I’m a born and raised Londoner (fun fact: I was born in the same hospital ward as Prince William, the second in line to the British throne).

I graduated from the London School of Economics with a degree in political science, and following that I worked in investment management for two years in a variety of marketing and project management roles. After unearthing a passion for wine and oenology, I spotted a gap in the market for a tool that leverages technology to simplify the complex world of wine. I later left my job in marketing to focus on a full-time entrepreneurial venture that addressed that gap.

Moving across the pond from one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities to a small city in the American South has been an incredible transition. You’ll often find me enjoying the outdoors, whether it’s playing tennis on Duke’s East Campus or tackling the hills on the Al Buhler running trail. I’m also a real foodie at heart—my favorite places in Durham to eat are Pizzeria Toro (for incredible pizzas) and Mateo (great Spanish-inspired tapas).

On this blog I will be writing about life in Durham, being an international student at Fuqua, moving from a giant city to a much smaller one, spending my summer in Seattle working at a large tech company, and much more. I'm also one of the regulars you'll see on the dukefuqua Snapchat account.

Oh, and in case you were wondering…yes my name really is Shakira, and no my hips do not lie.