An active community spanning the globe

When you think of universities with the best alumni networks, the University of St.Gallen is always up there. Not only is it full of people who have attended the sixth-best business school in Europe, but it is also the continent’s largest alumni network, with 33,000 active members.

Its size betrays the fact that the cohort size for the International Executive MBA (IEMBA) hovers around 40 each year. However, with each class representing an average of 16 industries, and each individual bringing 17 years of experience into the mix, it’s easy to see what makes the St.Gallen alumni network so appealing. 

The group is in frequent contact through 175 hubs spread throughout the world – but it’s not just a social association. Alumni are invited to attend personal and professional workshops, get exclusive access to St.Gallen’s career coaches, and return to the university as guest speakers for classes and events. 

The quality of the alumni speaks for itself. You can find at least one St.Gallen graduate on the board or executive committee of 80% of the top 100 Swiss companies. Similarly, 18% of the female directors in Switzerland learned their skills at the University of St.Gallen

Other University of St.Gallen notable alumni include Chairman of the Bank of Cyprus and former CEO of Deutsche Bank Josef Ackermann, and Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein – among many more movers and shakers from the worlds of business, politics, and academia. 

Let’s meet some recent graduates and current students to get a glimpse into who they are and how they value their experiences. 

Agnes Lonska, Delivery Lead – Europe and APAC at Roche

Agnes’ educational pathway saw her study in countries as diverse as Germany, China, and South Africa before she embarked on the IEMBA at the University of St.Gallen. She came to the program with eight years of experience leading construction projects and seven years climbing the ranks through Roche. 

Although she had built up major cross-sector international experience, Agnes knew she could still improve. By her own account, she has left the IEMBA with a new set of skills that she can apply directly to her career.

“What I’ve learned is a lot of leadership knowledge and skills,” she shares. “Before the MBA I was applying them in a way organically, but there was no structure or nothing systematic to this approach. And the knowledge that we’re getting out of [the University of St.Gallen] helps you to structure it and do it in a more controlled way.” (01:30)

Brad Grobler, Director of Global Commercial Execution and Operations for BioMonitoring at Merck KGaA

Although originally from South Africa, Brad Grobler is one of the more local students, having lived and worked in Switzerland for seven years. He brought a strong life sciences background to his cohort, having held management roles across multiple companies in the sector since 2008. 

Brad’s experience with the St.Gallen alumni network is unique. Rather than discovering it after studying the St.Gallen IEMBA, he almost reverse-engineered the experience. He explains, “My current manager is an [alumnus] of St.Gallen University so he pushed it very hard to get me to engage. It has a great reputation hence why he wanted me to join.” (00:09)

Now having earned his IEMBA and become a part of the University of St.Gallen alumni himself, Brad has a clearer perspective as to why his manager was so keen on him studying there. “We’ve all got a certain specific set of skills,” he elaborates. “Being able to learn from each other and apply those skills within these events that we go to, in these trips that we take, is super, super cool and important. It helps us develop as individuals and as people.” (01:50)

Marco Zanolari, General Manager at Grand Resort Bad Ragaz

A stark difference from many of his IEMBA classmates, Marco’s background is in the hotel industry. He has gathered 20 years of experience spanning Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the US, and is currently the General Manager of Grand Resort Bad Ragaz. 

A Swiss native, he was well aware of the quality of the network he would be a part of upon graduation. “The alumni network of the University of St.Gallen is huge and tremendous and has a great reputation,” he says. “And of course, the level and reputation of the school are unparalleled, so I felt it’s the right choice and I have not regretted it.” (00:47)

Dr Smilja Djurdjevic, Business Development and Sales Manager for EMEA at Tofwerk

Dr. Smilja is a great example of the drive that students at St.Gallen share. Describing her reasons for studying the IEMBA, she says, “It’s actually a gift to myself. I accomplished myself as a scientist, I accomplished myself in [my] career, and I just wanted to bring all of that back to me.” (01:24)

Hailing from Serbia, she earned a PhD in Organic Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh before going on to study Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Zurich. However, that wasn’t enough for her, and she threw herself into the St.Gallen IEMBA to supplement her scientific expertise with high-level business acumen. With the innovative chemical analysis company Tofwerk, she combines both disciplines to open up new opportunities in EMEA.

While her impressive career trajectory is vastly different from many of her classmates who took a more business route, there is a common takeaway that unites them. “I’m very happy to be part of the IEMBA class. It’s a community of very highly skilled, top-notch professionals.” (02:58)

These dynamic profiles are just a sample of what makes the University of St.Gallen alumni network so unique. If you want to speak to University of St.Gallen alumni directly, it’s much easier than you’d think. Simply head to the MBAGRADSCHOOLS Ambassadors Page and reach out. They’ll be more than happy to help.