Meet the IESE MBA Class of 2018

Coralie Vaissié

IESE Business School

Describe yourself in 15 words or less:  French Singaporean baby became: English economist, technology enthusiast, management consultant, lifelong learner and avid tango/salsa dancer.

Hometown: London, United Kingdom

Fun Fact About Yourself: I was trapped in quicksand in Thailand as a teenager.

Undergraduate School and Major: London School of Economics and Political Science (BSc Economics); Sciences Po Paris (Masters in International Economic Policy)

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Capgemini Consulting, The Economist Intelligence Unit and Apple.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: On my last project working for the UK Government my manager left unexpectedly just before our assignment was about to go-live. The client employed two Big 4 consultancies on this mission, so my project-team was not solely composed of Capgemini colleagues.

When my manager left, I collaborated with my colleague to split project management responsibilities and led the team to the project’s conclusion. I had to juggle overseeing the work of three consultants and acted as the client face-off. I had to quickly become a subject matter expert and take over the stakeholder engagement responsibilities. I also had to meet the various client teams spread across the countries and facilitate the workshops my manager has been leading on.

Having two rival consultancies on the ground working on the same project was challenging and conflicts of interests were rife. Nonetheless, we adapted our styles of working and cultural differences as a team to ensure we delivered consistent value to the client.

Working collaboratively as a group was probably the most crucial element ensuring the successful rollout of the project. I was the most senior person on the team but felt that a very flat hierarchical structure in which constructive feedback was welcome would be the most effective strategy to appease the growing tensions within the group. For that, I facilitated the regular team catch-ups, threading carefully not to micromanage anyone but also making sure I listened to each team member’s updates, progress and concerns.

The challenge described above had a very positive outcome of which I am proud. We identified sales force optimization as an opportunity for sell-on. I was invited to present our findings to the client CEO. The outcome earned me the partners’ trust and more leadership opportunities.

As a result of my contribution to the firm’s development and of my performance on my projects, I was promoted out of cycle after 18 months (average 24 months).

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to future business school applicants? Start early! Applying to an MBA takes time, from deciding which school to apply to, to attending the various admissions events, prepping and passing the GMAT to the interview as well as looking into scholarship options. It took me 12 months from start to finish, but definitely worth the effort!

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? The people I met throughout the admissions process, the School’s ethos & values, the possibility of having a dual degree (English / Spanish) at the end of the program and having the unique opportunity of living in Barcelona for the first time.

Tell us about your dream job or dream employer at this point in your life? I aspire to a leadership role in the field of digital healthcare. I want to set up or join a social business startup focusing on utilizing the continuous avalanche of emerging technologies, business models and innovations to improve access to healthcare in large metropolis. A revolution is tacking place with the proliferation of new business models that seek both profits and social impact, and I seek to be at the forefront of it.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program? I would like IESE to be able to witness and say with confidence that the MBA program truly helped me to grow and transform both on a personal and professional level. Post-MBA, I want to have developed the necessary skills as well as the required resilience I will need in my future career to take my career as a woman in business to the next level.

DON’T MISS: THE ENTIRE CLASS OF 2018 SERIES