Prasannajeet Mane

The new heights of healthcare

I finished my undergraduate in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar - one of India’s premier institutes – in 2017. I then joined the Centre for Autism at the University of Reading as a sponsored researcher. My work was on implementing model-based, data-driven approaches to study brain and behaviour patterns in the population with autism, familiarising me with the needs and challenges facing the healthcare industry. I was seeking to leverage my skills and experience to create an impact on healthcare delivery and accessibility, through devising innovative strategies, influencing people and encouraging curiosity, collaboration and creativity.

From the world-class faculty and cutting-edge research, to a cross-cultural, -functional and -generational community, LBS appeared the perfect place to build my network and further develop the management and leadership skills I needed. Additionally, the allure of studying in London, a vibrant city and global business hub, was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I opted for the Masters in Analytics and Management (MAM) programme in an attempt to build the knowledge needed to bring data-driven evolution to the healthcare industry. I knew I was good with numbers and good with people, and decided I wanted to further develop these strengths. The MAM is wonderful as it not only offers the opportunity to study data science, but also the intersection between business management and real-world problem solving, through integrated learning. I found this all-inclusive approach very unique, and believe it has already begun to give me a holistic understanding of leveraging data to create real business impact.

World-class learning

LBS is home to truly world-class faculty, including the likes of Randall Peterson, Herminia Ibarra, Costas Markides, Alex Edmans and Nicos Savva – all of whom I am a huge fan of. One of my favorite core courses is ‘Data Science for Business’. Delivered by Nikos Savva, this particular course is highly insightful and clearly demonstrates the professors’ expertise in this field. Having the chance to experience subjects such as this through such great faculty has really helped to elevate my learning.  

A merging of minds

There’s a huge amount of diversity amongst my cohort. Each one of us has lived a unique, exciting and extraordinary life before LBS, so when interacting with each other the merging of different perspectives facilitates the development of new ideas and creates solutions with the potential to positively impact our organisations and careers. It’s really amazing to see how these diverse views come together to form game-changing strategies that will go on to change the way business impacts the world.

Lighting up the dark

I currently represent my programme on the Student Association. It’s amazing to be involved with so many incredible people, discussing and addressing the problems facing students. I’m also a part of various healthcare clubs due to my passion in the field. As the School is so close to my heart, I am keen to take any opportunity to give back, and so, with a colleague of mine, have started a peer support group for mental well-being. We recently launched the group in October of 2019, starting with a focus on Early Career students, with an aim to create an environment where individuals feel safe to share their personal stories, receive support and learn from other people’s experiences. The subject of mental health in the business world has previously not been given the amount of attention it deserves. I want to bring this to light, and make sure people and their organisations give appropriate consideration to the importance of mental health within the industry. Additionally, I am an ambassador for One Young World – an annual summit bringing together the most talented leaders from different organisations across the world. These young leaders are chosen to attend through a rigorous selection process, based on their proven ability. It gives me great pleasure to be involved in bringing together some of the finest new talent from a variety of countries and industries, to help them in increasing their positive social impact.

Learn to listen. Listen to learn

The school is a place for leaders from every region and industry, and thanks to the powerfully connected network LBS fosters, you have the opportunity to reach out and network with some of the very best business talent. I’ve forged connections with fellow students who have played pivotal roles in my development and have met so many amazing people since being on campus. Whether it’s Sloan Fellows, MBA students or those on other Early Career programmes, just meeting and having a brief conversation with these individuals leaves me with so many insights and food for thought. It’s a pleasure to speak to people whose unique journeys have provided them with so many rich experiences and valuable insights.