Learning in London: A meaningful end to my MBA journey 

In May 2025, I was grateful for the opportunity to journey “across the pond” with 30 of my Ted Rogers MBA peers to attend the International Experience Capstone in London, hosted by the renowned Bayes Business School at City, University of London. Words alone can’t fully express my excitement for this unique learning experience—from engaging with respected industry leaders and meeting new faces to exploring a city steeped in history.

The week-long symposium offered a packed schedule filled with insightful discussions, site visits and networking opportunities with students from both the Bayes Business School and the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science. Learning first-hand in London created an unforgettable immersive experience, especially with lectures held in iconic venues like the British Museum, Bank of England, Royal Institution and Somerset House. We were also fortunate to gain access to exclusive talks inside the headquarters of organizations such as PwC, Deloitte and Delta Capita.

The symposium explored a wide range of global business themes and featured an impressive lineup of speakers. From leaders representing diverse sectors and backgrounds, we gained new insights into topics including culture, politics, economics, and—most prominently—artificial intelligence. Each speaker brought a distinctive perspective to their session and generously shared lessons from their extraordinary career paths.

Speaker highlights

The symposium showcased a broad spectrum of global business themes, delivered by a prestigious roster of speakers. Although each was meaningful and impactful in their own regard, here are a few sessions that were memorable crowd favourites: 

• Ben Saunders, polar explorer and investor, opened with an inspiring talk on resilience and calculated risk in high-stakes environments, creating a strong start to the week.
  
  
• The future of digital transformation and AI was prominent in the agenda, with powerful sessions led by Mark Sherwin (Accenture), Rob McCargow, Quentin Cole, Roz Burke and Reggie Kelley (PwC), and Steve Mordey, Godwin Tenzing and Kishore Rajendran (Microsoft), all exploring the hopeful potential of AI on different facets of global businesses.
  
  
• Economic and geopolitical challenges were unpacked by experts from Deloitte, including Sriram Prakash, Udit Gandhi, Debapratim De and Shonal Tankaria, and at the Bank of England, by Georgios Kyriakopoulos, Matthew Leong and Lai Wah Co.
  
  
• Social innovation and sustainability took centre stage through the insights of Zoe Peden (Ananda Impact Ventures), who detailed her journey from founder to impact venture capitalist, and hospitality leaders Amine Zungi (Accor) and Nadira Lalji with Jenni Benzaquen (Inhabit Hotels), who redefined wellness and sustainability in hotel strategy.
  
  
• A standout moment came from René Carayol, MBE, who delivered a powerful call for courageous, values-driven leadership, reminding students that extraordinary times demand extraordinary leaders.

Student experience

Each student brought great energy and enthusiasm to every session, which fuelled intriguing and thought-provoking discussions. To capture this, here is what my professor and peers had to say about their time: 

• “As with our visit last year, this year’s cohort exemplified the outstanding calibre of students that the Ted Rogers MBA program attracts. Once again, their high level of engagement and enthusiasm in participating in sessions with U.K. industry leaders impressed our hosts and contributed to enhancing our MBA brand. They collectively made this a wonderful and enjoyable learning experience, and I couldn’t be prouder of our students.” ~ Dr. Philip Walsh (Professor, Entrepreneurship & Strategy)

• “Attending the London Symposium 2025 was a truly transformative and unforgettable experience. From the moment I arrived, I was immersed in a dynamic environment that brought together global perspectives on innovation, leadership and the future of business. The week was filled with insightful guest speakers, interactive masterclasses and thought-provoking site visits that offered real-world context to our learning. Beyond the academics, the opportunity to connect with industry leaders and like-minded peers, all while exploring the vibrant city of London, made the experience deeply enriching. I’m sincerely grateful to Bayes Business School and the Ted Rogers School for making this journey of purpose, learning and impact possible.” ~ Aimeé Ortega Mata

• “The London Symposium was a truly inspiring experience, offering the opportunity to hear from a diverse range of engaging speakers and business leaders. Guest speakers like Fikayo Adeola and Akil Benjamin shared great insights into the human side of business, an aspect that’s often overlooked when we are so focused on tackling the next big challenge. The symposium also provided a valuable chance to connect with my own cohort and build meaningful relationships with peers from England and South Africa through thoughtful, engaging conversations. A special thank you to Dr. Walsh and the entire Bayes staff for organizing such a well-run and impactful event.” ~ Piyush Bali

Being eager to learn more about international business, this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity marks a meaningful end to my time with the Ted Rogers MBA that I will cherish for the rest of my life.