Meet IESE Business School’s MBA Class Of 2022

2) Case Method: “Being an avid debater, I think and learn best through discussion and debate. The case method allows for a diverse cohort to draw on their varied experiences and share and engage with different perspectives that facilitates deeper learning. The case method also pushes you to identify different positions on an issue, to weigh the pros and cons and then to clearly articulate your stance on the issue with sufficient reasoning. All of these are critical skills to being a successful manager.”
Priyadharshini Venkat (’22)

“Personally, I have always been drawn to open and direct communication, preferably in a face-to-face environment. In my professional career, the biggest problems for my team were solved by sitting in one room, putting our heads together, and leaving only after we agreed on a solution. I think the case method will resemble my preferred work environment very accurately and it will give me the opportunity to learn about different industries and their problems. In addition, I believe the opinions of the diverse group of peers I will engage with will lift the intensity of new insights even further.”
Serge Winterhalder (’22)

“It is the ability to practice problem-solving, communication, and negotiation skills in a diverse setting, with fellow aspiring managers, every single day. Practice makes perfect.”
Anmol Gauba (’22)

3) IESE’s Values: “Throughout my life, Christian values were at the core of my curricula in school. This helped shape me into the person I am today, who aims to be a person for others and to make a positive impact in their lives. I loved how IESE’s values aligned with my own, one of the reasons being their affiliation with Opus Dei.”
Michelle Marie Miranda Cua (’22)

“I had the opportunity to experience IESE’s culture first-hand many times: at open days, through their summer MBA program, and as a child, while my dad completed his MBA (1999-2001). One thing that really stood out about IESE was its focus on creating a very personal experience. The use of the case method ensures that every single student at IESE isn’t there just to learn but also becomes an integral part of the teaching experience. The diversity of the class, composed of students from all parts of the world and walks of life means that each one of us has something unique to contribute to the class and we have an opportunity to make our voice heard and share our experiences. Additionally, despite the 700+ students in the full-time MBA program, all members of the cafeteria know the students by name and, in some cases, even know their regular order! For me, this showed how the members of IESE’s community are uniquely valued and create a strong sense of belonging.”
Connie Melgarejo (’20)

“I will summarize [the culture] in three words: “The Happy Family”. The culture and mission of an institution is not what you read in their respective publications (i.e. what they imagine or intend it to be) but the experience you have when interacting with the multiple facets of the company. At every touchpoint – alumni, current students, faculty and the admissions team – I could see a community that felt like a happy family.

In a happy family, there is love and a sense of belonging.  There is a sense of supporting you to become all you can be, to achieve the dreams you thought were impossible. In a happy family, they are pulling resources to change your world (starting from the neighborhood to the larger society), to have the freedom to find your unique contribution while not forgetting the openness to support everyone else to become all they can be. There is a mantra – “A way to learn, a mark to make, a world to change” – comes alive in IESE and like a happy family, IESE does well while doing good.”
Chuks Umeche (’22)

4) Class Size: “[The] smaller class size allows students to build closer relationships, but if it’s too small, the power of connection may be weakened. So IESE’s intake, which is around 350 each year, is perfect for me.”
Chin-Hao Chang (’22)

5) Diversity: “It is IESE’s balance between a European location and an international environment. The school sits in Barcelona, a place where I wanted to stay after several years of non-stop travel, but it also grants a truly international experience: you are surrounded by 85% of international students; you can take overseas modules and go on an exchange to top schools around the world.”
Alejandra Scherk (’22)

“IESE has one of the most diverse cohorts, which will provide me with the opportunity to learn from classmates who come from different countries, backgrounds, industries, and professions. Lastly, the location of the school is close to none; having the opportunity to learn a new language, graduate with a bilingual degree, and immerse myself in a new culture while studying in a top MBA program will allow me to grow both personally and professionally.”
Karina Ikhsan (’22)

“Putting aside its traditional consulting genes, IESE seems to have been trying to blur her first impression tags of different business areas. It’s not a “finance school” or “consulting school”, but a school which excels in many areas and a platform with a lot of interfaces. Along with that, IESE really puts a lot of effort into its global construction, especially in emerging markets like Africa, East Asia (where I come from) and ASEAN. Although IESE was already considered an EU giant and the most successful business school in the Spanish-speaking cultural ring, she never stops trying to be more diversified and internationalized to adapt to the rapid changes of global business.
Zhu Shang (’22)

“Throughout the 1st year, I met with my team of 9 every day to review 3 cases and share learnings. My teammates are from Peru, Spain, Brazil, Japan, Germany, Netherlands, Jordan, and Taiwan. Our diverse backgrounds contributed to many disagreements on the case solution, but also provided invaluable different perspectives.”
Rene Hyun (’22)

6) Capstone Project: “At the end of our 1st year MBA, we had a ‘capstone’ project where we worked on a real consulting project. The project was designed to consolidate all of our learning in core business subjects. My team designed a marketing strategy for one of the world’s largest sports apparel companies. I enjoyed this project because it was challenging, relevant, and I worked with great people.”
Rene Hyun (’20)

