A class of their own
Robert Maciejko is a vice-president and director at Boston Consulting Group's Warsaw Office. Previously he was responsible for the BCG Telecommunications Practice in Eastern Europe. He is a systems engineering graduate of Princeton University and finished his MBA at the prestigious INSEAD in France.
Can you tell us something about your studies at an international school like INSEAD?
I attended a one year MBA course from September until June. It was a full time, daily course conducted in English, although knowledge of three languages is required. I would say that the course was even more than full time as it was quiet intensive.
Often I had to work until very late at night. I didn't work during the time of my studies as I was lucky to receive support from my employer, who covered a good part of the tuition.
Finishing an MBA at an international school like INSEAD has allowed me to work with amazing, and very diverse, groups of people.
You are thrown into a situation where you have to solve a case or a real world business problem with a group of let's say seven people who have totally different backgrounds.
You learn about a case, you solve problems and prepare projects, but you also work in an international group of people where conflict is inevitable and you have to learn to cooperate with others and reach conclusions together.
Have any of your projects that you worked on while at INSEAD been implemented?
One of my projects was for a music company working in Poland. It was in 1991 when basically the whole music market in Poland was pirate. We helped them design a strategy for the Polish market. We helped them understand the market by talking to the managers of some artists, meeting and understanding the pirates. We advised them to buy a Polish company, which they eventually did.
How has an MBA helped in your professional career?
For a Pole an MBA at such a prestigious school as INSEAD is probably the best passport you can possible have. The school's MBA is known everywhere in Europe and it needs absolutely no explanation. It opens doors and makes it possible for you to work in London, Paris or Zurich - a as in my case.
Agnieszka Róg is an account manager at Sigma International Poland Ltd, the country's biggest PR agency. After graduating from the School of Management at Warsaw University, she completed the WSB-NLU MBA program at the Higher School of Business (WSB), in Nowy Sącz.
What motivated you to study for an MBA?
I knew that an MBA degree would greatly help me in my professional career, that having this title will be my big strength, especially when we consider the fact that in WSB-NLU in Nowy Sącz we receive original diplomas of an American school - the National-Louis University. The fact that all classes were conducted in English was a big advantage for me. Since many of the lecturers came from abroad - mainly the US, but also from places as remote as China - I wanted to have an opportunity to see how studying in the West looks like. WSB-NLU allowed me to study at an American university and get an American diploma without moving from Poland.
How have you benefited from your MBA studies?
Since I was one of the youngest attendants I learned a lot from working with more experienced people who already had at least a few years of work behind them. Although working on the projects took up a lot of my time (I had to work at the same time) it taught me a lot of self-discipline and helped me become better organized, which helps me at my current job.
Maciej Sawicki is a key account manager at Dajar, a kitchen and catering equipment wholesaler. He is former professional footballer who played for Legia Warsaw and Stomil Olsztyn, as well as Poland's various national youth teams. He received a Master's degree in management from the Warsaw Business School. He also has a post-graduate diploma in European Integration at the WSH, in Kielce, and European Institute of Post-Graduate Studies, in Dresden. He finished the Warsaw-Illinois EMBA Program at the Warsaw University.
Why did you decide to take up MBA studies?
I thought that if you are doing something in life it should have long-term perspectives. Football, unless you are playing at the highest level and go abroad to some good Western club, is not something that would guarantee you a bright future. Plus I realized that I didn't enjoy playing football as much as I did before and that I was beginning to do it for the money. Then, the first decision I made was to take up the best MBA studies in Poland and I joined Warsaw-Illinois Executive MBA and now I am really satisfied with this decision.
How has attending the MBA Program helped you?
During the Warsaw-Illinois MBA Program I met a lot of great people and I really benefited from contacts with them. I have made contacts which I perhaps might make use of someday in business, but what is most valuable, I've met great people and I am getting on well with some of them in my private life. At the end of the program we had to prepare consulting projects for real life companies. Although I graduated only half a year ago I already feel more confident about what I'm doing.
