"Born in South Africa, I grew up in several countries (Canada, Antigua, USA) and then returned to South Africa when I was 17 years old. I studied at the University of Cape Town and graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor of Business Science specializing in Marketing. While studying, I found a passion for helping other students learn, and so I started a tutoring company and spent the last five years growing it into a successful and self-sustaining business (www.smartprep.co.za).My thirst for more knowledge and experience lead me to the SIMC program, whereI have thus far gained deep insights into the fundamentals of strategy, management, and innovation. Beyond the learning aspect, SIMC has also introduced me to a bunch of interesting, intelligent, and like-minded people who I have really enjoyed collaborating with. My long-term goal is to become a serial entrepreneur that builds businesses that have a positive impact on society and the environment. However, I am not completely sure what I would like to do after completing the SIMC program - right now I am very interested in working in venture capital, innovation consulting, or a start-up. I am a super approachable person and I enjoy chatting to new people, so please feel free to reach out!"
Contact James here

"I completed my bachelor’s degree in corporate management at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics. Prior to my studies at university, I participated in a high school exchange program and studied in theUnited States for a year. While being enrolled in the bachelor program, I was the head organizer of international business weeks and summer schools, participated in international case competitions in the Czech Republic and the Netherlands, and worked full-time as the international relations coordinator at university and as an operations manager in fitness service industry. SIMC was a top choice program for me due to its diverse content, great student activities and opportunities for networking, and so far, the program has exceeded my expectations in all possible ways! The knowledge and experience we receive within the SIMC program are extremely practice oriented and can be applied in the field right away. I am doing it currently, as I am one of head organizers of Entrepreneurship Avenue, an event series for student entrepreneurs. As a next career step, I want to work in consulting as it poses challenges in highly diverse projects allowing for development of a broad skillset that can be applied later on working across industries."
Contact Ekaterina here

"Let me first introduce myself, my name is Michael, I am originally from Italy and I am part of the SIMC 2020 Intake. Before starting my master, I did my Bachelor at WU, where I also had the chance to spend a semester in Valencia. After graduating from WU, I wanted to gain some practical experience in different sectors, which is why I did three internships. The first one was in the Finance department of UniCredit Bank, then I moved to the Corporate strategy department of OMV and after that I finished off at the Strategy and Digital data department of Austrian Airlines. Even though COVID-19 made the socialising part of the master hard, I am very proud to be part of this unique and very interesting program. But enough about me, if you have any doubt or questions about the master you are very welcome to contact me, in fact I think a big part of selecting the right master is to hear the experiences of people who are already part of it, therefore don’t hesitate to contact me!"
Contact Michael here

"WU has always been my favourite place to study and to meet people from different walks of life. The SIMC program has immediately grabbed my attention when looking for a great team of professors and students to learn from and with. Already in the first semester, my team and I worked on a real-life case study. We were able to apply the frameworks from our finance and strategy lectures in a M&A case and to present our work to the CEO of the company. The team projects within the SIMC program give me the feeling that my studies greatly impact companies in real life. Before the master's program, I gained international work experience in a sports startup in Switzerland and the US and developed a hands-on mentality during an internship in consulting in the realm of consumer goods and IT services in Vienna. Besides university and work, I am a running enthusiast who likes to do workouts with other motivated SIMCies in study breaks. For me, running is a great opportunity to connect with new students from abroad and to show them the most beautiful running tracks in Vienna. Within the SIMC community, we participated in a charity run together with an alliance of master programs at WU. If you have any questions regarding the SIMC program, go for a run with me or contact me via LinkedIn."

"Hi, I am Alex from the 2020 intake! I am 25 years old and was born and raised in Austria. Before SIMC, I did my bachelor’s in business administration at WU and studied abroad in the US at theUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I have worked in corporate banking and M&A and am preparing for a career in investment banking or strategy consulting. I chose SIMC because I believe the combination of academic rigor and practice-orientation equips you with the skill set to become successful in almost any field. Beyond a world-class education, SIMC offers countless opportunities to participate in extracurricular programs and to gain international experience - I myself am fortunate to have the opportunity to pursue a Double Degree with Università Bocconi. Another part of what makes this master’s program special to me is the SIMC spirit – the collective drive to help advance the program as a community. SIMConnect, our official student association, is constantly working on organising workshops and networking events for current SIMCies, alumni and corporate partners. The SIMC ambassadors you see here are the result of one of our newest initiatives to help undergraduate students like you with all questions SIMC! I am always happy to share my insights and experience with you a - feel free to reach out to me via e-mail or LinkedIn! Looking forward to hearing from you."

