Meet IESE’s MBA Class of 2019 - Poets&Quants

Some of the MBA members of IESE Business School’s Class of 2019

IESE is one of those schools that seems to always be “under construction.” That’s because it is as ambitious as it is accomplished. “Growth” is the goal at IESE on every front. And the school is setting a break-neck pace that’s leaving many programs behind.

To meet student demand, for example, IESE increased the full-time MBA program by 70 students in 2016. This past fall, the program added 35 electives according to Bruno Lea, associate director of MBA admissions. As its size and scope have grown, IESE has raised the bar in other areas too. For example, it recently upgraded its Barcelona campus, carving out three new lecture rooms and over a dozen new meeting rooms – not to mention a revamp of the cafeteria and library.

“AN EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME”

“Starting a fifth section and increasing student quality simultaneously made the whole school strive for excellence in all areas,” says Pascal Michels, director of MBA admissions.

“Excellence” is a fleeting proposition. That’s why IESE is continuously experimenting, enhancing, and evolving. Not only is the program committed to remaining a top two-year MBA program, but also – as one student describes it – “an experience of a lifetime.”

One reason is the program’s global scope, which starts from an internationalization strategy that extends far beyond most of the full-time student population hailing from outside Spain. Since 2010, the program has opened campuses in Sao Paulo, Munich, New York to go along with its Barcelona and Madrid centers. What’s more, IESE is investing $24 million dollars in a new campus in Madrid, which will double current space so it can expand programming, research, and entrepreneurship there. Of course, space is hardly an issue at IESE, which also maintains executive education centers in Singapore, Silicon Valley, Miami, Warsaw, Nairobi and Shanghai.

WHERE EVERYBODY KNOWS YOUR NAME

IESE Students

This truly global identity – coupled with the deep resources of a far-flung enterprise – definitely caught the attention of incoming MBA candidates like Ryan Fritsch, who comes to IESE after serving in the U.S. Navy.

“I have spent most of my adult life working in foreign countries or working alongside foreign counterparts,” he shares. “Working abroad and learning about other cultures is something I am very passionate about. I wanted my transition out of the military and into business to follow the same trajectory. With that in mind, I cannot overstate how truly international IESE’s MBA program is. Moving to Barcelona, learning Spanish in the Business Spanish Program, and being part of a program in which 84% of the class hails from a country other than Spain is truly an international experience.”

IESE isn’t just defined as a bustling program that refuses to rest on its laurels. It is also a school that integrates the best of MBA programs worldwide. As a program founded in partnership with Harvard Business School over a half century ago, the curriculum is deeply case-driven. This general management approach makes IESE the “Iberian Ivy.” Along with this rigor, however, comes a very personalized approach. It is one that is heavy on coaching and mentoring, where personal development is treated as seriously as professional development.

“It is an atmosphere,” says Lea, “where everyone knows your name.”

A COURAGEOUS CLASS

There will be plenty of people who’ll know the Class of 2019 is after graduation. One reason: Courage. Look no further than Belgian Jean-Baptiste de Harenne.  He took a leap of faith by launching his career outside his comfort zone in West Africa, where he climbed the ranks to manage 325 technicians and workers. Think that’s gutsy? Try being a bomb defusal expert. That was Fritsch’s lot for nearly a decade, which included stints in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. After teaching this trade to students from 96 countries, you can bet that Fritsch will feel quite at home in a class that boasts 57 countries.

Speaking of courage, want to know what Brazil’s Edgar De Chiara did over his honeymoon? He went scuba diving…with sharks. An unusual venture, you see? Not when compared to Duncan Brownlee. He has competed in the European Yukigassen Championships – a Japanese form of snowball fighting. Thankfully, Julie Jin’s hobby is a bit less dangerous. “I make cosmetics and personal care products like lip balms, soaps or body butter bars,” she admits “I don’t know what it is, but everything from pouring the wax to stirring in the colors and scents is just so soothing.”

Chao Jin also deserved to kick back after achieving an auto industry first: Generating 300 orders and $2.5 million in sales for a vehicle that hadn’t even been prototyped yet. Talk about salesmanship! As an engineer, De Chiara was part of team that developed the autopilot for Brazil’s largest-ever aircraft. Want leadership? Check out Kateryna Markova, who spearheaded a process optimization project that saved her employer millions of dollars by cutting the level of expired good by eight times. Then again, Marta Valcarcel Fernandez posted an impressive number of her own. At KPMG, she reached management in three years – half the average time for junior consultants.

