CEMS Magazine Spring 2014

NETWORK EVENTS

ON CAMPUS

STUDENT & ALUMNI FOCUS

CHILE JOINS THE ALLIANCE 05_CEMS welcomes the Universidad

CEMS STAYS CONNECTED 19_ Our inaugural global e-fair

ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR 29_ Igor Nishimura shares his CEMS

Adolfo Ibáñez

brings 18 member schools together to fortify the network

journey and the perks of being an alumnus

CEMS Magazine Official Magazine of the CEMS Global Alliance Spring 2014

FEATURE

In With Innovation

20_ Creativity is more than ever before

the key driver of success through innovation

We spotlight students, professors, companies and alumni who are adopting new approaches to nurture the skills of the future

Only those who look closely understand the big picture.

Gain insights: Our strategy workshop for women. siemens.com/smc/insights

Siemens Management Consulting (SMC) is the top management strategy consultancy of Siemens.

We support Siemens businesses worldwide in developing solutions to meet twenty-first century challenges.

Get to know our company, our culture and our way of working, and take the first step in your career as a strategy consultant.

Based out of offices in Beijing, Mumbai, and Munich, our consultants develop trendsetting strategies for Siemens.

While enjoying a spectacular alpine setting from within a ski lodge, you’ll combine theory and practice, and examine with us the most pressing issues involved in the energy transition. Cozy evening events at the ski lodge provide plenty of opportunity for you to talk with SMC consultants about their typical workday.

Two days dedicated to strategy SMC invites German speaking female students and doctoral candidates to experience the world of strategy consulting as part of a two-day event.

The event takes place June 5–6, 2014 in Munich/Schliersee. Further information can be found at: www.siemens.com/smc/insights.

We look forward to meeting you.

siemens.com/careers

in this issue

4 EDITORIAL

Tore Kristensen Professor, Department of Marketing Copenhagen Business School Chair, CEMS Innovation and Design Faculty Group

13 ON CAMPUS

20 FEATURE

Nova: Summer Courses and the EDP Business Project HKUST: CEMS Club Launch and the IBST

5 NETWORK EVENTS

We spotlight students, professors, companies and alumni who are adopting new approaches to nurture the skills of the future

29 THINK TANK Challenging Assumptions about Business and Poverty

CEMS Arrives in Chile

Biculturals Can Give Firms a Global Edge 30 STUDENT & ALUMNI FOCUS A.T. Kearney Business Projects Corporate Benchmarking Meeting SSE: Leadership Event

2013 Alumnus of the Year

Sydney Business School: New Offerings

GSOM: Management of the Future

Multi-school Climate Change Simulation

Louvain: Global Sustainability Day

Louvain: Block Seminar Report

LSE: RCC Conference

Ivey: Practicum Programme, India

ESADE: CEMS Pre-Programme

Prague: Diversity Management Course

UCD Smurfit School: Leadership Conference Aalto: CEMS Celebrations

UCD Smurfit School: Movember Madness

CEMS Club Sydney Surf Camp

CEMS Global E-Fair

SSE CEMS Team, Davos World Final Winners The Number One Young Professional Student Board-Alumni Association Partnership Made in CEMS: Creative Networking BIP Africa and New Generation Consulting CEMS Adventure: An Alumna's Story CEMS Mentoring, Prague

Tweet us @cems_alliance, #CEMS Join us on Facebook, under CEMS

CEMS Magazine ABOUT CEMS

CEMS Magazine contacts

CEMS is a global alliance of academic, corporate and social institutions dedicated to educating and preparing future generations of business leaders. The organisation creates value by bringing together like-minded individuals from diverse backgrounds to provide a world-class education. From faculty cooperation to multinational corporate and social partner involvement on a curriculum level, the centrepiece of CEMS is its Master’s in International Management (MIM) programme. The CEMS MIM is a pre-experience postgraduate degree open to students enrolled in a Master’s in Management programme at one of the CEMS member schools.

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE: Rebecca Rosinski CEMS Marketing Manager

www.cems.org

Anna Rogozina CEMS Student Board representative, Graduate School of Management, St Petersburg University

EDITORIAL COORDINATION: 420editorial 420editorial@gmail.com DESIGN & LAYOUT: Thomas Moulin thomas.moulin@icloud.com

Benjamin Simsa CEMS alumnus 2012 (USyd-Ivey-St Gallen) CEMS Alumni Board member

PRINTING: Colorpack www.colorpack.hu

Symonne Torpy CEMS Marketing Intern

CONTACT the editorial team at cemsmag@cems.org

editorial

“Choose your own adventures”

– Innovation in 2014 Dear readers, Could creativity and innovation be the keys to survival in an economy in flux?

As complex melting pots of intuition and logic, both are about preparation, analysis and understanding, in order to generate interesting solutions.

Tore Kristensen

Professor, Department of Marketing Copenhagen Business School Chair, CEMS Innovation and Design Faculty Group

Dramatic changes to the marketplace, led by ever-hastening digitalisation and globalisation, represent a need for challenging the status quo – a role for meaningful innovation. Emphasis on hitherto existing “average consumer segments” is no longer viable.

Personalisation, social connections and mobility must lead, as we face a landscape directed by individuals.

This is where branding becomes as important as product innovation. It is through branding that we find a means to connect with the aspirations of consumers. Becoming better storytellers cuts to the root; this is where the personal connection between brand and consumer is fostered. As authors of the narrative, we need to be offering the exciting potential of “choose your own adventures”.

Where does this leave us? The American scientist and author Jared Diamond suggests that there is much to learn from the cooperative European culture. They are hardly smarter or more creative than others, but they have been successful with communication around individual needs and complex social bonds that have become a market focus in 2014.

There are countless studies around how to enhance the natural human propensity to create. With an integrated approach to delivering innovation in management education, these early skills may be shared, developed and allowed to flourish. Here is where, as educators, we find our responsibility to nurture creativity in our students.

NETWORK EVENTS CEMS Arrives in Chile Marta Garcia-Huidobro Ochogniero CEMS Programme & Corporate Manager Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez

It was with great enthusiasm from all sides that CEMS welcomed Adolfo Ibáñez University to the alliance in November last year. The 2013 Annual Events held in Barcelona was a chance to bring together our leaders to discuss a combined future.

sinessmen and women for over 60 years, we believe more than ever before that we have the ability to innovate, to change and to create value.

For us, it is an honour to become a part of this global network. We know the world is increasingly small, and we need to prepare students for the new challenges facing the globalised world.

Gonzalo Islas

Vice-Dean Adolfo Ibáñez University

THE ETHICAL IMPERATIVE The concept of profitability must exist beyond the monetary, in an environment in which growing a company means a great deal of social awareness. As trainers of bu-

The Penalolen campus of Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez.

(L-R): Gonzalo Islas (Vice-Dean, Universidad Adolfo Ibañez Business School) and Thomas Bieger (CEMS Chairman) sign the memorandum of understanding officialising the ratification of UAI as a CEMS member school.

6

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

NETWORK EVENTS

(L-R): Sylvia Feilhauer (A.T. Kearney), Nicolas Probst, Joakim Noraas, Eileen Rüter, Kirsten Harke, Jacob Rode (all CEMS students), Jürgen Brücker (CEMS Academic Director, University of St. Gallen) and Stefan Pinggera (A.T. Kearney).

CEMS Students and A.T. Kearney Bite Into Online Food Retailing Federico Jüttner - CEMS alumnus 2012 (HSG-LSE) and Management Consultant, A.T. Kearney

If you have Internet access, chances are you’ve done a fair bit of online purchasing.

Whilst e-commerce is a burgeoning industry, the food segment represents a mere fraction of the marketplace - a tremendous growth area. Together, CEMS students and corporate partner A.T. Kearney are exploring exciting new potential through innovative research projects, understanding evolving needs and bridging the gap between retail clients and their customers.

A CROSS-BORDER BUSINESS INITIATIVE Germany, Austria and Switzerland provided a strong geographical research base for our initial project, with local CEMS teams from each country tackling specific challenges.

This year, A.T. Kearney will conduct CEMS projects in the Czech Republic, Germany, Russia, Switzerland and Turkey.

The CEMS Business Projects are an excellent proposition.

