Alumni Magazine ISSUE 3

ECHOS

HAUT-LAC INTERNATIONAL BILINGUAL SCHOOL ÉCOLE INTERNATIONALE BILINGUE ALUMNI MAGAZINE ISSUE 3 - 2024

16 December 2024 - Montreux

WHAT’S INSIDE:

À L’INTÉRIEUR :

› 15, 10, 5 years after Haut-Lac › Alumni achievement › Alumni catch-up event › Mentoring Programme

› 15, 10, 5 ans après Haut-Lac › Les réalisations des anciens élèves › Les événements des anciens élèves › Le Programme de Mentoring

DEAR ALUMNI,

Dear Alumni, A year has passed since we last spoke and during that time we have had the pleasure of meeting with many of you. First of all, at the Haut-Lac 30th anniversary in June 2023 where the Directors were amazed at the turnout of alumni and very touched by your presence.

We really enjoyed being able to talk to you and finding out what has been happening in your lives.

The second and more recent event was at the Christmas market in Montreux where the alumni attendees spanned all 17 graduating classes.

Our alumni today is aged 18 to 35! Many of you are married or have found life partners, others have chosen to take a different pathway personally or professionally and a growing number are already parents. You are the leaders of our future and the parents of our next generations. Thankfully, you and your parents chose the visionary pathway for your school education.

Our world has changed so much over the years since Haut-Lac started offering the IB Diploma, that education, in general, struggles to keep abreast of the demands of modern day living.

Ten years ago, we were grappling with one on one iPad technology in schools, complemented by interactive whiteboards, followed by smart TV's and all the time adapting our resources and curriculum in order to comply with educational needs. Today it is artificial intelligence and chatGBT. What will come next? To tell the truth, it is difficult to say.

This is why a skills-based education, promoted by the IB and offered by IB schools, of which Haut-Lac is one, is absolutely vital for the generations we are educating today. More than ever in years to come, success will not be measured by intellect and academic expertise alone but rather the combination of strong life skills and knowledge.

The ability to face constant challenge is already essential, the need to be flexible, aware and portray good interpersonal skills is paramount and the confidence to innovate and risk take will be the icing on the cake.

You, our Haut-Lac alumni, we are sure, are already using many of these characteristics. Let us work together to provide an optimal education for those coming through our school. You have much to offer our current students and we would love you to share your experience with them.

In the meantime, we have tried to communicate through this magazine what some of our alumni are doing, so take a look and get in touch if you haven't already, we always look forward to hearing from you.

Happy reading !

Anne-Marie Harwood Managing Director - Secondary

complétée par les tableaux blancs interactifs, puis par les téléviseurs intelligents, tout en adaptant nos ressources et nos programmes d’études afin de répondre aux besoins éducatifs. Aujourd’hui, c’est l’intelligence artificielle et chatgbt. Quelle sera la prochaine étape ? À vrai dire, c’est difficile à dire.

Chers Alumni, Une année s’est écoulée depuis notre dernier échange et durant cette période nous avons eu le plaisir de rencontrer beaucoup d’entre vous.

Tout d’abord, lors du 30ème anniversaire de Haut-Lac en juin 2023 où les directeurs ont été agréablement surpris de l’affluence des anciens élèves et très touchés par votre présence. Nous avons eu beaucoup de plaisir à discuter avec vous et d’apprendre tout ce qui s’est passé dans vos vies.

Le second événement, plus récent, s’est déroulé au Marché de Noël de Montreux, où les Alumni participants représentaient l’ensemble des 17 promotions.

Nos anciens élèves sont aujourd’hui âgés de 18 à 35 ans ! Beaucoup d’entre vous sont mariés ou ont trouvé un partenaire de vie, d’autres ont choisi de prendre un chemin différent sur le plan personnel ou professionnel et un nombre croissant d’entre vous sont déjà parents. Vous êtes les leaders de notre avenir et les parents des prochaines générations. Heureusement, vos parents et vous-même avez choisi la voie visionnaire pour votre scolarité.

