Poised to return to a familiar chaos
With one day left in the beautiful San Francisco offices of the Environmental Defense Fund, I already find myself shifting my mental mode back to that needed for graduate school.
Looking to the future
Coming into my final week with the California Fisheries Fund, I am finally winding down my efforts to help the fishery at Morro Bay, California create a lasting branding effort for their local catch.
Connecting the Dots
I sometimes miss things about my life as an officer and soldier in the US Army. Rare are the organisations in which its members are so committed to its mission, to each other, and to a sense of an ideal, a higher purpose. Heading into the theatre this past weekend to watch The Hurt Locker, I was at first nervous: I haven’t always dealt with Iraq war scenes on TV or in other movies in a positive manner.
Out of the office and into the woods
I just spent an amazing weekend outdoors with my EDF co-workers, on a self-titled mini-vacation to Stinson Beach, just north of San Francisco in Marin County. The primary feature of the weekend was a nice nine mile hike up over the highlands and down to Muir Woods National Monument, one of the gems of the Bay Area. It was a great time for camaraderie and out of the office bonding; the rare gorgeous weather lead to a great day among the Coast Redwoods. It was also a great time to get to know my counterparts in the office a little bit better, and for them to get to know me, which I have to admit, brought up some very interesting conversation.
The turmoil of a start-up
The California Fisheries Fund is definitely still a start-up. The rapid changes of direction; the nebulous defined roles and responsibilities and the need for self-starters to go through their days doing just that.
Even over the short seven weeks I have been with the CFF, I have experienced the turmoil that goes with working in this kind of fast-paced environment. Right now I feel as if I could throw out half of the draft fund operations manual I was given when I started and in fact, have been trying to do just that with my work on defining, refining and updating our mission performance metrics.
It isn’t always “us v. them”
I now have a little over two weeks remaining with the California Fisheries Fund and am in the process of drafting up my final project papers and presentations, a little of which I have given a window into through this blog.
But more important than those white papers or recommendations that I leave with my clients, will be the impression that I leave behind.
I doubt very much that I need to explain the difficulties with its reputation that the MBA degree is experiencing in the greater market place. I have spent time and effort this summer trying to dispel those myths, not only to my co-workers at the Environmental Defense Fund, but also to those of you who may be considering an MBA education, but aren’t sure that a business degree is going to allow you to make the positive impact you desire in the world.
Step one: earning trust
When it comes to all things ocean, I am the first to admit that I am completely a fish out of water.
I was born and raised in the hills of West Virginia, went to West Point to join the Army over the Navy and have yet to take the sailing classes on the Charles river, offered free to all MIT students. And while I love to eat fresh fish, especially cooked over a fire or grill, I am just not going to be able to name all 50 plus species of rock fish that populate the coast of California.
A lesson in true leadership
Everyone who works at the Environmental Defense Fund wants to change the meaning of the term “business as usual”.
The EDF was founded with its original intent to do just that, through whatever means necessary, to force those who were harming the natural environment to stop and pay society for their ecological “sins.”
You might even be familiar with its old unofficial slogan, “sue the bastards”. Despite this history, the EDF may currently be the leading proponent of market-based solutions and for working with corporations to find “the ways that work”. How did this happen?
This morning I found myself yet again in the conference room, this time with Fred Krupp, the president of EDF for the past 25 years. With these questions in my mind, I was priveleged to hear at first hand from the man who was instrumental in that change.
A measure of performance
One of the first tasks I was asked to tackle for the California Fisheries Fund was the challenge of measuring the performance of the fund and its mission impact. Not in strictly financial terms, either. The goals of the CFF are three-fold:
Increase conservation measures supporting commercial fish stocks and their natural habitats.
Help revitalise California’s coastal fishing communities after decades of economic decline.
Assist fishery related businesses to make the transition from open-access to a catch-share based management regime.
Capitalised currently at $5M, you’ll notice something missing from those goals: nothing about earning the investors a financial return. While the goal of the fund is to remain solvent and self-supporting, this is a mission-driven, financial instrument, providing low-cost capital to higher risk businesses in need.
Who wants to be a rock star?
Five weeks ago, I left the comforting environs of Cambridge, Massachusetts and MIT Sloan for the unknown challenges awaiting me with the California Fisheries Fund.
Anticipating a huge cultural shift, I was prepared for pretty much anything, other than the highly professional, financial district high-rise in San Francisco where the CFF is co-located with the EDF.
I was also not expecting that I would find myself using nearly every subject I covered in my first year of MBA studies. Within the first two weeks.
“Tree-hugging, dirt-eating Druids”
Did I just hear those words? Having been distracted by the brilliant 28th floor view of the Bay Bridge, I was quickly thrust back into reality.
As I was sitting in on a conference call with the Director of the Environmental Defense Fund’s (EDF) Corporate Partnership Program, the title referenced phrase is how he described the expectations of his business “partner,” FedEx’s chief engineer. It wasn’t too far off from the sentiment I was expecting when I first arrived here five weeks ago, although I must admit I didn’t hold quite the negative bias about it. After all, I had searched out and taken a summer position with an explicitly environmentally oriented organisation for a reason.
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The following students will share their business school experiences over the current academic year
Ernest Gyimah, European School of Management and Technology
Age: 26
Nationality: Ghanaian
Background: Ernest gained a first class degree in banking and finance from the University of Ghana before joining PricewaterhouseCoopers, working across Africa. He is a Kofi Annan fellow and hopes to contribute to growing small businesses in the developing world.
Mark Partridge, Foster School of Business, University of Washington
Age: 28
Nationality: Dual (US & UK)
Background: A British-American citizen Mark graduated from University College London with a degree in modern history before working as a journalist in Seattle. He hopes on graduation to work in a venture capital firm.