They generate great results that we can use directly and provide a perfect platform to get to know each other. We thank the students from the 2013 Business Projects for their hard work and outstanding results. Our firm is looking forward to working on exciting new topics in 2014.

Mirko Warschun

CEMS alumnus 1997 (Cologne-SSE) Partner at A.T. Kearney and Head of Consumer Industry and Retail Practice in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland

A RESULTS-DRIVEN EXPERIENCE

This year, A.T. Kearney will conduct CEMS projects in the Czech Republic, Germany, Russia, Switzerland and Turkey.

Published results were well received by both A.T. Kearney’s clients and the media.

Overall, 25% of consumers across all three markets have already purchased food online, but with few repeat purchases. Home delivery, timesaving and curiosity were most frequently cited drivers. Yet, it seems consumers still crave a tangible sensory experience (look and feel) - a key issue to overcome.

Working so closely with A.T. Kearney helped us gain far deeper insight into strategy consulting and company processes than ordinary recruiting events. It is highly motivating to see that our findings brought true value to A.T. Kearney.

Joakim Noraas

HSG Business Project 2013 member and trainee at A.T. Kearney in Zurich

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

NETWORK EVENTS

Corporate Partner Benchmarking Emerging Markets under the Microscope Diana Hehle - International Communications and Cooperation Manager, University of Cologne

25-26 September 2013 marked the annual CEMS Corporate Partner Benchmarking Meeting, bringing together the Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences, University of Cologne and Henkel, with support from Swiss Re. Representatives from CEMS universities, corporate partners and alumni had the opportunity to discuss the challenges of attracting new students in emerging markets. Over 90 participants (as well as

14 corporate partners) discussed current trends, shared best practices and proposed new targets.

The event served as a first step in engaging students more successfully in the future - both of the CEMS programme and its partners. Day 1 featured panel discussions at the University of Cologne. Day 2 was an opportunity for participants to engage with each other in focus groups at Henkel HQ, D端sseldorf.

Co-hosted by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA Supported by Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd

PARTICIPATING CORPORATE PARTNERS A.P.Moller - Maersk ABB AG Beiersdorf AG CARE Deutschland-Luxemburg Daymon Worldwide EF Education First Henkel AG & Co. KGaA Integration Management Consulting McKinsey & Company Unibail Rodamco Novo Nordisk A/S P&G PwC Swiss Re

7

8

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

NETWORK EVENTS

CEMS Leadership: Responsive and Responsible CEMS Club Stockholm

In February, as a part of a Global Responsible Leadership seminar at SSE, CEMS Club Stockholm had the pleasure of hosting Marie Ehrling, whose inspiring career highlights include her role as the CEO of SAS Group, current board involvement in some of the most recognised companies in Sweden and chairpersonship of TeliaSonera.

Marie shared her wisdom, including lessons learned navigating SAS through the tragic loss of their SK686 aircraft in 2001.

Her insights into implementing sustainable practices and guiding TeliaSonera in the wake of serious corruption allegations reached to the heart of the ethics that CEMS students hope to carry into future careers.

The lecture provided participants with a rare opportunity to hear a business leader speak candidly on the trials and tribulations of corporate management.

Management of the Future Anton Remnyov CEMS Club President (Graduate School of Management, St. Petersburg University) Alina Verbenchuk CEMS student (Graduate School of Management, St. Petersburg University)

Held each spring, the “Management of the Future” conference is one of the most exciting annual events at GSOM. In early April, the university was due to welcome VIP guest lecturers, students and business leaders, organising creative touch points for all participants to engage.

graduates from the best business school programmes internationally. The mission was to connect elite Russian-speaking students - not just from GSOM, but CEMS worldwide – to leading institutions, including CEMS corporate partners Sberbank and Sistema.

Originating in 2012, the conference has become one of the most prestigious graduate recruitment events in Russia. CEMS and other GSOM students recognised the need for awareness amongst Russian companies of the value of recruiting

Over 2500 applicants from 500 universities and 36 countries compete for 100 places at the conference. The selection criteria includes CV and CL assessment, logic tests, case studies and EQ tests.

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

NETWORK EVENTS

Louvain Hosts Global Sustainability Day Asha Vyas - CEMS student (Ivey-LSM)

On 22 November 2013, CEMS students from the Louvain School of Management hosted Global Sustainability Day. LSM was one of five schools to play host, along with Copenhagen Business School, Ivey Business School, Rotterdam School of Management and WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.

The Global Sustainability Day was a student-driven initiative during which universities organised activities dedicated to encouraging responsibility in business.

The overarching goal was to promote an ethical and respectful approach to business today and to emphasise the common commitment of all stakeholders.

THE FUTURE OF CSR CEMS corporate partners at the event included McKinsey&Co., Deloitte, GDF Suez Electrabel and Google (by teleconference).

Several professors also provided insights into the future direction of CSR. The goal was to ensure that the next generation of leaders are better prepared to tackle sustainability-related issues.

THE CORPORATE IMPERATIVE Each company outlined their own CSR missions.

McKinsey&Co. is particularly dedicated to Sustainable Resource Productivity. The company works on strategic resources to support clients in adopting new resource solutions, as well as green operations to help corporate clients realise resource productivity in the value chain. Furthermore, McKinsey assists clients with sustainable transformations to encourage companies, industries, cities and nations to achieve a change in environmental and economic performance, by transforming holistic sustainability strategies.

Deloitte focuses on a “zero-impact” growth model and assists clients in playing a role in improving awareness of prevalent issues through education.

GDF Suez Electrabel’s approach to CSR revolves around reducing CO2 emissions and aiming to provide green electricity to 1 million households by 2050. Furthermore, they are working on helping individuals to reduce energy consumption by up to 30%.

Overall, the Global Sustainability Day at Louvain School of Management was a success; students and corporate partners departed with refreshed understanding and new goals orientated around the future of sustainability.

9

10

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

NETWORK EVENTS

RCC Conference Debate, Collaboration, CEMS Emmanuelle Aubert - CEMS student (HEC-LSE) Lars Oehler - CEMS student (CBS-LSE)

“Rerum Cognoscere Causas (RCC) - to understand the causes of things” Inspired by the LSE motto and the opportunities flourishing around us as CEMS students, it felt like the right time to bring people together. Thus, the RCC Conference was born. A wide array of high-profile speakers, industry-leading companies, students, and alumni attended the twoday university-based event presenting speeches, participating in panel discussions, and collaborating in two-hour industry-focused workshops. A challenging and passionate debate evolved about our regional future, “New world order: what’s next for Europe?”

IMPRESSIVE CORPORATES Amongst the company attendees, we were proud to welcome the following CEMS

corporate partners: Skoda (our exclusive platinum partner), Deutsche Bank, A.T. Kearney, P&G, Google, and Daymon Worldwide. Speakers ranged from Vittorio Collao (CEO of Vodafone Group), to Hans Martens (former Chief Executive of the European Policy Centre), Christophe de Callatay (Managing Director for Europe of the worldwide Association of Executive Search Consultants), Andrew Duff (President of the Union of European Federalists), Jackie Minor (European Commission), and Mats Persson (Director of Open Europe think tank).

Starting the project with only 7 CEMS students was on the one hand challenging but on the other hand rewarding as it turned out to be a fantastic event with an impressive turn-out.

TEAM INNOVATION The success of the RCC Conference is a testimony to the virtue of creative synergy.

During the planning phase we all developed further our team working skills. Looking back we realised that the atmosphere of mutual feedback was a crucial driver for an innovative approach to teamwork.

An important takeaway must be that mistakes lay the necessary groundwork for

Katja Zimmermann – HR Marketing and Recruitment Leader at Skoda (photo courtesy of Laurie Noble Photography).

continuous development. The faster they are acknowledged, the easier they are to overcome.

The RCC Conference was without a doubt a supremely enriching experience that has whetted our appetite for similar experiences. We sincerely hope this inaugural year will pave the way for future events, for the sake of increased critical thinking, and an even tighter-knit CEMS network.

Poland and the Eurozone - to be or not to be?

Wiktor Osiatynski - Senior Advisor to the President of Poland

Warsaw School of Economics were the hosts for a specially-organised debate attended by almost 200 students and hundreds more online. CEMS students Piotr Poplawski and Marek Margielewski were instrumental in helping set up the event, whilst CEMS Club Warsaw also provided their support by recording the conference through the SGH TV project.