C’est pourquoi une éducation basée sur les compétences, promue par l’IB et proposée par les écoles de l’IB, dont Haut-Lac fait partie, est absolument vitale pour les générations que nous éduquons aujourd’hui. Plus que jamais dans les années à venir, la réussite ne se mesurera pas uniquement à l’intellect et à l’expertise académique, mais plutôt à la combinaison de solides connaissances et compétences nécessaires dans la vie courante.

La capacité à relever des défis constants est déjà essentielle, la nécessité d’être flexible, conscient et de faire preuve de bonnes compétences interpersonnelles est primordiale ; la confiance en soi pour innover et prendre des risques sera la cerise sur le gâteau.

Vous, nos anciens élèves Haut-Lac, nous sommes sûrs que vous utilisez déjà beaucoup de ces compétences. Travaillons ensemble pour offrir une éducation optimale à ceux qui passent par notre école. Vous avez beaucoup à offrir à nos étudiants actuels et nous serions ravis que vous partagiez votre expérience avec eux.

En attendant, nous avons essayé de partager à travers ce magazine ce que font certains de nos anciens élèves. Alors jetez-y un coup d’œil et prenez contact avec nous si ce n’est pas déjà fait, nous nous réjouissons toujours d’avoir de vos nouvelles.

Bonne lecture !

A big thank you to Sebastian Sherif, class of 2010, for such a warm speach at the 30th celebrations.

Notre monde a tellement changé depuis que Haut-Lac a commencé à proposer le diplôme de l’IB, que l’éducation en général, doit s’efforcer de se tenir au courant des exigences de la vie moderne. Il y a dix ans, nous étions aux prises avec la technologie de l’iPad individuel dans les écoles,

Un grand merci à Sebastian Sherif, promotion de 2010, pour son discours si chaleureux au 30ème anniversaire.

HAUT-LAC MENTORING Dear Haut-Lac Alumni, We are excited to launch 2 new marketing initiatives, and invite you to be part of them.

As Alumni peers, if you are willing to give some time back to IB cohorts currently at school, your words of advice and knowledge will be greatly received.

MENTORING PROGRAMME Mentorship Structure The programme will aim to connect alumni and students with similar domain interests, or interested in applying to similar university profiles, and will run over a duration of 6 months.

Responsibilities of Mentors Provide guidance and advice related to career / university choices and personal growth.

Share personal and professional experiences to help students navigate challenges and make informed decisions.

Offer insights into industry trends, networking opportunities, and potential university and career paths.

Committment Approximately an hour a week over the duration of the programme.

Availability for occasional events, workshops, or panel discussions related to mentorship.

We believe that your involvement in this programme will be immensely beneficial for both our graduating students and our alumni

community. It’s an opportunity to give back to the school that has shaped our lives and to contribute to the success of the next generation of Haut-Lac graduates.

If you are willing to participate we will ensure that you receive personalised mentorship guidance from the coaching company that works with the current Haut-Lac staff.

Your willingness to contribute to the growth and development of our young graduates will be deeply appreciated.

ALUMNI SUMMIT Bridging the Past and Future - A Gathering with the IB Graduating Class” Additionally, as part of the mentoring efforts, we will be hosting an “Alumni & IB classes “ round table discussion session with the current IB students. This will include topics such as university & career choices, plus transition from the IB secondary school to university life.

This will take place on Monday 9 December 2024. We warmly invite all alumni to join.

More information on this to follow later in the year, but if you are in the area, please do save the date and let us know!

We look forward to hearing from you., and value the support you offer our current students.

Please register your interest by contacting debbie.fairweather@haut-lac.ch

Chers Alumni Haut-Lac, Nous sommes ravis de lancer deux nouvelles initiatives marketing et nous vous invitons à y participer. En tant qu’anciens élèves, si vous êtes prêts à consacrer un peu de votre temps à la promotion actuelle de l’IB, vos conseils et vos connaissances seront les bienvenus.

PROGRAMME MENTORING Structure du Mentorat Le programme visera à mettre en relation des anciens élèves avec des étudiants ayant des intérêts similaires dans le domaine, ou intéressés par des profils universitaires similaires, et il se déroulera sur une période de 6 mois.