IESE

Sometimes, however, the biggest accomplishments occur outside the office. That was the case for Fritsch, who saved the life of a stranger – a Marine Corps veteran with Leukemia – by donating his stem cells. For him, the payoff could hardly be expressed with words. “A few months ago, I had the chance to meet my stem cell recipient, who is now cancer free. To hear someone, along with their family, thank you for saving his life is a moment I will never forget.”

SPANIARDS AND AMERICANS ONLY ACCOUNT FOR A QUARTER OF THE CLASS

So how does the Class of 2019 fare by the numbers? That’s hard to say as the school doesn’t disclose data like applications, acceptances, and yield (though it does note that applications have risen by 28% over the past seven years). Overall, the class features 359 students, up nine students over the previous year. Academically, the class matched the previous cohort with a 690 GMAT average – and 20 points higher than its Spanish rival IE Business School.

By the same token, the percentage of women continue to rise, climbing four points to a 32% share of the class. At the same time, the percentage of non-Spanish students at the school rose from 81% to 84%. Americans represent the second largest segment of the class at 11%, followed by Brazil (6%), India (6%), and China (5%). The professional backgrounds of the incoming class are equally diverse. At 19%, finance accounts for the largest percentage of students in the class, followed by consulting at 16%. Entrepreneurs make up another 4%.

Go to page 2 to see in-depth profiles of incoming IESE MBA students.

HIGH PAY, HIGH SATISFACTION, HIGH RANKINGS

Looking ahead, Pascal notes that IESE has revisited its scholarship strategy, resulting in an “unprecedented scholarship budget” at the school. He also points to the Class of 2018, where 100% of the class landed summer internships. That’s doesn’t even count the 2017 Class, where over 90% of the class had landed offers within the first three months of graduation. The extra year of school pays off at IESE. Over five years, the Class of 2012, for example, was able to boost their starting pay by $97,100, which placed IESE second in Forbes’ two-year international MBA ranking this year.

In fact, the program fared especially well in the 2017 rankings. IESE ranked 2rd overall in Bloomberg Businessweek’s 2017 international MBA ranking, earning the highest marks of any school in the student survey and finishing 4th among recruiters. It ranked 10th with the Financial Times and 2nd among international programs at The Economist. The latter’s performance hinged closely on the school’s network, which ranked 5th for Potential to Network and #1 for Internationalism of Alumni.

It is an expansive network indeed, boasting 12,000 MBA alumni and 45,000 business school alumni overall. IESE’s high alumni engagement stems from the life-changing experience that they enjoyed as students, says Lea.

DIVERSITY WITH A CAPITAL ‘D’

Bruno Lea, assistant director of MBA admissions at IESE

“At IESE, networking is not the system. Networking is the consequence of genuine relationships. Let me tell you a story. [At our graduation ceremony], I was talking with the Class of 2017. That day, there is a lot of emotions. You have your family there, your friends, your classmates. So there are a lot of joy. There is also a bit of sadness at leaving the school. You know why? It’s not because they will miss the nice weather of Barcelona. It’s not because they have to go back to work. What they will miss most is the people they have met at IESE, their classmates that they spent 19 amazing months with them, 24/7, and they will miss professors who mentored them, staff members who know them by their first name. They know why they will miss that because they know there are very few places on earth where you can enjoy so much the differences. IESE is a place where you can enjoy that difference.”

Another word for difference is diversity. While students will be exposed to a slew of cases and ideas over their two years, IESE’s richness stems from the diverse backgrounds and cultures that students bring to Barcelona. That creates a learning experience unlike any other. For Markova, this diversity fosters a culture where students “learn to look at familiar situations with fresh eyes and different viewpoints.” In other words, it is the perfect preparation for an international business career.

“It is a fact that most of what one learns during the MBA comes from the classmates,” observes De Chiara. “Being immersed in a class that has almost 60 different nationalities from a variety of backgrounds is definitely the perfect environment for personal growth. Less than 20% of the students are from Spain, so the vast majority of comments made in class come from people of all around the world. It is not just about creating an international professional network. At IESE, I am constantly surrounded and challenged by other cultures and different points of views, something that you cannot find in many other places.”