The event offered participants the unique opportunity to ask questions about the possibility of Poland joining the Eurozone directly to decision makers.

The debate featured Professor Dariusz Rosati, the member of the Polish parlia-

ment heading the public finance commit' tee, Professor Wiktor Osiatynski, senior advisor to the President of Poland, Professor Małgorzata Zaleska, member of the board of the National Bank of Poland, and Małgorzata Starczewska-Krzysztoszek, chief economist of the employers’ organisation Lewiatan.

Students inquired about lessons learned from the international crisis, what changes have to be made in order for Poland to be eligible, what the eurozone could provide to Poland, and the potential risks of joining. The consensus amongst the expert panel members was that Poland will not join the eurozone before 2020.

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

NETWORK EVENTS

CEMS Pre-programme for CEMS ESADE students Maja Murko - CEMS Programme Manager, ESADE Business School

In February 2014, 20 CEMS ESADE students attended a two-part leadership seminar, organised by ESADE CEMS Programme Management. Tackling inter­ national contexts, it was led by Javier Solana, former High Representative for the European Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy and former NATO Secretary-General. A case-based discussion followed, delving into NATO’s

eastward expansion after the fall of the Berlin Wall. It was narrated by its principal negotiator, Dr. Solana, and placed in a management context by Angel Saz-Carranza, Director of the ESADEgeo Center for Global Economy and Geopolitics.

The session was a component of ESADE’s CEMS Pre-Programme, joined by stu­ dents during their first year of home

degree studies. The programme includes sessions on leadership, company training and various social and fund-raising activities organised by CEMS and the local CEMS Club.

Students had a complex first taste of the intricacies of negotiating in multilateral, non-hierarchical contexts through Dr. Solana’s first-hand account of his negotiations with Mikhail Gorbachev, Yevgeny Primakov, Bill Clinton, Jacques Chirac and others. These examples are not unlike many of the situations students will encounter in their international careers, as Angel Saz-Carranza, author of the recent book “Uniting Diverse Organizations: Managing Goal-Oriented Advocacy Networks”, pointed out. While more traditional management models are far from obsolete, network governance is becoming ever more important.

UCD Smurfit School Leads By Example Ruth Blayney - CEMS Corporate Relations Manager, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School

On 6-7 February, the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School hosted a twoday Responsible Leadership Conference, led by Dr. Karan Sonpar and co-organised with UCD’s Centre for Humanitarian Action.

The conference was student-centric, culturally inclusive and academically rigorous – covering a broad range of topics from “Enabling Collaboration in a Global World”, through to “Youth as Agents of Change”.

Speakers from charities, leading universities and powerful companies provided a comprehensive overview of responsible leadership, challenging students to engage with the subject matter.

The keynote speakers, Dr. Catherine Bragg (former Assistant Secretary General, United Nations), and Professor Ed Freeman (Distinguished Professor, University of Virgi-

nia USA) led a stimulating session on building shared values, and creating a shared value systems – a topic crucial to the success of global businesses.

An inspiring, exciting and challenging event - it definitely went beyond the normal opportunities in a student’s life. Not only the speakers but also the highly diverse audience made this event memorable and insightful!

Lisa Schmid

CEMS student, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School

Professor Ed Freeman

11

12

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

NETWORK EVENTS

Aalto Celebrates: A CEMS Anniversary Jutta Mäkinen CEMS Programme and Corporate Relations Manager Aalto University School of Business

To honour CEMS' 25th anniversary and the university’s 15 years as part of the alliance, a seminar and cocktail event was held on 18 December at the Aalto University School of Business. The event brought together important stakeholders and CEMS community members – including alumni from the very first graduating classes, Aalto faculty involved in CEMS since its birth, CEMS corporate partners and current students.

Kerttu Tuomas, Executive Vice President of Human Resources at KONE Corporation (right) at the Aalto-CEMS anniversary event.

After a trip down memory lane, the seminar focused on change and agility, with a keynote speech from Kerttu Tuomas, Executive Vice President of Human Resources at KONE Corporation and a member of the Strategic Board of CEMS. The seminar ended with a panel discussion, where CEMS corporate partner represen-

tatives and alumni discussed the role of CEMS in a rapidly changing world, and identified key competencies our students can offer changing job markets.

CEMS Hits the Sydney Surf CEMS Club Sydney

The first Sydney CEMS Surf Camp was a huge success. Held in August 2013, it saw more than 30 CEMS student kick-start their semester with a real “Aussie experience” as part of their USyd welcome week.

The camp took place at Seal Rocks, a secluded area with pristine beaches and untouched flora and fauna. Located just a short walk from the beach, it was the perfect location to begin progressive surf lessons, which enabled the students to get a feel for the sport. As the Aussie dream unravelled and before the camp was at its end, every single participant was able to stand up and catch a wave!

Not only did the camp bring together an amazing group of people, but the added fun of beach bonfires, surfing, kangaroo feeding, and even whale and dolphin spotting made this first CEMS Surf Camp a unique experience and a great way to flint new CEMS spirit Down Under.

ON CAMPUS Dive into Lisbon with a Nova Summer ~ Silvia Simoes - CEMS Programme Manager, Nova School of Business and Economics

Nova School of Business and Economics is launching its first “Summer at Nova”. The programme will give both undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to dive deeply into the theme of their choice for three weeks. Taking into consideration the demands of Master’s students when applying to the school, International Economics, International Finance and Global

Marketing became the themes for 2014. The courses in each programme resemble the Master’s offerings and will enable participants to earn 11 ECTS for applying to their home school programme. A careers module will also enable students to get acquainted with possible career paths in their area.

learn to surf, sing fado like a local, and experience the fun in the sun that makes Lisbon the best spot for the summer. Sessions will run on 7-25 July and 4-22 August. CEMS MIM students are eligible for a tuition waiver.

Apply now at www.novasbe.pt

There’s more! Participants can come and

Business Project Challenge?

Accepted Rita Mendia CEMS Corporate Relations Manager Nova School of Business and Economics

CEMS corporate partner EDP was awarded, along with the Nova School of Business and Economics, the 2013 CEMS Business project of the Year for “Optimal Capital Structure and Liquidity Levels”. CEMS student Helena Magro delivers her verdict on the benefits she derived from the project from a student perspective.

“The Business Project, in cooperation with EDP - Energias de Portugal, was a truly demanding challenge, but so fulfilling that I would not change a bit. The ongoing

support from both academic and business advisors assured the real-world relevance of the content, and introduced us to the business environment - something few other programmes are able to offer.

“At a personal level, the Business Project of the CEMS MIM programme gave me the confidence to lead a team and communicate effectively with senior partners in my current work. I remember that before the start of the programme I was shy and was afraid to take a leadership role even when the opportunity came. I was also very unsure of my capabilities, not only as a leader but also on a technical level. This project honed my skills and equipped me with the tools that I use on a daily basis, not only in professional life

(L-R): Professor Gonçalo Rocha (Nova SBE ), Professor Thomas Bieger (CEMS Chairman), and Rui Estáquio (EDP) at the presentation of the 2013 CEMS Business Project of the Year award.

but also in my personal life. It involved hard work and commitment, but was incredibly fulfilling when we saw our work recognised internationally.”

14

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

ON CAMPUS

Inaugural Class, Diverse Bonding, at HKUST Catherine Lo CEMS Programme and Corporate Relations Manager HKUST Business School

The inaugural CEMS MIM class at HKUST Business School has been a very welcome addition to the alliance, kicking off courses in August 2013. A mix of 33 students from both the East and West, the majority of students (76%) hail from Mainland China and the Asia Pacific region, including Australia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Korea, while the remaining 24% come from Europe, including Austria, France, Germany and Italy.

Two foundation summer courses in “Market Research for Business Applications” and “Managerial Decision-Making” were well received. Both home and incoming students completed their first Block Semi-

nar, “Doing Business in Asia” in early September 2013. Company visits to renowned companies such as Louis Vuitton Hong Kong and China Resources Co. Ltd. were conducted during the Block Seminar.

About half of the class are now enjoying their term abroad while peers from CEMS member schools are currently studying at HKUST.

