Stéphane Andrianasolo, is now a Senior Consultant in strategy and digital transformation at frog, part of Capgemini Invent based in Paris, France. He graduated from the ESSEC Global MBA back in 2021 and shares his learning experience.
"The ESSEC GMBA offered the life changing experience I wanted including the opportunity to live in Singapore"
18.3.2024
Can you introduce yourself in a few words?
Born and raised on the beautiful island of Madagascar, I am a passionate traveler and an alumni of the ESSEC GMBA. I now work as a senior consultant in strategy and digital transformation in Paris, France.
What was your background before you decided to look for an MBA?
Before the MBA, I was working in Reunion island for a German company specialized in Edtech, after this experience I wanted to make a shift in my career and challenge myself.
“The ESSEC GMBA was quite unique on the market. Not only it was a prestigious school in Europe, but also offered a life changing experience, including the opportunity to live in Singapore.”
Why did you choose the GMBA at ESSEC?
The ESSEC GMBA was quite unique on the market, offering a more personalized / boutique experience. Not only it was a prestigious school in Europe, but also offered the life changing experience I wanted to experiment, including the opportunity to live in Singapore during a part of the program.
What was your project when you entered the program?
My main project was to change my life, I was not sure what I wanted, but I was obvious that it was the right moment for a leap in my career and my personal life. After a few weeks in the program, the consulting industry, which was still a mystery for me before the MBA, became my main focus for the rest of the year.
Why did you choose to study in Singapore and what did you learn from that experience?
I always wanted to live in the South East Asia area, for me Singapore is the crossing of Innovation and authenticity. It is a melting pot of cultures, cuisines, and customs, making it a truly unique and special destination, especially for young professionals looking for new horizons and opportunities. I wanted to be where the noise is, where the biggest companies are, where the best education system is. Also, having all these networking opportunities in such a small territory is unbeatable, the network I built there is priceless. The whole experience taught me adaptability, but above everything it taught me to dream big and transform my goals into projects.
What are the main skills that you acquired during the program?
The ESSEC MBA is an intense year like any prestigious MBA, you learn a lot from the people you meet. As far as I am concerned, I learned a lot of soft skills that are crucial for my current position in consulting. For instance, we had a workshop on Executive presence, and this experience has left an indelible mark on me. At the end of the program, despite my young age compared to the rest of the cohort, I knew I was ready to face any challenges ahead of me, and make that change happen.
What is your current job position and how did the GMBA help you reach it?
I currently am a Senior Consultant in strategy and digital transformation at frog, part of Capgemini Invent. It has been an incredible adventure so far, with lots of projects for the most renown companies in the world. To be completely fair, the program gave me the tools and the credibility to work in consulting but more importantly the network to get a foot within the industry. The network I built with the ESSEC MBA was preponderant and really helped me in the transition.
“The fact that it is a boutique MBA, created bonds between the candidates, we were like a family and we built so many memories.”
What is your best memory of the program?
So many memories I can’t even count. The fact that it is a boutique MBA, created bonds between the candidates, we were like a family and we built so many memories. Fun fact is that we still build new memories 3 years after the program since we are still traveling together from time to time.
Your experience at ESSEC in one word?
Memorable.
Your advice to future applicants?
An MBA is an exciting quite challenging year. You learn to “learn again”, you take a step back in your life with the ambition to make a leap. If you choose to do an MBA, take the time to focus on your journey, and the reasons why you take this path. If I push the cliché until the end, I would just say, “Life is a journey, enjoy every mile”.