TREATED LIKE AN APPRENTICE INSTEAD OF A CLIENT

A truly case-driven program is also difficult to find outside HBS and Darden. At IESE, the Class of 2019 will absorb 600 (or more) cases over their two years. The goal of the case method, of course, is to nurture a framework for approaching issues and making decisions. In the process, students learn how to break down complex scenarios; sift through the important elements; identify prospective solutions and their accompanying tradeoffs; frame their positions to persuade stakeholders; and defend their solutions under the pressure of addressing skeptical questions and swaying fence-sitters who are weighing alternatives. In other words, the case methods simulates the c-suite. It enables students to practice the analytical and interpersonal skills expected from those who hold influence and create impact. Better yet, the method’s potency is only amplified in a setting like IESE, which attracts students from a wide array of cultural and professional backgrounds.

As a result, IESE has earned a reputation for being “intense.” The 2019 Class wouldn’t expect anything less. “I like to choose the difficult path generally because that’s the best way to grow,” Brownlee asserts.

“So when the admissions director said during my open day something along the lines of, “Barcelona is an amazing city, full of culture, beauty, etc. etc. etc…but none of that matters, because you’re not going to have time to see any of it,” they more or less had me. Yes, it was a joke, but it actually seemed pretty consistent with the other things I had learned about the course (and now know to be true). They were going to work me hard and make me earn my MBA – and treat me like an apprentice rather than a client.”

The case method may be IESE’s defining feature, but it isn’t the school’s only wrinkle. For one, the program has emerged as an entrepreneurial leader, with roughly 5% of each class launching their own businesses after graduation. Some of these firms are supported at IESE Finaves, an incubator that has created 2,500 jobs and $80 million dollars in revenue since 2000. The school also hosts the Business Angels Network, a group of 140 investors who coach students and fund their ventures. Thus far, the network has invested over $23 million dollars in student startups, with nearly 100 of them still operating.

View of Barcelona from IESE campus.

Another delight is the school’s Barcelona location. A commercial and cultural hub, the city is renowned for its cool Mediterranean climate, sun-drenched beaches, never-ending nightlife, and rich Catalan cuisine (highlighted by fresh seafood and tasty tapas). Like IESE, Barcelona has emerged as one of the world’s truly cosmopolitan cities, whose 2,000 years of architectural styles are as diverse as its populace.

COMMITTED TO A LASTING IMPACT

Barcelona’s buoyant spirit also infuses IESE. This school mission says it all: “IESE is committed to the development of leaders who aspire to have a deep, positive and lasting impact on people, firms and society.” This focus on service, character, and accountability is more than just naïve idealism at best and cynical lip service at worst. Instead, impact is IESE’s cultural cornerstone, one that Julie Jin experienced first-hand during Assessment Day. An admissions event where students compete for admissions and scholarship support by pitching business ideas as teams, Assessment Day might be rife with cutthroat competition in some programs. To Jin’s surprise, the event was less Hunger Games and more Lean On Me. “I believe the most commonly said phrase that day was “And ___, what do you think,” she recalls. “The people that come to IESE want to make an impact that will make the world a better place.”

So what will success look like to the Class of 2019? Christin Monville, who once ran nine simultaneous consumer tests in three countries at Nestle, the best result would involve being able to apply what she has learned from her classmates. After her first year, Markova hopes to say that she achieved all of her goals…without feeling like she missed out (Good luck with that). Now that she has started class, Julie Jin has a more modest goal in mind.

“It’s only day four and I’ve already read 12 cases, danced until 3:00am (not a good idea with 8:30am classes), had four hours of business Spanish, been to three career services or club events, and somehow found time to call my mom. At this point, maybe simply survival would be success.”

To read profiles of incoming IESE MBA students — along with their advice on tackling the GMAT, applications, and interviews — click on the links below.

DON’T MISS: THE PIONEERING MBAs OF THE CLASS OF 2019 OR MEET IESE’S MBA CLASS OF 2018

Student	Hometown	Alma Mater	Employer
Duncan Brownlee	Glasgow, Scotland	University of Strathclyde	Atkins
Edgar De Chiara	Sao Paulo, Brazil	Universidade de Sao Paulo	Embraer
Jean-Baptiste de Harenne	Chiny, Belgium	Université catholique de Louvain	Barajii Group
Ryan Fritsch	Edwardsville, IL	Southern Illinois University	U.S. Navy
Chao Jin	Beijing, China	Beijing University of Post and Telecommunications	Faraday Future
Julie Jin	San Diego, CA	University of California – Berkeley	Ernst & Young
Kateryna Markova	Kiev, Ukraine	Kyiv National Economics University	Imperial Tobacco
Christin Monville	Bremen, Germany	University of Hohenheim	Nestlé
Marta Valcarcel Fernandez	Lugo, Spain	Universidad Pontificia de Comillas	KPMG

Duncan Brownlee 

IESE Business School 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Fascinated by people. I like to challenge norms. Always dissecting and optimising.