CEMS Club Hong Kong is Born Catherine Lo CEMS Programme and Corporate Relations Manager HKUST Business School

The CEMS Club Hong Kong was formed by a group of six passionate students. A series of social events and cultural immersion activities, including city tours, social drinks and festival celebrations, have already been organised.

We were delighted to see the student involvement and commitment towards the CEMS family and once again extend our congratulations.

Visit the CEMS Club Hong Kong online at: http://cemsclub.hk/

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

ON CAMPUS

HKUST Hosts the International Business Schools Tour Catherine Lo - CEMS Programme and Corporate Relations Manager, HKUST Business School

To increase awareness of the CEMS MIM and other full-time M.Sc. programmes, the HKUST Business School organised the first ever “CEMS IBST and HKUST Business School MSc Programs Info Day

2013” on 3 October 2013. It was the very first on-campus event aimed at providing first-hand information on the full-time M.Sc. programmes. The event attracted thousands of current undergraduate

students across HKUST schools, as well as visitors outside the university. Thanks to WU, HEC, UoC, Bocconi, Nova, NHH, and St.Gallen, who all showcased their programmes at the fair!

University of Sydney Business School: the Australasian Biz-scape Trevor Watson Director of Media, University of Sydney Business School

Dedicated electives focusing on the unique challenges of doing business “Down Under” will be offered to CEMS students studying at USyd Business School this year.

One of the electives will focus on Chinese language for business. This follows the introduction in 2013 of a course on understanding Chinese enterprise in both an economic and political context.

ALLEVIATING POVERTY IN INDIA: SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODELS This coming semester, USyd will bring a course offering to students interested in learning sustainable business models, focused around alleviating poverty in India.

Dr. Ranjit Voola is a leading scholar in this area and has just spent the last 8 months in India furthering his research and gathering material for this course.

These two subjects are designed to give CEMS students valuable insights into doing business in China and to enable them to engage in more informed thinking around new business opportunities in this part of the world.

Dr. Kristine Dery

CEMS Academic Director University of Sydney Business School

“Micro-finance is just one of many business models that will be explored in this cutting-edge course that has already captured the imagination of many incoming CEMS exchange students,” Dr Dery said.

“The University of Sydney is really excited about these new opportunities for CEMS students,” Dr Dery concluded. “We feel that this is a unique positioning for our school and that our Australian corporate partners and our own research can provide valuable insight into business in this part of the world.”

Dr. Kristine Dery (CEMS Academic Director, University of Sydney Business School)

15

16

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

AUTUMN 2013

ON CAMPUS

CEMS Magazine

NETWORK EVENTS

Simulating Climate Change Hans C. Curtius Chair for Management of Renewable Energies University of St.Gallen Kate Negacz Doctoral student at the Warsaw School of Economics, oikos International Executive Board Member 2013

68 students, 3 student reporters and 7 lecturers came together in Barcelona for a spirited negotiation simulation. Students played national delegates, NGO representatives and industry lobbyists – a unique opportunity to learn about the impact of climate change on business and to gain an understanding of the UN negotiation process.

INTENSIVE PREPARATION Preparing for two full days of topics on “Future emission reduction commitments of countries” or “Funding and related technology transfer for developing countries” requires intense preparation from each of the participating universities. During the whole spring term students followed lecturers’ presentations, wrote papers, took an exam and attended negotiation trainings.

I learned that it is very important to listen to everybody carefully, to stay calm and neutral at all times and to put important remarks and propositions onto the board in order to lead the debate into a certain direction and ensure that information does not get lost. I also learned that it is important to be able to stick to clear rules of procedure as chair. Otherwise the negotiations would end in chaos. All these lessons are also important for other disciplines and tasks and will certainly help me at my future job!

Florence Lampe

Chair of the simulated Mitigation Working Group

AGREEMENT AND COMPROMISE Insights into the negotiation process arose out of passion.

One of my takeaways is that negotiations are strongly influenced by emotions and can hardly be separated from the personal side…. Human beings are much more likely to try to find an agreement or compromise with partners they like. Therefore you should establish a good personal relationship with the other delegates.

David Loose Representative of the United States

The group finally reached an agreement with the “Barcelona Protocol” that was much more ambitious than the Copenhagen Accord.

We managed to reach the following targets: a) Global greenhouse gas emission reduction of 80% by 2050, b) Country group specific peak years, and c) Country group specific annual reduction targets.

Florence Lampe

In addition, some compromises were found very late during negotiations due to the increased pressure to find an agreement.

The integral question - emission reduction targets - was solved within minutes mainly by China and the USA and proposed as a take-it or leave-it offer to the other parties.

David Loose

CLOSE TO REALITY The fifth Model UNFCCC included unprecedented social media activity, alternative blogs and hidden strategies that gave some participants an advantage over those engaging less with digital communication media, highlighting how close these mock negotiations are to reality.

Business schools that participated in 2013: University of St. Gallen, Warsaw School of Economics, ESADE Barcelona, Corvinus University Budapest, University of Cologne, Rotterdam School of Management.

More information: www.modelunfccc.org

16

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

ON CAMPUS

Row, Row, Row Your Boat Abhishek Shivhare - CEMS student (IIM Calcutta-LSM)

After just a few weeks in Belgium together, the local CEMS community already feels like one big family. Facing a brand new cultural environment and a new group of people, we understandably had a few trepidations. We were all missing family and friends back home, but were excited about the great opportunities we could feel bubbling away on the horizon.

It hardly took any time to become friends. We spent our days in the classroom or on field trips, supporting each other as we mastered the concepts of supply chain management. The evenings brought more relaxed social bonding.

While the first week was fun, it was no match for the welcome weekend organised by the CEMS Club. Our weekend in Niewport was about parties at the beach, experimentation with food, games, spirited conversations, running by the beach on a cold winter’s evening, throwing flip flops in the ocean and singing together.

We left with plenty of memories and friendships to cherish. We are now ready to row our boats gently down the stream and enjoy a challenging and valuable term in Louvain-La-Neuve.

GENTLY DOWN THE STREAM The CEMS Club did an incredible job helping us settle in at Louvain-la-Neuve. Be it welcoming us at the station, helping us find accommodation or organising various fun events, they made the transition smooth.

A Flavour of India, via Ivey Stephanie Brooks - Director of Marketing and Recruitment, Ivey Business School

India is a rising economic powerhouse, emerging at the forefront of global business activity. Ivey’s CEMS students are learning first-hand about the opportunities the dynamic nation has to offer and the unique aspects of doing business there. Launched in 2013, the university’s 10-week practicum programme is an interesting way for CEMS students to complete their internships.

Every student in the Ivey M.Sc. programme spent April to July 2013 in India, working at various divisions of Muthoot Group, based in Kerala. Areas included international finance, marketing, health care, hospitality industries, sustainable enterprise and financial analysis.

The International Practicum was designed to complement classroom learning and to give students the type of international experience that is critical for contemporary business leaders.

As a pre-experience programme, this helps prepare our students for the job market. The students learn valuable lessons in working with senior executives in a team-based environment in an international setting.

Professor Darren Meister Ivey Business School

17

18

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

ON CAMPUS

Managing Diversity: The University of Economics, Prague Daniela Pauknerová CEMS teacher and CEMS Assessment Centre Coordinator University of Economics, Prague

This academic year saw a dynamic upgrade to the Cross-Cultural Management programme, now called “Diversity Management”, at the University of Economics, Prague. The new offering lends greater focus to the development of global leader competencies.

skills. Ethical aspects and practical experience will be covered by guest lectures from the top global leaders of CEMS corporate partners.

We believe that the updated course will become one of the most popular CEMS courses at the University of Economics, Prague.

Cross-cultural aspects of management still represent an important part of the course. However, the main goal is to initiate self-development within a framework of intercultural understanding.

An early personality assessment allows students to work with existing skills and build new competencies via simulations and case studies. During the semester students will work on social sensitivity, communication, teamwork and leadership

Movember Madness: UCD Smurfit School Gordon Murphy CEMS Club Social Committee UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School

November 2013 witnessed the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School CEMS class diving upper-lip first into “Movember”. Growing month-long moustaches was a very visible (and touchable!) way to raise awareness for prostate cancer and other men’s health issues.