Responsabilités des Mentors Fournir des conseils liés aux choix de carrière/université et au développement personnel. Partager des expériences personnelles et professionnelles pour aider les étudiants à surmonter les défis et à prendre des décisions éclairées. Offrir des perspectives sur les tendances du marché, les opportunités de réseautage et les parcours universitaires et professionnels possibles.

Engagement Environ une heure par semaine pendant la durée du programme.

Disponibilité pour des événements occasionnels, des ateliers ou des discussions de groupe liés au mentorat.

Nous pensons que votre implication dans ce programme sera extrêmement bénéfique tant pour nos étudiants diplômés que pour notre communauté d'Alumni. C'est une occasion de faire un geste envers l’école qui a façonné nos vies et de contribuer au succès de la prochaine génération de diplômés de Haut-Lac.

Si vous êtes prêts à participer, nous veillerons à ce que vous receviez des conseils de mentorat personnalisés de la part de la société de coaching qui travaille avec le personnel actuel de Haut-Lac. Votre volonté de contribuer à la croissance et au développement de nos jeunes diplômés sera profondément appréciée.

REUNION DES ALUMNI "Créer une passerelle entre le Passé et l'Avenir - Une Rencontre avec la Promotion IB" De plus, dans le cadre des efforts de mentorat, nous organiserons une session de discussion en table ronde "Alumni et Classes IB" avec les étudiants actuels de l'IB. Il sera notamment question des choix universitaires et de carrières, ainsi que de la transition de l'école secondaire, à savoir de l'IB à la vie universitaire.

Cela aura lieu le lundi 9 décembre 2024.

Nous invitons chaleureusement tous les anciens élèves à se joindre à nous. Plus d'informations à ce sujet suivront plus tard dans l'année, mais si vous êtes dans la région, veuillez noter la date et nous en informer !

Nous avons hâte de vous lire et apprécions le soutien que vous offrez à nos étudiants actuels.

Veuillez faire part de votre intérêt en écrivant à debbie.fairweather@haut-lac.ch

UNIVERSITY DESTINATIONS 2020-2023

UNIVERSITY DES

(NON-EXHAUSTIVE)

2020-2023 (NON-E

SWITZERLAND

5% 24%

15% Other Countries

UNITED KINGDOM

EUROPE

USA

STINATIONS

EXHAUSTIVE)

43% 12%

1%

CANADA

AUSTRALIA

WHERE ARE YOU NOW? To celebrate 15 years of Alumni and over 600 graduates, we got in touch with some of you to find out what you’ve been doing.

Afin de célébrer nos 15 ans d’alumni et plus de 600 diplômés, nous avons pris contact avec quelquesuns de vous pour en savoir plus sur vos plans.

Engineering

Watana Kaewkerd Class of 2008 Time flies. I don’t know what makes me feel older ... The fact the Lion King came out almost 30 years ago or the fact I graduated from Haut-Lac 15 years ago. I did all of my schooling at Haut-Lac, from primary to the IB. Haut-Lac gave me international exposure and helped me acquire a level of English that makes me comfortable working all around the world. Haut-Lac had the advantage of having small classes with teachers fully dedicated to helping us learn. This long journey also allowed me to make friends with whom I am still very close today despite the borders separating us.

I was hesitating to become a car mechanic as I have always been passionate about cars, especially motorsports, but I decided to give the EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) a try and later get a job in the automotive industry.

I had to do the CMS (Cours de Mathématique Spéciale), which lasts one year, to access to the first year of EPFL. I succeeded and then decided to study Microengineering as I was seduced by it being a crossroad between mechanics, electronics, science of material and IT. This meant I didn’t specialize, but received versatile training that has enabled me to take on any technical challenge thrown at me. I then did a Masters geared towards production techniques with a minor in mechanical engineering.