Hometown: Glasgow, Scotland

Fun Fact About Yourself: I represented Sweden at the European Yukigassen Championships in 2011. Yukigassen is the ancient Japanese art of snowball fighting. We did terribly.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Strathclyde – Master of Aero-Mechanical Engineering

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Atkins – Senior Engineer

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My company has always been very supportive of its employees and receptive to change, so a few years back I persuaded the board of directors for my business segment to give me a substantial sum of money to start a graduate forum. I assembled a kickass team, gave them a structure and a mission, and set them loose to try and create an amazing development programme and experience for the 100ish graduates in the segment. And they did great. They organised national events, challenged the board on policy, and generally made people feel cared for, developed, and part of the same big team. And they’re still doing it.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? A common topic of conversation for us right now at IESE is how people can possibly achieve what they need to achieve during the MBA. We’ve got 19 months at IESE and it still doesn’t seem nearly long enough. I am aiming to make a triple career jump after graduating, but even for those who aren’t: really think hard about choosing a longer degree. If you want to learn amazing things, build an inspiring network, and find your dream job (plus learn a new language, properly explore a new culture, and try your hand at any of the plethora of new sport and activity clubs that your MBA probably offers); you’re going to need time to do it. There’s an opportunity here to get more than just a tick-in-the-box MBA, for you to grow a lot as a person, and as an overall package. Just have a think about it.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you?  I’m a bit of a knowledge sponge and like to choose the difficult path generally because that’s the best way to grow. So when the admissions director said during my open day something along the lines of, “Barcelona is an amazing city, full of culture, beauty, etc. etc. etc…but none of that matters, because you’re not going to have time to see any of it,” they more or less had me. Yes, it was a joke, but it actually seemed pretty consistent with the other things I had learned about the course (and now know to be true). They were going to work me hard and make me earn my MBA – and treat me like an apprentice rather than a client.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school?  

To have developed some really good close friendships with inspiring people.

To have a firm and confident grasp on what I want from the next phase in my career.

To have challenged my moral framework and perspectives on life.

Edgar De Chiara 

IESE Business School 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: A team player aiming to improve the world through technology and innovation in business

Hometown: Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil

Fun Fact About Yourself: I scuba-dived with sharks on my honeymoon.

Undergraduate School and Major: 

– Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica – M.S. in Aeronautical Engineering

- Universidade de Sao Paulo – B.S. in Electrical Engineering

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

- Product Development Engineer - Autopilot Systems - Embraer

– Systems Engineer - Yokogawa

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishment so far has been to be part of the amazing team responsible for developing the autopilot for the biggest aircraft ever built in Brazil, the Embraer KC-390. During this period I was constantly challenged by complex technical problems. I also improved my teamwork and leadership abilities, since I had to interact with more than 100 engineers from various different backgrounds and nationalities. Moreover, I had the chance to meet incredibly smart people, interact with military pilots, and even fly in an aircraft prototype.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? My piece of advice would be to talk to people. The more you interact with present and former students, the more (and faster) you will understand the school culture, the possible career paths open to you, and the school community. If possible, speak to students and alumni at different stages in their career, so you can hear a variety of views from people. In addition to that, be sure that your application clearly states how the MBA will help you achieve your future goals. I would also suggest showing your application pack to someone who really knows you and asking him or her if your entire application is coherent and if your essays really reflect who you are.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? For me, the key factor was the class diversity. One of my post-MBA goals is to develop my career internationally. It is a fact that most of what one learns during the MBA comes from the classmates. Being immersed in a class that has almost 60 different nationalities from a variety of backgrounds is definitely the perfect environment for personal growth. Less than 20% of the students are from Spain, so the vast majority of comments made in class come from people of all around the world. It is not just about creating an international professional network. At IESE, I am constantly surrounded and challenged by other cultures and different points of views, something that you cannot find in many other places. Not to mention that IESE gave me the opportunity to live in one of the most dynamic and fun cities of the world – Barcelona.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? I will consider it a success if I look back and realize that I have accomplished at least three things:

• Since I have an engineering background, by the end of the first year I hope to have solidified and deepened my knowledge about the concepts of business management.
• To successfully complete an amazing summer internship in a company where I was able to put into  practice what I learned in the first year, gaining practical management knowledge.
• Last, and probably most important, to have developed strong friendships with my classmates and to feel that I have helped them achieve their objectives as well.

