MBA Solvay Best Student of the year 2010, Interview!
The MBA Solvay class 2010 “just graduated” on July 3: 47 students, with 26 nationalities, 23 languages and 81% of non-local participants.
Even this year, the MBA Solvay really positions itself as an international Master in Business Administration in the heart of Europe, the best place to start a global career. Saturday 3th July 2010 was indeed unique for many people in Brussels. This year again, on that particular day, the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management contributed to the creation of the top business Belgian professionals, making the network of MBA Solvay alumni wider, stronger and more diversified than ever.
But maybe for two people this particular moment was even more special…..We have interviewed the 2 students who had been awarded the BEST MBA SOLVAY STUDENT 2010 diploma: Rie Werner (Ft) and Erik Vennekens (Pt) who both graduated with high honors!
First of all, congratulations to both! We would like to know more about the life of our best students of this year.
How did you manage to combine your private lives together with the considerable academic workload you had to face during your MBA?
Erik: Which private life? Just joking. I must admit that some of the people around me were wondering whether I was still alive at certain moments. But thanks to the organization of the courses in blocks of two months and in concentrated periods within those two months, there were still quite some moments where I could pick up other activities besides the MBA. I must say that I most admire the people in my class who combined a full time job, the MBA and a new born in the family. Hat off to them!
Rie: The MBA was an intense experience; no doubt about that. For my part, I was privileged to have an encouraging husband and a flexible babysitter. At the same time, it was important for me to still have other activities outside the MBA like running or seeing friends for dinner. I used these moments to fresh my mind and reload my batteries
What is your recipe for “the best in class”? Any suggestions for future participants?
Erik: Help yourself by helping the people around you. I personally came to the most interesting insights by discussing with my classmates. The interaction is most crucial. Never step away from sharing with others what you have worked on or discovered. This will open up new opportunities for interesting discussions and insights.
Rie: We are all different and everybody needs to find his or her own way. My advice, however, would be: Stay curious, open and jump into the MBA experience with both feet. Listen and ask questions. Dare to take your stand and to challenge yourself. And keep in mind that the MBA takes a good deal of self discipline, persistence, and planning.
You just graduated from the MBA Solvay: What do you think you will bring with you? Which “lesson” you will mostly keep in your life?
Erik: Apart from the interesting and enriching panoply of new hard skills I have learned, I have been submerged in a bath of intercultural differences. For me this was the first time I worked on projects with non-Europeans. This was a very enriching experience. You could say that you don’t need an MBA for this, but I would disagree with that. The MBA creates a setting where you need to achieve but where you can also experiment, which is quite unique.
Rie: The MBA has been a great experience. I have gained a lot of new insights both professionally and personally. The MBA definitely has changed my way of thinking in several ways. If I should mention one “key lesson”, it would be that “everything is possible”. Instead of focusing on problems or obstacles, the Solvay MBA encourages to see the opportunities in every situation; to raise questions, seek advice and to challenge the assumptions or the rules of the game.
How did you life change with this MBA?
Erik: These two years have definitely changed the way I look at the functioning of a company and, in a broader perspective, at society. My original background is of a technical nature, so things like NPV and five forces were completely off my radar before the MBA. I feel I have a much completer look at the way a company works. This has definitely changed the way I function professionally. It has helped me to better understand the needs of my colleagues and thus increased the transversality of my approach.
In terms of self-development I have discovered the power of the “work hard, play hard” approach. Although known to me on paper, I had never really put it to practice. For me work was work, basta. The MBA (and my fellow students of course) forced me to change my view on this in a very natural way and I am very happy with the result.
Rie: One of the strengths of the Solvay MBA is the diversity, both in terms of nationalities, backgrounds and experiences. During the last year, I have come to appreciate this diversity. I have learned to take the time to listen, understand and proactively seek other perspectives before taking important decisions.
Having done some aftermaths, would you recommend this MBA to any friends, colleagues..etc..? And what would you suggest them to benefit the most from?
Erik: I would definitely recommend it to others. I have found the quality of the professors exceptional and very refreshing. The fact that this program brings together top lecturers from all over the world adds a big plus. What also sets this program apart from others is the intensive coaching on a personal level. High quality feedback is given on a personal basis, both on the side of group interaction and on the side of career development. This program really takes the time and effort to allow you to advance on your personal development.
Rie: Actually, I did just recommend the Solvay MBA to a friend who will start the programme next year. Based on my experience, I gave her 3 pieces of advice:
1) Make sure to prioritize the personal development pillar and the CAP – despite tons of other deadlines. Personally, I learned a lot about my own strengths, weaknesses, motivations, drive and ambitions. And I got some useful tools that I can use for the rest of my life
2) Remember that the probably most important lessons are learned not inside the class room but in interaction with your class mates
3) Enjoy and have fun! The MBA-year passes by too quickly!
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