25 Years of MBA
An MBA degree is something very special. Not only in the USA, the country of origin where the academic training programme was founded more than 100 years ago. Today, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) for executives, managers and high potentials is known and highly valued all over the world. In 1996, Pforzheim University became the first public university to be granted the right to award an MBA degree. 25 years and 493 graduates from 59 nationalities later, the MBA International Management at Pforzheim University is not only known in Germany, but worldwide for being a reputable and internationally renowned programme.
In 2011 Pforzheim University´s Business School was accredited by the AACSB as one of only 10 universities in Germany. 2017 and again in 2022 the re-accreditation has proven that the institution is not only keeping its high standards but that striving for continuous improvement is the key to success.
In addition to a general management education, the MBA International Management also offers specialisations in the areas of Marketing, Consulting and Finance & Accounting and is characterised by permanent innovation and flexibility in accordance with the current needs of the economy.
Current students in the MBA International Management programme have at least 2, but on average 5 years of professional experience after their first academic degree. Our programme brings together students from all different professional backgrounds - engineers meet liberal arts graduates, business graduates meet lawyers, physicians or journalists. For 25 years, all of our alumni have shared one common goal: to advance their careers through a practice-oriented MBA programme and sometimes even develop them in a completely different direction.
Besides the cross-cultural atmosphere, that starts directly in classroom and that is praised by all alumni, the profound academic background is secured by highly-qualified faculty members and visiting professors from renowned international partner universities. Current business challenges are firmly integrated through guests in classroom, excursions, company projects and alumni events. Today, the program ensures that our students are in contact with up to 30 companies throughout their studies which allows them to build up a vast professional network in Germany.
Even in the past semesters, which were influenced by the pandemic, the MBA International Management has succeeded in bringing its students together with numerous representatives from industry in individual online events, digital excursions and virtual alumni meetings. The mentoring programme, which was established two years ago and that matches a current student with an alumnus, has also been a great success. Through personal and digital meetings or phone calls our former MBA students now support the current students with tips from their own experience regarding the thesis or job hunting and with their connections in different industries.
Thank you to all our alumni who have been part of our MBA International Management programme over the past 25 years! It has been a pleasure to accompany you on your journey and to see you grow professionally and personally. Thank you for your continuous support of our program and staying in contact!
We are looking forward to the next years to come!
Gallery of MBA Directors since 1996
What company do you currently work for and what is your job position?
I´m working for Accenture DACH as a Energy Strategy Consultant.
What were your main takeaways from the MBA program?
The MBA at Pforzheim University allowed me to enhance my skill set with a further business degree and complex problem solving abilities. The highlight of the program for me is the experienced faculty, staffed with professors coming from remarkable backgrounds. The course offering including Strategic Management, Marketing, Innovation Management and Digital Transformation modules, just to name a few, allowed me to develop valuable managerial skills.
What aspects of the MBA program would you tie to your success after graduation?
I enjoyed the small class size allowing for a stimulating discussion and, thanks to our diverse cohort, I learned to work with colleagues from many different backgrounds.
What company do you currently work for and what is your job position?
I´m working for Amazon Germany as an Financial Analyst.
What were your main takeaways from the MBA program?
I had an incredible experience during my MBA in Pforzheim, where I was able to develop my business acumen, build a business network from zero in Germany, make great friends, and be exposed to different cultures.
What aspects of the MBA program would you tie to your success after graduation?
I have to highlight the outstanding professors of this program, who bring to class their excellent market experience and combine it with the latest business academic know-how
What company do you currently work for and what is your job position?
I'm working in Hyundai MOBIS as Business Analytics Manager in Aftersales Business Planning team.
How did the MBA help you?
Our MBA program definitely has broadened my horizon in many perspectives. It not only has fulfilled my expectations of expanding business knowledges, also helped me a lot improve the communication skills. It was totally worth it!
What is the most memorable experience from your MBA times?
The 2 years were full of challenges, laughs, and that certainly leads to growth. Our teammates worked hard together for group projects, enjoyed the time together visiting companies, celebrating after exams. It was all unforgettable times.
Are you still in touch with your classmates or other students from Pforzheim?
Yes, we still have our 2019 MBA WhatsApp Group and exchange our latest status from time to time. I hope we can gather together once again after Corona.
What advice would you like to give to our current MBA students?
Enjoy the time of studying as much as you can, it certainly the best investment for yourself!
What were two of the key takeaways from your time in the MBA program?
My key takeaways were the intercultural teamwork as well as the professional presentation and appearance through all the company visits, project presentations and guest speakers
What was your career path like after graduation?
