Afreen Dar: Transforming education through technology

What led you to choose the Cambridge MBA?

After almost 5 years in edtech and fintech, I began to feel the familiar itch that comes with being in your comfort zone. I had learnt how to build and scale products, set up processes and teams from scratch and adapt to a high-velocity environment. But I wanted to push myself further. There were other parts of running a successful business I had yet to learn. Using technology to improve lives has always been my internal north star, but I needed new inspiration and knowledge. 

Cambridge stood out as more than just an MBA, it’s an ecosystem: academic rigor, a global network and a collegiate system that pulls you into communities far beyond business. It felt like the right place to ask bigger questions about my future, whether that means continuing in product management or laying the foundation for my own venture. 

What has been your biggest career accomplishment so far? 

Helping students in Pakistan access education. Over the past 3 years at my previous workplace, Maqsad, I spoke with hundreds of students between the ages of 16 and 19. All of them were bright, hardworking and aspiring toward a better future. However, many lacked access to affordable education. 

In 2024, we were able to help 500+ students secure admission to medical colleges in Pakistan by preparing them for their entry exams through the Maqsad mobile and web apps. To some, this number may seem modest, but in Pakistan, success is rarely individual, it ripples through families. We didn’t just change 500 students’ lives, we changed 500 families’ lives. 

Maqsad expects even more admissions as the 2024 academic year concludes. I am very proud of this and it has been an honour to build solutions that serve this demographic. 

How do you feel about receiving your scholarship? 

My heart was pounding when I opened the email confirming my acceptance to Cambridge Judge Business School. I read it once, twice, a third time, just to make sure I wasn’t imagining things. My first thought was, “Is this really happening?” My second was, “This is too good to be true. I probably can’t even afford it.” 

The Ma Zhao Yan & Xu Wen Lai Scholarship changed everything. It opened the doors to Cambridge and carries with it a responsibility: to use this opportunity well, to create change, to improve lives and one day to extend the same generosity to others. Becoming a Forté Fellow has been equally meaningful. I have always advocated for women in the workplace and my volunteer work for this cause makes the recognition feel especially personal. 

Without these scholarships, studying at a university as prestigious and intellectually demanding as Cambridge would not have been within reach. Now, I can take this platform to grow as a leader, test bold ideas and prepare myself to build solutions that reach far beyond Pakistan. 

What do you hope to gain from the MBA over the next year? 

This past year has been a crash course in leadership, where everything moved quickly, the stakes were high and reflection was rare, even though the learning was immense. Now I want to slow down and examine the kind of leader I am and the kind I want to become. I hope to sharpen my decision-making with a stronger foundation in business acumen and financial foundations, so I can pair sound judgment with the instinct I have built from creating products that serve real needs. Just as importantly, I want to grow as both a builder and a leader by learning from classmates, faculty and alumni who bring different perspectives and challenge how I think. 

Where do you see the MBA taking you in your future career? 

I see myself continuing in product management because I thrive on turning ideas into products that make a difference. What I want next is an environment that stretches my imagination and tests the limits of what technology can do, particularly in areas that create social impact, whether that’s health tech, climate solutions, sustainability, or women’s empowerment. If I don’t find a place that fits, I might shape one myself. What matters most is that my work remains grounded in building technology that improves lives and creates opportunities for society. 

What does Cambridge mean to you? 

A tradition of excellence, yes, but also a springboard into possibility. Cambridge feels like both a milestone and a beginning. It is the reward for years of hard work and at the same time, a starting point for new growth, new ideas and new connections, both personally and professionally. It has been a reclaiming of oneself. It has made me feel that my authentic self is enough, that I can shine just as I am. 

Something few people know about you… 

Contrary to my composed demeanour, I’m a secret thrill-seeker. I love theme parks and the adrenaline of riding roller coasters.