15 - 10 - 5 YEARS AFTER GRADUATION

Watana - back row 2nd from the right

I still had in mind to end up in the automotive industry. During a summer break, I got the chance to do a 3-month mecanics internship with a LMP2 racing team competing in the ELMS (European Le Mans Series). I also did a couple semester projects linked to the automotive industry. Finally, I did my Master’s thesis with a company in Würzburg, Germany, where I had to evaluate and validate the feasibility of using brakes to steer a car should the main steering wheel actuator of an autonomous vehicle fail.

I graduated in 2014 with plans to leave to Germany to find opportunities in the automotive industry, but unexpectedly stumbled on a graduate program in Product Support at Caterpillar in Geneva. I was curious as I always thought as a kid that these big yellow machines were cool, so I went with the flow, applied and got accepted onto the 1-year program to gain some experience.

Today, I am not in the automotive industry, but I have done 8 years at Caterpillar in various Product Support roles.

I am still there as I love my job and I can relate to my motorsport passion, as we are not pushing cars to the extreme but machines to their limits. During my studies, I was shown how to design with assembly in mind, but never did we touch on the topic of what happens to a product once it is in a customer’s hands. I discovered this new world

in Product Support at Caterpillar, where we need to help customers successfully use our machines despite unscheduled downtime.

To achieve this, we are continuously trying to improve our products and have to make sure we have the same quality coming out of all our manufacturing plants. We also have to help troubleshoot and be ready to travel to jobsites to assist our customers.

I am blessed as my various jobs have allowed me to travel to different countries in Africa, Middle-East, Europe and Asia.

By collaborating with our dealers, I have met many customers and witnessed incredible locations I would have never visited if it hadn’t been for work. My current challenge as the Regional Product Support Manager is to lead a team of service engineers in Asia Pacific to support the Medium Track-Type Tractor Products.

I may not be in the automotive industry today, but I believe it was by following my dream and passion that I have ended up in the right place for me. I made my passion my hobby by having a track car which I drive, modify and set-up. My advice is that if you know what you love, then follow this and life will eventually take you to the right place.

We spend a lot of our life at work, so it is best to make it as fun as possible.

WHERE ARE YOU NOW?

Janis Blair Class of 2013 10 years have passed since I completed the IB and graduated from Haut-Lac and I still don’t believe it could be that long. In 2013 after graduating, I started at the University of Bristol studying a Bachelors of Veterinary Science. Despite being a bachelors degree it is a five year course with a significant practical element. My placements had me working on farms, at stables and at a multitude of veterinary practices and helped me to develop my skills and interests. I was lucky enough to spend 6 weeks in Australia as part of my placements and seeing different types of veterinary work was great.

After graduating in 2018 I knew I was most interested in farm animal work but didn’t want to shut myself off fully, so I started as a mixed vet with farm animal bias in Lancashire. I spent two wonderful years in my first job before deciding that farm only work was the way forward! COVID sadly stopped my plans for my ‘gap year’ of working abroad but instead I moved to Cheshire on the edge of the Peak District and Manchester to further my career as a farm vet. The area is fabulous for my out of work interests where I regularly find myself venturing into the hills, albeit not as impressive as the mountains of Switzerland.

I’ll soon be venturing out with my Labrador pup but in the meantime doing up my house is keeping me more than busy!

Veterinary

I have recently started a Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice which has been challenging me in new ways, especially in reminding me of the IB with short word limits and multiple reference requirements!

Our practice is also involved in the teaching of University of Nottingham final year students which has further helped to develop my interest in teaching.

Haut-Lac definitely helped me to learn how to study, how to adapt and how to engage with a variety of people. These skills have been so important in life since graduating especially with multiple moves to new areas and forming client and colleague relationships. I definitely look back on my time at Haut-Lac and in Switzerland with so much fondness and value the lifelong friendships I made.

15 - 10 - 5 YEARS AFTER GRADUATION

Janis - front row, 4th from the left

10 ans se sont écoulés depuis que j'ai terminé l’IB et obtenu mon diplôme à Haut-Lac et je n'arrive toujours pas à croire que cela fait si longtemps. En 2013, après avoir obtenu mon diplôme, j'ai commencé à étudier à l'université de Bristol en vue d'obtenir une licence en sciences vétérinaires. Bien qu'il s'agisse d'une licence, c'est un cursus de cinq ans qui comprend un important module pratique. Mes stages m'ont amené à travailler dans des fermes, des écuries et une multitude de cabinets vétérinaires, ce qui m'a permis de développer mes compétences et mes centres d'intérêt. J'ai eu la chance de passer six semaines en Australie dans le cadre de mes stages et ainsi pu découvrir différentes pratiques vétérinaires.

