On Friday 21st February, more than 400 students from EU campuses in Barcelona, Geneva, Montreux and Munich – gathered to pave the way to their future careers at Talent Day 2020. Held on a beautiful spring day at the Hotel NH Collection Constanza in Barcelona, this exciting event provided students with the opportunity to meet with potential employers and participate in inspiring talks, workshops, discussion panels and mentoring sessions with industry leaders and EU alumni.
Dr. Dirk Craen, President of EU Business School, and Carl Craen, Managing Director of EU Business School Barcelona, were both in attendance, providing support and encouragement to the students.
Students Learn How to Stand Out from the Crowd
The morning session was dedicated to bachelor’s students, who took part in a range of stimulating discussions, talks and workshops. These covered topics that are especially pertinent today, in view of the rapid changes in the job market brought about by technological advances and increasing globalization. For example, Eva Roca, talent acquisition manager and mobility manager for Iberia, Italy and SEE at Schneider Electric, and Houda Badri, HR business partner at Steelcase, discussed ‘How to Prepare for the Jobs Everyone Will Want in Five Years’ Time’, and emphasized how key critical thinking, problem-solving and analytical skills should be combined with advanced communication skills for future success.
The bachelor’s students also heard from dynamic young entrepreneurs Audrey Sicot, who founded Alizée Lifestyle, and Victor Vintu, co-founder of Plantifique, who shared fascinating insights into how they started their own highly successful businesses. Sophia Ruescher, who graduated from EU with a bachelor in Business Administration and an MBA in Communications and PR, gave an inspiring talk about how she was promoted from intern to managing director Austria at Mediaplanet in just four years.
Students were also invited to participate in practical workshops that offered them valuable advice when applying for jobs. Michiel Das, CMO at XMOBA Ventures (by Seat), facilitated a workshop called ‘The Personal Branding Blueprint – Tips and Tricks to Get Noticed’, while Sian Bennett, Head of Communication at Kantox, focused on ‘Modern Storytelling – Using Your Story to Stand Out and Get Hired’. The bachelor’s students also enjoyed an enlightening mentoring session with recent EU graduates, including Manuel Barberá, Business Operations and Club Services Executive at Euroleague Basketball, and Christian Herrmann, Global Operations Specialist at Malenco.
Insider Insights From Top Entrepreneurs
EU’s master’s and MBA students were the focus of the afternoon session at Talent Day 2020. The activities kicked off with a lively debate on ‘Understanding Company Culture and Finding the Right Fit’ between Roxana Dubrescu, EMEA Head of People at Glovo, Emma Giner, People and Organization Shaker, Daniel Rodriguez Nieto, Head of Business Development for EMEA at Criteo and Alicia Melgarejo, Employer Branding Lead at Schneider Electric.
This was followed by a compelling discussion between Mark Dencker, Co-Founder at Wiredelta, and Eusebi Llensa, founding partner and CEO at Outvise, who gave students ‘Insights From the Other Side – What Nobody Tells You About Starting a Business’ which offered a frank – and ultimately encouraging – account of what starting a business really entails. The final speaker was Bénédicte Foucart, President and CEO at Valeur Absolue, who described her stellar marketing career in the beauty sector and offered students advice on the key skills required for career success.
The students also had the opportunity to be mentored by successful EU alumni, including Nacho Mercadé, Managing Director of Credit Suisse, Ben W. S. Miller, Partnerships and Media at Common Goal, and Anjela Pliouchtechenko, Team Leader – International Programs Service Center at Zurich Insurance, among others. Recent EU graduates who have enjoyed career success, including Zia Siddiqui, Product Consultant at The Boston Consulting Group, and Hector Perez, CX Specialist at Ford Motor Company, also met with students for mentoring, support and encouragement. Girish Pramani, Engagement Manager at Loftus Bradford, gave the last workshop of the day: ‘Network Your Way to Success’. Students enthusiastically joined in the activities, designed to help them discover new ways to network and unleash opportunities.
Become a Business Leader of the Future
At EU Business School, our focus on experiential learning brings business to life and ensures our students excel in their careers. We offer foundation, bachelor’s, master’s and MBA programs which complement classroom learning with hands-on, practical experience through company visits, guest speaker events featuring world-class leaders, business simulations, case studies and more.