Mihai Danila, Insead (Fontainebleau)
Age: 28
Nationality: Romanian
Background: After graduating with a degree in international business from the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest Mihai moved to the financial sector, working with a private equity fund and most recently as an investment banker in the mergers and acquisitions department of a large Romanian bank. He believes Insead will give him the knowledge he needs to have a greater impact in developing his country's emerging economy.
Aushima Thakur, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University
Age: 29
Nationality: Indian
Background: Aushima is a Fulbright scholar and has experience of both the corporate world and NGOs. She is keen to develop successful sustainable models for the world's poorest societies.
Andrew DeLuca, WHU -Otto Beisheim School of Management
Age: 26
Nationality: Italian/American
Background: An Italian American, Andrew has a degree in economics from Tufts University in Boston. For the past four years he has worked for Ingram Micro throughout Europe, in functions ranging from marketing to purchasing and sales. He hopes to move into consulting.
Aurélie Metcheka, Global MBA Essec
Age: 25
Nationality: Cameroonian
Background: Aurélie left her native Cameroon aged 19 to study at San Diego State University in the US. where she gained a BSc in accounting. She then worked in inventory control for an accessory company before opting for an MBA. She intends eventually to work in the audit department of one of the big four accountancy firms.
Hajime Sudo, Bradford University School of Management - University of Perugia: Bradford-Perugia joint MBA programme
Al Kennedy, University of Exeter Business School 'One Planet' full time MBA
Age: 43
Nationality: Irish
Background: Al has a masters in visual communication from the Royal College of Art. He has worked with leading companies on environmental projects and is keen to understand how business and brands can create sustainable strategies and innovate for social good.
Kamal Nagi, Stanford Graduate School of Business
Age: 27
Nationality: Qatari
Background: Kamal has a Masters of Engineering degree from Imperial College, London. He hopes to play a senior leadership role in Qatar’s financial and international investment future and is the first Qatari to enroll on Stanford’s MBA programme.
Karenina Loayza, MBA Cass Business School
Age: 27
Nationality: Bolivian
Background: Karenina moved from Bolivia to Wisconsin in the US at the age of 19. She holds a double degree in economics and international relations and has worked in financial publishing. She hopes to make the career switch into the finance industry.
Andrea Nowack, George Washington University
Age: 26
Nationality: American
Background: After studying
for a degree in journalism and communication from the University of Oregon Andrea
worked for Waggener Edstrom Worldwide in analyst relations. She also
has experience as a digital marketing strategist.
Kelvin Chiu, Chinese University of Hong Kong
Age: 28
Nationality: Canadian
Background: A graduate from the electrical engineering programme at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Kelvin has worked as a project manager for Ontario Power Generation at a nuclear plant near Toronto, Canada. On graduation he hopes to work in consulitng. He is a certified personal trainer and fitness professional.
Julia Steinberg, Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University
Sean Brady, Open University Business School, part-time MBA
Age: 38
Nationality: British
Background: Sean has a Bsc in oceanography from Southampton University and a MA in defence studies from King’s College London. He is a lieutenant colonel in the Royal Marines and works in the Navy headquarters in Portsmouth in the UK.
Katie Cannon, London Business School
Age: 30
Nationality: British
Background: After studying politics at Edinburgh University Katie embarked on a career in the arts. Aware that her skill set is focused on softer skills she hopes her MBA will give her a broader perspective on business.
Brigitte Roediger, University of Stellenbosch Business School, part time MBA
Age: 26
Nationality: South African
Background: Brigitte has a degree in financial analysis and marketing communications from the University of Stellenbosch. She is the assistant brand manager at Spier Wine Farm near Cape Town and will continue to work as she studies which will allow her to repay her business school loan.
Wesley Cole, Executive MBA Cass Business School, London
Age: 29
Nationality: British
Background: A business systems manager for a recruitment company, Wesley was keen to study for an MBA, whilst continuing to work full time. He hopes to be able to develop his leadership skills and apply them to his career.
Andi Caruso, SDA Bocconi
Age: 27
Nationality: Canadian
Background: Having graduated from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, with a degree in journalism, Andi first studied acting before beginning a marketing career in the hospitality and entertainment industry. She wants to move into business development and strategy.
Suhel Banerjee, Kellogg School of Management
Age: 27
Nationality: Indian
Background: After completing his undergraduate degree in business at Calcutta University in 2005 Suhel joined Google's Hyderabad (India) office in advertising operations, before moving to Gurgaon where he became one of the founder members of the Google India sales team.
Anthemos Georgiades, Harvard Business School
Age: 28
Nationality: British
Background: After gaining degrees from Oxford and Cambridge, Anthemos spent three years as a management consultant at the Boston Consulting Group. He then worked as an economic adviser on the Conservative party's election campaign.
Mehul Ruparelia, Indian School of Business
Age: 32
Nationality: British
Background: Mehul has a degree in computer science from Brunel University in the UK and has experience as a management consultant working for Capgemini.
He is studying for a post graduate programme in management to gain insight into the emerging markets.
Ashish Dongre, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
Age: 29
Nationality: Indian
Background: Ashish studied metallurgical engineering at the MS University of Baroda in Gujarat, India, before joining Aditya Birla group's copper plant. He is studying on the Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management.
Abhishek Ramanathan, Australian School of Business: AGSM
Age: 29
Nationality: Indian
Background: A graduate in computers and business studies from the University of Warwick in the UK, Abhishek has worked in operations and consulting in the insurance and IT industries worldwide. He hopes to become a management consultant.
Aman Modi, IMD
Age: 30
Nationality: Indian/British
Background: Aman has a BA in accounting and a masters in banking and international finance from Cass Business School, London. With more than eight years of finance-focused experience he wants to move into general management via an MBA.