I started to work as a project manager in a small digital agency before I acquired my SCRUM Master certification and started to work as a Scrum Master for NTT Data Germany.
What aspects of the MBA program would you tie to your success after graduation?
Working a lot in group projects with different team- and culture-mixtures for every project definitely shaped my career path.
Why did you choose to study at Hochschule Pforzheim?
I wanted to do the next career step. Certainly, there a different options to do so, but for me a MBA study seemed to be the perfect fit. Hochschule Pforzheims very good reputation, combined with its extensive academic & professional network and the excellent price-performance ratio convinced me to choose Pforzheim.
What was your career path like after graduation?
After graduation I applied and got accepted for an IT project management position at Daimler AG. Currently, I mainly manage large-scale business intelligence / analytics projects.
What aspects of the MBA program would you tie to your success after graduation?
The MBA´s networking opportunities are very directly linked to my career success, as I got offered to write my thesis at Daimler´s business innovation lab at the end of my first semester. Apart of that, many of the people I met during the MBA (students, professors & the MBA staff) shaped my mind set during very intense 1.5 years, which helps me in my job.
What was your career path like after graduation?
I received an offer for a full-time job at SAP, which is where I started working as an intern during my MBA studies. I have been happily working there since 2015.
I did my bachelor in marketing, and wanted to focus more on digital marketing, which is what I am currently doing.
What aspects of the MBA program would you tie to your success after graduation?
The MBA program at Hochschule Pforzheim has an excellent reputation; this is helpful when applying for jobs at top employers in the area. They receive myriads of applications, and being enrolled in quality programs helps to stand out among all of the applicants.
Also, the MBA Pforzheim collaborates with companies that are top employers in the area. I would recommend future students to take advantage of the network the program offers, working on company projects or internships can be a great way to get your foot in the door at a great company.
How has it been working in Germany since you finished the MBA program?
I've been fortunate to find a job that I like in a global company, all the intercultural competencies I learned during the MBA came in handy. Also, SAP has received many awards for being an awesome place to work, so I can only say that it has been a positive experience.
What company do you currently work for and what is your job position?
1&1 IONOS SE, Senior Product Manager
How did the MBA help you, professionally and personally?
The MBA was a life and mind-set changing experience for me. I will never be the same person that took the MBA admission interview. How did this happen? I was already a confident person even before, but the MBA helped me to connect the dots, doubt the given and challenge the status quo. Awareness on sustainability, on the necessity of business innovation and on benefits of change can only happen once in a lifetime and for me it happened during the MBA.
From a professional perspective, having a background in corporate finance in the banking sector, the Pforzheim MBA gave me the leverage to make the switch to product management in the Internet industry. The business acumen acquired during the MBA time allowed me to assess business situations with ease, analyze trends and create business cases, while keeping a keen eye on industry developments. I do this on a daily basis at work and the MBA helped me expand my financial perspective on business to a more global overview. We do not live in a bubble. We live in a global knowledge economy. Everything is interconnected. The MBA made me understand that.
What is the most memorable experience from your MBA times?
The company project: hard teamwork followed by great success. One can get good work and good results done. However, the work of a loner can rarely equal the stunning results that the synergies of a team are able to create. I was a member of a team of four together with Anand, Lindsey and Minh defining a new incentive scheme for the executives of a global corporation with its headquarters located near to Heidelberg with the purpose of increasing sales. The countless sleepless nights to research and fundament the scheme structure payed off in full on presentation day. Human Resources and the top management of the company were amazed by our solution and included it partially in their strategic planning, as they would later acknowledge. Words like “overwhelming” and “outstanding” used in the letter of recommendation addressed to “The Team” were our reward and recognition. This was achieved because we worked as a team.
Are you still in touch with your classmates or other students from Pforzheim?
I made some great friends during the MBA. I also found a best friend, Liva. I worked with her in most of my projects and we encountered successes and failures together. Therefore, we ended up creating a very special bond. In addition, during the MBA I found really good friends in the teammates of the management simulation project: Anand, Anup, Bibin, Jürgen and Liva – we call ourselves “Paramount Team”. We care about each other almost as if we were family, and that says it all.
What advice would you like to give to our current MBA students?
Do not save your time and effort for later. Work, work, work. Study, study, study. Do not count sleepless nights. Because if you decide to do a full time MBA after several years of experience, you just want to make the most out of it. Moreover, do not spare professors. They care. Take advantage of the time they allocate to you. In addition, something very important: allow them to change you, while still doubting and challenging them. I know I did and that rewired my brain. It made it sharper.
Avigyan Dutta
What company do you currently work for and what is your job position?