Jean-Baptiste de Harenne 

IESE Business School  

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Proud dad of two boys; Energy, waste, local industry and social impact enthusiast; Multilingual.

Hometown: Chiny, Belgium

Fun Fact About Yourself: This question is the one that took me the longest time to answer… At times I can be very undecided. So to avoid unnecessary decision-making when looking at the sandwich bar menu, I always tend to order “the same.”

Undergraduate School and Major: Bachelor and Master in Mechanical Engineering, Université catholique de Louvain (Belgium)

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

• Technical Director at BarajiiGroup, the beverages business unit of impact investing company Durabilis. It is based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (West Africa). While giving work to a thousand people, we were producing and selling high quality beverages in pouches at an affordable rate for a low-income population.
• Consultant at n-Side, management consulting company (Belgium)

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest professional achievement is my story of the last four years. My wife and I were just married and wanted to make our skills useful in developing countries. I found a job in Burkina Faso (West Africa) for a Belgian impact investing company (Durabilis). It was supposed to last for one or two years, but it turned out to be not only a fantastic family experience, but also a very rewarding professional challenge.

Whereas I had almost no professional managerial experience before this, I gradually took over the management of the production department of the factory, leading more than 300 hand workers and a staff of 25 technicians. With my production team, we substantially improved performance while creating an inclusive and fun environment.

I consider it my biggest accomplishment not just because of these numbers, but because of the quality of the relationships I developed with the local team.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Be prepared! Not only for the GMAT (which, by the way, is not a guarantee for admission to any school), but for each piece of the puzzle. In this process, I recommend contacting as many people as you can with meaningful questions. You can learn a lot more from a 10 minute chat with the right person, than by reading a 200 page book. Reach out to alumni and the admissions of different programs.

I did not have the chance to visit campuses before applying, but I recommend that you gather as many contacts and connections of the schools on your wish list before choosing. It is difficult to form a sound opinion about which program is right for you without feeling the atmosphere of the place (whether you are able to do it through a visit, a call, or a chat).

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? Among other factors, I was attracted to the opportunity to have a learning experience abroad through an international exchange or elective modules in the second year. I’m really interested in new languages and cultures, but intend to stay in Europe in the long run. I therefore wanted to put emphasis on the creation of a more European network for the 2-year experience, while appreciating the opportunity of a shorter exchange, for example, to the US.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school?  Success would be friends and a happy family in Barcelona! Doing an MBA while married and a father is a challenge for the whole family. In this situation, you do not want anyone to feel neglected, so I want to make sure that they enjoy their time in Barcelona as much as I do.  Of course, the feeling of success will be complete if I secure an internship in a new field (waste-to-energy start-up or consultancy) for the summer.

Ryan Fritsch 

IESE Business School 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Bomb suit to business suits: Impact driven veteran striving to make his mark in business

Hometown: Edwardsville, IL

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am an avid beer homebrewer with a keen interest in brewing science and the brewing industry.

Undergraduate Major/Graduate Degree: 

Bachelor of Science in Business with a Concentration in Finance

Southern Illinois University: Master of Business Administration

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: I spent nearly 10 years in the US Navy as a bomb defusal expert, or Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician (EOD). After two years of training and five years of deploying around the world, I spent my final three years in the military at the Navy’s school for Explosive Ordnance Disposal as a bomb defusal/demolition instructor, where I taught and evaluated candidates from all branches of the US military (as well as members from 96 additional countries).

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: In my career, I have gone from advising foreign militaries throughout the Middle East and Southeast Asia while responding to bomb threats to traveling to Vietnam to assist in the search and recovery of the remains of US service members who went missing during the Vietnam War. During this time, I have had countless moments as a bomb defusal expert that I am proud to say that I was a part of. The training and deployments for EOD operations, as well as the duties of an EOD instructor were incredibly difficult, but also immensely rewarding. I have been fortunate to be a part of a small but incredibly brave community of men and women who undoubtedly change and save lives.

One accomplishment that stands out in my memory, however, is because it was not part of my regular duties as a bomb expert. The military has a bone marrow and stem cell donor program called the C.W. Bill Young Department of Defense Marrow Donor Program, also known as the Salute to Life, which links military members to those in need of a bone marrow or stem cell donation. Almost two years ago, I was contacted that I was a potential stem cell match for a 52-year-old Marine Corps veteran suffering from  Leukemia. My sister had recently passed away from cancer, so the opportunity to potentially save his life was something I simply could not turn down. After all the necessary tests were complete, the necessary steps were taken to withdraw the stem cells they needed for the donation and subsequent transplant. At that point, I had not spoken to my potential recipient, nor did I know his name. It is the organization’s policy to provide you with regular updates, but contact between the donor and recipient is restricted until one year after the transplant.

