Meet The HEC Paris MBA Class Of 2027

JUST THE RIGHT LENGTH

HEC Paris continues to rank among the top Full-Time MBA programs in the world. In the 2026 Financial Times MBA Ranking, HEC Paris placed 6th, up to three spots from the previous year. In the same ranking, it boasted a 9.026 Alumni Satisfaction Rate on a 10-point scale. One reason is flexibility. Unlike many European programs, which condense programming to 10-to-12-month increments, HEC Paris offers a 16-month program. In other words, the program is long enough for MBAs to pursue an internship, exchange program, and a wider set of electives – not to mention spending more time building networks and exploring industries.

Sabrina Fajardo Gallegos says the 16-month structure is perfect since she is “not looking for a quick transition — I’m looking for transformation.”

“I want time to explore different career paths, strengthen my leadership skills, and grow both personally and professionally,” she continues. “The two-year format allows me to dive into academic rigor, enjoy internships, and fully integrate into the HEC ecosystem. As someone passionate about both the healthcare and luxury industries — and still exploring which path to pursue — I value the time and flexibility to reflect, test, and make informed choices. The HEC MBA offers the network, exposure, and platform to navigate this decision thoughtfully and pivot into leadership in a multinational environment with clarity and purpose.”

NOT QUITE EMILY IN PARIS

For some, HEC Paris’s biggest selling point is in the name – Paris. Of course, Paris comes with different connotations to people. Take commerce. In a 2025 study by EY, La Défense ranked ahead of London’s Canary Wharf and The City as an international business hub, based on criteria like talent concentration, international influence, and infrastructure. The city is also home to some of the leading firms in energy. luxury, life sciences, and banking. That includes headquarters for conglomerates like BNP Paribas, Christian Dior, AXA, and L’Oréal. That doesn’t count large scale regional operations for Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Airbus, and IBM. It also boasts the 5th-largest GDP of any city in the world, 2nd only to London in Europe according to the Global Cities Index 2025.

Culture? Think iconic museums like Musée du Louvre and Musée d’Orsay. History? Picture the Notre-Dame Cathedral, Sacré-Cœur Basilica, and the nearby Palace of Versailles. There is luxury shopping along Champs-Élysées, people watching from cafes in Le Marais, and leisurely strolls across La Promenade Plantée. Of course, don’t forget landmarks like Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tour – or touristy options like a Seine Cruise or Disneyland Paris. Let’s not forget fine dining and wines, not to mention baguettes, crepes, strawberry tarts, and macrons.

Hima Rashid, an engineer and native of Kurdistan, boils the appeal of Paris to three words: “Access, perspective, and growth.” “Paris is an actual spider web of global business, networking opportunities, and a central gateway to neighboring European markets,” she continues. “It offers a unique cultural and intellectual perspective that challenges the way I think and lead. Being so close to Paris also means access to both professional opportunities and personal development—an ideal setting for long-lasting growth.”

As noted earlier, HEC Paris is technically not located in Paris, however. Instead, it is a 30-to-40-minute train ride away on the city’s outskirts. Call it a best of both worlds scenario. In Jouy-en-Josas, students can step back in time, living in a provincial town that’s home to 8,000 people with fresh produce stands and bakeries. On top of that, they live on a campus, shrouded in forest, where they can hike or bike along the trails – or even horseback ride from the campus stable.

“This remoteness also means that the school enjoys a magnificent location, surrounded by 120 hectares of greenery, a lake, and a château,” writes ’25 alum Jean-Luc Thébert. “The environment is more than conducive to a return to study, which is just as well.”

A PLACE TO START A BUSINESS

One area that benefits from HEC Paris’s dual nature is entrepreneurship. The school maintains accelerator and incubation space at Station F, the world’s largest startup campus with over 1,000 ventures in residence. As a result, MBAs can tap into founder’s programming run by Meta, Microsoft, Cisco, LVMH, and Sanofi. More than that, Station F provides access to a variety of founders working in a range of fields. HEC Paris also maintains a Creative Destruction Lab in Paris, where students can further build their networks and subject matter expertise. That said, Clementine Pouille, an American and product analyst, is looking forward to Entrepreneurship Summer School.

“I want to start a business in access control with my father, who has experience in the US market. The ESS offers structured validation through field research and investor mentorship, which would help me test our concept properly. HEC also has strong resources for family businesses through the Dieter Schwarz Foundation Center, which is relevant since working with family comes with its own challenges.”

Similarly, Neeharika Hemrajani has been taking advantage of the Entrepreneurship Club on campus. “Not just for the community, but for the chaos of pitch competitions,” she hedges. “There’s nothing like standing in front of a room full of skeptics and trying to convince them your barely-built product is the future. That pressure sharpens everything. I’m building an AI wellness startup, so I’m especially drawn to the opportunity to refine my pitch, meet other obsessive founders, and test ideas fast.”

LEARNING BY DOING

Another defining feature of HEC Paris MBA is experiential learning – or a Head, Hands, and Heart” leadership philosophy that turns theory into real-world applications. Beyond MBAT, there is the Consulting Practice. It is described by Tanaka Dhombo, a South African attorney, as an in-house consulting firm in areas like strategy and digital transformation. There is also The Executive Committee (TEC), a leadership development program where students receive intensive coaching from faculty, executive mentors, and classmates alike. However, the Outdoor Leadership Seminar is the centerpiece of HEC Paris’s action-driven learning approach. Lasting two days and held at a French military installation, MBAs work in teams to perform timed exercises, with students rotating across various roles in the process. It is a rite of passage that alumni cherish – a moment that showed them how they react under pressure when conditions aren’t ideal and unplanned complications rear themselves.

