2016 MBAs To Watch: Céline Oghittu, IE Business School

Céline Oghittu

 

IE Business School

Age: 30

Hometown: Marseille, France

Undergraduate School and Degree: Master of Science, SUPELEC

 

Where did you work before enrolling in business school? I was project engineer at ADWEN (AREVA-GAMESA joint venture in offshore wind energy)

Where did you intern during the summer of 2015? I went to Ethiopia for a volunteer mission with IE and Kinetico, a water treatment company.

Where will you be working after graduation? Probably at Expedia as revenue and customer manager.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: The objectives of my mission in Adwa, Ethiopia, were to provide lessons to children on water, sanitation and hygiene and to research business opportunities for Kinetico. I am currently doing my impact project on that topic, to install water kiosks in Ethiopia and make them sustainable.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am the most proud of my volunteer mission in Ethiopia. I hope that the development of the water kiosks, on which I am working on with my team, will become real.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I am most proud of my impact on the environment by working on renewable energy projects such as the construction of a biomass power plant and the development of wind offshore factories.

Who is your favorite professor? My favorite professor is Milo Jones. His course “Geopolitics: The Four Drivers of Strategy” and his way of talking made me think about my role and my impact in the world.

Favorite MBA Courses? Geopolitics, Technology and Business Strategy, Corporate Governance in practice.

Why did you choose this business school? I was looking for a one-year program with a top 15 ranking worldwide that was localized out of my home country and focused on innovation and entrepreneurship.

What did you enjoy most about business school? I enjoyed being in an intake with 66 different nationalities and having international professors.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from business school? The biggest lesson that I gained is that to be happy, we have to work for something that we love. The culture and the values of a company are the most important.

What was the most surprising thing about business school? To me, the most surprising thing was to work with several different groups. First, it allows me to work with individuals who have a different culture and a different background on the same topic. It is interesting and worthy to share a variety of approaches. Second, it allows us to know ourselves better by testing our management skills with a group and having the opportunity to adapt them the next time.

What was the hardest part of business school? The hardest part was the first month because you don’t know anyone and you have to participate in class. You are not familiar with some technical courses and you are not comfortable with new requirements (readings, deliverables, schedule).

What’s your best advice to an applicant to your school? My best advice will be to meet people and to not stay with a small group of individuals that you appreciate.

“I knew I wanted to go to business school when…I had started at engineering school and realized that leadership was missing in my education.”

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…struggling to change my position from engineer to manager.”

Which executive or entrepreneur do you most admire: I don’t have one in particular. I admire all people who are ambitious and make efforts to achieve their dreams. I think that the entrepreneurs to admire are not necessarily the most famous but are instead the everyday entrepreneurs who are doing their best and taking risks to have a positive impact.

What are your long-term professional goals? To have my own business – probably in e-commerce.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? My family for its support and trust.

Fun fact about yourself: I have participated in some dance classes like Bollywood and Oriental dance to try to be more flexible and faster…I still have a big margin of improvement!

Favorite book: Conquering the impossible by Mike Horn

Favorite movie: The Big Blue by Luc Besson

Favorite musical performer: Stromae

Favorite television show: “Kho-Lanta”

Favorite vacation spot: The Alps

Hobbies? Sports, in particular swimming, running and hiking

What made Céline such an invaluable addition to the class of 2016?

“Céline is one of those students who are vital to our student body. She is a team player, hardworking and always with a positive attitude, looking to support and motivate others. She offers a unique insight to his peers given her past work experience, especially working on a drilling well in Yemen. However, her true passion is making a positive impact in the environment and our society. Motivated by a trip to Ethiopia that she took as part of her IMBA classes, Céline decided to continue the work she started there by creating her own “Impact Project” to bring water kiosks to rural areas in Africa. This makes Céline unique and a true example to our current and future MBA students.”

Erik Schie

Associate Dean of the MBA

IE Business School

DON’T MISS: 2016 MBAs TO WATCH

DON’T MISS: CLASS OF 2016: THE BEST & BRIGHTEST GRADUATING MBAS