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Having benefitted from the intercultural environment during his studies, Jean-Christophe has continued this aspect into his working life and now shares his experience through mentoring.

Why did you choose to study at the University of Edinburgh Business School?

I first fell in love with Scotland when I spent a study abroad semester in Stirling in 2015. It was clear to me that I always wanted to return, and the MSc in Marketing at the Business School was the perfect opportunity.

It gave me the chance to return to the place I love, to study at one of the world’s leading universities, and with people from around the world who I could learn from and who have become good friends.

Tell us about your career path (before and) after graduating?

During my Bachelor studies in Journalism and Business Communication and some internships in that field, I noticed that my passion and interest also extended into the field of marketing. It was never a no towards my major field of study, but a decision towards marketing and in particular: branding.

Thus I decided to do an MSc in Marketing and it was clear to me, that I wanted to study it at the University of Edinburgh Business School.

After my MSc, I had the chance to pursue my passion for branding and started working at Interbrand, a global brand consultancy. Here, I work with the world’s leading brands and in an international and intercultural environment — an aspect I loved when studying at the Business School.

How did your degree prepare you for your future career?

The degree itself was a great foundation to my future career. Plus, I would like to thank the Student Development team who organised so many sessions to prepare us for what is important outside of the pure degree-related content, such as presentation skills. I also loved the personal coaching that was offered in the context of the Edinburgh Award.

For me, the Alumni community is one of the strongest assets of the Business School. It helped me very much when I was a student. Therefore, I am now very happy to be able to give something back to help current students through the Edinburgh Award Mentoring Programme. I believe it is an amazing opportunity for both mentee and mentor.

What key thing that you learnt at the Business School do you still rely on today?

When thinking back to my programme, the key things that I learnt that I still rely on today are the critical thinking as well as the intercultural competency.

Studying with people from around the world was a huge influence in my choice to work in an international environment. The critical thinking is something I believe is crucial in the professional as well as personal context and a skill I rely on every day.

Tell us about any recent involvement with the Business School and what you have gained from being involved?

When I first heard about the Alumni Mentoring Programme for the Edinburgh Award for Effective and Responsible Leadership, I knew that I wanted to take part and try to give a little bit back. During my own studies, the discussions and meetings I had with alumni were some of the most insightful and helpful moments.

Now being a mentor myself, it has not only helped me to reflect on the path I took since being a student, but also helped me to understand the challenges that today’s students face, that are somehow similar but at the same time a little bit different from ours due to the current situation.

I hope and believe that the Mentoring Programme can help to make it a little easier for students to find their way through the current situation.

Alumni wisdom — if you could offer one piece of advice to current students, what would it be?

It is probably an often used one, but I think it is true: Do not worry too much — in the end it will be okay.