We began with a “shave-down” event; the girls very kindly volunteered to help us transform into blank canvases. There were a few scrapes along the way, but it was a great way to kick-start the campaign, as everyone got involved.

Initial growth was slow, but soon the moustaches became a symbol of pride on campus. Our campaign was a huge success, raising over € 2800 for Movember Ireland. Three CEMS students picked up

awards at the Dublin Movember Gala Party – including Miss Movember, Mo Bro & Mo Sista, and Man of Movember.

Now it’s up to next year’s class to do even better!

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

ON CAMPUS

CEMS Inaugural E-fair - Forging Digital Bonds Jamie Romanet - CEMS MIM and Student Affairs Coordinator

On 5-6 February, 2014 CEMS held its first ever live 24-hour virtual educational fair.

Together with 18 academic members - Bocconi, CBS, CUB, HEC, HKUST, Ivey, Koç, LSM, NHH, Nova, RSM, SGH, SSE, UCD, UoC, USyd, VSE, and WU, the Global Business Schools E-fair provided prospective students with the benefits of a traditional education fair without the travel.

Taking on such an innovative and exciting approach to recruitment, our universities were able to market their Master’s programmes and specific CEMS MIM programme. Whilst it was live for 24 hours, the show remained open for a month so that students could continue to watch promotional videos, view presentations and download materials.

DIRECT LEARNING Prospective students asked questions via chat or webcam to university department heads, programme officers, marketing and admissions reps, current students and alumni executives. They were also able to share CVs and business cards, download brochures, and view promotional videos or presentations. This direct opportunity to learn more about campus life, programme portfolios, and future job prospects proved highly successful among visiting students.

It is really great that you built such a platform. I had many questions to ask the institution I will apply to, and it was faster and friendlier than writing a long email.

Kadir Keles Prospective Student

COST-EFFECTIVE, DYNAMIC, INTERACTIVE Online education fairs, or E-fairs, are a fairly new approach to higher education recruitment. They are cost-effective, dynamic, and a fantastic means of engaging prospective students. The Global Business Schools E-fair was an opportunity to not only highlight our unique programme offering, but also to demonstrate our collaborative bent and global reach. What’s more, as the virtual platform is likely to be the way of the future for education fairs, CEMS is certainly the ideal community to co-create and become leaders in this market. With our first experience behind us, we’re excited to see just how enriching we can make the event in future.

19

FEATURE Creativity as a Driver of Innovation We spotlight students, professors, companies and alumni who are adopting new approaches to nurture the skills of the future

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

CREATIVITY AS A DRIVER OF INNOVATION

Create. Learn. Grow.

Henkel poses its seventh Henkel Innovation Challenge

Eva Balzer Manager Corporate Employer Branding Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

The “Henkel Innovation Challenge” enables students from a wide variety of disciplines to adopt the role of creative business development managers. The main task of the student competition is to develop a visionary product or a new technology for one of the three Henkel business units: Laundry & Home Care, Beauty Care or Adhesive Technologies. For the latest edition, more than 2500 students from 30 countries around the world participated, submitting their innovative ideas for the year 2050.

the international marketing team in the Laundry & Home Care sector.

NEW GENERATION, NEW IDEAS

Each team is assigned a Henkel manager as a mentor to support and advise them.

As a result, not only do the talented young students acquire valuable experiences and gain an in-depth insight into the company, but they also establish personal relations with Henkel managers.

“The competition is focused on innovation, which is a key driver of our success”, says Henkel CEO Kasper Rorsted. “The competition gives us the opportunity to get to know talented students and listen to their interesting ideas for the future.

They are the new generation. They are the young talents we are looking for.”

Henkel teams visited universities around the globe to motivate students to take part in the competition, with a recruiting focus on CEMS universities. Henkel has a long-established relationship with CEMS and many CEMS students have successfully taken part in the “Henkel Innovation Challenge”. One of them is Marin Schuermann, who participated in 2009 and won the competition. Marin is now part of

Students from 30 countries will present their visionary ideas and concepts at the national finals, which are currently taking place all over the world. The winning team will represent its country in the international final taking place at the beginning of April in Düsseldorf, Germany.

THE BENEFIT OF HENKEL EXPERIENCE AND INSIGHT

CEMS student Michael Brunn from Cologne University is one of the students who will present his idea at the national final. Together with his team mate, he developed a concept for “Sidolin Life”, which regulates the room temperature through cooling or heating its windows. “We are looking forward to meeting all the talents in person at the finals. Each year we are impressed by the students’ creativity, professionalism and team spirit”, says Jens Plinke, Head of Employer Branding at Henkel.

Michael Brunn

www.henkelchallenge.com www.facebook.com/henkelchallenge

21

22

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

CREATIVITY AS A DRIVER OF INNOVATION

Unleashing Creativity: Google’s CSI:Lab

dia and an “engagement meter”. Ultimately, one idea is chosen and the group then develops a physical prototype (think PlayDoh and pipe cleaners) of their solution, to learn and prove how and why it is the best. Each Lab is intentionally made up of groups of Googlers from varying parts of the company — for example, engineering, global business, or project management — to encourage the groups to collaborate and learn from each other’s experience.

A RESOUNDING SUCCESS WITHIN THE CEMS COMMUNITY

Tobias Marmann CEMS alumnus 2008 (UCD-ESADE) and University Programmes Team, Google

Based on a blog post from Frederik G. Pferdt, Global Program Manager for Innovation & Creativity: http://goo.gl/5z54t7 For most people, the term “CSI” evokes images of crime scene investigators solving murder mysteries, like on the popular TV series. At Google, CSI:Lab actually is a training on Creative Skills for Innovation, which is taught through our “Googlers-to-Googlers” (g2g) programme, where Googlers teach other Googlers about topics that interest them. CSI:Lab is all about reaching an end goal through brainstorming, a hands-on approach and team collaboration.

ENCOURAGING BIG THINKING CSI:Lab is user-centred and prototypedriven. In each Lab, small groups are formed to answer a broad challenge that entices folks to think big, such as “How would you improve the learning experience at university?” Participants are asked to interview potential “users” of their solutions to generate insights. After the surveys, all the ideas are posted on a white board. For example, in this case traditional lectures might be replaced by more interactive formats with panel discussions, online learning support and more active student input via social me-

Since April 2010, we have run the Lab in 37 Google offices worldwide, and well over 10000 Googlers participated in 2012. In 2013, over 99 teams at Google were trained. Today, we have more than 66 Googlers who act as ambassadors for the Lab, designing and facilitating more Labs as part of the g2g programme. From New York to Tokyo to Dublin, the different people and cultures of each lab offer a new perspective. The University Programmes Team has worked closely with the CSI:Lab Global Program Manager, Frederik G. Pferdt, to bring a similar experience to students on campus via our CSI:Lab skills seminars. We have seen great uptake amongst the CEMS community with over 30 CSI:Labs delivered since 2011! We believe that the workshop reflects our innovative culture well and allows CEMS students to harness their diverse backgrounds and creativity in order to come up with tangible solutions.

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

CREATIVITY AS A DRIVER OF INNOVATION

Thoughtful Design and Creative Spaces - Changing the Lives of Patients Caroline E. Bloch - Talent Attraction Specialist, Novo Nordisk Lise Munch-Hansen - CEMS alumna 2010 (CBS-WU) & Communication Manager, Novo Nordisk

Each day, millions of people suffering from diabetes rely on Novo Nordisk innovation when they administer their insulin. The world’s most advanced devices in this area are developed using a humancentric design approach, where interaction with a specific target group is of key importance. Novo Nordisk employees participate in patients’ daily lives to organically understand their needs.

Design thinking is a fast cycle which ensures that we can test ideas in the real world as fast as possible and build a very large knowledge base on the needs of the target groups. This is why we have the most innovative insulin pens on the market. However, we also need to have the internal set-up and creative workforce to keep inventing more innovative products.

Jesper Kløve Senior Vice President Device R&D

DIVERSE WORK FORCE FOSTERS INNOVATION According to CEMS alumna Lise MunchHansen, this people-oriented focus and appreciation of a diverse work force goes hand-in-hand with the CEMS philosophy.

It is truly rewarding to see the effects of how Novo Nordisk by hiring people from highly diverse educational backgrounds and nationalities - bring in new ideas and ensure fast innovation cycles resulting in new outstanding products to the market.

