Advanced Masters study trips: Connecting you with the top in the field

Class of AMISM: Paris study trip 2022

This year’s study trip theme for the Advanced Master in Innovation and Strategic Management was sustainability, and how it is implemented in big traditional companies such as Michelin and Saint-Gobain.
  

Our students have met with high-profile professionals, such as Nicolas Beaumont (Head of Sustainable Development and Mobility at Michelin) and Emmanuel Normant (VP of Sustainable Development at Saint-Gobain), with whom they exchanged valuable insights and first-hand experiences about the sector.

On day two, the students visited ENGIE, where they had the opportunity to discover the WeFound incubator - and how it allows the creation and development of start-ups while leveraging the unique strengths of a large company!

Finally, it was a great team-building opportunity for the students, who also met with members of our Solvay alumni network in Paris (André Stahl - L'Oreal, and Vladimir Nessler, EY Paris), widened their professional and personal horizons, and made connections for life!

Class of AMFM: London Study Trip 2022

The class of Advanced Master’s in Financial Markets visited London, where our students were connected with more than 25 diverse, passionate and insightful professionals at leading asset manager DWS, at leading consultancy Reply, and Level39, a three-floor, 80,000 square foot community space at Canary Wharf supporting fast-growth fin-tech companies.

At DWS, UK Country Head Nikitas Psyllakis and COO Samantha Alexander introduced them to a dozen of senior expert colleagues. Together, they covered the major asset management business lines and functions extensively, with a special focus on sustainable finance (ESG research), index investing portfolio management, capital markets, infrastructure and real estate investments, and private equity. Afterwards, DWS graduates joined to chat with the students during the buffet lunch in the board room.

At Reply, Executive Partner Freddy Gielen connected us with expert consultants as well as with his network of leading clients and senior advisors. Their insights covered an introduction to the financial services industry in London, how private equity enables organic and investment-led expansion, how technology enables business outcomes in financial services and ESG in financial services.

Lastly, at Level 39, we enjoyed a spectacular view of London from the 39^th floor (!) and got first-line insights about innovation in financial services and fin-tech. We learned from Director Amy French and Development Manager Nancy Gonzalez-Rivera about the history of Canary Wharf and how it became the financial hub it is today. We then liaised with a start-up founder and an ecosystem mentor, who shared insights about the crypto industry, trends in crypto, opportunities and use cases in financial markets and services, and the value proposition of the London ecosystem.

What a view!