Radina Arnaudova

China Europe International Business School (CEIBS)

“A former ballroom dancer, who pursued a career in structured finance valuations.”

Hometown: Varna, Bulgaria (city of 335,000 people)

Fun Fact About Yourself: I’ve lived and worked on three continents (Europe, North America, Asia) and can pack up and relocate in less than a day.

Undergraduate School and Major:

Economics and Finance – Brandeis University, USA

Business Management – University of Economics in Varna, Bulgaria

Most Recent Employer and Job Title:

Senior Consultant, Structured Finance

EY in New York City

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of the MBA curriculum that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? My goal is to pursue a career in finance in China. Therefore, CEIBS was a natural choice, because of its local presence, and the industry connections in China. The China modules also link theory and practice at CEIBS. For example, the Nanjing and Shenzhen modules start with a case discussion and then a visit to a company where students meet with leadership teams and discuss the real application of the theoretical framework through the Real Situation Learning Method (RSLM).

CEIBS is known for “China Depth, Global Breadth.” What is the biggest appeal of earning an MBA in China? All top business schools in the world share a common goal: prepare students to become effective leaders through group discussions and case-based studies.

The difference between CEIBS and other top schools in Asia is that CEIBS is really well positioned in China. CEIBS’ strengths lie in its connections with both local and multinational companies in China. Every week, there are at least two industry talks and company presentations where students get to hear from top executives about their strategy in China. The Career Development Center organizes numerous networking opportunities with western multinational companies operating in China, and Chinese companies that are expanding globally.

What club, class, or tradition are you most looking forward to at CEIBS? The Gobi China Module: Leadership in Action. It is an amazing opportunity to learn how to lead, while facing adversity and uncertainty. Alumni describe it as unforgettable bonding experience with classmates.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I have done a few career transitions that I define as success. These include moving from ballroom dancing to finance to entrepreneurship and relocating geographically from Varna to Boston to NYC to Shanghai.

I started my career in Varna, Bulgaria. A year later, I took a huge risk and moved to the USA to pursue a Master’s in Finance. At the time, I gave up a prosperous career track to pursue the unknown. Upon graduation, I joined EY in New York in one of the most technical groups – Structured Finance. Later on, I moved to Shanghai to work on a start-up opportunity and now I am back in school.

What do you hope to do after earning your MBA and why will that be significant? I hope that I will be in a position where I can pay it forward by mentoring. The way I understand it, real career success is beyond corporate rankings and monetary incentives.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into the CEIBS MBA program?

1. Read about the school and focus on individual stories.
2. Reach out to the Student Ambassadors. They were in your shoes just a year ago and are passionate about helping others.
3. If you have a chance, attend info sessions (in person or online).
4. Do some research on the professors and the alumni network.
5. Think about your application as a book that you are writing about yourself – it has to have a compelling story.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE CEIBS MBA CLASS OF 2023