Every class is special, and the IESE MBA Class of 2023 stands out for having a record number of 383 students – the largest cohort in IESE’s history. In the midst of all the uncertainties, we have remained steadfast in our mission to prepare these talented professionals to be impactful and future ready leaders.
Get to know some of our MBA 23 students in the following two posts. They will shed light on what attracted them to our program, their application journey during the pandemic and what they are excited about in the coming year.
What factors figured most prominently into your business school decision?
Giang Nguyen (Vietnam): There are two factors: #1 Location: I’ve lived equal parts of my life in Asia, Latin America, and USA. So, I wanted the opportunity to live in Europe and learn from a new region of the world. #2 Culture: Meeting alumni from the different schools really showed me that IESE had a strong culture of people-first. I noticed that people at IESE believed in growing the pie for everyone and helping one another, rather than a culture of zero-sum where one’s success meant another’s loss.
Mitsuhiro Miyamoto (Japan): IESE’s values, caring people and environment.
Lorraine Morisson-Couderc (Paris): Academics, careers services, global ranking and scholarship.
Hahn Chang (Minnesota): I wanted to attend a school that would push me to be the best person I could be. I knew that I prioritized going to a school grounded in strong values and a community where my classmates would not only be excellent academically, but excellent as human beings. Furthermore, I wanted to go to a school where diversity of all kinds was not only a talking point but a way of life. In my application / selection process, IESE was the top in all three facets and I could not be more excited about my decision four months into the program.
Did the COVID-19 pandemic affect your personal application process in any way? If so, how?
Giang Nguyen (Vietnam): I think COVID was/is a confusing time for everyone. It made me question what I wanted to do, and whether I still wanted to go back to school. In the end, I focused on what was right for me and let the fear of uncertainty pass.
Mitsuhiro Miyamoto (Japan): It was certainly advantageous for me as I mostly stayed at home and could spend more time preparing my application.
Lorraine Morisson-Couderc (Paris): I would have applied in 2 years’ time, but the Covid situation speeded up my decision to apply for an MBA.
Hahn Chang (Minnesota): I loved how IESE has demonstrated its commitment to safety and in-person learning amidst COVID-19. Furthermore, I knew Spain as a country takes vaccinations seriously and that gave me a lot of confidence that my MBA experience would be the most ‘normal’ at IESE compared to other top MBA programs.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2023?
Giang Nguyen (Vietnam): I like to ask hard questions and start difficult conversations. We all grow and learn more when we challenge our ideas and beliefs.
Mitsuhiro Miyamoto (Japan): To be honest, I’m still in the process of figuring it out. Probably I will be able to give a more definite answer after one year into the program.
Lorraine Morisson-Couderc (Paris): Hospitality experience is not that well represented in the 2023 class. This is where diversity comes into play, I’m able to share and contribute to the class discussion with a different perspective due to my hospitality background.
Hahn Chang (Minnesota): One of my favorite things about IESE is how much people help one another out. Whether it’s a teammate explaining accounting concepts to me or a classmate helping me improve my Spanish, there is a culture of sharing your skills and experiences to help others. For me, I am proud that I have helped several classmates with case interviews. I previously worked as a management consultant and co-led recruiting at my office for Business Analysts. In that role, I interviewed candidates and I have used that experience to help my classmates navigate case interviews at consulting firms. What’s been especially exciting is seeing a couple of friends I helped offers at their dream companies which has been incredibly rewarding to see!
Tell us a fun fact that didn’t get included on your application.
Giang Nguyen (Vietnam): I went to 10 schools from Kindergarten to 12th grade. We moved a lot because of my dad’s work. Constantly changing schools/cities/countries taught me 1) there are many ways to live life, none is better than the others 2) it’s important to value people and relationships.
Mitsuhiro Miyamoto (Japan): I’m going to be a father in March. I didn’t include this fact because it was simply not a fact at the time of application. And I don’t know if it’s actually fun for me.
Lorraine Morisson-Couderc (Paris): I am a master at embarrassing myself in public.
Hahn Chang (Minnesota): I ran Grandma’s Marathon in 2013, but I was so slow that I was overtaken by a pack of grandmas at Mile 23 (Kilometer 37). To this day, I tell people that I lost Grandma’s Marathon to a pack of grandmas.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
Giang Nguyen (Vietnam): Meeting people who are different from me in cultural background, industry, experiences, skills, interests… etc. There is a lot to learn from people who are different from you.
Mitsuhiro Miyamoto (Japan): Besides being a father, DGDW (Doing Good Doing Well) is definitely one thing that I’m particularly excited about. I’m a first-year director of Responsible Business Club and am in-charge of organizing the event, which is supposed to be the biggest student led conference in Europe.
Lorraine Morisson-Couderc (Paris): Making friends of such diverse backgrounds, nationality and interest. I learn from them everyday.
Hahn Chang (Minnesota): I feel incredibly privileged to live in an amazing city and in an amazing part of the world. I give myself time to explore one new place every week and whether its the beautiful beaches of Costa Brava, the stunning Pyrenees mountains, or a delicious ramen shop here in Barcelona, I am still awe-struck by it all.
Meet more MBA 23 students in our next post!
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