7) Social Entrepreneurship: “Given that post-MBA I want to continue to work in the social sector, I want to learn how to best run a social enterprise that combines both social and financial values. IESE has a strong social impact focus with opportunities such as ‘Social Internship’ and ‘Social Entrepreneurship Experience’ which will equip me with the knowledge and skills required to be successful in my chosen field.”
Priyadharshini Venkat (’22)

8) Academic Rigor: “It’s not a myth, it’s just a reality: IESE has one of the most demanding academic workloads of any business school in the world. For me, it was something I was looking for. I knew that I had a lot of catching up to do compared with most of my peers, so I needed a program that would challenge and educate me. The case-based method allows for a lot of learning generated by dynamic discussion. However, for it to work, there is a lot of preparation that has to be done by both students and professors. I think IESE does a fairly good job of communicating the workload to prospective students, but it is something that you must be conscious of when considering the school.”
Joseph Friedrich de Miguel (’20)

9) Barcelona: “As an added plus, being in Barcelona has many benefits outside of school! The amazing weather, the beach, gastronomic options, cultural activities, and proximity to the airport for a weekend escape means you’ll never get bored or run out of things to do.”
Connie Melgarejo (’20)

10) Extracurricular Activities: “Student clubs are very active, from organizing treks abroad to organizing the largest student-run conference in Europe (Doing Good Doing Well Conference); IESE students, faculty, and staff commit countless hours to serve the community.”
Rene Hyun (’20)

ADVICE TO FUTURE APPLICANTS

How can you earn a spot in IESE’s Class of 2023…or beyond? Here’s what some recent graduates had to say…

“I am sure this has been said before, but BE YOURSELF.

Do not change who you are or how you present yourself to fit the ideal you think the school is looking for. Do your research and make sure that you are familiar with IESE’s culture and values, and that these are the right fit for you. IESE is characterized by its global mindset, a spirit of service, and professional excellence, which are reflected in all aspects of the learning experience during the MBA. It is also a very demanding program academically, which will require lots of in-class participation – make sure you understand what this means for you.

Additionally, perseverance is key. Don’t take no for an answer. If you think IESE is the school for you and it does not work the first time around, ask what you can do to improve and try again!”
Connie Melgarejo (’20)

“Choose IESE if you are ready to engage in a truly global class and adopt a people-centered vision to a whole new level. Think about how you will contribute to the school’s mission to “develop leaders who strive to have a deep, positive and lasting impact on people, companies, and society through professional excellence, integrity and spirit of service.” Every student in the class contributes something unique. Find what it will be for you!”
Maria de Oca (’20)

“When I speak with prospective students, the two main pieces of advice I give them is to meet with the admissions team early and often and network with alumni in your home city. At IESE the admissions team is extremely approachable and will make every effort to meet with any candidate (even peculiar cases like mine!) and guide them through the process. All of the admissions team at IESE consists of former MBA grads so they have all been through the admissions process and can advise you with first-hand testimony. The reality is that the GMAT is not the only criterion when deciding whether or not to accept a candidate, so creating a positive impression on the admissions team can go a long way when it comes to deciding on an application. I also believe that meeting with alumni is tremulously powerful, particularly when preparing for your admissions interviews. The benefit of IESE is that it has a truly global alumni network who meet regularly with prospective MBAs and are always happy to share their experience. The reality is that this is a huge investment in yourself so you must be certain in your decision, talking to alumni is the best way to get a realistic glimpse into the IESE MBA experience.”
Joseph Friedrich (’20)

Why is the Class of 2022 pursuing an MBA? How did they choose their business schools? What was the toughest question these first-years were asked in their admissions interviews? Find these answers and many more in the in-depth student profiles below. 

MBA Student	Hometown	Undergrad Alma Mater	Last Employer
Chin-Hao (Michael) Chang	Taipei, Taiwan	National Taiwan University	Tapestry Japan
Michelle Marie Miranda Cua	Manila, Philippines	Ateneo de Manila University	Unilever Philippines
Anmol Gauba	London, United Kingdom	St, John’s College, Durham University	Forsa
Justo Gómez Palmés	San Isidro, Buenos Aires	CEMA University	Itaú BBA
Karina Ikhsan	Almaty, Kazakhstan	Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management	Digital Spring Ventures
Davide Masullo	Salerno, Italy	University Campus Biomedico (Rome)	Stamicarbon BV
Mafalda Oom Torres	Oeiras, Portugal	Catolica Lisbon School of Business and Economics	McKinsey & Company
Alejandra Scherk	Madrid, Spain	Universidad Pompeu Fabra	Boston Consulting Group
Zhu Shang	Hefei, Anhui Province, China	Communication University of China	China Film Group Corporation
Okyu Tali	Ankara, Turkey	Bilkent University	International Finance Corporation
Chuks Umeche	Nnewi, Nigeria	Federal University of Technology, Owerri	Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited
Alisa Vaz	Toronto, Canada	York University	@ BlueRush Digital Media
Priyadharshini Venkat	Mumbai, India	Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies	321 Education Foundation
Serge Winterhalder	Munich, Bavaria	Hochschule Furtwangen and Shanghai University for Science and Technology	BMW AG

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