Meet the HEC Paris MBA Class Of 2019

Jean-Paul Ntungicimpaye  

HEC Paris 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less:  Proudly African with full belief in the continent’s potential and hope to be contributor in advancing it further.

Hometown: Bujumbura, Burundi

Fun Fact About Yourself:  My parents named me after the late Pope as I was born way past my expected due date and I ended up coming out the day the Pope made his first visit to Burundi….bringing new meaning to the phrase “Thank the Pope”

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Cape Town, BSc in Electrical Engineering

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

Step Advisory: A boutique management consulting firm based in Johannesburg

  • Senior Associate
  • Associate
  • Articled-associate

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I have had the luxury of working in several diverse industries through my consulting work while also taking on large responsibilities early on in my career, I would consider this journey as my biggest achievement. However, if I was to single out one specific achievement, it would be running a project that focused on formulating a commercial strategy and target operating model for one of South Africa’s most respected financial institutions.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants?  The most important piece of the advice to future business school applicants would be this:  Take your time when preparing your applications.

Start preparing and writing your GMAT exams a year in advance, as this will leave you with enough time to re-take if necessary and provide you with the flexibility to navigate your everyday responsibilities as well as any unexpected emergencies. In the terms of study resources, there is a wide array to choose from which can be intimidating. However, most study materials are at a high standard, so rather commit to one or two resources instead of spreading yourself thin by taking on an unnecessary workload.

An integral part of your applications are your essays. Try not to rush this process as these essays are a platform to let the admission committee gain insights into your motivations and ambitions for pursuing an MBA program. These are aspects that one cannot gauge from looking at a CV or a GMAT score. Finally, make sure to find reviewers that know you well. I found it highly valuable to have a sounding board who could provide me with honest feedback as well as point out aspects that I may have overlooked.   

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? A business school’s reputation for building top business leaders was a key consideration when selecting HEC Paris as my preferred destination.

With a deep history in forming many of the past and current business leaders, HEC Paris has built a globally recognised track record. Upon further research, I was excited to test and develop myself in an environment that placed such strong value in developing our leadership skills. Initiatives such as the leadership seminar at Saint-Cyr or the student-run MBAT tournament all form part of HEC Paris’ unique leadership development program, which will be an opportunity for me to test my leadership skills while also learning from my fellow classmates.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school?  A successful first year at the HEC Paris MBA would be to have formed close bonds with many of my classmates, by collaborating in the classroom or through our involvement in the student-run clubs.

Academically, I hope to have developed my business acumen after going through the core-course phase of the program and starting to delve deeper into my specialisation. And finally, I hope to have made an impact on my classmates by providing them with a unique perspective and by challenging each other as we go on this business school journey.