“When it was my turn to lead, we were facing the boat-building challenge: constructing a makeshift vessel from basic materials to cross a lake,” recalls Jean-Pierre Godeme, a ’22 alum. “The boat could only safely carry two or three people at a time, so we needed multiple crossings with careful coordination to get the entire team across. What struck me was how different it felt to lead under this kind of pressure compared to classroom group work. With limited time, basic materials, and real consequences if our boat failed, I had to quickly assess team strengths, delegate the construction work, and create a transport plan in collaboration with my team that kept everyone moving safely.”

What takeaways did Godeme gain from the Outdoor Leadership Seminar – and the hands-on philosophy it represents? “Seeing different leadership styles emerge under pressure taught me that effective leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all. The way my Lebanese classmate approached strategic planning differed completely from how my Italian teammate motivated the group during physical challenges. This experience fundamentally shaped how I approach leadership in my current role. As a team, when we face complex operational challenges with competing demands and limited resources, I draw directly on those lessons about clear prioritization, rapid decision-making, and keeping the entire team aligned toward our shared objective.”

AN INTERVIEW WITH ASSOCIATE DEAN BRAD HARRIS

HEC Paris has certainly made headlines over the past year, be it launching a €230M ‘Campus Of The Future’ or overhauling its curriculum. What else is on the horizon? Last year, P&Q reached out to Brad Harris, Associate Dean for MBA Programs. Here were his thoughts on what to expect from the program.

P&Q: What have been the two most important developments in your MBA program over the past year? What type of impact will they have on current and future MBAs?

Harris: “At HEC Paris, we aspire to be more than a world-class school of management; we want to be a world-leading school of management, innovation, and technology. Two major developments are bringing that vision to life: First, we’ve significantly revamped our core and elective curriculum to integrate more technology-focused content and experiences. Incoming student will now have access to a new “Deep Tech and AI” concentration, that will complement one of the five specializations they choose to focus on. We have also deepened our collaboration with the Creative Destruction Lab, and expanded student access to Europe’s largest startup incubator, Station F, right here on campus. Second, we’ve doubled down on experiential opportunities that push our MBAs to tackle the world’s biggest challenges, from sustainability to digital transformation, through hands-on projects, entrepreneurial opportunities, and partnerships with cutting-edge tech ventures.

These changes, along with others we’re making, ensure that HEC MBAs graduate with not only with the core fundamentals of management, but also with the skills, courage, and networks needed to lead in an era where technological innovation is radically shaping every industry.”

P&Q: What do you see as the main differentiator that distinguishes your MBA program from other schools? How does it enhance the student experience and make them more attractive to employers?

Harris: “What truly sets the HEC Paris MBA apart is that we combine a reimagined, future-focused curriculum with something few schools can offer: a uniquely global community living and learning together on a beautiful, residential campus. With over 90% international students from more than 60 countries, our MBAs don’t just study together, they live, debate, and build lasting bonds (and sometimes ventures!) together.

Our graduates leave not only with world-class business knowledge, but with real, hard-earned experience communicating and collaborating across cultures. As AI and other technologies commodify so many other parts of business, these enduring characteristics will become even more valuable than they are today.”

P&Q: What types of services do you provide to first-year MBAs to ease their transition into business school?

Harris: “We want our MBAs to feel supported and connected from day one. Incoming students are welcomed by our faculty, staff, and students on Day 1, but we especially love that current students on the MBA Council really take the lead in helping students settle in and build connections immediately.

In the curriculum, we kick things off with a “Business Essentials Bootcamp” (a refresher for some, a level-setter for others), so everyone feels confident contributing in class, no matter their background. Students also get help navigating French admin tasks like social security and bank accounts, have access to our on-campus medical center for any physical or mental health needs, and meet early with the MBA program team to plan their customized journey. We also emphasize social events in the first weeks to ensure everyone starts strong, and together, in our program.”

P&Q: What types of support do you provide to international students before and during business school to enable them to better acclimate to your country?

Harris: “With the vast majority of our MBAs coming from outside France, we know how important it is to help students feel at home while also appreciating the richness and nuance of French culture.

Long before they set foot on campus, we guide students through the essentials: visas, social security, bank accounts, and more, so they can arrive ready to focus on the experience ahead, not mountains of paperwork! Once here, they benefit from complimentary French language classes and cultural events that help them understand and enjoy life in France, both inside and outside the classroom.

Students are also supported day-to-day by our on-campus medical center, our dedicated MBA team, and senior students who help them find community fast. It’s all part of creating a warm, welcoming environment where students can settle in, thrive, and make the most of this incredible chapter in their lives.”

P&Q: How does your program integrate other disciplines, such as the liberal arts and STEM, across your curriculum to provide students with a more interdisciplinary experience in business school?

Harris: “We believe a great business education must cross disciplinary lines, blending strong management training with exposure to technology, STEM, and the liberal arts.

While our legacy as a leading management school is well established, we’re putting real energy into tech and innovation across the core curriculum, electives, and partnerships. From our ‘Deep Tech and AI’ concentration and Hi! Paris partnership to opportunities through the Creative Destruction Lab and our I&E Institute, students build deep knowledge in fields driving change.

Equally important, we know (and embrace!) that the HEC Paris MBA is a distinctly human experience. To tap into these elements, we offer creative electives, like Art and Leadership, and intercultural workshops that broaden perspectives and spark reflection. And, because we’re a focused business school unlike traditional 4-year universities in other countries, our students benefit from a rich network of global partners, giving them opportunities to experience distinct liberal arts content and round out their journey in ways that make them thoughtful, well-rounded leaders.”

Next Page: Profiles of 12 Members of the MBA Class of 2027

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