Felipe Quaassdorff

Washington University, Olin Business School in St. Louis

“Optimistic and perseverant. Love chatting about investments, business ideas, and discovering new sports or activities.”

Hometown: Santiago, Chile

Fun Fact About Yourself: One of my favorite hobbies is surfing, but I live in the Midwest (my goal is to surf in Lake Michigan in winter).

Undergraduate School and Major: Universidad de Chile, Business and Economics

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Inversiones Security, Investment Portfolio Manager

What has been your favorite part of St. Louis so far? What makes St. Louis such a great place to earn an MBA? One of my favorite places in St Louis is Forest Park. It’s a vast and beautiful park in the middle of the city, in which you can run or bike every day, learn to play golf at a very affordable price, visit some of the wonderful free museums, and even go to concerts during some weekends. St Louis is an attractive place to earn an MBA because it is an affordable city and hosts many big companies’ headquarters, such as Edward Jones, Bunge, RGA, Emerson Electric and Wells Fargo Advisors, offering great professional opportunities.

You completed your Global Immersion earlier this year? What was the best part of the immersion experience for you? What was the biggest takeaway you gained? Working in the field in Barcelona to understand the local culture, habits, and cuisine was an extraordinary way to comprehend the differences in how to plan a business in other countries. The biggest takeaway from the experience was a unique experience of teamwork, leadership, and collaboration. Working intensively with professionals from different backgrounds and countries for more than ten days creates an outstanding work environment that makes the experience even more challenging and rewarding.

Aside from your immersion and classmates, what was the key part of Washington Olin’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I would highlight three factors: the entrepreneurial vision, the quality and closeness of the faculty, and the small size of cohorts. WashU is recognized as an institution that promotes and guides entrepreneurs to be successful, and there are always opportunities to develop your business ideas. The quality of the faculty is incredible, but I value most how close the professors are when you need help or advice. You can send an email, and they are receptive to meeting with you and helping you. Finally, the small size of cohorts helps create a solid relationship with most of your classmates and a close-knit community of MBA alumni.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Washington Olin? My favorite course so far is Power and Politics in the Organization. There are many instances in which we do not play our cards properly inside and outside a company. This course shows how these forces (power and politics) play a vital role when making decisions, launching projects, asking for a promotion or almost any crucial aspect in the workplace.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My favorite career accomplishment is getting the CFA designation while working full-time. It demands persistence and commitment for at least two years, but the effort has its payoff by passing the three tests. It is a rewarding experience because of all the knowledge you gain from broad topics in investments and finance, all the people you meet in the CFA societies, and its worldwide recognition. St Louis is not the exception; many professors at WashU Olin hold the CFA certification and are active members of the CFA Society, creating networking opportunities for WashU students or CFA candidates.

Describe your biggest achievement in the MBA program so far: Our team qualified for the Semifinals in the MIPC (McGill International Portfolio Challenge) case competition in Montreal. I was awarded a prize for being one of the best speakers in the semifinals. 

What has been your best memory as an MBA so far? More than a particular memory, the best part of my MBA experience has been all the new friends and people I have met so far from every part of the world and many of our experiences together (Washington, Barcelona, networking events, social events, classes).

DON’T MISS: MEET WASHINGTON OLIN’S MBA CLASS OF 2025