Après avoir obtenu mon diplôme en 2018, je savais que j'avais plus d’intérêt pour le travail sur les animaux de la ferme, mais je ne voulais pas me fermer complètement, alors j'ai commencé à travailler comme vétérinaire généraliste et pour les animaux de la ferme dans le Lancashire. J'ai passé deux merveilleuses années dans mon premier emploi avant de décider que le travail exclusivement à la ferme était la voie à suivre ! Le COVID a malheureusement mis fin à mes projets d'année sabbatique à l'étranger, alors j'ai déménagé dans le Cheshire, à la lisière du Peak District et de Manchester, pour poursuivre ma carrière de

vétérinaire agricole. La région est fabuleuse pour mes activités en dehors du travail, je m'aventure régulièrement dans les collines, même si elles ne sont pas aussi impressionnantes que les montagnes suisses. Je partirai bientôt à l’aventure avec mon chiot labrador, mais en attendant, je suis très occupée par les travaux d'aménagement de ma maison !

J'ai récemment commencé un certificat de pratique vétérinaire avancée qui me confronte à de nouveaux défis, ce qui me rappelle l'IB avec un nombre de mots limités et les multiples références exigées ! Notre cabinet participe également à l'enseignement des étudiants de dernière année de l'université de Nottingham, ce qui a contribué à développer mon intérêt pour l'enseignement.

Haut-Lac m'a vraiment aidé à apprendre comment étudier, m'adapter et échanger avec tous types de personnes. Ces compétences ont été très importantes dans ma vie depuis que j'ai obtenu mon diplôme, en particulier avec les nombreux déménagements dans de nouvelles régions et dans mes relations avec les clients et les collègues. J’ai vraiment beaucoup de plaisir à me souvenir de mes années à Haut-Lac et en Suisse, ainsi que des amitiés que j'ai nouées tout au long de ma vie.

WHERE ARE YOU NOW?

William Laliberté Class of 2018 It feels like forever ago since I finished the IB. At the time, I was undecided on what I wanted to do. I ended up applying to four universities in the UK for Law, and I had applied, almost on a whim, to the University of Toronto in Finance. When the time came to make a choice, in a very impulsive decision, I chose to go to Canada to study Finance. Looking back now, that was probably one of the best decisions in my life.

I had so many great experiences at the University of Toronto where I studied for 3 years. I developed a passion for Finance that has become such a big part of my life. These days, every week you will find me sitting at a local diner or a specialty coffee shop on a Saturday morning avidly reading this week’s edition of The Economist newspaper.

During my time at university, I worked part-time as a student staff on the university residences, an experience that I highly recommend. I was very into debate at Haut-lac with MUN, but the experience as a student staff taught me some very important listening skills which have changed my life. I met some great friends there and ended up taking more responsibilities, leading my own team of student staff there during the pandemic.

Finance

Coming out of university, I was faced with some big decisions on which direction I wanted to take in my life. Having lived most of my life outside of Québec, where I originally come from, I had always wanted to get the chance to see what it’s like to live there. I ended up taking a job as a c ommercial banker in Quebec City. I had actually been to Quebec City on a trip once before during my last year at Haut-Lac for my cousin’s wedding, little did I know that I would actually end up living there. Funny how life can surprise you sometimes.

I’ve been working there for two years now, lending to small and medium-sized businesses. I really enjoy my job; you get to peer into so many different industries, anywhere from construction companies to owners of residential buildings, manufacturers, and even restaurant owners and fishing companies; you really see it all.

We even have one or two private schools on our books, which I’m very happy about.