A few months ago, I had the chance to meet my stem cell recipient, who is now cancer free. To hear someone, along with their family, thank you for saving his life is a moment I will never forget. While I was just one small piece of his treatment, from the medical staff to the program coordination and logistics team, I am very lucky that I could help this fellow veteran and his family, and am very happy the military has such a program to help these individuals in need.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Everyone who has been to business school can provide a myriad of tips on business school applications. It is obvious that topics such as GMAT prep and essay and resume writing are essential. However, a topic that is often overlooked is “fit.” Determining which school or schools you feel fit your personality, wants, and goals is paramount.

Many applicants feel overwhelmed by this topic, as it can be difficult to grasp the concept of fit initially. However, an important first step is to take time for personal reflection. If you cannot adequately describe who you are, where you came from, what you want to accomplish during your MBA, and what you want to do post-MBA, it is quite difficult to complete a business school application, let alone an application to a school that compliments who you are. This is often not a short process and will continue to develop throughout your business school research.

From the business school side, you must go beyond the school website to determine if you fit with the school, and vice versa. Talk to current students and alumni. If who you are and what you want closely aligns with these individuals, this is a positive indicator for potential fit. Additionally, physically going to the school is incredibly important. Visiting the school, even for only one day, can provide key insights on if that school is the right fit. Every school has its own distinct personality, and it is important to see and understand these distinctions.

The reason fit is important is two-fold. First, admissions staffers are looking for students who fit the personality of the program, and they are very good at what they do. It is apparent to them if you have done your research on the school, but also if you are genuinely passionate about their MBA program. Second, you will spend, normally, nearly two years of your life in that MBA program, often moving to attend. If you have not experienced the school first-hand, you cannot pick the program where you will thrive the most once the acceptance letters arrive. There are plenty of outstanding programs, but finding the program that makes you the happiest and the most motivated will push you to become the best version of yourself.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you?  I have spent most of my adult life working in foreign countries or working alongside foreign counterparts. Working abroad and learning about other cultures is something I am very passionate about. I wanted my transition out of the military and into business to follow the same trajectory. With that in mind, I cannot overstate how truly international IESE’s MBA program is. Moving to Barcelona, learning Spanish in the Business Spanish Program, and being part of a program in which 84% of the class hails from a country other than Spain is truly an international experience. For anyone who plans to pursue a career with an international focus, IESE is an outstanding choice.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? Many MBA candidates weigh the success of their first year on their summer internship. While every MBA candidate hopes to find the “perfect” internship for the summer, IESE’s program, matched with its Career Services, make this possibility much more attainable. With that in mind, I will evaluate my first-year success based on my ability to give back. First, I hope to bring IESE to the forefront of military veteran’s minds who are wishing to pursue an MBA. Veterans have a unique set of skills and experiences and often vast international exposure, which pairs very well with IESE. I plan to work with admissions and the Ambassador’s club to market IESE to veterans, and hopefully see the number of veteran applicants double for the MBA Class of 2020, if not more. Also, as social impact is something I feel is very important, I am hoping to capitalize on IESE’s resources, as well as current students, on advancing social impact missions, such as potentially providing nonprofit consultancy for a nonprofit in Haiti I worked alongside previously.

Chao Jin 

IESE Business School 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: I´ve measured the earth by diving in sea and sky (-40m, 4000m)

Hometown: Beijing, China

Fun Fact About Yourself:  I spent half a year’s salary on a professional astronomical telescope, but I´ve seldom had the chance to use it because of the heavy haze in Beijing.

Undergraduate School and Major: 

Beijing University of Post and Telecommunications

Bachelor’s Degree, Automation

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

Faraday Future, Strategy Manager

Jaguar Land Rover, Marketing Manager

BMW, Marketing Senior Specialist

Lenovo, Project Leader

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Led the automotive industry´s first-ever “Blind purchase” (meaning pre-sales without a prototype car and sticker price) project, which resulted in more than 300 orders and generated $2.5M dollars in revenue before the launch of the prototype.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Be confident and show yourself. Your behavior during the interview and the assessment day is what matters most!

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? I am interested in working in Europe and exploring the market here, so the opportunity to take an internship during the IESE MBA was a big draw compared to other European business schools. Plus the collaborative culture here really helped encourage me to be confident in finding a dream job.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? Supplement my knowledge in the short term, while having a confident and clear future direction.

