How has Nyenrode changed you?

Nyenrode has changed me in many ways. All they say about doing an MBA is true, really very true. Your personal development gets an enormous boost. I was not the same person when I came out of the MBA – when it comes to business of course – in the sense that my approach towards tackling complex business issues was completely different than before the MBA.
I gained a lot of knowledge - which gives you confidence - but don’t underestimate the personal development you will go through. Imagine this: Where do you find a place where you have to discuss, deal with and solve complex business issues of all kinds with 20 different nationalities under huge time pressure?  

What drew you to the IMBA in particular?

The things that drew me to the IMBA in particular were:
-  Short, intense 13 month program
-  Campus life on a beautiful 13th century estate
-  Small class size (45-60 students)
-  International class (19 nationalities)
-  Wide alumni network
-  University that ‘specialises’ in Entre (intra) preneurship

The International MBA program includes a module at the Kellogg School of Management in the United States. How did Kellogg compare to Nyenrode?

Kellogg is a very inspiring place, a top notch business school in the ‘MBA Arena’, and being there was very rewarding. We went there together with the Executive MBA students, so it was also a great networking opportunity. Professors are well known – i.e. even the dean of Kellogg, Dipak Jain hosted a class in our module – and they teach in an inspiring way. Moreover, it is good to be in a different environment, it boosts creativity and – to talk in terms of team ship and leadership – it further bonded the class.
To compare programs, an MBA is an MBA, and what I want to say with that is that in general all curriculums are similar. You will find the same courses at many different MBA Programs all over the world. What was different was the size. Kellogg is a huge school compared to Nyenrode, and it made me realize that the small scale was exactly why I chose Nyenrode for my MBA.

What was your favourite thing about life at Nyenrode?

My favourite things were the Friday evenings with the class. As we were all living on campus, every Friday evening we would go out for dinner and drinks in Amsterdam with almost the entire class. This was so much fun – and necessary after a week of hard work – that although it is four years ago, I still have images in my memory of those nights. What I also liked were the so called ‘cultural evenings’, where people from one continent grouped together and hosted an evening full of history, culture, music and food from their home countries. Really perfect.

How could you get involved in the Nyenrode community?

I got involved in the Nyenrode community in many ways. With the thesis for example I approached a few MBA alumni and that resulted in a project at the company we both – my class mate and I - wanted. It indirectly led to job at the same company after graduation! And later on, a few years after graduation, I was offered a job in Nigeria, I again contacted a few alumni who were either working there or had worked there. They provided me with lots of information about working and living in Nigeria. Nyenrode alumni will always help you out; where ever you are. And as year rep I am still in contact with all my class mates, and a large part of the Nyenrode community.

What kind of people did you meet at Nyenrode?

I met very diverse people; practically form all over the world; in different stages of their lives and careers and with many different functional backgrounds. They all had one thing in common: they came to Nyenrode to do an MBA, and they were all very entrepreneurial and highly motivated; great bunch of people.

What was your favourite spot on campus?

The Castle, no doubt about it! This beautiful 13th century landmark on campus; but a strong runner up was the jogging track, where you could find me every morning before class.

What are your best memories of your year in Nyenrode?

My best memories are clearly that I had the opportunity to study and live together with an immensely interesting and diverse group of international people, and at the same time also getting to know more about their culture and functional backgrounds. Very strong friendships developed here.

How does the Nyenrode MBA help you in your current job?

The Nyenrode MBA has helped me in many ways; I made a complete switch from a pure domestically (Netherlands) oriented job to a truly global job after graduation. In my job I have contact with people in all different time zones, I am responsible for international projects and I get to travel quite a bit internationally. The Nyenrode MBA prepared me for demanding work, handling cultural differences, taking the lead and working under time pressure. I don’t think that this switch would have been possible without my Nyenrode MBA!