15 - 10 - 5 YEARS AFTER GRADUATION

William - 2nd row, 1st from the right

Il semble que cela remonte à très longtemps que j'ai terminé le programme du Baccalauréat International (IB). À l'époque, j'étais légèrement indécis sur ce que je voulais étudier. J'ai fini par postuler à quatre universités au Royaume-Uni en droit, et j'avais postulé, presque sur un coup de tête, à l'Université de Toronto en finance.

Lorsque le moment est venu de faire un choix, dans une décision assez impulsive, j'ai choisi de déménager au Canada pour étudier la finance. Avec le recul, c'était probablement l'une des meilleures décisions que j'ai prises dans ma vie. J'ai vécu tellement d'expériences enrichissantes à l'Université de Toronto où j'ai étudié pendant 3 ans. J'ai développé une vraie passion pour la finance qui a beaucoup défini ma vie par la suite.

De nos jours, je visite chaque semaine une brûlerie le samedi matin pour lire l'édition de la semaine du journal de l'Économiste avec un bon café.

Pendant mon temps à l'université, j'ai travaillé à temps partiel en tant que staff étudiant pour les résidences universitaires, une expérience que je recommande vivement. À Haut-lac, j'étais beaucoup impliqué dans MUN et j'adorais débattre des sujets, mais cette expérience en tant que staff étudiant m'a enseigné des leçons importantes sur

l'écoute active qui ont changé ma vie.

J'ai rencontré de bons amis là-bas et j'ai fini par diriger ma propre équipe de staff étudiant durant la pandémie. À la sortie de l'université, j'ai été confronté à de grandes décisions quant à la direction que je voulais prendre dans ma vie. Ayant vécu la majeure partie de ma vie à l'extérieur du Québec, d'où je viens, j'avais toujours voulu avoir la chance de voir ce que c'était que de vivre là-bas. J'ai fini par accepter un poste dans les Services Bancaires Commerciaux situés à la Ville de Québec.

Je travaille là-bas depuis deux ans maintenant, à faire des prêts pour les petites et moyennes entreprises de la région du Québec. J'aime vraiment mon travail ; ça me permet de voir tellement d'industries différentes, que ce soit des entreprises de construction, des propriétaires d'immeubles résidentiels, des fabricants, des restaurants et des entreprises de pêche ; on voit vraiment de tout. Nous avons même une ou deux écoles privées dans nos livres, dont je suis très fier.

CATCHING UP IN SWITZERLAND.....

The annual Alumni event for 2023, took place at the Montreux Christmas Market on 16 December. What a great turn-out, the best one yet, with over 30 of us chatting about old times, and fond memories.

It was great to share a little festive cheer with many old faces, which included newlyweds from the class of 2011, Imen & Remy, a couple of boyfriends, and 2 alumni babies to bout. Samira even wore her class of 2016 hoodie, what a great idea. Do you still have yours, perhaps it should be a requirement at the next alumni gathering, ha, ha! Or maybe we should design some new alumni hoodies?!

We ended the evening in true Haut-Lac fashion, with a personalised takeaway goody bag for everyone.

Thanks to all who attended and helped us create even more memories to share together.

Once Haut-Lac, always Haut-Lac! SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!!!

Debbie Fairweather

L'événement annuel des Alumni pour 2023 a eu lieu au Marché de Noël de Montreux le 16 décembre dernier. Plus de 30 d'entre nous ont discuté du bon vieux temps et des bons souvenirs.

C'était un plaisir de partager un peu de joie festive avec de nombreux anciens visages, y compris des jeunes mariés de la promotion 2011, Imen & Remy, quelques petits amis et deux bébés en devenir d'anciens élèves.

Samira a même porté son sweat à capuche de la promotion 2016, quelle bonne idée.

Avez-vous encore le vôtre ? Peut-être devrions-nous demander de le porter lors de

la prochaine réunion d'anciens élèves, ha, ha !

Peut-être même que nous devrions créer de nouveaux sweats à capuche pour les Alumni?!

La soirée s'est terminée dans la plus pure tradition de Haut-Lac, avec un sac de cadeaux personnalisés pour chacun.

