Harsha Kotthapalli

Class / Grad Year: Class of 2019

Current Employer / Role: Product Marketing Manager – Freelance

Best memory at school:
MBAT 2018, hosting and commentating on the all-star beach volleyball game, with players from many European MBA programs, with a giant speaker setup by the courts and a crowd of over100 people watching!

Biggest achievement at school:
I have a place to crash in every major world city with the friends I made at school.

Your advice to incoming first years:
Don’t limit your MBA experience to any cliques based on your background or nationality.

Where do you currently live?:
I’m a digital nomad but am currently in Barcelona.

Fun fact about you:
I spent the last two years living out of my economy carry-on size backpack.

Why did you choose your school?:
I chose HEC because I believed it gave me the best opportunity to make the triple jump (which I achieved in moving from Engineering, Oil & Gas in Canada to Marketing, Tech in Europe).

What student organizations did you join?:
MBAT organizing committee, Entrepreneurship Club.

Favorite Trait in Others:
Seeing the big picture.

One Thing You Would’ve Changed in the MBA Experience:
I wish I had gone on one of the out-of-city trips (aka “Treks”) organized by student organizations.

Favorite Class:
Design Thinking, Julien Lévy.

One secret to Success:
Make your own definition of success.

What is your biggest regret?
Not learning French during my time in Paris.

What is the next thing you’re going to do on your bucket list?
I’ve done everything on my bucket list! So, all I want to do is to spend more time with my dog close to the sea.