"During my bachelor's degree at WU, I had the opportunity to study for one semester abroad in Sheffield, UK. Intrigued by the international atmosphere I opted for a master’s program taught in English within a multinational and diverse cohort. The SIMC program offers not only deep insights and an outstanding education in the fields of strategy, innovation and management but also enhances teamwork. I’m really happy to study with many ambitious and like-minded people.Besides that, the SIMC program also offers many extracurricular activities especially through its own student organisation, SIMConnect. As Co-Head of the Partner & Alumni Department, I have already had the opportunity to come into contact with many of our corporate partners and their executives. Furthermore, together with my team we are able to realise our own projects like the SIMC mentoring program. In addition to my studies, I’m working part-time in a small consulting agency and during the first lockdown in 2020, two friends and I were the initiators of a non-profit initiative called “Freunderlwirtschaft”. The aim is to support small local businesses, especially micro enterprises, in Klosterneuburg and Vienna. If you have any questions regarding the SIMC program or the extracurricular activities it offers, please send me an e-mail or add me on LinkedIn. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!"

"Hi there! My name is Elisabeth, I am 22 years old, and I am part of the SIMC 2020 intake. I chose to study at WU Vienna due to its international orientation and abundance of opportunities it offers to its students. For example, during my undergraduate studies in International Business Administration, I had the chance to study abroad at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and attend a summer school in St. Petersburg. Currently, I am also working at WU Vienna as a tutor for an undergraduate and a graduate level finance class. Apart from academia, I am interested in M&A and company valuation, which is why I completed an internship in that area at BDO Austria. Within the SIMC program, I am fortunate enough to be working alongside likeminded, ambitious, and motivated people with a can-do mentality. SIMC offers a balanced application of qualitative and quantitative disciplines and equips its students with the necessary skills for a bright career. As Co-Head of the Partners & Alumni Department at SIMConnect, I also collaborate with our company partners to organize workshops for fellow SIMCies and bring initiatives like the new Mentoring Program to life. If you are interested in SIMC, SIMConnect, or WU Vienna in general – let’s talk about it! Please feel free to contact me via LinkedIn or e-mail."

"Hi, my name is Jakob and I am a proud member of the 2020 SIMC intake! After the first semester, I am certain to have made the right choice with WU’s Strategy, Innovation, and Management Control program, mainly due to the incredibly driven community of students and the curriculum’s practical relevance. Considering my previous experiences in corporate strategy and public sector consulting and my personal interest in the fields of sustainable mobility and transportation, I believe SIMC will sharpen my academic profile in my key fields of interest while laying a solid foundation for a career in strategy consulting or the venture capital industry. Especially the chance to attend workshops and guest lectures with people working in those exact areas constantly provides me with valuable insights. Additionally, I am lucky to be nominated for a double degree at Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi, which I am really looking forward to. Coming from a bachelor’s degree in International Business at Karlshochschule International University in Germany, I am happy to help you with the application process including special requirements such as GMAT and TOEFL. Please do not hesitate to reach out via e-mail or LinkedIn."

"Hi, I’m Priscilla, 22 years old, from Indonesia! I’m an aspiring global citizen, foodie, startup & innovation enthusiast who is passionate about globally sustainable innovation and is very thirsty for cultural exposure, which led me to pursue SIMC and move to Europe! Despite the SIMC experience being virtual the whole first semester, it has actually been preciously fulfilling. The virtual classes were highly engaging with challenging discussions filled with competing perspectives from colleagues of different backgrounds that yielded actionable insights for my businesses and the community is truly one of a kind - competitive but supportive at the same time!  Before pursuing SIMC, I was a full-time entrepreneur, starting with cofounding a tech start-up in Singapore at 20, creating a subsidiary company in construction for my family business at 21, and founding and running my own food and beverage venture in Indonesia. While in Europe, I hope to gain more exposure on the differing corporate and social culture, explore more opportunities in the start-up / VC industry and network with great minds. So, if you have any questions about SIMC or need a new friend feel free to reach me via e-mail and looking forward to chat with you soon!"