Merci à tous ceux qui ont participé et qui nous ont aidés à créer encore plus de souvenirs à partager ensemble.

Haut-Lac un jour, Haut-Lac toujours ! À L'ANNÉE PROCHAINE ! !!

ALUMNI ZOOM CHAT - PATHWAYS SHERAZ AHMED - CLASS OF 2014 the course I did. It just goes to show, you have to explore all avenues and make the most of what you have.

My course was a dual bachelor’s degree in business administration, 2 years at Lancaster, followed by 2 years in Madrid at Comillas Pontifical University (ICADE). At the time, I didn’t give a second thought that part of the course would be in Spanish!

Intro

Debbie: Hi Sheraz, thank you for agreeing to this interview. It’s nice to catch up, I can’t believe that it’s been 10 years since you graduated from Haut-Lac. Sheraz: Yes, it feels like just yesterday that we were roaming around campus, playing football and the likes. I’m now based in Geneva, it seems that there are a few Haut-Lac alumni at this end of the lake.

Debbie: Indeed there are, perhaps we should have an alumni event there later this year.

Sheraz: Yes, maybe at the new innovation centre I launched this year, just let me know.

After Haut-Lac, which Uni did you attend, and how was it?

I attended Lancaster in the U.K., it was great.

I loved the campus feel, there were around 20’000 students, and you had everything you needed on site.

I achieved 36 points in my IB, but really needed 37 to go to Lancaster and do the course I’d planned. So we asked for a remark, but this took a few weeks to come through.

In the meantime, I looked at other options there. Although my remark was successful, in the end, I preferred a different course, and that’s what I went with. It was definitely the right decision, as my life would have taken a completely different course if I hadn’t taken

Lancaster is part of IPBS, the International Partnership of Business Schools. They are connected to a variety of universities around the world and offer some very interesting courses. In four years you obtain two degrees, each year, you complete 150% of the credits that you’d typically do, so you pass in two years, what would normally take three.

The course included three summer internships, so it’s fully packed, but that’s not bad, as it keeps you focused. I really enjoyed the city life of Madrid. It was a complete contrast to the campus life of Lancaster.

Also, being thrown in the deep end, as you are considered a local student, not Erasmus, it forces you to learn the language.

Having studied at Haut-Lac, I heard numerous languages on a daily basis, and already had French, it was a great advantage.

My brain is already in tune with learning a new language.

After Uni 2017 In my fourth year of uni, I became involved in some cryptocurrency trading, nothing too much, just small amounts. I found it really exciting, and loved it. It was interesting to see how it worked. For me what was traded ended up being the interesting part – ultimately, you can trade anything, but if what you are trading interests you, it will push you even further. I started to research and found the industry really interesting. It was still relevantly young, and a lot was happening, which intrigued me. I also learned that Switzerland, as a jurisdiction, is the leading country regarding the regulatory framework for crypto-assets and blockchain technology, who would have known! So lucky for me, I grew up here, which made it an excellent topic to pursue.

I found an internship at a small start-up in Zug, and joined their team. What was meant to be 2-3 months, turned into almost 2 years.

I became their project manager, and then head of marketing, all based on my knowledge of the industry from the many hours of trading. As a start-up, I helped them grow, and in turn, they helped me grow into the role I have now. Working in an open-plan office, alongside people in different sectors and their various roles, you hear and learn so much. It gave me a sound knowledge of how companies operate.

After leaving this company, I did some independent consultancy and advisory for start-ups, marketing, business development, and investment relations, all specific to the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry, otherwise known today as Web3.

Then in 2020, when I was attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, right before the pandemic hit, I met the Executive Director of the Crypto Valley Association, the largest non-profit organisation in the industry. He was, at the time, building his team. He came from Lausanne, so we hit it off immediately.

At that time, most professionals in the crypto industry in Switzerland were based in the north, so German speaking, but we clicked speaking French, and having the Swiss Romande in common.

He was keen to bring me on board to help with business development and partnerships, and as I was eager to expand my scope, agreed. I think it’s my openmindedness, and never saying no, that has really had an impact on my career so far!

