Mentoring stories

Left: Mentee Cristina. Right: Mentor Adrian

MSc Management of Information and Technology alumna Cristina Loma Aragones and alumnus Adrian Williams began their mentoring relationship during the 2024/25 Global Mentoring Programme.

Adrian studied a BSc in Computer Science at Sussex, graduating in 1990. He went on to develop a career in both engineering and client-service roles, working for companies such as BMW and Dell Financial Services. Adrian is currently a Partner at EY, one of the Big Four accounting firms, who provide services within assurance, consulting, strategy and transactions and tax. As a lifelong engineer with a passion for innovative technology, Adrian has developed extensive leadership and project management experience.

Cristina, who is originally from Bolivia, came to the UK to study at Sussex as a Chevening Scholar. After graduating in 2018, she went on to found Digitalboost S.R.L., a digital transformation consultancy. In 2025 she moved back to the UK and realised that starting fresh in a new country was more challenging than she expected. For this reason, she took part in the Global Mentoring Programme, thinking it offered “exactly the structured support [she] needed”.

Adrian and Cristina met online throughout the programme and Adrian said he volunteered to be a mentor because the opportunity to join the programme was “too good to turn down”.

What made you apply for the mentoring programme?

Cristina: “Having been awarded a Chevening Scholarship to study my Masters degree at Sussex, and after founding a digital transformation consultancy in my home country, Bolivia, I thought I understood what it meant to build a professional presence. However, when I relocated to London in 2025, I quickly realised that starting fresh in a new country was a different challenge altogether and navigating global markets from scratch felt more challenging than I expected. The Global Mentoring Programme offered exactly the structured support I needed to translate my experience into this new context.”

Adrian: “I've had a few changes in my career to date, and I remember how difficult it was to not have the ear of someone who'd walked that road and was happy to share their journey and test my goals. Having experienced, for years, the reward of mentoring within the workplace, and having loved my time at Sussex, the opportunity to support someone taking those career leaps, and broaden my own mentoring journey at the same time was too good to turn down.”

"Finding a mentor can save you years in your career journey because you can learn through their experience.”

Cristina Loma Aragones (MSc Management of Information and Technology 2017)

What have you gained from your mentoring relationship?

Cristina: “Working with Adrian has been transformative. Our match through the tech industry proved ideal. His extensive experience across sectors, entrepreneurship, and now as a Partner at EY provided me with a role model for embracing my own diverse career path.

Adrian helped me at both strategic and tactical levels. We discussed big-picture topics, but we also got into the practical details, such as refining my LinkedIn profile, reviewing my CV, and my business pitch. The combination of high-level thinking and hands-on support was exactly what I needed.”

Adrian: “I have gained a great relationship with an amazing person who has a fantastic future ahead of her. Meeting Cristina has been a truly inspirational experience and has taken mentoring to a whole new level for me personally.

Mentoring through the Global Mentoring Programme is completely different to mentoring someone within the workplace who is already on the same career journey as yourself. Although Cristina and I share a passion for technology, we come from different countries, work cultures and have different sector experiences. Cristina's sense of purpose, proactive research, self-reflection and drive certainly kept me on my toes and provided fresh perspectives and a learning challenge for me too, every time we met! It was a total privilege to support her, a joy to spend the time and I hope to stay in touch.”

“Be patient and allow your mentee to lead. This is their journey. Have the courage to challenge and the empathy to support when their journey gets tough.”

Adrian Williams (BSc Computer Science 1987)

What would you say to someone considering a mentoring relationship?

Cristina: “Take this incredible opportunity we have as Sussex alumni. The key is to recognise that this is your opportunity to grow, progress, and boost your skills. Finding a mentor can save you years in your career journey because you can learn through their experience, avoiding pitfalls they've already navigated and gaining insights that would otherwise take much longer to acquire on your own.”

Adrian: “Dive in. While the time commitment and whether you might have something relevant to offer may be concerns initially, these passed quickly for me and in fact we decided that more time was much better for us both. Remember to be genuine, accessible and ready to share. Be patient and allow your mentee to lead. This is their journey. Have the courage to challenge and the empathy to support when their journey gets tough. But most of all enjoy it – it's the most amazing experience.”

Do you have any advice for recent graduates and students thinking of approaching a mentor?

Cristina: “The right mentor serves as a guide, helping you progress from where you are to where you want to be. Identify your skill set and the areas where you want to grow and then share that with your potential mentor to ensure you are a good fit.

Once you find a mentor, come prepared to every session with specific questions and a clear meeting agenda, and be ready to act on the insights you gain rather than just collecting advice. That level of intentionality made all the difference.”

Adrian: “We may be an older generation, but we're just folks willing to support you and provide a sounding board for your ideas and goals. My advice is to approach mentors with curiosity and openness – we are there to help and have probably already made the mistakes you might be worried about, so no judgement here! However, the relationship thrives when you bring your energy and take initiative, plan and engage actively.”

While Adrian and Cristina met through the mentoring programme, you don’t need the University to organise mentoring relationships on your behalf. You can find your own mentor on Sussex Connect. Simply create an account, search for alumni already in the industry you’re interested in and send them a message. Make sure to look out for those who say they are ‘Willing to help’ in their profile.

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