I’m Irene Zhang from Cambridge Judge Business School MBA cohort of 2024–2025 and this year has been one of the most transformative chapters of my life. Before coming to Cambridge, I worked as a Sustainability and Energy Transition Consultant at EY, where I first became deeply engaged with the global shift towards low-carbon development.
The journey
Renewable energy has become one of the most dynamic and rapidly expanding sectors across the UK and Europe, driven by clear decarbonisation targets, accelerating technology maturity and strong policy support. At the same time, leading Chinese energy companies are actively expanding overseas with increasing determination, adopting globalisation strategies marked by speed, scale and technological competitiveness. Cambridge MBA provided an ideal platform for me to understand these industry shifts and position myself within this evolving landscape.
At Cambridge Judge, I had the privilege of deepening my academic grounding in the energy sector through courses taught by Professor Michael Pollitt. In parallel, through the Global Consulting Project, I worked with the World Economic Forum on a case exploring the deployment of hydrogen technologies in airports. This project allowed me to deepen my technical and commercial understanding of emerging energy solutions and further strengthened my commitment to pursuing a career in the renewable energy sector.
Beyond the classroom, I served as Co-President of the Cambridge China Business Society and led the 2025 Cambridge China Business Forum. In the Green Technology session, I leveraged the Cambridge platform and network to invite senior leaders from Octopus Energy, BYD, Jinko Solar and Envision Energy, which turned out to be pivotal for my career journey.
Advice to current Cambridge MBA students
For current students navigating an uncertain job market, here are 3 tips that shaped my journey:
1. Let the MBA be your laboratory: Use courses and projects to test where your real interests lie.
2. Leverage Cambridge’s network fearlessly: People are generous- ask, connect and follow up.
3. Create your own opportunities: Leadership roles, events and initiatives can become the gateway to your next career step.
Cambridge is a place where ideas meet possibility and where you are encouraged to aim higher than you ever imagined.