When the pandemic hit, we split the role in two: one person on marketing/events/ admin, and I focussed on business development, partnerships, sales and the like. This was when my real entrepreneurial skills came into play. I was now becoming a key contact in the Web3 industry in Switzerland.

More and more people would come to me for advice about starting a company here and wanted guidance on how the regulatory environment worked.

With the industry growing so fast and the increasing requests for direction, it led me to believe I could offer a service of my own.

However, I could fulfil certain sectors, but on Internship in Zug legal or technology, for example, I would have to refer them to other organisations.

I wanted to offer clients a complete service under one umbrella, to have experts from different fields around the same table, so that we could offer the best possible advice and strategy that would fit all pieces of the puzzle. This would allow individuals to ‘spark their ideas to light’. Hence STORM Partners was born, and this became the STORM slogan. We offer the complete solution that entrepreneurs need from A-Z, to grow their ideas forward.

We’ve also helped governments across the globe, and multi-national companies with their blockchain needs, so we are not only working with start-ups.

STORM Partners is now 3 years old, with various subsidiaries and a regulated sister entity called Sky Financial that enables the institutional adoption of crypto-assets.

My entrepreneurial journey was formed during the pandemic in my converted garage during the most difficult of times. We now have offices in Geneva and across Europe, with over +20 employees.

Next for us We’re really excited about the launch of Decentral House, an innovation centre in Geneva. I realised during the pandemic that social interaction with people is so essential, and Geneva didn’t have a place where like-minded people could come together, in a cool environment, and talk about innovation, etc.

I never thought that at this stage in my short career, I would already be launching a 3rd business. It’s more than I ever thought, it’s very exciting, but also a lot of pressure.

What did you take from the IB & Haut-Lac With the International Baccalaureate, we had to prepare case studies, give presentations, but there was also CAS, TOK; these things made a difference. Of course, subjects like maths, science languages etc. are all important, but these broader subjects open the mind. The IB, and more so Haut-Lac, helped a great deal, not so much the individual lessons, but how you learn. It’s a good framework; if you put your mind to it, you can do well. I appreciated having the subject choices, and it taught me the value of hard work. It also taught me not to leave studying until the last minute, ha, ha!

The teachers at Haut-Lac were really great, if you compare them to a lot of other schools.

They were all a part of that dynamic. They would have that out-of-the-box experience.

They were open, experienced, and approachable. It was great to be in a classroom and not feel bored.

Studying with people from around the world, hearing many languages spoken daily, and being part of an international community made me appreciate different cultures. This has helped me for sure in my everyday work life. It gives you a good perspective in the real world, where you’re working in an

international environment, and helps me navigate cross-cultural differences. This is still neglected in schools and universities today, but studying at Haut-Lac addressed this.

Favourite Haut-Lac memory There are many, but playing football every day at breaktime was so much fun, and the competition was fierce. I also remember one time it snowed, and we found an old piece of wood and made a snowboard, it was so much fun! It was just a great environment to be in.

Some of my closest friends, and people I can rely on have come out of Haut-Lac, I know that they are always there if I need them.

I only joined Haut-Lac for the IB, so for the last 2 years, I was at public school before that.

However, I was as integrated as anyone else. It was great to have the depth of connection. I’m not really in contact with anyone from the public school now, but I still touch base with my Haut-Lac friends from time to time. Yes, we have a pretty strong bond.

Source - Mon Argent

To end It’s great to reminisce, and I’d love to give back to the school that gave me so much. If you ever want me to come and give a presentation, I’d be more than willing. It would be great to inspire some of the next generation, and I would be happy to give them a perspective on the new digital economy that is forming, so that they can understand the reality of the world that they will grow up into.

Debbie: Thanks so much for your time, Sheraz. It’s been great catching up, we wish you all the very best for the future.

Debbie Fairweather Parent & Alumni Liaison

Nurturing Talents, Fostering Happiness, Creating Futures.

LIVE · LEARN · ACHIEVE VIVRE · APPRENDRE · RÉUSSIR +41 21 555 50 00 www.haut-lac.ch info@haut-lac.ch search: hautlac