Cesar Miranda, BPE '15
Tell us a little about yourself.
I was born in New York City to Peruvian immigrants who fled their country in the late '80s amidst unprecedented economic turmoil and violence. My family relocated to Lima when I was 3, as the situation in Peru had stabilized somewhat. As a child, I developed a fascination for travel. Most Sundays, my dad would wake up with a crazy idea of a road trip to take into the Peruvian Andes or along the coast, and we would pack up his rickety station wagon and set off on an adventure. I have since been blessed with the opportunity to visit 65 countries. After graduating from high school at 15, I moved back to New York to live with my uncle and "figure out" how to apply to a US university. A few years (and a few heartbreaks) later I got into BPE, and the rest is history.
What is your current professional role?
I am a Strategy Senior Consultant at Monitor Deloitte in New York, focused on ESG and strategic growth transformation for a multitude of industries from TMT to financial services, but also non-profit and international development organizations.
Could you walk us through your career trajectory since graduating from BPE?
I started out as a Business Analyst at Deloitte. In that capacity, I explored every possible industry and line of work, from developing new commercial strategies for a midwestern meat distributor to writing a paper on new debt instruments that would help Colombian female entrepreneurs obtain financing. After four years on the job, I decided to apply for an MBA that would allow me to deepen the international experiences of BPE. I spent the summer before my MBA in Nairobi, as an intern at Liberty Eagle Africa Holdings, which owns the Kenyan franchises to Pizza Hut and Subway among others. Financially sponsored by Deloitte, I got into INSEAD’s program. I first studied in Singapore and then in Fontainebleau, graduating in 2020. I have been back at Deloitte ever since.
What stands out to you most about your BPE experience?
Through BPE, I was able to get a well-rounded business education that prioritized context and a broad understanding of the political and economic environment. The global aspect is unparalleled. Not only is the travel amazing, but living in London and Shanghai for an extended period of time rather than a short exchange makes one truly feel like a local.
What advice would you give to current BPE students?
Do not let anyone else tell you how your college journey should be. There will be peers who will tell you that if you study abroad for a year, you will never get a job. They will say that you will succeed only if you dedicate your time to rising through the ranks of clubs in NY. They might even say you'll lose the friends you made in your first year. Nothing is farther from the truth. In fact, BPE experiences abroad and our well-rounded education provide us an edge in interviews. Additionally, there is a lot of room to develop relationships with clubs while abroad. I was on the board of SPEX in Shanghai, and when I returned I was elected to the Stern Student Council executive board! Study abroad as much as you possibly can, challenge yourself, and enjoy college! Jobs will come and go, but BPE is once in a lifetime.
How was your study abroad experience?
Studying abroad was at the core of my BPE experience. Traveling around the world with other like-minded students and taking the same classes builds a sense of community I have not found elsewhere at NYU. Learning didn't just happen in the classroom, but also at 2 am in the basement of Byron Court, debating some policy issue. Or while on a bullet train to Beijing, discussing something that had happened in class. To this day, some of my closest friends are BPEs, and the global community across classes that was built is strong and effective. A few other highlights include getting a marketing internship in London at VistaJet (a private jet company), accidentally ordering pig liver for the table in Shanghai before I learned any Chinese, and hosting the US Embassy's political attaché for an event for SPEX Shanghai.
