Pre-MBA Employment: Regional Administrative Co-ordinator, International Committee of the Red Cross
Post-MBA Employment: Area Manager, Luxury Products Division, L’Oréal

Prior to my undergraduate degree, I completed an apprenticeship and worked for a Swiss bank for six years, after which I decided to do a bachelors degree in Business Administration and Economics at the University of Applied Sciences in Switzerland. My MA thesis for an NGO in Peru gave me a first taste of working abroad in the non profit sector and after completing my studies I started working for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

In my first mission as an Administrator in Angola, I dealt with all the administrative aspects that support relief operations, as well as being responsible for the logistical aspects. As an Administrative Coordinator in DR Congo, my main responsibilities were to coordinate and streamline all activities in Kinshasa and the field. After three years in Africa I was sent to the Balkans as Regional Administrative Coordinator where the challenge lie in coordinating the administrations of seven different countries, taking into account the different cultures and legal systems. In the aftermath of the tsunami I was sent to Sri Lanka to coordinate the emergency aid operations.

Having reached the top of my career with the ICRC as Administrative Coordinator and eager to take on new challenges in the international private sector, I decided to study for an MBA. The hardest thing about doing the MBA was getting back in the study-mood after so many years of a professional career, but I look back upon it without regret. As many other students of our class had had an interesting career path, the added value of the MBA was that apart from the theory, there were ample practical examples of how to succeed in business. Personally speaking the MBA also provided me with valuable networking opportunities.

During one of the career events organised in Saïd Business School, I met with the Human Resource Director of L’Oréal, who - upon hearing that I was interested in an international career in the luxury goods industry- invited me to come to Paris for a job interview. Prior to my interview I did exhaustive research on L’Oréal and people I was about to meet.

I now work for L’Oréal Luxury Products Division as Area Manager for Lancôme, covering several countries of Southeastern Europe. What appeals to me in this position is the general management aspect, the fact that I have sole responsibility for a whole sector and the diversity of the markets in the five countries I cover. As I made it clear from the start that I was interested in a general management career in the emerging markets, I have recently been offered an exciting management position in Dubai, from where I will cover a large part of the Middle East.

If there is any advice I would give to people making the transformation from the non-profit to the private sector it would be: don’t wait too long to make the transition! When working for a non-profit organization one does not always realize how much one is losing touch with the business reality in the private sector. On the other hand, I believe that having worked outside the traditional business environment provides an enriching experience and transferable business skills that many companies may be interested in.