1. Understanding the International BRP

The International Business Research Project (BRP) is one of the most exciting components of the MSc Management programme at Bayes. The BRP offers students the opportunity to take part in consulting projects with international firms as part of their dissertation. Through these collaborations, we gain first-hand exposure to how businesses operate across borders, their priorities and communication styles to decision-making processes.

For any aspiring management consultant, the chance to work internationally is invaluable. Consulting often involves working with clients from diverse backgrounds and professional cultures, therefore understanding how organisations function from different countries is an essential skill.

In my case, I got the opportunity to work with a large MNC in the electric infrastructure industry to explore how data driven insights can be used to understand customer behaviour and improve retention in B2B markets where organizations often struggle with retaining clients because of how different the market is from consumer level. I had the opportunity to work on all EMEA prospects of this MNC and suggest recommendations which can help them to retain their clients effectively.

2. The Project and My Role

My project focused on predicting customer churn in B2B markets, specifically within the medium-power uninterruptible power supply (UPS) segment. My role was to analyse customer data, identify the key factors behind client retention, and recommend strategies that could help the company reduce churn.

In simple terms, churn refers to customers who stop purchasing from a company, which is a major concern in B2B markets where every client contract is a big share of revenue. Retaining existing clients is often more cost-effective than finding new ones, and for MNCs, this stability helps strengthen long-term partnerships.

On the surface, it was a common understanding that discounts and competitive prices are the deciding factors in customer retention and long term contracts. However, after conducting many statistical tests and regression models, I found that discount and price alone were not a reliable factor to predict customer retention and loyalty. Clients valued other factors just as much such as delivery times, aftersales service and long term communication.

The finding was the key breakthrough for my dissertation and the client. It showed how some commonly accepted notions can be misleading and detrimental to a firms decision making. Beyond the technical side, I focused on translating these insights into strategic recommendations that could help the company strengthen its retention strategy beyond price adjustments.

Working on this project gave me a clear idea of how analytical thinking and strategic reasoning are vital to the work of a consultant.

3. Learning About the Industry and Consulting

Working with a multinational company in the electronic infrastructure industry gave me valuable insight into how large B2B organisations operate behind the scenes. The firm I worked with employs more than 30,000 people and has office all around the world. I learnt a lot about how large firms operate and collaborate to work a single unit in markets around the world. Unlike consumer markets, B2B decisions often involve multiple stakeholders, technical specifications, and long sales cycles which makes every client relationship crucial.

Through regular discussions with my academic supervisor and company mentor, I began to see how analytical findings must always be tied to business value. In theory you could always find solutions which will solve the clients’ problems but the real value of a consultant lies in how they can turn these concepts into actionable recommendations which the client can understand and implement.

The experience also showed me how different teams and departments align to solve problems together. From marketing to operations, each function had a role in shaping the customer experience. Observing this coordination helped me appreciate how consulting projects require an in-depth understanding of business functions rather than a narrow technical focus.

4. Working Across Borders

Bayes offers a truly unique opportunity through the International BRP a chance to work with international clients while having the freedom to explore their business like a real consultant would. Rather than simply following a set academic framework, we were encouraged to take ownership of the project, interact directly with the client, and shape the direction of our research based on real-world priorities. This ensured that our work was truly valuable to the client rather than being a piece of academic writing no one would look twice at.

As part of this experience, I scheduled regular meetings with the client to better understand their industry, unique market challenges, and internal processes. These conversations provided valuable context that no textbook could capture. One of the highlights was getting the opportunity to visit one of the company’s factories in Italy, where I observed how the operations and production workflows were managed on the ground. Seeing the company’s technology and people in action helped me connect my analytical findings with the company’s real operational environment.

This experience not only improved my technical and analytical abilities but also shaped my perspective on what it means to work in a global business setting. It reminded me that understanding the human and cultural side of business is just as important as analysing data or designing strategy.

5. Advice for Future Students

I would strongly encourage you to take the opportunity to do your dissertation as an international BRP. Working on a real project with an international client is a rare and valuable experience especially for graduates stepping into the professional world. It gives you a genuine sense of what consulting or corporate problem-solving feels like, where your analysis and recommendations can make a tangible impact.

What makes the international BRP truly special is how it brings together everything we learn during the MSc Management programme. You get to apply concepts from strategy, finance, marketing, and quantitative research to real-world business challenges, testing your understanding beyond the classroom. Few students get the chance to connect theory and practice so directly, and it’s an experience that builds confidence.

The International BRP is more than just a dissertation, it’s a professional experience that prepares you for the global workplace. It challenges you to think critically, communicate effectively, and approach problems the way a consultant would. For me, it was one of the most rewarding parts of my master’s journey, and I would highly recommend it to anyone eager to learn, grow, and make a meaningful impact.