Solvay Entrepreneurs

"Before the MBA, I had a much more narrow perception of my abilities and myself. This has totally changed... I apply the Solvay approach to solving business cases every day in strategic programme management at Volvo Financial Services. My coursework on stakeholder management and process improvement is fundamental to my job as well."

"It is an eye-opener and provides the toolkit to become a great leader. The key is to apply them every day, going beyond your comfort zone...It was a very enriching experience to go back to school, to take some quality time for personal development and to deeply immerse myself in a new environment, new context and new personal network."

"The programme is delivered in a highly interactive fashion via a very dynamic teaching style where you truly feel that you are at the real centre of a concrete and pragmatic learning experience. Light is shed upon often the most complicated economic and financial theories. As a result, I have learned to distinguish between finance accounting and incorporating the time variable into my way of doing business. I am now better prepared than I have ever been to take investment-related decisions."

"In order to shift from a technical to a managerial position, I was looking for a general management training that was lacking in my scientific background (...).

The modules are taught by experienced people from the private sector. The Accelerated Management Programme provides you with numerous networking opportunities, an eye-opening experience on the possibilities ahead, and a sound basis in the pillars of management that I intend to develop in my career."

“Apart from a robust knowledge of how financial markets work, my communication skills have been improved by interacting with colleagues from all over the world. The fact that our coursework resembled the tasks that I was later given in my professional life was essential for a successful transition from my academic life.”

“Coming to Solvay, meeting different people and enthusiastic professors who are looking to help candidates at a personal level helped me not only improve my finance knowledge but also change my approach, helping me secure a full-time job in investment banking. The reputation and the rigorous curriculum of the programme proved to be a key factor in my interviews as I was able to display my finance abilities and understanding of the current state of matters in the industry.”

“The programme prepares you in the best possible way to enter the job market and this is also helped by the career coaching service, the interesting field visits and the networking possibilities. My job opportunities were much broader after this advanced master. It definitely helped me get a job right away at the European Central Bank.”

“I will always feel grateful to Solvay as it pushed me to reinvent myself. Coming from a different background, I knew the programme would be a steep climb, however, my professors inspired me and helped me apply my core strengths to the field of Strategy and Innovation. Midway through this journey, I realised that I wasn't just coping with the courses...I had actually developed a passion for the field..."

“The Advanced Master programme is a blend of everything you need to start a career in business. The focus on directly actionable knowledge makes the learning curve very steep but also very enjoyable. You will be challenged and you will like it.” 

“What makes this programme stand out is the school's international and multicultural environment and the fact that our lecturers are people with outstanding experiences.”  

“To be prepared to enter your professional life, you need the best education and a curious mindset that can help you face this path and make it as enjoyable as possible. After a few months, I can say that Solvay Brussels School with its teachers is the best choice that I could make. The atmosphere, the network and all the people studying there are very friendly and always eager to help. A tremendous year on both personal and professional development.”

“Apart from the countless group projects, presentations and company visits, the programme has allowed me to develop essential entrepreneurial abilities, master key managerial concepts and build the right team-player mindset to cope with a continuously changing environment. I’ve had the honour to be carefully guided in creating my own venture with a fellow student, to lead a group-based three-month internship at a fast-growing digital marketing scale-up in Brussels and to be part of a consulting project for EY. ”

"The training has been essential for our office to create a common understanding of sustainability and help us integrate sustainability into all our work. Even though I have a background in environmental science, this course was really enlightening. Not only did it refresh some of the basic principles behind climate change, biodiversity, etc., but it also provided very relevant perspectives on public and private ESG governance through specific sessions, case studies and guest speakers. Insightful!"

"Sustainability is on the agenda of all our clients today. To have meaningful and impactful discussions on the topic, many people lack the basic required knowledge though. The Sustainability 101 course does provide this basic knowledge and also offers a robust framework to think forward and act systemically on ESG issues. The course combines a solid academic background with action-oriented experience sharing. Also, it gives access to a rich set of data, literature and analysis on the topic. The course is a great minimum level setting for everybody who is concerned by the societal challenge of our world. And who would not be?"

"I had very little experience with more advanced analytics, so for me, the programme is an eye opener on the potential of this discipline. And more particularly it helped me to work better together with data scientists as I have now a better understanding of their language."

"I wanted to acquire new skills, particularly in finance, to complete my training in communication. I turned to the Executive Master in Management for its practical side, in particular thanks to the case studies which constitute an immersion in the life of the company in terms of strategy, market positioning, marketing choices and pricing policy...They allow us to evaluate our ability to identify solutions and opportunities and make decisions.

We live in a world that forces us as managers to develop and share a vision, a guideline. The Executive Master in Management provides the keys to building this global vision."

"The Executive Master in Management has considerably enriched my range of skills and knowledge, both in the field of finance and the digitalisation of businesses, as well as in marketing and leadership.

At the same time, I was able to create a dynamic and supportive network of contacts during this training. We know we can contact each other for questions that arise during the career.

Finally, and what is most important to me, this training opened my mind: today I am constantly looking for feedback in order to develop and perfect my role as a manager."

"By enrolling in the Executive Master in Tax Management, I was able to acquire considerable and in-depth tax knowledge while working at the same time. The practical and transversal learning as well as the experienced, specialised, and above all very accessible teaching staff allowed me to acquire the reflexes necessary to practice my profession as a tax lawyer.

The Executive Master in Tax Management allowed me to complete my civil training in law and notarial science and to acquire in-depth knowledge in all aspects of taxation, while developing a network and opportunities."

