Meet The HEC Paris Alumni

Choosing an MBA program, for many, is about finding the right environment to grow, pivot, and connect.

This year, Poets&Quants asked 12 HEC Paris alumni to share what their MBA experience was like. One of them, Paul-Emeric Willette, is now Head of Sales at Carsup. A 2020 grad, Willette set out with a goal of working at the intersection of the automotive, luxury, and tech industries — and he landed there. “I honestly couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome than combining all three,” he says.

Though born in France, Willette chose to stay local for his MBA — a move he admits might seem unconventional for someone looking to internationalize their profile. But HEC Paris typically brings together more than 60 nationalities, offering all the global exposure he was seeking.

A 2023 graduate, Alisa Dubik, now Team Lead of Customer Education at Gorgias, came to HEC Paris with years of tech experience. She was searching for a new work culture, a move to Europe, and a path into people management. “I never expected to fall in love with Paris, but the city quickly became home,” she reflects.

SPECIALIZING YOUR EXPERIENCE

HEC Paris MBAs can choose a specialization in Entrepreneurship, Finance, Strategy, Strategic Marketing, or Management & Organizations, along with optional concentrations in Sustainability and Tech & AI. Dubik opted for Entrepreneurship, which pushed her to experiment and even fail safely. After graduation, she made both a career and life transition that she says left her far happier than she had been in New York.

MBA alumna Camilla Pereira de Souza Venditto arrived with a banking background and a desire to branch out. “Having spent my pre-MBA career in banking, I initially wanted to explore a different sector,” she recalls.

During the program she led the Retail and Luxury Club, interned at Richemont, and eventually landed her first post-MBA role in tech serving luxury clients. A campus visit sealed her decision to enroll. “My experience visiting the campus confirmed my excitement as I attended a class taught by Denis Gromb in corporate finance, my favorite subject,” she says. Now Global Relationship Director at BBVA, she credits HEC’s alumni network and international focus with helping her make a meaningful career shift.

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

For many HEC Paris alumni, the MBA experience was a turning point in how they work, lead, and connect with others.

Venditto reflects, “The HEC MBA helped me navigate my professional career through both the quality of the education and the strength of the alumni network.” Beyond professional skills, she says the MBA brought her something deeper. “Many of my closest friends, including my husband, I met through the program.”

From the Class of 2023, Wataru Yamauchi says his approach to collaboration and leadership was reshaped. Now Chief of Staff (Senior Manager) at Capgemini, he credits the program with changing how he engages with teams. “The program has significantly shaped the way I approach both work and life,” he says. “I learned how essential it is to collaborate effectively to achieve shared outcomes, and this has had a lasting impact on how I work with others.”

For others, the program opened the door to dramatic change. Léonie Freigi, a 2022 graduate and now Senior Consultant at Howard Partners, made what MBAs call the “triple jump” — switching function, industry, and geography at the same time. “Through the MBA at HEC Paris, I successfully achieved the renowned triple jump — which is no small feat,” she shares. The program, she adds, gave her both the bridge to consulting and a lasting community.

MEANINGFUL MEMORIES AT HEC PARIS

When people picture a graduate degree, they often think of academics, career shifts, and professional milestones. But for many HEC Paris MBAs, the standout moments are the friendships, late nights, and shared wins that leave the deepest mark.

Freigi recalls her experience as a mosaic of memories. “There are countless moments — MBAT, room dinners and parties, late-night case prep sessions, long walks by the lake,” she says. “It’s hard to choose just one. Together, they made the journey unforgettable.”

Her classmate, Swatie Hasija, now Senior Strategic Adoption Manager at Amazon Business, points to leading a consulting project as President of the Consulting Practice. “The moment we launched a collaboration with Nordic Asia Impact was particularly meaningful,” she says. “It represented the essence of what the MBA was about: leadership, collaboration, and meaningful impact.”

For Estefany Beccar, Class of 2025 and Product Manager at Kering Group, the defining experience was the Outdoor Leadership Seminar — a two-day, military-led bootcamp that pushed students into physical and mental discomfort. “It revealed how I react under stress and what I need to improve when facing difficult situations,” she says. “It was one of those rare out-of-classroom experiences that reshaped how I view leadership.”

A BALANCING ACT OF RESPONSIBILITIES

Balancing academics, recruiting, and personal life during the MBA isn’t always easy — and that’s exactly what makes the experience transformative.

Beccar admits she never found perfect balance. “I don’t think I ever truly ‘balanced’ work, school, and personal life during the MBA, but maybe that’s the point. The program overwhelms you with choices and forces you to prioritize in ways you’ve never had to before.”

For Jean-Pierre Godeme, Class of 2022 and now Group Chairman & CEO of Madu, the second term was the toughest. “Suddenly I was juggling core coursework, group projects, networking events, interview prep, and actual interviews,” he recalls. A tight-knit study group helped him divide case prep and coursework to carve out time for recruiting. But not everything could be scheduled. “The most overwhelming moment was having a major case competition deadline the same week as final-round interviews,” he says. “That’s when I really had to rely on my classmates and communicate clearly about my bandwidth and priorities.”

Some challenges were unique to the pandemic. Francesca Limjuco, also Class of 2022, earned her MBA remotely from the U.S. while navigating time zone differences. Now an SAP Transformation PMO at Balenciaga, she says the experience, though tough, made her more resilient. “It allowed me to build a different bond with my peers as we all processed the craziness of that time.”

CONFIDENCE, CLARITY & CAREER SHIFTS

Leaving the program, alumni say they carried away not just knowledge, but also fresh confidence and perspective.

“Pre-MBA I felt like I lived in a bubble,” says Limjuco. “The MBA completely changed my perspective. HEC opened windows of opportunity and gave me the confidence to go after what I want. I still get pinch-me moments working in fashion.”

For Luis Raul Martinez, Class of 2020, the surprise was discovering luxury as a career path. “I arrived at HEC dreaming of aviation. Thanks to friends who led the Luxury Club, I discovered luxury and found my place in Paris.” Now Global Retail Performance Director at Chloé, Martinez says the real superpower he took away was people skills. “The network and friendships I made are now a core professional asset.”

Director of the Diversity Project Pathway Programme, Shyla Hönigschmid-DeVeaux, Class of 2022, says the MBA was deeply affirming. “The biggest takeaway I had was knowing I made exactly the right choice. It was the second greatest catalyst in my career — the first being confidence in myself.”

WHAT HEC MBAs WANT YOU TO KNOW

Deciding whether to apply to an MBA program can feel daunting, but alumni say the leap is worth it.

“Think carefully about your motivations and how the program will fit into your envisioned future,” advises Hönigschmid-DeVeaux. “If you’re vacillating between applying or not, apply! This is an experience that can be truly life changing and set you on an exceptional course forward.”

Nancy Ding, Class of 2024 and Manager of Product Management at EY, sees the MBA as a launchpad. “Business school won’t change you directly, but it will give you opportunities to pick your path. It’s really a ‘choose your adventure’ decision.”

Her advice to future MBAs: embrace the unexpected. “Be open to opportunities — join an HEC networking event, attend an external one, reach out to speakers and alumni on LinkedIn. You never know what could come out of it until you try.”

DON’T MISS THESE PROFILES OF RECENT HEC PARIS ALUMNI

Shyla Hönigschmid-DeVeaux

Nancy Ding

Luis Raul Martinez

Francesca Limjuco

Estefany Beccar

Léonie Freigi

Paul-Emeric Willette

Alisa Dubik

Camilla Pereira de Souza Venditto

Wataru Yamauchi

Jean-Pierre Godeme

Swatie Hasija

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