second MBA in an international environment in France.
Parv completed his first MBA in 2012. He embarked on his second MBA journey a decade later, in 2022. Over that time, the scope of the MBA classroom had evolved considerably. “A lot has changed in the MBA world [during that decade]. We were studying, I remember Marketing 3.0 by Philip Cotler, and now we are studying 5.0… I think a lot has changed, not just in terms of theory, but also in terms of the approach to how an MBA program is delivered.” (02:59)
Parv highlighted that his initial MBA was highly theoretical, offering limited practical exposure and few real-world business cases.
Since then, Parv notes that programs such as the emlyon MBA have significantly shifted towards combining theory with practical, hands-on learning. MBA programs also offer more opportunities for real-world applications. There are better resources, such as digital tools, and greater access to information.
Completing a second MBA has helped him gain new knowledge, a deeper and broader understanding of how businesses work in various countries and industries, and build new network connections.
While there are many advantages to doing a second MBA, Parv notes that your mindset can make a big difference during your studies.
Parv emphasized the importance of adaptability. He advises that returning students should be prepared to challenge themselves. In addition, they should share openly with their peers and be ready to go back to the basics. Despite potentially being an expert in your field, being open to learning new things and unlearning what you know can make a big difference.
As he puts it, “[Have] an open mind to learn. That’s really important. And come with a mindset that there might be a lot of things which [you] might have to unlearn.” (14:04)
Parv also underscores the significance of adopting a broader perspective, which his MBA experience greatly facilitated. He notes, “You’re so occupied in achieving numbers in your daily targets that you sort of forget to zoom out and look at the bigger picture. I think that’s where this MBA program helped me to zoom out.” (07:36)
This broader viewpoint is essential for effective leadership and strategic decision-making, enabling leaders to see beyond their daily tasks and understand greater business trends.
Pursuing a second MBA can make a world of difference for business leaders aiming to acquire
an expanded outlook, stay up to date on the latest industry information, and expand their international network. As Parv demonstrates, with the right mindset, a second MBA can be a transformative experience that helps you grow professionally and personally.
Visit the emlyon business school profile page to see how its programs can enhance your professional growth.
