Master in European Business

Sophia (The Netherlands)
Paris-London track
Class of 2013

Before joining the Master in European Business, I studied in The Netherlands, France and Germany and graduated with a Master in Natural Language Processing. I worked for almost four years as a computational linguist and consultant in small software company in Paris before deciding I wanted to develop my managerial skills.

After extensive research, I decided to enroll on the MEB. There were three main reasons for my choice, the first being the excellent international reputation of ESCP Europe. Not only is the School currently in the top tier of several rankings, but it has been consistently for several years. This also ensured the quality of the alumni network. I have found that the network is especially helpful when searching for an internship. They are always ready to discuss career options and they help in getting in touch with their own HR departments - being introduced by a professional that those in charge of hiring trust really has added value!

Secondly, the MEB in particular is accessible to people who do not have a background in business or management, which was exactly my case. The subjects touch every aspect of management: from finance to business strategy to marketing and human resource management. The teaching approach is very practical; we learn how to apply theory by completing several team projects.

Thirdly, the opportunity to study in two different countries and to meet and work with people from different backgrounds and nationalities appealed greatly to me. We have more than 10 different nationalities in our class, which enriches this programme immensely.

As I reach the end of my year at ESCP Europe, I am redirecting my career path to web marketing. I am confident that the marketing and management classes at ESCP Europe have provided me with the skills I need to complete my previous working experience in software and information management.

Felipe Wohlgemuth (Germany/Ecuador)
Monterrey-London track
Class of 2013

After I finished my studies in Media Management at Rheinische Fachhochschule Köln in Germany, I worked for three years in different Event Management and Promotions positions, as well as for a Business Incubator in Ecuador. My career was not taking off as I wanted it to, however, and I decided to look for a Master degree that would help me build a more competitive profile. I also wanted to gain broader management skills with a specialisation in Finance to expand my education beyond what I had already achieved in Marketing and Media.

ESCP Europe presented itself as an excellent option. Its place amongst the highest ranking business schools in Europe reflects the highly qualitative academic standard it offers, and I was also attracted by its very well established alumni network.

In addition to these factors, I already knew that I wanted to move into Latin American business, as the emerging economy offers European businesses struggling with local stagnating economies many opportunities for growth. ESCP Europe offered a double degree with EGADE Business School (Tecnológico de Monterrey), which presented a great opportunity for me to get to know the Latin American markets better. EGADE is as one of the best business schools in Latin American, and my time spent there will be very beneficial once I begin building business relationships with firms established there.

All in all I can most certainly testify that studying the Master in European Business has been a very enriching experience, both in Monterrey and in London. Not only because of the international exposure it offers, but also because of its well-established name amongst human resource directors and because the challenge it has represented regarding its high academic standards. Furthermore, the consulting projects have given me the opportunity to get real-life professional working experience with renowned firms. It has served me well to realise how problem-solving works at a very strategic level in business.

It is now my aim to work in Consulting and, if possible, in Latin America.

Marguerite Bolze (France)
Gurgaon/London track
Class of 2013
Although I am French, I grew up in Mexico where I completed my studies until obtaining the equivalent of the International Baccalaureate from ITESM. This gave me a bicultural education and gave me the desire to work in an international environment.

This motivated my decision to move back to Europe, where I completed a Bachelor degree at Universitá Commerciale Luigi Bocconi in Milan, Italy. Doing so gave me the opportunity to understand and evolve in a new culture as well as to learn a fourth language (I now speak fluent English, Spanish, Italian and French).

After completing my Bachelor, I decided to enter the job market. At first I worked for a French luxury company in the lingerie industry; following that, I obtained a CDI/permanent contract with a French luxury retail company as their Commercial Manager for their two ready-to-wear brands. I also spent time working as a volunteer for the Red Cross in France, distributing clothing to people facing difficulties.

These three experiences highlighted the importance of developing practical skills and of having a strong academic background. As such, I decided it was time to study for a Master degree. I selected the Master in European Business at ESCP Europe because it is the only programme that offered the unique combination of working alongside students from different backgrounds at an academic and cultural level from whom I could learn additional skills, whilst also providing courses centred on real working situations. I wanted a Master that would give me factual and concrete knowledge, and which would complement my bachelor and work experience – that is what the MEB gave me.

Having understood that my personal strength rests in my international background and having decided my desired career path was working for a multinational in the fashion industry, I selected the Gurgaon/London study track. I wanted a challenging experience and the opportunity of studying in two continents over one year with neither of the two being an exchange programme. This choice gave me the opportunity of immersing myself in the Indian culture, which is entirely different from everything I had known so far.

It was a life-changing experience!

Aleya Begum (United Kingdom)
London-Paris track
Class of 2013

After completing a degree in Journalism and Economics from City University London, I worked for three years both as a journalist and an analyst in the energy industry. I learnt a lot about business, economics and geopolitics through my work, but after a few years wanted to solidify this knowledge with an academic qualification.

I decided on the Master in European Business at ESCP Europe for various reasons. Being a course for people with existing work experience from a variety of backgrounds, and with two consulting projects during the year as well, it was an ideal course for me; I wanted a programme that directly applies its teaching to the real word. The fact that it is also spread over two campuses and completed in one year was a major plus as I wanted to broaden my international exposure and didn’t want to take too much time out of my career.

My experience on the course so far has been extremely positive. I have had inspirational lecturers that have strong experience in the subjects they teach and not just an academic qualification. My classmates are bright, confident and dynamic students from all over the world who I not only enjoy working with but learn a lot from.

The course is very intense and demands a lot of work and commitment, but it is very rewarding. The programme is largely based on group work which is aimed at giving a more real life experience. Success on projects and assignments is therefore collective and requires each member to contribute equally.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the course and am learning a great deal. The London campus has an excellent careers department and the School is very actively involved with its alumni; this support is invaluable when looking for a job. I would definitely recommend the programme to anyone considering a master in business that does not have a previous background in the subject.