Koen Collier

“Lifelong learner; untangling systems and patterns to bring clarity, build trust, and turn strategy into value”

Graduation Year: HEC Paris Class of 2023

Current Employer/Role: Plukon Food Group, HR & Organisational Development Lead Belgium

Why did you decide to pursue an Executive MBA?

I pursued the EMBA to broaden both my context and my construct. Working mainly within one country had refined my execution skills, yet I wanted to understand how different cultures think about performance, how strategy, culture, and process must connect to create real impact.

Learning with peers from every continent stretched my thinking and grounded it at the same time. It reminded me that leadership is generational: by learning publicly, you show your children what curiosity can build.

What lead you to the HEC Paris EMBA, and how did you know this school and this program was the right fit for you?

I chose HEC Paris because context defines learning. Its global reach brings together leaders from every continent, people who think and act differently yet share the same drive for excellence. HEC combines academic rigor with humanity, research with reflection. The faculty stretches your thinking, your peers expand your world.

Through the Digital Transformation specialization, I studied at Stanford and Berkeley, joined the UCLA Summer Exchange, and saw how ideas evolve across cultures. For me, that environment was the real differentiator, where curiosity, diversity, and responsibility made learning both demanding and deeply human.

Which intake did you join?

I joined the March 2022 intake, a bi-weekly format running mainly on Fridays and Saturdays. It was the most practical setup to combine study, work, and family life, allowing me to spread the learning over time and stay focused. Looking back, it was the right choice. The rhythm suited me, and the group connection grew naturally. I still keep lifelong friends from that journey.

How did you balance the demands of work, family, and the program while studying?

I don’t believe in balance; it suggests something has to give. I prefer connection, finding ways for one part of life to strengthen another.

Family grounded me, work gave meaning, and HEC gave perspective. When those worlds met, they started to reinforce rather than compete. It was demanding, but it made sense.

How did you customize your learning experience?

I made the program my own by following electives that matched my interests, joining the UCLA summer exchange, and taking part in GNAM modules with EMBA students from other top schools. Every experience broadened my view, but what shaped me most were the people; working on projects together, exchanging ideas, and staying connected after graduation. I invested a lot in the journey, and it keeps paying off in insight, perspective, and friendships.

What is a standout moment from your time at HEC Paris?

I can’t point to one single moment. There were many. What stood out to me was the environment itself, the combination of strong faculty, direct dialogue, and a no-nonsense culture that felt familiar and real. Through the program and my cohort, I grew as both a person and a manager.

HEC helped me find my professional identity and the confidence to create value that reaches further, across multiple stakeholders. I remain grateful for the experience and for the support of my family that made it possible.

What are some of the biggest takeaways you gained from the experience?

The EMBA changed how I see organizations and people. It taught me to look beyond functions and see how strategy, structure, and behavior depend on each other. I became more deliberate and coherent in how I lead.
And I learned that progress rarely comes from control, but from clarity and trust.

How has the program helped you grow since graduating?

After several years in interim management, I chose to move into a dedicated role.
I wanted to create impact over a longer time horizon, where decisions could grow into systems and results. In the final month of my EMBA, a headhunter reached out with the opportunity that led to my current position.

Looking back, the program didn’t just add knowledge, it changed the way I approach work. I now take more time to observe, connect, and design before acting, which makes the impact last longer.

Is this the industry and role you envisioned when you entered the program?

Yes, though the context turned out to be even more entrepreneurial than I imagined. What attracted me most to my current employer was its pace and ambition, a fast-growing organization still shaping its own integration. The challenge is to keep that entrepreneurial drive alive while focusing the energy towards customers and partners.

I have always felt close to the food sector, having worked before as HR Director for a premium biscuit producer. My advice would be to look beyond sectors and assess the context instead, to see where your skills and mindset can truly create value.

What advice would you share with someone thinking about pursuing an Executive MBA?

Do an EMBA to work on yourself and to learn from others, not for the title. Organizations do not need titles; they need people who can take them from B to C, with respect for their legacy and the courage to challenge it when needed.

Real impact comes from knowledge, skill, and the ability to be loyally contrarian when it helps the organization grow. That is how you create progress together and leave things better than you found them.

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