Mechanical Engineer Nic Renard is playing a leading role in the global push towards net zero – and says the MBA he took created once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to help him get there.
Nic, now 35, was awarded a Sainsbury Management Fellows Scholarship in 2019 and landed a place to study for an MBA at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
After initially graduating from Imperial College London in 2010, Nic spent almost a decade working for Rolls-Royce pursuing his passion for all things aerospace. But Nic soon realised he wanted more – to push the boundaries of innovation in a different, more dynamic environment.
During his last two years at Rolls-Royce, Nic relocated to India to support the development of a new engineering site. Reflecting on that time, he said: “I was working in India, training new talent at Rolls-Royce. We had lots of old processes which the team was questioning and wanting to improve, but the speed of innovation in the aerospace sector stifled those initiatives. It made me want to explore and look at what innovation might look like in a different, more favourable environment. I wanted to discover that from a personal point of view.”
Recognising the need for a significant career shift, Nic set his sights on three key transitions: moving from large corporations to startups, shifting from the aerospace and defence industry to climate tech, and expanding his expertise from engineering to business.
“I realized however that to achieve these goals,” he said. “I needed time to explore a new industry and acquire new business skills. An MBA seemed like the perfect path to upgrade my skillset and connect with like-minded individuals and see what the future might look like.”
Nic said his MBA experience went above and beyond expectations.
He added: “The MBA isn’t just about classroom learning; it’s about the opportunities it creates.
“Everyone is going to get different things out of it, depending on how they approach it. But taking an MBA provides opportunities to take a break from the day-to-day. Never in your life will you have the opportunity to gain so much from so many people who are there to help you get to where you want to be.
“Everyone tells you that the networking is half of the value of the MBA – and it’s very true. In my old life, if you wanted a new job, you’d have to wait for it to be posted on a jobs board. It’s the opposite of what you’re taught in an MBA.”
Nic threw himself into the MBA and joined climate tech clubs and societies that would prove to be significant on his post-MBA journey. He co-chaired Climate Leaders @ Penn, the University of Pennsylvania association for graduate students interested in climate. He was on the board of the Wharton Energy Club. He leveraged the groups and the expansive university network to seek out new opportunities, speak to experts and attend conferences – with one such opportunity leading to an internship which then shaped his next career move.
Today, Nic is VP Carbon Solutions at Ardent, leading the company’s carbon capture product and driving business and product development as the nation progresses on its journey towards net zero.
He said: “The MBA was a great way to quickly meet a lot of people who were interested in the same things as you. It was a great way of understanding a new industry in a very safe space.”
He believes the MBA shaved off around a decade of work experience he would have needed to get to where he is today, adding: “I’d have probably got here without the MBA, but it would have taken a lot longer to do so. There’s no way I would have landed that critical internship, and without it – or the MBA – I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
Find out more about Sainsbury Management Fellows Scholarships.