Lise Munch-Hansen

Communications Manager at R&D Communication

The NovoPen®5 won the ”Best of the Best” Red Dot design award.

With office spaces personalised as creative work-stations for each person and project, Novo Nordisk stresses the importance of unique internal processes that foster fast innovative cycles. Inspiration is gathered from numerous companies – the creativity of Google, the design of Apple and the lean thinking of Toyota.

23

24

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

CREATIVITY AS A DRIVER OF INNOVATION

Case Studies, Outside of the Briefcase Professor Dr. Jan-Philipp Büchler - CEMS alumnus 2004 (UoC-ESADE)

Case study-based learning offers students and professors a highly interactive and challenging environment, involving diverse perspectives and complex interdependences that trigger intensive discussions about real business issues. Through my course “Branding Strategies in Consumer Goods” at HEC, students are challenged to write a teaching case based on their own research, instead of discussing established, well-worn cases.

DEVELOPING CRITICAL JUDGMENT Last semester brought deep learnings to everyone involved. After an in-depth introduction to case method, students competed in teams of four to identify a company, brand or business issue that was aligned with the course content. Focussing on the concepts and methods discussed in class helped with the development of each case. The teams explored such ideas as “Branding Renovated: The Quest for the Sexiest Toilet Paper on Earth” and “When is an Olympic gold medallist not good for your brand?”. The case of Renova's toilet paper's differentiation strategy allowed to demonstrate that even for low involvement products, there is room for creative solutions that can help to create brand equity and reap the benefits of consumer loyalty. The case of Michael Phelps’ endorsement of OMEGA, Subway, and Kellogg allowed students to demonstrate

One of the two winning teams, comprising Zhitan Chen (HEC), Virginie Lefebvre (HEC), Dana Nenova (WU), and TingTing Yu (HEC).

We explored and tested the limits of theoretical models and broadened our understanding of the theory while conceptualising the teaching session.

Dana Nenova Student, WU

skilful handling of ambiguities and the development of critical judgement, both in the case itself and through moderating balanced case discussions in class.

CREATIVE DOCUMENTATION OF REAL-LIFE ISSUES The approach challenged students to proactively source a real business issue and to identify a variety of possible models, methods or instruments with which to analyse it. Creativity was needed to document the framework and to showcase the problem. Teams worked to enable others to understand the issue by designing an entire teaching session, which required imagining multiple approaches.

Finally, students integrated critical reflection within the narrative to convey both the problem and the solution.

IMPLEMENTATION WITHIN CEMS Writing and publishing cases myself, I enjoy involving student researchers, who

The second of the two winning teams, comprising Kacper Winiarczyk (HEC), Inês Jesus (Nova School of Business and Economics), Pedro Quina (HEC) and Bastian Hoppe (WU).

generally perform exceedingly well, developing a high level of involvement in the projects. This experience led me to float the idea of an integrated teaching model. I discussed the idea with Professor Monika Trapp (CEMS Academic Director, University of Cologne), and we decided to test-drive the approach in my CEMS lecture “Managing Risk in International Business” at the University of Cologne in the summer term 2013, receiving very positive feedback. I further proposed the idea to HEC in the winter term 13/14. The result was very positive, with the winning team having their case published by the Centre for Applied Studies and Education in Management (CASEM).

Moving forward, I have been discussing the idea and its execution with a variety of professors in the CEMS Alliance. We look forward to expanding the implementation of the approach, with a view to developing cross-border case projects.

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

CREATIVITY AS A DRIVER OF INNOVATION

Success and the Great Innovation Debate Professor Benoît Gailly - Louvain School of Management

Many organisations still expect attractive innovation opportunities to “pop up” from internal R&D activities, market research, brainstorming sessions or creativity seminars. While excellence in R&D, customer orientation or employee creativity remain key sources of competitive advantage, relying exclusively on these is both short-sighted and ineffective.

SIZING UP THE MARKET It is short-sighted because any organisation, whatever its size, will be far less innovative than the rest of the market combined. Successful innovators create and develop competitive intelligence and partnership processes that foster the proactive detection of innovation opportunities outside their walls, be it within research centres, suppliers, start-ups, neighbours, customers, alumni or other players.

It is ineffective because turning a good idea into a business success is a long and risky process for which organisations are often ill-equipped. Successful innovators know when it matters to go first but also when it is best to let the process of creative destruction filter innovations in the marketplace. Companies are then able to spot and capture emerging opportunities to leverage their financial resources, infra­structure, brand and customer relations to generate success. Inventors are convinced. Innovators are convincing.

sources in a coherent stream, consistent with the strategy and objectives the organisation has defined, is vital.

Be bold, question, observe, network, expe­ riment! Entrepreneurs are ordinary people doing extraordinary things (D. Kuratko).

Professor Benoît Gailly, author of "Developing Innovative Organizations" (Palgrave, 2011)

ALLOCATING RESOURCES AND TALENT Generating a proactive deal flow of opportunities means allocating resources and implementing dedicated knowledge management processes in order to detect these opportunities both inside and outside your organisation. Combining these

Lag-user Method A New Path to Leveraging Creativity Sara F. Jahanmir and Luís Filipe Lages - Nova School of Business and Economics

Since last semester, Nova SBE postgraduate students and executives attending the New Product Development (NPD) courses have been undertaking a new, fun and challenging journey: the “Lag-User Method” developed by Sara F. Jahanmir, a Doctoral researcher, together with her advisor Luis Filipe Lages of Nova SBE. This is an innovative NPD methodology, which offers students a completely new point of view: the point of view of a laggard.

25

26

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

CREATIVITY AS A DRIVER OF INNOVATION

OVERLOOKED AND UNDER-RESEARCHED “Laggards” are the last group of users to adopt a product. Up to now, their role in idea generation and NPD has been ignored by firms and researchers. After identifying for which products students are considered to be laggards, they go through the Lag-User Method and get involved in idea generation and NPD process.

THE COURAGE TO DEVELOP Inspired by Nova’s beautiful campus, students start with a product improvement exercise to break the ice and to learn to question existing standards. Going through the Lag-User Method, students

have a lot of fun assuming the role of a laggard, while developing a new product and are surprised that they can learn to innovate. “An exercise in courage!” commented one student. “It really helped me to look over my boundaries and think out of the box!” said another.

Having concluded the course, students were impressed that as laggards, they were able to come up with new ideas for product development, ranging from incremental to radical innovations both in services and technologies. Participants' engagement and motivation created the ideal kick-start for the application of this new methodology. We look forward to continuing to share the experience within the CEMS network.

Open Innovation and the CEMS Alliance Andrea Bianchi - CEMS student (Bocconi-LSE) and Nikola Martinovic – CEMS student (WU-LSE)

Fast-changing technologies, increasing global competition and uncertain business environments are posing serious challenges to the businesses of today. The ability of companies to innovate products, services and business models is of crucial importance in order to escape the commodity trap and fight top market players.

Originally, companies relied on internal capabilities and were focusing on closed, in-company innovation. They did not actively seek to include external partners or individuals into ideational processes. This was mainly due to the wish to maintain full control and ownership of intellectual property.

EXTERNAL INSPIRATION “Open Innovation” has gained momentum over the past decade. It entails making much greater use of external ideas and technologies.

Many multinationals and CEMS corporate partners are already embracing the concept. L’Oréal was ahead of the curve, launching its “Brandstorm” marketing competition, turning external ideas into products, in 1992. Beiersdorf’s web platform Pearlfinder enables external partners to access confidential scientific challenges in order to propose appropriate ideas and solutions, which lead to joint collaborations or business.

CEMS member schools also acknowledge the rising importance of open innovation. Students at LSE have the opportunity to engage in a very popular course called “Open Innovation”, presenting and discussing the latest ideas coming out of the LSE Innovation Lab. Students are invited to feel connected with important new phenomena in innovation and to understand the issues that both enterprises and consumers will face in the coming years.

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

CREATIVITY AS A DRIVER OF INNOVATION

Innovation on a Plate Diversity, the Secret Sauce Guido Molinari - CEMS 2009 (HEC-LSE) & CEO, Divino

During my CEMS year, I remember seeing a graph charting team performance against team diversity. It highlighted the fact that less diverse teams tend to operate at an average performance level, while highly diverse teams tend to be either very high or very low-performing.

