
Jeremy (left) after years away from the rugby field we forgot we weren’t so young anymore and experienced concussions and dislocated shoulders in our 40 point win against HEC #undefeated
What and when did you study at INSEAD?
I completed my MBA in 2018, graduating in December. I split my time between Fontainebleau and Singapore, and took a study trip to Silicon Valley during the summer break, which was an inspiring experience for me.
Tell us about your career journey to date.
My entrepreneurial spirit kicked in at 15. I went to McDonald’s for a job, but after seeing they paid six dollars an hour, I brainstormed with my dad and thought I could earn more mowing lawns in my suburban Sydney neighborhood. After I knocked on 100 doors, I landed four customers, and eventually built a small business with a few friends helping me out.
But the real formative experience was a 2-year volunteer mission in Italy for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (how else do Anglophones learn another language to qualify for INSEAD?). I worked with people from all walks of life, from refugees to professionals, and it reshaped my understanding of what’s important – focusing on meaning, not just money.
On reentry to Australia, I joined Allianz’s graduate program, it seemed like a great way to delay deciding what I wanted to do when I grow up for another two years. But one day, my wife expressed a desire to move to Europe. I saw this as a perfect opportunity to pursue an MBA, and INSEAD was at the top of my list. After graduation I had planned to move to London. However, a stopover in Singapore for a practice interview changed that. I joined Deskera, a scale-up providing accounting and inventory software. They had just raised US$60 million in funding, and I worked on their business development and growth strategy.
After Covid scuppered my opportunity to head the US expansion, an INSEAD classmate connected me with an opportunity at Converge, a tech company in London that is cutting the cost and carbon of concrete construction. I now lead the APAC region working on projects from Mongolia to Melbourne.
What are you passionate about?
I’m really into long-distance running—your classic midlife crisis! I’ve run several marathons and am currently training for the Great Southern Endurance Race. It’s a 56-kilometre trail run with 3,000 meters of elevation change. Running is the active meditation for someone who won’t sit still.
How did INSEAD transform your life?
The biggest takeaway for me was realizing I could learn 80% of almost any subject within two months. We’re fortunate with INSEAD’s broad network to be able to find someone who knows about something you need in an email or two. That combination of curiosity and connection has stayed with me.
What are your top memories from your time at INSEAD?
One standout moment was in an ethics class in Fonty where we discussed global healthcare. We had a doctor from UK, a public health expert from Kenya, and a consultant who worked on the Netherlands’ healthcare infrastructure. It was incredible how we could debate these important issues, drawing on such diverse, lived experiences. It truly embodied the essence of INSEAD—collaboration across cultures to generate better ideas.
How do you contribute to and engage with the INSEAD community?
I help organize career events, Random Dinners and regularly attend INSEAD drinks in Melbourne. It’s led to some of the most meaningful friendships since moving here.