”This programme was a real asset to get me started. I not only received an effective toolbox to think about my project in a solid way. I was able to benefit from practical advice and tailor-made coaching which allowed me to develop a clear vision of my project as well as a clear understanding of my strengths. This training marked the beginning of my entrepreneurial adventure. Being part of a network as stimulating and active as the Solvay Entrepreneurs network allows me to advance successfully at each stage.”

”This programme has established important milestones in my journey as an entrepreneur. The speakers taught me what mistakes not to make. When we want to create an association, we sometimes suffer from a lack of realism, we miss things that we refuse to see. I stay in touch with Solvay veterans and, very often, they call me for an opinion. I attach a lot of importance to this relationship of trust.”

“We have all the tools to have enough confidence in ourselves, in our project and also ensure that the risks are limited to get started correctly. That allowed me to get started and still be here after several years.”

“The Executive Programme in Future-Proof Real Estate equipped me with knowledge, confidence and contacts in the sector. Concretely, this allowed me to personally study several real estate development projects and to initiate different approaches to acquire land suitable for the development of mixed and innovative projects.

This training is essential for any real estate professional wishing to contribute to the current transformation of the sector. It offers both access to an unrivaled professional network and the opportunity to meet very high quality speakers.”

I‘ve picked the programme in People Leadership to have a little bit more of a theoretical background and to get the keys and concepts on how to lead, motivate and coach colleagues and people who are part of my team so we can reach common goals together. 

What I found super interesting in the People Leadership Programme is that it's a perfectly balanced mix between theory and concepts and also practical cases and knowledge and experience sharing. I, of course, like, the fact that both trainers come from the private/public world, which makes it for me more interesting and relevant. Also, the rhythm of the education is adapted to professional life. 

The Executive Programme en Gestion de la Reputation perfectly combines theory, practice and inspiring testimonials from renowned personalities. Thanks to this course, I was able to deepen my knowledge and develop new skills.

I would highly recommend this incredibly rewarding programme to anyone wishing to acquire solid expertise in reputation management. The courses are captivating, relevant and offer real added value for career progression. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

The Executive Master in Management (EMM) has profondly impact my personal and professional life. As an electronics engineer and founder of my own company, Conceptualize, I enrolled in the EMM following an unsuccessful fundraising attempt to gain deeper insights into my mistakes.

An engineering role demands rigour and precision, while a managerial position requires adaptability. The greatest challenge is reconciling these two approaches. The EMM has guided me through this transformation with training in essential soft skills and management techniques tailored to today's dynamic business environment.

Previously a highly directive leader, I have evolved into a more collaborative one, embracing generational shifts. This programme has sharpened my skills in financial management and marketing, reshaping my perspective on the market. The EMM has broadened my horizons and successfully revitalised my business ventures.

Thanks to the Executive Master in Management, I've strengthened my resilience, developed active listening skills, and learned to take a step back. This has made me more aware of societal and human issues.

The "méthode des cas" was the highlight of the programme, providing a cross-disciplinary approach to the subjects studied while reflecting on real-world professional challenges we face daily. This is what enhances the Executive Master in Management!

The Executive MBA programme was a transformative experience for me, fundamentally changing who I am and helping me become a better version of myself. With my technical background, I initially had a narrow perspective; the programme equipped me with the tools and insights to broaden my view and understand the intricacies of business and strategic decision-making.

One of the most valuable lessons I learned was the importance of leading by example. If you want to drive change, it must start with yourself. The Executive MBA emphasises critical thinking and a pragmatic approach to learning, which are crucial for effective leadership.

The international scope of the programme, combined with the real-world experience of the faculty, provided a comprehensive understanding of global markets and strategic considerations. This has been instrumental in helping me identify new market opportunities and stay ahead in my career.

Overall, the Executive MBA has not only enhanced my ability to manage and lead effectively but has also reinforced my commitment to lifelong learning and adapting to new challenges. It’s a powerful journey that nurtures your potential and prepares you for a broader leadership role.

I began to assess my career path and realised I was feeling stuck, unsure of how to explore new options or connect with professionals outside my industry. I lacked knowledge in areas like entrepreneurship and struggled to expand my network. Enrolling in the Executive MBA at Solvay was driven by my desire for a significant challenge and growth.

The programme's Advisory Lab, where you work on real-life business problems instead of a traditional thesis, was particularly appealing to me. It provided an opportunity to tackle complex, real-world issues and contribute meaningfully to solving them.

The Executive MBA programme was instrumental in my transition from a background in finance, administration, and HR to a managing director role. It helped me develop essential skills like leadership and working under pressure. The experience made me more confident and resourceful, significantly changing my approach to business challenges. I’m no longer easily impressed or intimidated by complex issues, and I’ve become more aware of the resources at my disposal.

The Solvay Executive MBA gave me a profound understanding of what real sustainability means. The entrepreneurial classes greatly expanded my horizons, especially with their focus on sustainability and environmentalism.

I used to think that finance and environmental friendliness couldn’t coexist, but the programme showed me otherwise. It provided a solid foundation for achieving financial success while remaining environmentally responsible.

This new perspective inspired me to integrate sustainability into my company and develop a new line that aligns with both economic and environmental goals.

I had the great privilege of following the Executive Master in Management, and it was an incredible experience that transformed not only my career, but also my personal life. If you're looking to take your career to the next level, I can't encourage you enough to enrol!

This programme is a unique opportunity to develop your strategic skills thanks to an innovative teaching approach, rooted in the reality of managerial challenges. Every aspect of the programme, from case studies to seminars, to the creation of a business plan, has given me a global and practical vision of leadership.

But that's not all: in addition to my skills, I've had the chance to forge strong human relationships with my fellow participants on the programme. The exchanges, mutual support and shared emotions have enriched this experience immeasurably. I've built up a real professional and personal network.