Brendan George Raubenheimer

HEC Paris

“I’m a gregarious, fun-loving adventurer. Always up for trying something new.”

Hometown: Cape Town, South Africa

Fun Fact About Yourself: I sported a moustache for a large portion of my university years.

Undergraduate School and Major: UCT – B.Com Finance & Economics

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Tyto Property Developers – Project Manager

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Keeping our most recent project going after our contractor liquidated halfway through.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? I haven’t met any yet, but judging from the WhatsApp group activity they’re friendly and outspoken.

Aside from your classmates, 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? The diversity of the class and the adaptability of the curriculum.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? Rugby and Football clubs, and the wine society.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? Why should I be chosen over other applicants?

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? It had always been in my plans and the timing was perfect. I was looking for a change of industry and location and this was the next logical step.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? None.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I spoke to past students and recruitment managers. I wanted a school with a very international feel, ideally somewhere in continental Europe (although I did look at Oxford and Cambridge as well). I also looked for a focus on career orientation and guidance moving forward.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? I don’t think there has been a single defining moment, but going to boarding school in Cape Town was a massive influence on the person I became. The friends, teachers, and mentors I met in those years helped mold me into the person I have become.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? Living in Amsterdam and working for an energy/mining company with a strong African footprint, traveling back to the continent often and working with local government and non-government initiatives.