Meet The HEC Paris MBA Class Of 2021

LEARNING LEADERSHIP BY PRACTICING LEADERSHIP

Among alumni, HEC Paris’ signature learning experiences are The Executive Committee on Campus (TEC) and the Saint Cyr Leadership Seminar. TEC, as explained by Benoit Bachereau, where 12-member groups meet with CEOs to learn how they became successful, along with discussing their own career goals and strategies with their peers. In contrast, the seminar is held on a French military compound where student teams engage in activities like building bridges to test their limits and hone their problem-solving skills.

“The alumni have spoken a great deal about [these] programs, as they found them to be invaluable in building their leadership qualities,” adds Krishna Mehta Shah. “These programs push students out of their comfort zones and give them the opportunity to reflect and learn from accomplished leaders. I am really looking forward to joining them and challenging myself.”

And then there is Paris itself. Technically, the campus is secluded in a forest, 17 miles from Paris – though the train takes a far less direct route. Basically, the campus is two stations from Versailles, notes one graduate, which enables students to enjoy the best of both worlds.

“All of us find a way to enjoy the best of Paris life alongside the quiet of the little town of Jouy-en-Josas,” writes Tricia Wilson, a 2019 graduate and P&Q MBA To Watch.

CULTURE AND COMMERCE

Indeed, Paris offers something for just about every MBA. It is the fashion capital of the world, home to brands like Lanvin, Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, and Chanel – which explains why HEC Paris features one of the top luxury programs in the world. For shopping, there is Champs-Élysées and Avenue Montaigne for the most exclusive brands. History buffs and culture vultures can flock to landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Palais du Louvre, and the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur. When the sun goes down, the City of Lights is packed with cafes, wine bars, and bakeries, topped off by a romantic stroll along the Seine River Promenade.

Still, HEC Paris is far more international than French in nature. “Very often, other business school students ask me if we only eat croissants, baguettes, cheese, and drink wine,” notes Teejana Beenessreesingh, a 2019 MBA graduate and P&Q MBA To Watch. “While we do absolutely enjoy all the fine French things, most of our gatherings are around sharing traditions from our international classmates and getting to know their cultures better.”

At the same time, Paris ranks 1st among European cities – and 3rd in the world – for the number of Fortune 500 companies headquartered there (28). While France is treated a laggard when it comes to entrepreneurship, the nation’s startups are poised to reap $5 billion in investment by the end of the year.

“Paris, one of the best cities in the world for students due to its cultural environment and job opportunities” adds Danilo Feitoza Fraga. “Also, France is a country with a solid economy and plays a central role in the European Union.”

As the Class of 2021 settles in, many are looking forward to what’s ahead. In particular, students are eying the MBAT – or MBA Olympics – that brings to leading business schools to campus in the spring.

“Growing up in Australia, sport was such an important part of my life,” writes Lewis Anderson, who hopes to someday launch a venture in marketing technology. “I can’t wait to be part of an event that brings together the wider MBA community for three days of developing camaraderie, overcoming challenges and building relationships with future business leaders through sport!”

In the meantime, the Class of 2021 has been getting to know each other this fall. Thus far, Krishna Mehta Shah would describe her peers as “humble high achievers” – the kind of classmates who work as a team and generously share what they bring with each other. “The class is filled with accomplished students from diverse backgrounds and everyone that I have met so far has been remarkably warm and approachable. I am excited to get to know my peers better as we embark upon our European learning experience together.”

What led these professionals to enter business schools? Which programs did they also consider? What strategies did they use to choose their MBA program? What was the major event that defined them? Find the answers to these questions and many more in the in-depth profiles of these incoming MBA candidates.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE MBA CLASS OF 2021: THE GO-GETTERS

MEET THE HEC PARIS MBA CLASS OF 2020

 

Student	Hometown	Alma Mater	Employer
Lewis Anderson	Sydney, Australia	Charles Sturt University	Dentsu Aegis Network
Danilo Feitoza Fraga	Feira de Santana, Brazil	Universidade Federal da Bahia	Bayer
Ining Fu	Taipei City, Taiwan	U.C.-San Diego	LongYoung Electronics
Anshul Garg	Patiala, India	IIT Delhi	Stubhub
Sally Ghaly	Voorhees, NJ	New York University	Viacom International Media Networks
Cecilia Fernandes Ramos	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	IBMEC Business School	Coca-Cola Company
Yejing Li	Hangzhou, China	Nanyang Technological University	MUFG
Fang-Ling Hsueh	Taoyuan, Taiwan	National Taiwan University	EY Transaction Advisory Services Inc.
Krishna Mehta Shah	Sydney, Australia	University of New South Wales	J.P. Morgan
Fernando Montero Leiva	San Jose, Costa Rica	University of Costa Rica	McKinsey & Company
Brendan George Raubenheimer	Cape Town, South Africa	University of Cape Town	Cape Town, South Africa
Léa Urien	London, United Kingdom	University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne	Taylor Wessing LLP