Julie Jin 

IESE Business School 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Striving to fast forward gender parity, travel the world, and make people laugh.

Hometown: San Diego, CA

Fun Fact About Yourself: I have an uncommon hobby – making cosmetics and personal care products like lip balms, soaps or body butter bars. I don’t know what it is, but everything from pouring the wax to stirring in the colors and scents is just so soothing. Pro tip: Cocoa powder makes for a really awkward texture and color on application.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of California – Berkeley, Economics

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Staff Through Manager at Ernst & Young in Munich, Germany

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My proudest accomplishment is my fast track to manager (less than four years instead of the typical five to six). However, my most meaningful accomplishment is the bond I have with my teams. When I started with the firm, it was quite common for my teams to have one large party or dinner after every project; all the team building was concentrated at the end after an engagement was already over. As a senior, I started planning events during the week like rock climbing, beer garden trips, or just a casual dinner. I also tried to make coming in on Saturdays more fun by organizing brunches. These events not only improved morale, but made us more efficient as a team as this closeness made it easier to ask for help since we were vested in each others’ development. Plus, we would work harder in order to continue scheduling these fun events. These bonds are something that will enrich me for life – in fact, one team has already planned their next team event in Barcelona!

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Recommendations are the only part of the application that are not 100% under your control, so it is essential to give your recommenders adequate time to prepare meaningful responses, and to make sure they are prepared for the task. They may be your greatest fan, but it is not a given that they will know how to put that down on paper. You should not be afraid to sit down with them to share some advice on how to write good recommendations. Show them the STAR model, or go over some big projects you worked on together. Their recommendations will be much more meaningful if they can deep dive into some examples of how you are a good leader, team player, whatever, versus just listing a bunch of traits. Depending on your relationship with them (hopefully great!), consider sharing your entire application, motivation for the MBA, and career goals so that they see the overall big picture and know where they can add value.  For more tips, read “Wrangling Great Recommendations” from Poets & Quants. Last but not least, once they have successfully submitted everything, do not forget that hand written thank you card or small gift depending on your culture.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? “IESE is committed to the development of leaders who aspire to have a deep, positive and lasting impact on people, firms and society; to inspiring leaders to work with a spirit of service and integrity, basing their actions on the highest standards of professionalism and accountability; and to educating leaders to whom we can confidently entrust the future of business and society.”

Wow, right? Every top MBA program will prepare you for a future leadership position, but what really sets IESE apart is how the desire to make a positive impact is tangible in every student. Let me give you an example. As part of IESE’s admissions process, you may be invited to an Assessment Day on campus, where you are placed into small teams to prepare and pitch a business idea in just a few hours. Applicants are not only competing for admissions, but also scholarships. Hunger games, right? Actually, the complete opposite… I believe the most commonly said phrase that day was “And ___, what do you think?” Also, IESE hosts the largest student run conference in Europe called Doing Good Doing Well. The people that come to IESE want to make an impact that will make the world a better place, and that was a key factor for me.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? In a perfect world, I would have helped the Women in Business club plan some events, landed the summer internship of my dreams, and be able to speak a decent level of Spanish. Did I mention IESE has a wonderful business Spanish program that’s free for students and integrated into the MBA?

But it’s only day four and I’ve already read 12 cases, danced until 3:00am (not a good idea with 8:30am classes), had four hours of business Spanish, been to three career services or club events, and somehow found time to call my mom. At this point, maybe simply survival would be success…

Kateryna Markova 

IESE Business School 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Confident and pragmatic woman, who prefers a logical and rational approach in everything I do.

Hometown: Kiev, Ukraine

Fun Fact About Yourself: I can’t stop buying books! Last time I went to a bookshop I had to hail a taxi because I couldn´t carry everything on my own.

Undergraduate School and Major: 

Kyiv National Economics University

Master’s Degree, Information systems and technologies

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

LG Electronics – Junior Logistics Specialist to Junior Demand Planner

Danone – Demand Planner -> Demand Planning Manager -> Supply and Production Planning Manager 