At Divino (www.divinodessert.com), we create some of the most innovative products in a field that is not always linked to innovation: frozen dessert. We do this by having a highly diverse team involved in the creative process.

The backbone of the business is our group of Italian artisans based in the hills above the Amalfi Coast. They turn, with their experienced hands, the freshest fruits from local orchards into edible gems.

The London-based agency Lewis Moberly comes into play at a packaging level, assisted by designers based in Germany and Italy, and in brand development, supported by our American marketing officer. Meanwhile, our Brazilian operating officer, together with our Italian quality control manager, prepares all ingredient lists and nutritional guidelines.

Everything comes together at our printing centre in the Italian Molise region. Here, we ship the printed packs to our production centre where our team of artisans box the divinely different gelato desserts that you can find on shelves today in London and New York City, and perhaps tomorrow in all major international cities worldwide‌ Enjoy!

Guido Molinari

27

THINK TANK

Dr Ranjit Voola (University of Sydney Business School).

Challenging Assumptions About Business Biculturals Can Give and Poverty Firms a Global Edge Trevor Watson Director of Media, University of Sydney Business School

Businesses are now being challenged to question assumptions about their role in the world. The United Nations Development Program, for example, is proactively calling on businesses to engage in poverty alleviation broadly and in the specific context of meeting the eight 2015 millennium goals.

However, is it possible for businesses to meet their obligation to generate returns for investors and alleviation poverty simultaneously, particularly when targeting the Bottom of the Pyramid – those 3-4 billion people who live on less than two US dollars a day?

At the University of Sydney Business School, The Poverty Alleviation and Profitability Research Group is attempting to understand the context in which poverty alleviation can occur and businesses can make profits. In an effort to address the myriad of ethical, economic and strategic challenges, the group, led by Dr Ranjit Voola, is conducting multi-disciplinary, multi-country research projects.

For the first time a new unit in the CEMS MMGT Programme titled “Poverty Alleviation and Profitability” is also looking at this issue. The unit challenges CEMS students to question assumptions about the role of business, specifically in the context of poverty.

Siroon Enjergholi, CEMS alumna 2013 (UCD-LSM) Jael Plüss, CEMS alumna 2013 (UCD-Nova) Dr. Dorota Piaskowska, CEMS Academic Director, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School

True to the global outlook of CEMS, a typical CEMSie is an internationally-experienced individual. Look carefully, and chances are you will find many biculturals among CEMSies. Biculturals build their identities by integrating different sets of cultural values, typically from a young age. They may develop unique abilities, from cross-cultural adaptability, through bridging cultural divides, to mediating in conflicts within multicultural teams.

They can often see and integrate multiple perspectives on different issues and may be particularly creative. Recognising their potential is therefore of critical importance for international businesses.

Strikingly, we found that some biculturals suppress their crosscultural skills, mainly because of past negative experiences inside and outside of the workplace. They often feel their unique backgrounds and skills are not understood or appreciated by their supervisors and peers. In times of increasingly globalising workforces, it is of particular importance for firms to create an environment in which bicultural skills can be nurtured and leveraged. It is also important that biculturals empower themselves to use their own cross-cultural abilities, despite perceived obstacles at the workplace. Finally, through leading by example, biculturals can significantly enhance success of international, cross cultural projects.

STUDENT & ALUMNI FOCUS CEMS Alumnus of the Year 2013 Igor Takeshi Nishimura Ben Simsa - CEMS alumnus 2012 (USyd-Ivey-St Gallen) and Anna Lemke - CEMS student (Team Leader Alumni Relations, Student Board representative for University of Economics, Prague)

Igor graduated from CEMS in 2006, taking the tri-national track through EAESPFGV, ESADE, and HEC Paris. He is not only a CEMS Alumni Association Board Member, but also its Treasurer. Currently changing career course, Igor is moving away from finance to take on new entrepreneurial challenges. In December of last year he was voted Alumnus of the Year and has great insights into his CEMS journey and the opportunities represented by being a CEMS student.

Q: Did the CEMS network contribute to your professional achievements? If so, how?

A: Yes, absolutely. I feel privileged because I had the choice to become an entrepreneur through great opportunities. The CEMS network helped in several ways. If

I need to reach investors, specialists or even recruit reliable and competent collaborators, I can fully rely on the relationships I have developed during my life living and working abroad. I tend to say that I’m completely sure about what and whom I don't want to work with, but I’m very open to being surprised and discovering new passions.

Q: What are your plans for the future?

(L-R): Guillaume Klossa (President, CEMS Alumni Association), Igor Nishimura and Roland Siegers (CEMS Executive Director).

A: My idea is to focus on projects with social impact in Brazil, leading initiatives and/or engaging investors who want to support them. My current project is to develop a multi-family office that will allow me to explore the expertise and relationships that I have developed during my experience working and living abroad.

Q: What advice would you give to current CEMS students?

A: Dream big - the amount of effort that you will dedicate to develop a small business will be the same amount needed to develop a big, complex and global business. Get out of your comfort zone: I believe that, in general, business schools don’t teach students the necessary skills to take risks. Schools teach students to avoid risks. You will never know your limits if you don’t test them.

30

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

STUDENT & ALUMNI FOCUS

CEMS SSE's Davos World Final Triumph Kazune Funato Hallgren - CEMS Programme Manager, Stockholm School of Economics

A team of students in the CEMS Master’s in International Management programme went to the World Economic Forum in Davos on 24 January for the world finals of the Corporate Knights/Schulich “Business for a Better World Case Competition”.

The team, comprised of Chris Royle from Canada, Anja Huber and Johannes Meder from Germany, and Karin Bratt from Sweden, advanced to the final round of the Corporate Knights/Schulich Business for a Better World Case Competition and presented their solution at the World Economic Forum in Davos, in front of Dominic Barton, Global Managing Partner of McKinsey, and other prominent business leaders. The team won first place, beating out two MBA-level teams.

A SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND GOVERNANCE CHALLENGE The competition requires student teams to apply twelve of the most widely-disclosed and tracked sustainability indicators to a specific case, making the contest unique among the world’s responsible business competitions. Teams were challenged to identify priority social, environmental and governance metrics for the case company and improve its performance (relative to industry peers) on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World, an annual benchmark ranking that has been produced by Corporate Knights since 2005.

The Business for a Better World Case Competition is a partnership between Corporate Knights, the company for clean capitalism, and the Schulich School of Business at York University in Toronto.

In this international MBA competition

The winning SSE CEMS team, comprising (L-R) Chris Royle, Anja Huber, Johannes Meder, and Karin Bratt.

the final three teams presented their case analysis in front of a live panel of highprofile judges at the prestigious World Economic Forum, an annual event held in Davos, Switzerland, every January.

“We’re ecstatic to have made it this far” they say. “It was a difficult case; Suncor is already listed on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World — impressive given that its mining operations are concentrated in the oftenvilified Oil Sands, and that Corporate Knights ranking system compares them to the energy sector in general, including energy distribution and renewable energy technologies.”

More information about the “Business for a Better World”: http://ggmba.corporateknights.com/content/ck-schulich-business-better-world-case-competition.

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

STUDENT & ALUMNI FOCUS

2014 Number 1 Best Young Professional: Joeri Van Geelen

Congratulations to CEMS' own, Joeri van Geelen (CEMS 2011 RSM-NHH) for taking out top spot in the Best Young Professionals Top 100 ranking. The annual competition, hosted by the editors of Follow the Money and Memory Magazine.

Joeri stood out amongst 600+ candidates, throughout a rigorous process of questionnaires and follow-up interviews. Candidates were assessed on progress in their short yet robust careers, and less tangible success factors such as intellectual insight, ambitions, dealing with adversity and the “X-Factor�.

WORKING AT SHELL, VIA THE UK, NORWAY, PERU AND CHINA! Joeri studied International Business and Management in Groningen and International Management/CEMS in Rotterdam, and went on exchange to the UK and Norway.

While studying in Norway, he also worked on his international business project with Statoil. Immediately thereafter, Joeri spent his summer improving his Spanish and doing voluntary work in Peru.

