Matt Wartenbe

"I wanted to make myself more marketable for employers and increase my exposure to different business opportunities"

Professional background 

Prior to his MBA, Matt served in the US Marine Corps for 11 years. During his time in the military, he spent six years as an enlisted infantryman and close quarters battle team leader, and more than five years as a human intelligence officer and foreign military advisor in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Republic of Georgia. 

Transferable skills

“My goal was to pursue an MBA,  as it would help me transfer the skills and experience I’d gained while in the military, such as leading teams in high-stress situations and overseeing operational and tactical planning, to the business world. I wanted to make myself more marketable for employers and increase my exposure to different business opportunities.”

“I was fortunate enough to secure an LBS scholarship which enabled me to focus on academia and think about the kind of work I’d do after the programme rather than worrying about how to finance my studies. The admissions department make a real effort to provide financial support to military veterans who want to attend the School.” 

Key motivations

“There were three reasons why I chose LBS: getting international exposure by living in another country; having post-MBA employment opportunities; and being part of the School’s diverse, close-knit community. Around 90 percent of the MBA students at LBS are international and represent more than 60 nationalities, while the exceptionally accomplished faculty is also incredibly diverse.” 

“Knowing that top organisations around the globe actively look to recruit people from LBS was a key reason for studying at the School. Some of the world’s leading consultancies, investment banks and corporations have earmarked LBS’s MBA programme as one of their key channels for hiring top talent, opening doors to the world of business for people like me.”

The LBS experience

“Customer and marketing analytics were by far the most useful subjects I studied on the MBA. The tools I gained in this elective are ideal for anyone going into marketing, general management or consulting. I gained insight into tackling business challenges and using analytical tools and methods to improve an organisation’s performance. I also developed my management and consulting skills and gained a deep understanding of customer segmentation, marketing and promotional campaigns. The programme taught me how to market myself, network and prepare for interviews, helping me secure a role at Boston Consulting Group (BCG).” 

“Another great aspect about studying at LBS was the people and the collaborative nature of the students. What’s great is that the students are willing to help each other search for jobs and prepare for interviews, even if they’re vying for the same employment opportunities.” 

A sense of community

“Getting involved in student clubs and travelling were other highlights from my time at the School. I was Co-President of the Military in Business Club and I played on the School’s dodgeball team, which came first in the European MBA Tournament.” 

“I also did a lot of travelling; there are too many trips to list, but my highlights include a week in Japan, a Global Business Experience to Johannesburg, 11 days in India, and an extended weekend surfing in Morocco.” 

What’s next?

“I’ve recently joined BCG’s London office as a consultant. At BCG I collaborate on challenging projects with team members from many backgrounds and disciplines to solve our clients’ biggest challenges and to have a positive, lasting impact on their businesses. LBS prepared me for this career by improving my analytical skills, exposing me to a diverse group of peers, as we worked on business cases across a variety of industries, and by giving me a world-class business education.” 

6 years on

"After BCG I spent several years as Programme Manager at LinkedIn and a startup called Convoy, where I managed go-to-market strategy and the operational aspects of developing new products from ideation to launch. I then made the move to a very small startup, in the hospitality industry, as employee #3 where I led operations, saw the team grow to over 20 employees and expand into multiple additional markets. I currently manage operations within Facebook Reality Labs' Research division as we explore technologies spanning AR/VR, in order to create the next era of human-computer interaction."

Matt continues to credit his career progression to the MBA.