Imperial Tobacco – Market Intelligence Analyst -> Operational Planning Manager

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: As a supply manager, I led a project of process optimization in the planning department. The aim was to bring together people from different functions to create one strong team to revise working processes. It was a challenging to motivate such a diverse team, and get them to work together to contribute to common goal. But the team ended up being amazing and we overachieved all our KPIs. Moreover, the process optimization helped to reduce by eight times the level of expired goods in the company, saving the company millions each year.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants?  Just do it. Every MBA student failed at least once during the application process. Don’t let these failures demotivate you or ruin your confidence. If you don’t achieve the expected results on the GMAT or whatever, try and try again. Yes, it is not easy to get into your dream school, but everything depends only on you.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? I chose this program because I wanted to study in a diverse class and IESE gives me this opportunity. There are people from nearly 60 different counties in my class. This diversity helps us learn to look at familiar situations with fresh eyes and different viewpoints. This is important for me because I want to become a leader who can evaluate situations from different perspectives.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? The most difficult aspect of the first year of the MBA is to set priorities: study, the search for the right internship, balance commitments to family, friends etc. You suddenly realize that time is your main limitation factor and you just can’t be everywhere at once. Therefore, the measure of success for me after my first year will be the achievement of all my goals with no regret about missing something.

Christin Monville 

IESE Business School 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Structured out-of-the-box thinker with a big passion for food.

Hometown: Bremen, Germany

Fun Fact About Yourself: After my studies in food science, I can no longer eat chicken.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Hohenheim, Germany, MSc. Food Science and Engineerin

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Nestlé, Project Manager in Product Development

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Organizing nine consumer tests in three countries simultaneously.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants?  Start your preparation for the GMAT early (especially if you are working at the same time.) It is better to prepare for one hour per day for six months, than try to push for it within three months.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you?  I first I got in contact with IESE´s admission directors during a MBA fair in Frankfurt; I felt the passion they had for IESE and was inspired by their enthusiasm. When I visited the school in the spring, I felt that same passion come through in my talks to alumni and students. I knew that I wanted to surround myself on the MBA with people who are just as enthusiastic and committed as I am, so these conversations helped convince me that IESE was the way to go. I now know that I made the right choice and that the IESE MBA will be one of the greatest experiences in my life.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? I will be successful when I am able to approach problems by applying the different business perspectives I´ve learned from my classmates.

Marta Valcarcel Fernandez 

IESE Business School 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less:  Thoughtful, trustworthy, optimistic and hardworking, with an insatiable intellectual curiosity

Hometown:  Lugo, Spain

Fun Fact About Yourself:  I always step into new places with my right foot, just in case!

Undergraduate School and Major:  Universidad Pontificia de Comillas, ICAI – Industrial Engineering

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: 

Enagas – Strategy and Market Analysis

KPMG – Manager, Energy Economics and Regulation

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My most significant career accomplishment thus far came when I earned a fast-track promotion at KMPG, rising from Junior Consultant to Manager in three years rather than the standard six. This was the icing on the cake for a period of continuous professional and personal self-improvement.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? The most valuable piece of advice I can give you is to take some time to figure out what you want to get out of your MBA and to do some in-depth research into the different programs. All top MBAs are fabulous, though some might be a better fit for your profile and career goals than others, so identify them!

I cannot stress enough how helpful it is at this stage in the process to speak with the representatives from each school. Besides going through the program catalogue, employment reports, etc. do try to attend the events and contact alumni and students. This initial process of self-reflection and assessment of the MBA programs that are out there will also help you to develop a compelling narrative to use when writing your application essays and will make you a more convincing candidate in the admissions interview. Going through the steps of learning about each school will help bring out your uniqueness, your aspirations and the reasons why the school you are applying to is a good fit for you.

As for the GMAT, I would recommend starting to practice with real exam questions as early as possible. Carefully go over the answers to questions – even those you got right – looking for the most efficient way to solve them. Don’t get discouraged if your results aren’t what you want them to be at first; you’ll get better in time, so practice, practice, practice…

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? One key factor that led me to choose IESE was its collaborative and supportive culture. I strongly believe that personal and professional experiences are influenced tremendously by the people who surround you. So the first thing I did when I decided to pursue an MBA was to contact students and alumni from different top schools to get a grasp of the culture of each program. At some point in the conversation, I asked all these people the same question: what do you value or what did you enjoy the most in your MBA experience? One way or another, everyone from IESE mentioned the people they had met and the collaborative environment at the school. Indeed, the generosity these people shown by offering me help and advice made it clear that support and community were real values of the institution. I am someone who thrives in cooperative settings, and I realized that IESE could provide me with the environment I was searching for.

 What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? I hope to reach three important milestones by the end of my first year. First, I would like to acquire a solid foundation in business that can complement my engineering background. Second, I would like to take part in a dynamic work environment that allows me to keep pushing my limits during the summer-long internship. And, last but not least, I aim to enjoy this ride alongside all the new people I am about to meet this year!

 

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