Where are you from?
I was born in Denmark, but am currently working in Germany.
What professional experience have you had prior to studying at Copenhagen Business School (CBS)?
Quite a lot, actually! After high school I joined the army for three years, then I started working for the Maersk Group, and then when I was 28 I moved to Human Resources for the Nic. Christiansen Gruppen (an importer and retailer of cars and spare parts).
In the meantime, I was studying part-time to take my graduate diploma.
Your career seemed to be developing very well. What were your reasons to get back to school?
I‘ve always wanted to do an MBA at some point. I’ve been discussing this for several years, and initially was keen to do it part-time. But my friends told me that combining your studies with both job and family can be difficult, and that you risk not having time to study in-depth.
What factors were important to you when searching for the right program?
Firstly, I wanted to study in a very international environment: 80 per cent of the student body at Copenhagen Business School come from outside Denmark. In 2009, I had the opportunity to talk to people who had studied at CBS, and they explained that, from a theoretical point of view, it doesn’t matter where you study, but the school matters for its network. I knew I wanted an international one.
At the same time, accreditation is really important. Your school needs to be at a certain academic standard. You can find business schools where it doesn’t take too much to enrol on an MBA. CBS is the best school in Denmark and I’ve honestly never worked so hard for 11 months as I did there
What was your application process like?
Simple. I got all the information about the requirements for admission, and had the chance to visit the school. I also sat in on some classes. Then I had an interview with the director of the full-time MBA. I wasn’t the youngest student in the class, and they wanted to make sure that I would contribute to the class.
MBA classes at Copenhagen Business School are pretty small, with less than 50 people, so they have to make sure that the people that are selected can actually bring something to the table. For me, this was confirmation of the quality of the school.
What was your favourite aspect of the CBS MBA?
There were two: first of all, the fact that the school attracts people with twenty-one different nationalities: it’s a huge learning opportunity.
I worked in a group with an Indian and a Brazilian, for example, and this was an experience that I had never had. I still keep in touch with some of my classmates.
Secondly, at the academic level. I’ve always read articles and papers, but at the end of my year at CBS, I felt I had learnt something new.
And what was the most challenging aspect?
I don’t remember having worked so hard before: I wanted to get the most out of the programme.
What was your favourite class?
There were so many! I really liked Corporate Finance, Marketing, and Change Management classes.
I also enjoyed the three-month Integrated Strategy Project (ISP): we worked for a company that actually expected us to deliver projects.
Has your work experience helped you in your MBA?
Yes, I had worked in different roles and different sectors for fifteen years, and I relied on all these experiences in the discussions we had in class.
What has been your favourite memory of CBS?
I have many: one of them is the MBA case competition, because I won it! Another was the Integrated Strategy Project, which allowed us to see the difference between the theoretical approach to running a company, and the actual one.
What are you doing now?
I’m working as a Senior HR Director for a growing company that is reaching an international scale. It’s exciting, because my decisions have a big impact on the company.
Lastly, what advice will you give to prospective MBA students?
Work hard, and have fun. But mostly, work hard!
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