Julia Lamskemper, Head of Sales, Jäckering Group, Executive MBA graduate class 2013  

Julia Lamskemper works as Head of Sales at the Jäckering Group, a German company that sub-contracts to the food and paper industries. Between 2011 and 2013 she commuted to Gothenburg and the School to become an even better business woman.

“I’ve always wanted to do an MBA and my boss said ‘OK, as long as it doesn’t detract from your work’. This is why I was glad when I found the Executive MBA here in Gothenburg that is scheduled for the weekends.”

Mixed groups provide new perspectives

The participants have an average of ten years’ experience of work in senior positions. However, there is great diversity in the group since they come from different countries and organisational cultures.

“Discussing matters with the others and hearing what they do in their organisations is extremely interesting. Everyone has different approaches and I constantly see new perspectives and get new ideas. I couldn’t sleep on the flight home since I had far too many interesting things to think about,” says Julia Lamskemper.

Education with an international outlook

The lecturers also have different nationalities and backgrounds in order for the programme to offer as broad an outlook as possible. The Executive MBA programme also includes some travel. The group went to Shanghai and Hangzhou to visit both universities and companies. In the final term it was time for a ten-day trip to India for studies at the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore and company visits at Indian and multinational companies in the region.

New ideas and new self-confidence

Of course, the programme demands a lot of time, but Julia Lamskemper does not regret a second. She feels that she has benefited considerably from the experience.

“You have to be able to speak the same ‘language’ as the people you are going to do business with. This is one side I’ve developed. I’ve also learned quite a bit about leadership; things I am now testing with my team at home in Germany.”

She also feels that the Executive MBA has given her new self-confidence and a business advantage as a result.

“I’m somewhat young for my professional role. My Executive MBA training makes me better at handling different situations and I can act with greater certainty and self-confidence,” concludes Julia Lamskemper.