Careers with an MBA. "I Have Assumed Responsibility in Our Traditional Family Business"

[HHL gGmbH - 04.06.2013] Kristin Klebl is a graduate (2008) of the Master in General Management Program (MBA) of HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management. The 32-year-old says of her career: "Since January 2009, I have been the acting partner for the trade section within our fifth-generation family business. Before that, I worked as an Executive Assistant at the E. Breuninger GmbH & Co. fashion and lifestyle company in Stuttgart. Trade is an exciting part of the economy and I have always been fascinated by how markets work and how supply and demand affect trade."

The graduate, who was born in the Upper Palatinate area, adds: "As a strategic executive, I am responsible for profit-oriented leadership, planning and checking the economic result of our trade activities within our family business specializing in construction. This requires not only entrepreneurial thinking and action but also a great deal of organizational talent and the ability to communicate. A great part of my work focuses on analyzing structures, processes and procedures in the company. I enjoy improving the operating efficiency by major and smaller changes, motivating our employees and increasing the economic success of the business."

"The management training with a strong practical relation prepared me for tasks in our company in the best way possible"

Looking back at her MBA studies at HHL, Kristin Klebl says: "After studying Business Administration with a focus on trade at the University of Cooperative Education in Ravensburg and several practical sojourns in Germany and abroad, I wanted to complete an additional international general management program. HHL's full-time MBA program was the best choice for me and an important step for my career. The management training focusing on strategic leadership with a strong practical relation prepared me for tasks in our company in the best way possible. I was able to gain experience in a very international environment with international students composing two thirds of my class and a high proportion of lecturers from abroad and also to prepare myself for the professional challenges in a more and more global economy. Thanks to HHL's highly professional Career Service and numerous companies presenting themselves on campus, we managed to get in touch with companies from various industries rather quickly." Kristin Klebl particularly appreciated the year books with resumes for all graduating students, which are issued on a regular basis and sent to companies. The MBA graduate explains: "I personally owe a lot to this service because it facilitated job interviews for me, and many other HHL students as well, and eventually I secured a work contract even before my graduation."

The Master Program in General Management (MBA) at HHL

The MBA program offered by HHL which is taught in English is considered one of the best independently developed programs of this kind in Germany. The proportion of international students in this HHL program is approximately 80 percent, an outstanding figure in the global comparison of full-time MBA programs. Since its introduction in the year 2000, the 12 to 18-month full-time MBA program has focused on teaching management and leadership skills in a global context. This is supported by an innovative curriculum which is no longer structured in a purely functional manner but also follows an interdisciplinary approach in accordance with the challenges of management (Managing Investors, Managing Society, Managing Customers etc.). The cross-functional, stakeholder-oriented approach combines the content of the individual courses and offers students significant added value. This is ensured by 28 lecturers from seven countries. They provide students with an insight into the latest scientific management approaches in a global context. The practical relation is ensured by teaching content with practical relevance including case studies, a field project accompanying the program or an optional internship abroad. International Management is not only taught but also integrated into everyday life at HHL thanks to the international background of the students and professors. The international cross-linking of the program is represented by substantial cooperation with universities abroad. From Australia to Uruguay - HHL has more than 110 partner universities worldwide. The students have the opportunity to spend a term at one of these partner universities. The intensive and professional counseling for students from the initial contact to the alumni network must be emphasized.A Career Service accompanies students from the day they are admitted to the program until the successful conclusion of a job search. Further information: www.hhl.de/mba

HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management

HHL is a university-level institution and ranks amongst the leading international business schools. The goal of the oldest business school in German-speaking Europe is to educate effective, responsible and entrepreneurially-minded leaders. HHL stands out for its excellent teaching, its clear research focus, its effective knowledge transfer into practice as well as its outstanding student services. The courses of study include full and part-time Master in Management as well as MBA programs, a Doctoral program and Executive Education. In the 2012 Financial Times Masters in Management Ranking, HHL's full-time M.Sc. Program was ranked 1st in Germany and 11th in the world. This renowned ranking also awarded HHL first place worldwide for its focus on Entrepreneurship and second regarding the graduates' future salaries and for its Corporate Strategy specialization. HHL is accredited by AACSB International. www.hhl.de