Meet IMD’s MBA Class Of 2018

Lauren Hasek

IMD Business School

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: I’m an American who has worked in 7 sub-Saharan African countries in 5 years. I’m an avid runner and altitude enthusiast in pursuit of good food in hard to reach places.

Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio

Fun Fact About Yourself: I’ve summited the highest peaks (mountains) in North, East, and Southern Africa and raced triathlons on two continents. 

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Pittsburgh, BSc Neuroscience and BA Political Science

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

Clinton Health Access Initiative, Senior Associate, Global Markets Team

Clinton Health Access Initiative, Project Manager, Nutrition Initiative

Clinton Health Access Initiative, Associate, Operations and Strategy

Eniware LLC, Research Assistant

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I worked for a global health non-profit specializing in market-shaping for pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. In 2017, I took 58 trips to 14 countries to design the implementation of a new diagnostic supplier that will improve the quality of the service while reducing the cost by up to 40%. My job placed me at the intersection of governments, government partners, and industry. My role was to help companies establish a market footprint in low- and middle-income countries in return for preferential prices and contract terms.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? The better you know what you want to gain from an MBA, the better you can target schools that cater to that.

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? I selected IMD for the intensity of its one-year MBA program that will pressure test my abilities to lead and excel in highly demanding environments. IMD feels like the United Nations of business schools. The small but highly diverse class facilitates deep connections across a broad range of cultures and professional experiences.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? One example of success would be working for an international company, looking to expand their footprint into frontier and emerging markets.