Sara’s European Executive MBA is paving the way for a career with purpose

Sara Ottaviani has spent the last six years working in logistics. But she has a degree in international relations and a masters in diplomacy – and her dream is to work for an international organisation like the UN.

She says: “I want a purpose-driven career. I want to wake up in the morning and really feel like the work I do will have an impact. Hopefully my European Executive MBA from Vlerick will help me to achieve this.”

A couple of years ago, Sara started exploring the possibility of an MBA with Vlerick. She had been thinking about a career change – and knew she needed to expand her business knowledge. But the circumstances weren’t quite right. Then, in early 2023, things changed.

The right time to leap

She says: “I had the opportunity to work for my organisation in the USA – and while I was there, I was offered a five-year contract. But I knew deep down that it wasn’t the right move for me.

“At the same time, Vlerick reached out to me about the new European Executive MBA. They thought it would be a good fit for my profile, so I looked at the programme format. With the European angle, immersive trips and focus on sustainability, it felt like it was meant to be.”

Instead of taking up the job offer, Sara got on a plane back to Belgium – and began her journey at Vlerick the very next day.

“I’ve felt at home at Vlerick since the first time I contacted them,” she says. “I felt like they got me and that they understood my motivation for doing an MBA. You’re not just a number to them, you’re a real person and they get to know you. They were the right fit for me.”

An intensive, rewarding experience

Sara hoped the MBA would help her understand emerging areas of business. And it did exactly that.

“Right from the beginning, I saw the value in it,” she says. “The first trip to Paris was on sustainable finance. It’s not my area of expertise, so I was curious about how much I’d be able to achieve. By the end, I really understood how to transform a business in terms of sustainable finance. We visited companies and we didn’t just listen to a presentation, they put us to work. It was intense – but that was needed. Because that’s a reflection of real business. I also enjoyed the HR-focused trip to Copenhagen as it’s a topic I’m more familiar with.”

The European Executive MBA combines immersive trips with online learning. It’s an intensive learning journey – and Sara believes it reflects real business environments.

“The first few weeks were very challenging – then you start to adapt and get used to the pace,” she says. “I have a thicker skin now. I’m able to deliver, no matter what.

“If you can handle the intensity of the MBA, you can handle anything! It’s a mirror of real life – and indeed, business life. That was a big takeaway for me.”

Exploring sustainable business

One of the things that drew Sara to the European Executive MBA was its focus on sustainability.

“We definitely understood that sustainability is the new reality,” she says. “If you want to do business – any type of business – you need to take it into consideration.

“I really enjoyed the social project. It was a group project where we gave advice to a social entrepreneur about opening a hub in South Africa. We managed the project ourselves and had to look at each task and decide who would be best to do it. I found I could really contribute with my logistics expertise – and my knowledge of NGOs and partnerships. It was a great experience and one that I hope I’ll be able to draw on in future roles.”

Creating a career strategy

All Executive MBA participants are offered individual coaching with an expert coach – and Sara took full advantage of this.

“The executive coaching sessions were brilliant,” she says. “I did one in November and one in June. This worked well, because by the June one I had finished all the courses so I could really reflect on my journey and discuss my career strategy. My coach gave me some great advice about what to do next in my career and how I could open doors to new opportunities.

Sara has just graduated – and is starting to put the strategy she developed with her coach into action.

“I have two strands of activity,” she says. “One is more immediate – I would love to secure a role as a project manager for a social entrepreneurship project, something that can make a sustainable impact. The other is longer term. I’m going to start applying for roles in major institutions. Initially I’ll be looking at roles related to logistics, my specialism, so I can get a foot in the door.”

Ready to take the leap

Sara joined the European Executive MBA because she wanted to dive into key business areas. Now she has the knowledge to take her next leap with confidence.

“When you do an MBA, you learn how to solve problems,” she says. “And the recipe for this involves a knowing a little bit of everything. You get a good foundation in all areas of business. I’m not an expert in finance now, but I can read and interpret a financial report. In the past I might have sat quietly in a meeting where they discussed the numbers – but now I’m confident enough in my knowledge that I get involved.

“Being able to see the big picture has been huge for me. You learn to think strategically and look to add value wherever you can – understanding the context and why you need to do something is really important.”

Focusing on the end goal

Sara has already recommended Vlerick’s European Executive MBA to peers. But she has some practical advice for potential participants.

“Make sure it’s the right time for you,” she says. “You need to be strong mentally, you need to stay focused. It’s intense – both the trips and the online elements. You need to remember your goal and what you want to achieve in those 15 months. If you’re motivated to do it – it really will have an impact.”