Tabea Anna Charlotte Spors

University of California-Berkeley, Haas School of Business

“Even as I aim to shape tomorrow, I choose to fully live today.”

Hometown: Berlin, Germany

Fun Fact About Yourself: Although I’ve lived in Switzerland for the past seven years, I’ve never skied!

Undergraduate School and Major: University of St. Gallen (Switzerland): BA, Business Administration

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: McKinsey & Company, Associate Consultant (Zurich)

Berkeley Haas is founded on four Defining Leadership Principles: Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself. Which principle resonates most with you and why? “Confidence Without Attitude” resonates strongly with me. As a consultant, I have been called in to solve critical problems for clients, whether it’s addressing declining sales or planning a product launch. The goal is to suggest the best course of action, and this requires balancing two important elements: first, listening deeply to clients and respecting their perspectives, and second, having the courage to question the status quo.

Therefore, instead of coming up with premature conclusions, I’ve based my recommendations on thorough analysis and interviewed experts to bring in new perspectives to validate my assumptions. I strive to maintain an open mind and act with humility, knowing that when assumptions change, the best course of action often changes, too.

This approach, which prevents me from jumping to conclusions, has allowed me to present my ideas with confidence. It also fosters a collaborative environment with colleagues and clients alike, ensuring they can rely on my work and can act on the solutions I propose.

What excites you about earning your MBA in the Bay Area? The people! When I visited the Bay Area earlier this year, I was struck by the “problem-solving” mentality and the contagious can-do attitude of those around me. There’s a unique energy—one that celebrates bold ideas and collaboration across all disciplines. As someone passionate about transforming healthcare, I’m especially excited by the opportunity to explore the intersection of business strategies and global health. After all, the Bay Area is home to some of the world’s most innovative biotech startups and pharmaceutical companies. I can’t wait to engage with classmates who share the drive to tackle complex healthcare challenges. Whether it’s through case discussions, startup incubators, or conversations over coffee, I’m eager to learn from and become a part of a community that thinks big.

What was the key part of Berkeley Haas’ MBA curriculum or programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Visiting Haas, I was in awe of the collaborative, down-to-earth, and insightful classroom discussions at Berkeley. The Haas MBA has an extremely flexible curriculum that allows students to deepen their knowledge in areas they are passionate about. I am especially looking forward to attending the numerous healthcare electives. I had the opportunity to visit an exciting class by School of Public Health Professor James Robinson. During each class, he discusses one element of the U.S. healthcare system, such as health insurance providers or hospital chains, and invites guest speakers to share real-life examples. I am eager to learn more about the largest healthcare market in the world and understand the differences from the European markets. Above all, I am excited to get inspired by the discussions and find my niche in healthcare.

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at Berkeley Haas? What excites me most about Berkeley Haas is the chance to dive into entrepreneurship through the Berkeley Haas Entrepreneurship Program. I’ve always been someone who leaned toward having a plan, which is why I started my career in consulting to build broad knowledge across many industries and functions. But now during my MBA, I want to challenge myself to take entrepreneurial risks I might have previously felt hesitant to embrace.

Haas offers classes that provide opportunities to collaborate with peers and test ideas in a safe environment. There are so many roundtables, mentorships, and speaker events to inspire students and programs that offer mentorship and feedback from real investors. Above all, I am looking forward to the Silicon Valley can-do attitude, perhaps exploring healthcare solutions, and pushing myself beyond my comfort zone.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: A clear highlight was working for a top global pharmaceutical company. We were tasked with building a framework for market access by ensuring that successful pharmaceutical products can be prescribed and benefit patients. During workshops across Asia, Europe, and Oceania, we built a new framework to accelerate and improve market access by generating real-world data to demonstrate superior outcomes and by proactively discussing new medication with policymakers or patient groups. While the full effect of the framework will only be seen in the coming years, it has already increased the availability of life-changing medications for patients. This whole project was very rewarding to me because the work of our team has helped improve the health of many people.

At this point, what do you hope to do after graduation? Graduating from Berkeley still feels very far away! As I’ll be pursuing the dual degree with the School of Public Health, my graduation is in two-and-a-half years. However, I feel pretty certain that I would like to leverage my learnings from Berkeley to improve global health. Whether working in an innovative start up or for a successful pharmaceutical company, I want to make sure the work I do is meaningful. The potential of life-changing medications is particularly inspiring, as they can give patients the energy to do the things they really want to do.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Berkeley Haas’ MBA program? Answer the “What makes you feel alive” prompt from your heart and make sure it is true to yourself. Select a topic which shows that you have unique interests and aspirations. From all application essays this was by far the fastest and easiest essay to write for me. You do not have to have climbed Mount Everest!

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