Boothies Begin at New London Campus

After more than 25 years in Europe, Booth has a brand new home in London—a modern campus located at One Bartholomew Close, just a short walk from St. Paul’s Cathedral.

The newest batch of London-based Boothies began their Executive MBA Program at the campus this autumn.

“Beginning the program was the start of an adventure that arrived after a lot of work, study, personal reflection, professional searching and discussions with mentors, friends and family,” said incoming student Louis Galtie. “I was finally there! And the best part was that each of my EMBA colleagues were also embarking on that journey of transformation.”

The new London Booth campus was designed to be an ideal meeting place for students, faculty, alumni, and local business leaders to share ideas, learn, and collaborate with one another. It was also important to bring elements of the University of Chicago into our London space, representing the School’s broad global mission. There is a Nobel Prize wall featuring winners associated with the University (including recognizable names such as Enrico Fermi and Barack Obama) and a contemporary art exhibit featuring works by global artists. The rotating London exhibit is reminiscent of the Harper Center art collection in Hyde Park.

“Walking in to campus, I already knew that doing the Chicago Booth EMBA in London was going to be anything but normal. As I went up the stairs, I couldn’t have felt more proud,” said incoming student Caroline Nahas. “Reaching the second floor, I faced a big painting with the words ‘Knowledge is strength’ and I knew I was home. There is so much behind this sentence. Coming from a country like Brazil, I realize that very few people have the opportunity to go on a journey like this. I felt lucky and eager to enhance my own knowledge.”

Entering the London campus wasn’t the only new experience for these students; it was also the first time they met each other in-person. Galtie remarked that the moment was full of happy surprises. “We're a very diverse cohort, coming from many different cultures, languages, and professional backgrounds. Yet we've interacted online since receiving our acceptance offers from Booth. We've shared deep and meaningful discussions from thousands of miles away. We’ve sought one another out for both professional advice and cooking recipes. Meeting face-to-face was very much like catching up with old friends - with the extra surprise of realizing that Zoom doesn't quite show those who are 6'5''!”

Despite only being in the program a short time, both students took note of the broader learning experience so far. “The interactions with the cohort and the faculty have prompted me to reflect deeper on what it means to be a leader and a business professional,” said Galtie. “This change of mindset goes beyond the classroom learning and really is a vector of growth as an individual.”

“We all realized that the program will be demanding and most of all challenging—it will definitely take us out of our comfort zones,” said Nahas. “As we kicked off the Managerial Psychology and LEAD courses we were challenged to open ourselves and share personal information. Even though we have completely different backgrounds, we resembled each other so much. So far, this has been one of the most unique experiences I have ever had.”