Aminata D. Seck

“Curious, globally-minded, and always willing to bet on growth”

Grad Year:  June 2023

Current Employer / Role:  Amazon EU, Senior Product Manager, GenAI

Is this the industry and role you envisioned yourself in upon entering the program?

Not exactly. I came into the MBA after seven years in international development, supporting projects across West and Central Africa and other regions, so tech wasn’t the obvious next step. My MBA became what people often call the “triple jump”: changing location, function, and industry all at once. It was an ambitious path and I had to build product management skills rather than transition through a more familiar role, so there was definitely a learning curve. Looking back, though, it was absolutely worth it.

Why was HEC Paris and their MBA program the right fit for you among all of the options out there?

A few things came together. I’m francophone, and after spending time away from a French-speaking environment, I wanted to reconnect with that while still studying in English, which HEC’s MBA made possible. Being based in France also meant I could stay close to family in Europe.

I was also drawn to the program’s smaller size compared with a typical US MBA. Smaller classes created more opportunities for discussion and learning from peers rather than getting lost in a large cohort. Throughout the process, it was clear that HEC genuinely valued people with diverse professional and personal backgrounds. The admissions team was hands-on and approachable, making the process feel personal rather than transactional. That gave me confidence I’d be joining a community with a wide range of professional and personal perspectives, rather than having a more cookie-cutter experience.

Finally, HEC’s strong employer relationships were an important practical consideration. Those connections ultimately played a role in helping me land my role at Amazon after graduation.

How has the program helped you grow personally or professionally since graduating?

The MBA challenged me to question the idea that if something is going well, you should just keep doing it. Before HEC, I had a career with strong momentum and could have comfortably stayed on that path. Instead, I chose to step away from that certainty and invest in learning something new. That experience reminded me that growth doesn’t stop once you’ve reached a goal. If anything, that’s when it’s easiest to become comfortable. Since graduating, I’ve tried to keep exercising that muscle. Whether it’s learning a new skill, taking on a challenge that feels uncomfortable, or considering opportunities I wouldn’t have pursued before, I’ve become more intentional about continuing to challenge myself instead of defaulting to what’s familiar.

What’s a standout moment or memory from your time at HEC Paris that really stuck with you?

I think a lot of HEC MBA alumni would probably give the same answer, but for me it has to be the MBA Tournament. There’s something about putting a group of naturally competitive MBA students into a weekend of sports that makes for an unforgettable experience.

It brought together MBA students from schools across Europe for a weekend packed with everything from football and basketball to dodgeball and ultimate frisbee. The atmosphere was amped in the best way: everyone wanted to win, but it never lost its sense of camaraderie. It perfectly captured what the MBA experience was about: working hard, competing with people who pushed you to be better, and having a lot of fun at the same time.

How did you balance your work/school/home life during your degree? What were the biggest challenges?

Balance definitely wasn’t perfect. It was more about being intentional with my time and accepting that priorities would shift from week to week. Between classes, recruiting, networking events, group projects, and trying to maintain a social life, there was always something competing for my attention. The biggest challenge was accepting that I couldn’t do everything. I had to get comfortable saying no, prioritizing what mattered most, and protecting time to recharge.

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

One of my biggest takeaways was learning how to think more strategically about career decisions. Before the MBA, I tended to think about careers in a fairly linear way. The program helped me understand where I had transferable advantages, when it made sense to pursue a bigger pivot, and how to tell my own story in a way that made sense to employers in a completely different industry.

It also changed the way I approach problems. I became more comfortable breaking down ambiguous challenges into structured, data-driven decisions, which is something I use every day in product management. Just as importantly, spending a year and a half with classmates from dozens of industries and countries challenged many of my assumptions and broadened the way I think.

What is your advice for those who are considering applying to the HEC Paris MBA program?

Before anything else, be clear on why you want an MBA. Once you know what you’re hoping to get out of it, it’s much easier to decide whether HEC is the right fit. Talk to current students and alumni, attend events if you can, and really understand what makes HEC different for you. Rankings can only tell you so much. You’re going to spend more than a year with this group of people, so culture and community matter just as much as the curriculum.

And once you’re here, say yes to as much as you can. Some of the most valuable parts of the MBA happen outside the classroom, whether that’s clubs, career events, or weekends away with classmates. The more you put into the experience, the more you’ll get out of it.

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