Ernst and Young, Assistant Director of Business Analysis Operations for EMEIA.
How did the MBA help you, professionally and personally?
Personally, the MBA helped me to broaden my horizon and open up to different cultures inside and outside of the classroom. None of the professors ever taught us what was right or wrong on a subject, but rather helped us to form our own opinions based on observations and investigation. The MBA empowered us in a big way, gave us clarity of thought on extremely important global business issues.
Workwise, it was this MBA in International Management that added a lot of weight to my five years of work experience in Asia. It also helped me to break into the European job market in a middle management position in accordance to my professional and academic credentials. Continuous exposure to small and medium-sized enterprises from the industry, alumni visits and consulting projects in the classroom helped us a lot in understanding the dynamics of the European market.
What is the most memorable experience from your MBA times?
It is difficult to highlight one single experience as the most memorable one. The email, which informed me that I was selected as a Student Assistant for the MBA office, staying inside a castle in Nurnberg with the entire MBA class, being appreciated by the Head of Sustainability in SAP for our consulting project, our graduation ceremony with the entire University - the list is endless.
Are you still in touch with your classmates or other students from Pforzheim?
I am in touch with most people I met in Pforzheim, inside and outside of my class.
What advice would you like to give to our current MBA students?
First of all, congratulations on making it to this class. This is the time to take a break from work, learn in the classroom from your professors and from your international batch mates, travel in Europe and reflect. I would urge all MBA students to focus on the quality and not the quantity of application packages during the job seeking process post MBA. It is extremely important to read the job descriptions and write cover letters specific to the role you are applying for instead of making general statements. Do not shy away from aiming high if you believe you are suitable for the job. I also cannot emphasize enough, the need for learning German and speaking it fluently. Good luck and enjoy every day of this MBA for as long as it lasts for you!
Kwame Ahiabor
What company do you currently work for and what is your job position?
SAP, Learning Architect for SAP Success Factors.
How did the MBA help you?
It helped me to understand people from diverse backgrounds much better.
What is the most memorable experience from your MBA times?
There were many good memories but the trip to Berlin was certainly one of my favorite.
Are you still in touch with your classmates or other students from Pforzheim?
Yes.
What advice would you like to give to our current MBA students?
Study German and enjoy the Moment.
Sunil George
What company do you currently work for and what is your job position?
Toyota Motors Europe, Sr. Buyer.
How did the MBA help you professionally and personally?
The program provided me with an international exposure and insights about life in Germany. Being in a multi-cultural class improves understanding and communication skills. This supports my job function, since I deal with colleagues and suppliers across the globe.
What is the most memorable experience from your MBA times?
The Alumni Meetings. It is a unique opportunity to interact with former students who are now leaders or managers in their respective industries. In my case, the Alumni Meeting landed me an internship with one of the biggest automotive companies.
Are you still in touch with your classmates or other students from Pforzheim?
Yes, as it is said, some friendships are forever. My colleagues, seniors and juniors became great friends of mine.
What advice would you like to give to our current MBA students?
Apart from the coursework, take time to learn German, network with peers and industry contacts, but above all, enjoy your time in the program.
What company do you currently work for and what is your job position?
I currently work as Shipping Origination Manager for Berenberg Bank, Germany's oldest bank founded in 1590.
How did the MBA help you professionally and personally?
The MBA helped me in learning how to work with people from different cultures and backgrounds. This is something necessary in today's increasingly complex world, especially for somebody working in an international industry, like shipping in my case.
Additionally, most of the MBA projects are similar to projects within a company, which makes them a good preparation for the real work life.
On a personal level, learning the German language and culture was very useful. The German classes that the MBA program offers without timetable clashes with the other courses, were maybe the most useful classes I had in Pforzheim.
What is the most memorable experience from your MBA times?
The best memory I have from the MBA program is the support and help I received from all the professors. Irrespective of how busy they were, the MBA directors, Prof. Strotmann and Prof. Kropp, were always there for me and for all the others.
The many field trips and events organized by the MBA staff and professors are my most memorable experiences from my MBA times. Additionally, the events organized by us, students, especially by Kerstin Januschewski, are great memories.
Are you still in touch with your classmates or other students from Pforzheim?
Yes, I am in contact with most, if not all, of my classmates. Meeting in person is unfortunately difficult as we are spread around the world. Even those that are in Germany are far away from Hamburg, where I live, as most live in the South of Germany. Every time I am traveling in the south of Germany I contact them and try to meet them.
What advice would you like to give to our current MBA students?
