Rubana Pestonji
Previous Company: Morgan Stanley & Co. International
Sector: Financial Services
Work Experience: 5 ½ years
Professional Interests: Strategy, General Management, Consulting
Other Interests: Dance, Cricket, Kickboxing, Travel

Tell us something about your career background.
I have been very fortunate in terms of the diverse professional experience and exposure I have had over the past 6 years. My first job was handling Public Relations at The Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai during its centenary year. At Morgan Stanley I started out at the captive in Mumbai and held a dual portfolio; in-charge of Corporate Communications and handling projects related to strategy and business planning. I subsequently transferred to Morgan Stanley in London where I was part of an internal business improvement team that focussed on change-management and transformational projects in the front-office and high-client impact areas.

What were the reasons that made you opt for management studies at the ISB?
I opted for ISB’s Post-Graduate Programme in Management for several reasons. Firstly, it is the best 1-year programme in India and is based on curricula offered by renowned international B-schools like Wharton, Kellogg and London Business School. Secondly, I wanted to get back to academics to up the ante on my skill set and revisit concepts that I can apply at the workplace - the rigorous courses at ISB have amply ensured this objective is being met! Moreover, it is a very young school but has moved up international rankings very swiftly and I wanted to be part of a cohort that can impact and aid ISB’s progress going forward, which is why I have involved myself in a variety of activities – I’m leading an initiative in the academic space, I’m part of the ISB Connect team that connects with and reaches out to prospective students and I’m working on instituting waste management practices on campus – all this in addition to a host of other things!

The ISB has always focussed on diversity amongst students. How do you expect to benefit from the same?
Diversity at ISB comes in various forms – people’s backgrounds, life experiences, interests, hobbies, cultures – the list is endless! We all have varying perspectives and interpret the same situation so differently and this ultimately adds to the richness of our learning experience and interactions. Most importantly, understanding these nuances and differences are vital when working in and leading multi-cultural teams in the future.

What are some of the opportunities here that you are looking forward to?
My first few months here have been super – the courses, my peers, faculty, staff, participation in extra-curricular activities, industry interactions, leadership and skill workshops – each of these aspects has added a new dimension to being here. And I’m looking forward to more of the same!

What do you think about the teaching methods adopted by the faculty at the ISB?
The faculty adopts a mix of approaches – in-class lectures, case discussions, simulation exercises – depending on the requirements of the course. Their knowledge and insights add tremendous value and they are extremely cognizant of bringing in real-world examples to validate (or defy) theory.