Mingqiao Zhao

Country: China
Subject of study: MA International Relations and Modern History
Year of graduation: 2014
Type/Level of study: Undergraduate

Academic excellence, history and tradition, safe and tranquil environment.

The teaching staff are wonderful. Not only are they experts in their fields, but they are passionate about teaching, friendly, approachable and supportive.

When I first graduated, I worked for a London consultancy specialising in Middle Eastern politics, economics and markets, which was directly related to my International Relations degree and language skills in Mandarin and Arabic. In 2022, I co-founded Cauli, a climate tech startup powering circular economy with technology. We help food and drink businesses to switch from single use to reusable packaging that reduces waste, CO2 and cost.

I have been passionate about sustainability from a young age. At 14 I set up my first venture, collecting recyclable bottles and cans from my schoolmates and selling them to recycling companies. While working in London, I was mortified by all the packaging waste from society’s takeaway habit, and I wanted to come up with a scalable and tech-enabled solution to tackle this global problem.

What I enjoy most about my work is the ever-evolving challenges as the company grows. While it can be stressful at times, it keeps me motivated and intellectually stimulated. I get to constantly learn from people around me, including our team, customers, advisers and supporters. I love being like a ‘sponge’ that absorbs and digests other people’s insights and experiences.

Seeing the increasing number of single-use packaging items our technology helps to reduce also puts a smile on my face every day!

We spend one third of our life working. If you are lucky enough to have a choice, do something that you love. It’s truly rewarding.