Back to reality and in parallel with finishing his Master's thesis at the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation, Joeri decided to relocate

to Beijing to equip himself with a thorough understanding of the Chinese language and culture. In an attempt to apply his acquired language skills in a local business environment, he also took on a Strategic Procurement internship at Siemens Wind Power in Shanghai.

Shortly after returning to the Netherlands in 2012, Joeri joined Shell as a Contract Engineer in CP Projects and has since held roles in the Shell headquarters in Rijswijk, as well as in the operational units of Stavanger and Assen. Joeri is currently a lead Contract Specialist within CP Wells in Assen.

31

32

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

STUDENT & ALUMNI FOCUS

CEMS Student Board and Alumni Association Formalise Partnership Anna Lemke - CEMS Student Board representative (University of Economics, Prague)

During the CEMS Annual Events in Barcelona, the Student Board and the CEMS Alumni Association (CAA) signed a cooperation agreement with the main goal of enhancing visibility of the CAA across the CEMS network, and promoting the interests of all stakeholders.

The CEMS Alumni Association is a vital part of the CEMS network. The cooperation between the CEMS Student Board and the CAA is intended to contribute to the continuous improvement and growth of the network.

Currently, several joint projects are carried out, including the Alumni of the Quarter campaign, a global revival of the SAMP (Student Alumni Mentoring Programme) as well as best practices regarding CEMS Business Projects.

Learn more about the CEMS Student Board: http://www.cems.org/students/student-life/ student-board Learn more about the CEMS Alumni Association: http://www.cems.org/alumni/association

(L-R): Wieteke Dupain (Secretary General, CEMS Alumni Association), Guillaume Klossa (President, CEMS Alumni Association), Robin Vlaming (Vice President, CEMS Student Board), Rimli Das Gupta (President, CEMS Student Board) and Anna Lemke (CEMS Student Board representative, University of Economics Prague).

Made in CEMS: Creative Networking Ben Simsa - CEMS alumnus 2012 (USyd-Ivey-St Gallen)

I am the Co-Founder of nextSociety, a USbased mobile app startup, with a development hub in Vienna. Our goal is to make professional networking efficient and effective again, using algorithms to put our users in touch with people that are really relevant within their spheres of interest.

The hundreds or thousands of social media contacts most of us have become not only more manageable, but more useful.

My CEMS background helped me enor­mously, not just in securing my previous job at Google, but also in my daily life as an entrepreneur.

If you wonder when the creativity comes in, the answer has to be: every single day.

Whatever we add to our set of features follows a few simple questions. Does it make the app more intuitive for the user? What is new or different about the feature? How can we make processes simpler?

We try to release at least one new feature every week to ensure we keep innovating and to constantly test our features in the

market. It turns out that creative is good, but not enough. As every entrepreneur quickly learns, new and different is not necessarily better. This is why we put in place a very structured feedback loop that is key in order to turn creative ideas into a working product.

My CEMS background helped me enormously, not just in securing my previous job at Google, but also in my daily life as an entrepreneur, leading a team of developers and working closely with my CoFounders on our go-to-market and fundraising strategy. And of course, having this network of outstanding alumni from around the world, with expertise and experience in so many different areas, is an asset I wouldn’t want to miss.

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

STUDENT & ALUMNI FOCUS

BIP Africa Supporting Entrepeneurship through a Global Network Sofiene Marzouki - CEMS student (Rotterdam School of Management)

Founded in October 2013, the Business Incubation Program Africa (BIP Africa) was the brainchild of CEMS student Sofiène Marzouki (RSM). BIP Africa is a non-profit organisation, developed with the cooperation of renowned partners, which seeks to enrich the skillset of budding African entrepreneurs, students and established enterprises.

By providing a global business network and practical instructions, BIP Africa is able to assist African entrepreneurs with prospec-

tive business plans on the path of self-employment and entrepreneurial success.

As of January 2014, BIP Africa has found its first academic partner in Africa in the Mediterranean School of Business in Tunisia. 35 entrepreneurs in 11 African countries have already successfully applied to the programme and will be guided by the student consultants of BIP Africa to allow their ideas to blossom.

More about BIP Africa: http://bipafrica.org/

New Generation Consulting Timea Lajos - CEMS student (Corvinus University of Budapest) and Margot Fafchamps (CEMS student, Louvain School of Management)

CEMS Clubs, create a deeper embedding of social responsibility into CEMS studies, and give real-life business problem solving experience to those involved.

Timea Lajos (Founder and Managing Director 2013, NGC) and Margot Fafchamps (Managing Director 2014, NGC).

The purpose of New Generation Consulting (NGC) is to create international, virtual teams of CEMS students, performing a collaborative advisory role within realworld social enterprises. The approach will enable closer collaboration between all

NGC aimed to create a network structure with different NGOs in order to land challenging new projects. Last semester, the first two global project teams worked with Nurmi and GreenRiders.

Over 29 calls were made by the NGC team, ensuring that CEMS Clubs were meaningfully involved in the process. BIP Africa (see above) features among the many potential avenues for the future. Overall, 21 CEMS students applied for the first two projects, with the first global teams pro-

ving that CEMS students can overcome the burden of geographical disparity, leveraging it as an asset rather than viewing it as a burden.

In future NGC will aim to work with consulting companies and give further support to CEMS students to develop their skills.

More about New Generation Consulting: http://ngccems.org/

33

34

CEMS Magazine

SPRING 2014

STUDENT & ALUMNI FOCUS

CEMS Adventure: Alumna Anqi Huang I started my CEMS adventure in 2010 at my home university, ESADE, in Barcelona and finished my experience at Copenhagen Business School.

The moment I signed the CEMS Global Values Statement in St. Gallen still dwells in my memory. What does CEMS mean to me? It is not merely a community of top international business schools and leading corporate partners from various sectors. It is a community of students who are continuously pursuing excellence with a spirit of global citizenship.

I still remember the time when I needed to move to Portugal for my CEMS intern-

It is a community of students who are continuously pursuing excellence with a spirit of global citizenship.

ship with EDP, a CEMS corporate partner.

The CEMS office at Nova warmly helped me with accommodation and put me in contact with the local CEMS Student Club.

Later on, when I needed to move to Finland to join the KONE International Trainee Program, the CEMS office at Aalto University guided me and immediately extended invitations to CEMS activities there. As a girl born and raised in China, studying in Europe was very challenging.

Every move to a new country was a new hurdle. However, I could not have enjoyed my two-year experience with CEMS more.

No matter where I went, I met CEMS people who adhered to the same values as I did.

I have heard the saying, “Nothing ever grows without a seed, and nothing ever changes without a dream.” The CEMS programme has planted the CEMS seeds in all of us and helped us fulfil our dreams, empowering us to change in the world.

Mentoring Giving Back to the CEMS Community Katarina Paulickova - CEMS Alumna 2010 (VSE-LSM), now working as HR Business Partner in Plzensky Prazdroj

How can we foster student-alumni connections? What would be the best way to increase the value of CEMS and give back to the CEMS community? In the Czech Republic we agreed that a mentoring programme between alumni and students would do it.

The pilot round was launched in November 2013. Ten mentoring couples were matched according to their preferences. After the training and the first get-together it was up to them to set rules of mutual cooperation and to leverage this experience.

Mentors further develop their interpersonal skills. As for students, it is something extra that they do not get at school – support, valuable advice and the possibility to learn from others’ successes and mistakes.

Positive feedback from both sides inspired us to launch the second wave in March 2014. We plan to implement several improvements and hope that the programme will become part of our regular yearly agenda, with an increasing number of participants.

CONTACT I www.cems.org I info@cems.org

like to work at Maersk

International Career

Ask any Maersk employee and they will tell you that the culture at Maersk is international and dynamic

is your workplace. Whether working overseas or in your home country, you will feel the exhilaration, opportuni and sheer scope of our dynamic international business from day one. We choose the best people and we encourage and enable each individual to perform their very best within highly professional teams, acting within the framework of our company’s values.

As a global conglomerate, we are diverse in every sense of the word; in our business areas, in the countries in which we operate, and in the many people we employ. Our commitment to diversi results in a workplace with an open and vibrant culture where people do their best, inspire others and realise potential for themselves and their teams.

Explore your opportunities at www.maersk.com