It was January 2020; I was flying back from Beijing to Frankfurt and reflecting on my career. I had just completed the milestone of a decade in Technology. I remember reminiscing about getting into Tech and thinking about ‘what next?’. Do I want to continue in Tech and follow the trajectory or do something different? Well, I landed in Frankfurt and after a few months Covid did.
Things more important than career took the centre stage. However, after getting used to the pandemic and lockdowns, the seed that was planted in the journey started taking a shape. I wanted to be very conscious of shaping the next chapter of my career. Especially after witnessing the pandemic effects, I knew that I wanted to pursue something different that is impactful and brings greater fulfilment. Having been working in the Chemicals industry, specifically plastics, I decided to undertake further education that would help me contribute to solving plastics-related challenges.
Pursuing an Executive MBA (EMBA) was an easy decision. Having always looked at the economy from a Tech lens, I knew that I needed to have 360° view of business; what better option than an EMBA from a fantastic school as the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management? After starting the programme in 2021, soon I got introduced to the world of Sustainability/ESG and it immediately caught my attention. I knew that this was what I wanted to pursue!
What I loved about the programme was it allowed me to specialize in Sustainability, not just through elective modules, but also through choice assignments and thesis. Selecting a Sustainability themed thesis, together with some of the brightest fellow students, was the best way to learn about this topic and get ready for next career challenge.
The studies and the tailored thesis were key success factors to landing a job in Sustainability. To say the least, the transition to Sustainability was not easy! It required quite a lot of shifts in terms of mindset and approach to work, especially after a decade in Tech.
Working in Sustainability required being much more comfortable with ambiguity, than I was used to in the Tech world. The evolving European Sustainability legislative and regulatory landscape required crafting quite flexible strategies and plans to keep up with the unknowns.
During the studies, we had gotten exposed to so many new modules in quick succession, did a lot of fast-track learning and gotten comfortable living with ambiguity. All these valuable life learnings came in handy in my new career phase.
My career in Sustainability seemed to be going quite fine. However, as fate would have it, after a while I had a rather rare opportunity to work at the intersection of Tech & Sustainability in Accenture, which happened to be where I had started my career almost a decade ago. The interdisciplinary approach of combining knowledge from both Tech & Sustainability would have huge potential to create value that neither field can achieve alone. So, embarking on this new challenge was quite an easy decision!
The time at Frankfurt School has been a key enabling factor for me to take the leap of faith and craft a much more fulfilling career.
My journey from Tech to Sustainability and now to the dual Tech-Sustainability field has been both challenging and rewarding. By leveraging expertise in both areas, I can contribute to the development of innovative solutions that promote sustainability and drive positive change.
As the world continues to face environmental & social challenges, the integration of technology and sustainability will play a critical role in building a more sustainable future.
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