Make the most of your time during the MBA program:
1. For non-Germans: Learn the German language and the German culture. This will be a major asset for you both if you decide to stay in Germany or if you go back to your home country.
2. Connect with people from different backgrounds (other country, other first degree). Having a global network of professionals will be invaluable after graduation.
3. Take some courses that might be out of your area of interest and/or out of your comfort zone, especially if they have a practical focus. I never regretted having IFRS with Prof. Kropp as an elective, despite the huge work load and tough exam.
What company do you currently work for and what is your job position?
Imerys, Regional Plant Manager Imerys Perlite USA.
How did the MBA help you professionally and personally?
The MBA has been a great advantage: being exposed to the European culture - especially Germany- improving my German language skills, and getting a thorough business education. The cross-cultural experience was very enriching, and the opportunity to learn about strategy, economics, finance, and project management has been very rewarding. These are topics that come up frequently during my day-to-day job; first as a new product development manager, then as a global product manager, and now as a regional plant manager.
What is the most memorable experience from your MBA times?
The personal connections I made with my fellow classmates and the deep friendships that blossomed. I have met with some MBA classmates in Mexico, Chile, China, Germany, and the U.S. since I left Pforzheim in 2008.
Are you still in touch with your classmates or other students from Pforzheim?
Absolutely. I am in touch with several of them from the time I was in Pforzheim, at least once a year.
What advice would you like to give to our current MBA students?
Study and work hard. Take advantage of everything that Germany can offer: the language, the culture, the professors, and all of the resources given by the Hochschule Pforzheim. The experience is invaluable.
Alberto Oliver Murillo
What company do you currently work for and what is your job position?
Cold Jet LLC, Managing Director for Latin America.
How did the MBA help you professionally and personally?
It gave me the tools to analyze and seize business opportunities. It also helped me to achieve excellence on every aspect of business.
What is the most memorable experience from your MBA times?
A rock concert on campus.
Are you still in touch with your classmates or other students from Pforzheim?
Absolutely!
What advice would you like to give to our current MBA students?
Be proactive. There is a world of opportunities out there.
What were two of the key takeaways from your time in the MBA program?
I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to study with and learn from students from other countries.
I appreciate the dedication of professors and staff who constantly provided a challenging curriculum that often integrated their professional experience into the teaching.”
How has your life changed since finishing the MBA?
I purchased one business in 2003, founded a second business in 2007, and currently working on starting a 3rd business. I believe The MBA program at Hochschule Pforzheim provided me the basis to confidently apply what was taught to me during the purchase acquisition of one company and to be able to successfully grow two companies over the last ~20 years.”
Why did you choose to study at Hochschule Pforzheim?
Hochschule Pforzheim provided me a unique opportunity to study business administration in a foreign country, surrounded entirely by foreign students, which would not have bee
Iris and Gert Middendorf
What company do you currently work for and what is your job position?
Muschert + Gierse, HR Management.
How did the MBA help you professionally and personally?
Workwise, all presentations, teamwork and good case studies helped me to get a practical approach on things, as well as the theoretical basis. Personally, it was a great time. We were 15 students from six different nationalities.
What is the most memorable experience from your MBA times?
I met my husband there. We are still working together and have three kids.
Are you still in touch with your classmates or other students from Pforzheim?
Yes, we have an annual MBA meeting: Frank Sommer, Rüdiger Bäcker, Susan Müller, Gert and Iris Middendorf, and before his death in 2010, Friedrich Fischer. Two MBA Alumni are godfathers of two of our children. Since August 2016, we had a guest student: the daughter of our Colombian MBA friend Liliana Mendez. She stayed with us for 3 months.
What advice would you like to give to our current MBA students?
Choose a special field and arrange your internships accordingly. Make use of the network with different nationalities and enjoy your studies. It is simply the best of times.
Gregor Sommer
What company do you currently work for and what is your job position?
Friedrich Lütze International GmbH, CFO.
How did the MBA help you professionally and personally?
Working in an international environment helped me to understand different cultures. It also taught me how to adapt to new, unknown situations by using different problem solving approaches.
What is the most memorable experience from your MBA times?
I was the first MBA student from Pforzheim joining the MBA Program in Salt Lake City at the University of Utah. This was a huge learning experience for me since I could not back up on experiences and advices from former students.
In addition, I worked on a project in Bolivia, where many odds were against me. Fortunately, the project became a great success. Both experiences were hard to solve, but finally, I made it.
Are you still in touch with your classmates or other students from Pforzheim?
Yes.
What advice would you like to give to our current MBA students?
Enjoy the experience working outside of Germany and accept challenges as a good experience, because such experiences will help you throughout your career.
