Surabhi Sharma: From Deloitte to an MBA at Warwick Business School

Name: Surabhi Sharma | Institution: Warwick Business School, University of Warwick | Course: MBA | Location: Coventry, UK

Key Highlights

Surabhi Sharma was at an interesting point in her career when she began considering an MBA abroad. With around five years of experience at Deloitte, she had recently moved into a new role and was doing well professionally. Financially independent, she could either continue on her existing career path or take a calculated risk, step outside her comfort zone and invest in herself. She chose the latter.

“I wanted to explore global opportunities, experience a different environment and broaden my understanding beyond finance and consulting,” Surabhi, an MBA student at Warwick Business School, tells The Global Indian.

Choosing Warwick

Surabhi was specifically looking at one-year MBA programmes and eventually received offers from Warwick Business School, the University of Edinburgh and Alliance Manchester Business School. Before making her decision, she spoke to alumni from all three institutions.

“What really stood out about Warwick was the response from its alumni. They were extremely welcoming and optimistic about their experience, and that gave me a strong sense of the community I would be joining.”

Finding her feet in the UK

Moving to the UK in September 2025 was one of the most overwhelming experiences of Surabhi’s life.

“It was the first time I was leaving my home, family and everything familiar to me and going to live completely on my own,” she says.

On her first day, she walked into a room with around 72 people she had never met before. While meeting fellow Indians offered some immediate familiarity, the cohort was incredibly diverse, with students from Canada, Mexico, Japan, China, Vietnam, Russia, the UK and several other countries.

Her first thought was, “Will I fit in?” Everyone seemed accomplished and experienced, and she wondered whether she would be able to contribute at the same level. Those doubts, however, quickly disappeared as the students began interacting.

Back in the classroom

The first term was particularly intense. Classes generally ran from Monday to Thursday, from around 9 am to 5 pm, with some Fridays dedicated to networking events and other activities.

Surabhi was also the student representative for her cohort, which meant communicating with students and faculty and ensuring that concerns were addressed.

After classes, she often stayed back to work on group projects and assignments. Students were assigned to syndicates, or study groups, at random, so they had no say in whom they worked with. Fortunately, she found herself in a wonderful group.

The curriculum covered strategy, corporate finance, operations, marketing, leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship. The teaching went beyond theory, with a strong emphasis on applying concepts to real-world business situations.

Surabhi describes the faculty as highly experienced and world-class. “The combination of academics, campus life, international exposure and the people I met made it much more than just a degree.”

Learning a new academic language

Transitioning from a full-time professional role to student life was one of Surabhi’s biggest challenges.

“I had been working for around five years, so mentally I knew I was going back to being a student, but experiencing it was very different.”

The teaching style was another major adjustment. Her education in India had been more structured, with a defined syllabus, questions and answers, and a relatively clear approach to examinations. At Warwick, she encountered more case-study-based learning, independent research and critical thinking.

Her first assignment brought home just how different the academic environment was. She had to work within a specific word limit, follow academic referencing and citation rules, and build an argument rather than simply provide an answer.

“I had never worked that way before, so initially it was quite challenging.” Her classmates proved invaluable. Some had master’s degrees and PhDs and were already familiar with academic research and referencing, and their guidance helped her adapt.

Learning to manage it all

Beyond academics, Surabhi had to learn to manage life independently. Between classes, assignments and group projects, she also had to cook, clean, do laundry and take care of everyday responsibilities.

She had previously worked a 2 pm to 11 pm shift at Deloitte, so moving to a 9 am start and what effectively became a 9-to-9 day was a significant adjustment.

But these challenges ultimately became part of the learning experience. “They made me more independent and adaptable.”

Taking learning beyond the classroom

Alongside her role as cohort representative, Surabhi served as vice president of both the Finance Club and the Sports & Entertainment Club, giving her opportunities to engage with industries beyond the classroom.

Through the Finance Club, she helped organise visits to Barclays and American Express. “At Barclays, we were given access to the trading floor, which was a fascinating experience because we got to see an environment that most people normally only read about.”

The visit to American Express brought together students from Warwick, Oxford and London Business School for sessions on the organisation, its business and career opportunities.

Through the Sports & Entertainment Club, Surabhi helped organise events connecting students with professionals from sectors such as Formula 1, Coventry City Football Club and cricket.

These events gave students an opportunity to explore the intersection of sport, business and management. They also taught her valuable lessons in leadership, coordination and bringing people together around a shared interest.

A sporting highlight in Paris

One of the highlights of Surabhi’s MBA was travelling to Paris for MBAT, a three-day sports and cultural tournament that brings together MBA students from business schools around the world.

Warwick selects a group of students to represent the university, and Surabhi was fortunate to be part of the team. She participated in around seven sporting and cultural activities, including dance, and won a silver medal in one of the competitions.

What made the experience particularly special was the team spirit. “We were competing together, supporting each other, celebrating wins and sometimes simply figuring things out together.”

Putting business concepts into practice

Surabhi also worked on several consulting projects during the programme. One she particularly enjoyed was with a road-safety consulting firm.

“We conducted market research, studied its brand positioning and provided recommendations to help the organisation better understand and position itself in the market.”

She also secured an internship with the Strategy and Transformation team at London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust as part of her final MBA project.

Her work involved developing a business case around corridor care at Northwick Park Hospital. Using data analysis, Excel modelling and automation, she examined operational challenges and identified opportunities to improve patient flow.

A broader perspective

Looking back, Surabhi says her MBA experience at Warwick has made her more confident and independent, and more comfortable working with people from different cultures and professional backgrounds.

“The biggest value came from taking that risk when I was already doing well professionally. Sometimes growth comes from leaving a comfortable situation rather than an uncomfortable one.”

Building an international career

Surabhi’s immediate goal is to continue building her career internationally, with a focus on opportunities in strategy and transformation. In the short term, she hopes to work with organisations across different industries while developing the skills to create tangible impact.

However, her ambitions extend beyond the corporate world. She has always enjoyed creating things, bringing people together and experimenting with ideas outside her primary career.

While working at Deloitte, she ran a small creative business called Memories and Hues, completing more than 100 commissions. She has also recently ventured into content creation, which she describes as a fun creative outlet. Her content covers lifestyle, fashion, food and travel.

An idea to bring local talent to the fore

Surabhi is particularly passionate about building an events and experiences brand in India that brings local talent—including artisans, artists, performers, designers and creators—to a wider audience and creates meaningful opportunities for them.

The idea brings together her interest in entrepreneurship, creativity and community-building, offering a potential avenue to pursue alongside her professional career.

Investing in her own future

Born in Hyderabad, Surabhi grew up with parents who understood her long-standing ambition to study abroad. Her father works with real estate company Incredible India Projects.

“My parents knew for a long time that I wanted to study abroad. But it is a significant investment, and they were understandably concerned how we would manage it.”

Surabhi decided to work before pursuing further studies. During her time at Deloitte, she saved as much as she could to cover her living expenses and planned her overseas education carefully. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Computers from the Indian Institute of Management and Commerce in Hyderabad.

Looking ahead, she hopes to continue exploring the world, taking on challenges that push her beyond her comfort zone and inspiring other young people, particularly women, to believe they can build ambitious lives on their own terms.

• Connect with Surabhi Sharma on LinkedIn