Hi Everyone

I'm 34-years old and planning to do an MBA in Europe next year. I have a bachelors in engineering and then a masters from one of the IIMs. Over the past 11 years, I've been working in marketing roles in MNCs with a steady career progression. I've worked in India as well as in Africa, and I'm reasonably fluent in French as well (Speaking at a B level, while C in the other skills).

The reason I want to do an MBA now is primarily international mobility. I'd like to move to either UK/France while not making a dramatic shift in industry (definitely not interested in consulting or finance, while primarily interested in more traditional manufacturing industries as well as in bio-tech/healthcare to an extent. I'm currently in a manufacturing company that's in the home improvement space, I also have experience in consumer durables). I would target marketing/general management roles, so there won't be a function change either.

I have a GMAT score of 730.

With this in mind and considering my above avg experience, I've zeroed in on the following schools:

UK: Cambridge, Oxford, Cass, Warwick, Manchester, Cranfield - in that order of preference. I understand that I might be considered too experienced for Oxford, but I'd like to give it a shot. Cass gives location, Warwick seems like a great school and avg age is 32, Cranfield also has an avg age of 32.

Europe: IMD (Seems like a good fit for my profile, plenty of people with similar profiles in their current batch, seems like a good school for industry jobs), EDHEC and EmLyon (Both solid schools, and with a high avg age batch).

Now my question really is about HEC. I can see that it's aimed at a slightly younger participant, but they seemed receptive to my profile when I contacted them. However, they are also asking me to strongly consider the EMBA. I don't want to do an EMBA because I want to take a year out, build a strong network, and start in a new industry afresh in a new country. EMBA feels like a massive investment which won't necessarily give me the returns I want. I'm not looking for a step jump in my career, and I'd be happy re-starting from where I am after the MBA.

Any advice on my situation please? Are the schools I've picked sensible picks, and are there some I might have missed? Does it make sense to apply to HEC MBA?

Assuming you don't need a visa for France then the EMBA is not a terrible idea. It would make it easier for you to take an intensive French course and hunt for work. 

However, many foreigner will need a full time course to get a visa. 

The transition would be easier to the UK, and your UK schools make sense. Maybe start in the UK and then perfect your French and build your network?

The transition would be easier to the UK, and your UK schools make sense. Maybe start in the UK and then perfect your French and build your network?

Assuming you don't need a visa for France then the EMBA is not a terrible idea. It would make it easier for you to take an intensive French course and hunt for work. 

However, many foreigner will need a full time course to get a visa. 

IMD is a great option. They won't select you if they don't think they can place you. 

IMD is a great option. They won't select you if they don't think they can place you.