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HEC Paris MBA candidate Javier Pomiano was looking to break into the global luxury industry. He speaks to MBAGRADSCHOOLS about the power of the school’s network, its approach to hands-on learning, and why the HEC Paris MBA is a game-changer for luxury careers.
Driven by a desire to launch a career in the luxury industry, Javier Pomiano enrolled in the HEC Paris MBA. Before the program, he held strategy and business development roles in fashion in Peru and Ecuador. Yet, he wanted more, and knew the HEC Paris program in France could take him to the next level.
Javier was enticed by the program’s blend of academic rigor and leadership development. He also knew the school’s proximity to global luxury companies and its corporate partnerships would provide valuable opportunities.
“HEC was not only a classroom experience. It’s an ecosystem where you consistently interact with industry leaders, alumni… and also with peers,” says Javier. (01:09) “It was an ideal bridge between my past experience and my ambitions to operate on a global scale,” he adds. (01:30)
This elite interaction produces students who can navigate complexity and effectively lead cross-cultural teams.
HEC Paris offers double degree programs, giving students the chance to multiply and enrich their learning experience. These are designed in collaboration with the school’s university partners. HEC Paris and the Fletcher School at Tufts University in Massachusetts offer one such degree.
The Fletcher–HEC Paris dual degree is a 16-month program. Six months are spent at Fletcher, with the remaining 10 months of study taking place in Paris. Students gain a global perspective through studies in international affairs, law, and business. Javier is currently completing this dual degree combination.
“The most valuable thing is that you are open [to] new markets. You have the possibility to work in Europe, you can work in the U.S., Latin America, or Asia,” says Javier. “So, you can figure out what is more valuable for you… for just six more months than the normal program… in the end, you have this dual degree, which, for me at least, is amazing.” (15:40)
Aside from the Fletcher–HEC Paris program, students can also opt to take dual degrees at the likes of Yale School of Management, the National University of Singapore, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Javier had built up analytical skills during his time leading business development projects in Latin America. He wanted to apply these skills at a global scale, combining creative thinking with strategic vision.
He also wanted to gain insights into how corporations manage large-scale product launches and adapt to international markets. Armed with previous experience working for L’Oréal in Peru earlier in his career, he pursued an internship at L’Oréal Paris.
“I proactively reached out to people in the organization, I started to build relationships, and clearly articulated how my background in strategy… could add value to that company,” explains Javier. (02:06)
The internship aligned with his career goals. Javier discovered that he flourished in a global setting. He also developed the confidence and adaptability to make an impact in a high-stakes environment.
The HEC Paris MBA Luxury Club is one of the school’s most prestigious student clubs. It provides exceptional networking opportunities for MBA students looking to become leaders in the luxury sector. Javier was able to leverage the club’s extensive network of HEC alumni, industry professionals, and expert faculty.
“Through our company visits, speakers’ events, and the networking opportunities, I was able to gain insights directly from professionals working in luxury,” he says. (08:20)
The Luxury Club also enabled Javier to build important connections that complemented the theory he was learning in class. Overall, it gave him a deeper understanding of the luxury industry, particularly in Paris.
HEC Paris’s leafy 340-acre campus is home to a diverse, close-knit student community. Around 135 nationalities are represented at the school, with 50% of the cohort being international students. For Javier, having peers from all over the world was a source of inspiration.
“The most valuable thing I have learned is how to lead and collaborate in highly diverse environments,” he says. “At HEC, you can work with people from all over the world, with different perspectives and different ways of thinking.” (12:22)
As Javier explains, this international environment enables you to adapt to different cultural contexts. “It’s something you don’t learn from books or in your comfort zone in your home country,” he says. (12:47)
Aside from being diverse, the HEC Paris study environment is collaborative. The peer-to-peer experience is certainly a profound one, as Javier points out. “The connection you will have with your peers definitely will transform your life,” he says. (16:32) Indeed, this is a business school where students share ideas, learn from one another, and evolve collectively.
Students graduate from HEC Paris MBA with a global, entrepreneurial mindset. They emerge ready to make an immediate impact and lead with confidence in luxury sectors. As the school’s 2025 MBA Employment Report highlights, 75% of the 2025 cohort landed a role within three months of graduation.
Thanks to the HEC Paris MBA, Javier is on the cusp of a successful career in the luxury sector. “I think HEC helped me get there by giving me both the technical foundation and the international exposure,” he says. “(13:26)
Javier’s time at HEC is shaping up to be pivotal to his career. Are you looking to follow suit? Take the HEC Paris MBA pathway and begin writing the defining chapter of your own success story.
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