Concluding my EMBA journey with my Fellow Titans

Two years ago, I decided to enroll into the HEC “financial times top ranked Executive MBA” program at HEC Paris. It was my way to take a step back, a breather to engage diverse brilliant professionals in a period where covid waves have been hitting our lives and businesses behind lonely closed doors.?My career was always driven by exposure to such diversity, that brought me closer to reaching my full potential in academic and professional positions I held. The program exceeded 500h of classroom work and double that amount in personal engagement while supporting my company double digit growth. It was one hell of a ride but worth every second!!!

In the early days we saw each other on zoom or in a class room sitting 10 m from each other wearing masks. We were very aligned in the way we perceived the covid crisis and yet still too far from seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Our first Courses and business simulations (remember the OPEC GAME) have broken the ice and exposed our vulnerabilities in modest manners, any sense of competition was from that point replaced by a sense of belonging to our unique set of individuals and a sense of rebellion on uncontrollable covid restrictions.

There were defining moments that forged that sense of rebellion such as a gathering in paris after zoom classes ( we didn't break the law we respected curfew :P) or drinks in parking lots in the middle of nowhere ( no that s not the parking lot in jouy en josas :P). We were grasping every breath of freedom we can get. I would like to think that these early days have forged the Titan's entitlement to impact a better future for oneself and others. Those other's being family, friends and colleagues just to give back a bit of the support and co-development that was provided to us by fellow cohorts and professors in this program.

We discovered some hidden talents (Audrey C The artist, Audrey A the running coach, William the showman, Lorenzo the best party warmer, Rens our official Host, Vlad the accent imitator, Samir the ... haha) we had fun... that was needed to release the workload pressure to keep in pace with the excelent academic HEC program (Work Hard Party Hard as they say).

Strategy, finance and business performance courses were quite intense, some have turned my perception upside down (not to mention physical damage, my hand still hurts from the Semir case executive Summary, hey Szilvia should I press charges?). More on a serious note, for me the biggest impact came from the leadership enablement. In each course we practiced mindfulness, creativity and acceptance of own and each other's imperfections. Endearing self Mockery, the famous french "sens de la derision" have driven us to become better humans (remember the silly jumpers).

As off last week I have concluded this adventure with my fellow Titans by defending my business capstone and graduating with fellow friends.

Thank you My fellow partners in crime that listened to my venting rants Audrey, Aurelie, William. Thank you My fellow, friends for bringing clarity to self-inflicted conundrums. Thank you fellow cohorts for keeping this spirit, I hope to keep discovering and following your success as they it will certainly keep my inspiration going. GOOOO TITANSSSSS