Andrzej Miłkowski holds the position of a manager responsible for the development of new products in one of the telecom operators. He holds a Master's and an engineering degree in electronics and telecommunications, which he received from the Warsaw University of Technology. He finished the European MBA program (run jointly with the University of Bradford) at the Leon Koźmiński Academy of Entrepreneurship and Management.
Why did you decide to take an MBA?
I could have attended an MBA course immediately after my graduation, as the Warsaw University of Technology was launching an MBA program and was actually offering places for free for best students. I didn't do it and I do not regret it, because the seven years of work helped me gain experience and helped me look at some problems from a different perspective.
How have you benefited from your MBA studies?
The MBA course taught me to take a more strategic approach to business - not just coordinating the projects. I started to look at the products as the investment and deeply analyze profitability as well as consistency with corporate strategy. I also learned how to manage and coach employees and empower their job and careers
Interviews by
Michał Pakulniewicz
Can you tell us something about your studies at an international school like INSEAD?
I attended a one year MBA course from September until June. It was a full time, daily course conducted in English, although knowledge of three languages is required. I would say that the course was even more than full time as it was quiet intensive.
Often I had to work until very late at night. I didn't work during the time of my studies as I was lucky to receive support from my employer, who covered a good part of the tuition.
Finishing an MBA at an international school like INSEAD has allowed me to work with amazing, and very diverse, groups of people.
You are thrown into a situation where you have to solve a case or a real world business problem with a group of let's say seven people who have totally different backgrounds.
You learn about a case, you solve problems and prepare projects, but you also work in an international group of people where conflict is inevitable and you have to learn to cooperate with others and reach conclusions together.
Have any of your projects that you worked on while at INSEAD been implemented?
One of my projects was for a music company working in Poland. It was in 1991 when basically the whole music market in Poland was pirate. We helped them design a strategy for the Polish market. We helped them understand the market by talking to the managers of some artists, meeting and understanding the pirates. We advised them to buy a Polish company, which they eventually did.
How has an MBA helped in your professional career?
For a Pole an MBA at such a prestigious school as INSEAD is probably the best passport you can possible have. The school's MBA is known everywhere in Europe and it needs absolutely no explanation. It opens doors and makes it possible for you to work in London, Paris or Zurich - a as in my case.
Agnieszka Róg is an account manager at Sigma International Poland Ltd, the country's biggest PR agency. After graduating from the School of Management at Warsaw University, she completed the WSB-NLU MBA program at the Higher School of Business (WSB), in Nowy Sącz.
What motivated you to study for an MBA?
I knew that an MBA degree would greatly help me in my professional career, that having this title will be my big strength, especially when we consider the fact that in WSB-NLU in Nowy Sącz we receive original diplomas of an American school - the National-Louis University. The fact that all classes were conducted in English was a big advantage for me. Since many of the lecturers came from abroad - mainly the US, but also from places as remote as China - I wanted to have an opportunity to see how studying in the West looks like. WSB-NLU allowed me to study at an American university and get an American diploma without moving from Poland.
How have you benefited from your MBA studies?
Since I was one of the youngest attendants I learned a lot from working with more experienced people who already had at least a few years of work behind them. Although working on the projects took up a lot of my time (I had to work at the same time) it taught me a lot of self-discipline and helped me become better organized, which helps me at my current job.
Maciej Sawicki is a key account manager at Dajar, a kitchen and catering equipment wholesaler. He is former professional footballer who played for Legia Warsaw and Stomil Olsztyn, as well as Poland's various national youth teams. He received a Master's degree in management from the Warsaw Business School. He also has a post-graduate diploma in European Integration at the WSH, in Kielce, and European Institute of Post-Graduate Studies, in Dresden. He finished the Warsaw-Illinois EMBA Program at the Warsaw University.
Why did you decide to take up MBA studies?
I thought that if you are doing something in life it should have long-term perspectives. Football, unless you are playing at the highest level and go abroad to some good Western club, is not something that would guarantee you a bright future. Plus I realized that I didn't enjoy playing football as much as I did before and that I was beginning to do it for the money. Then, the first decision I made was to take up the best MBA studies in Poland and I joined Warsaw-Illinois Executive MBA and now I am really satisfied with this decision.
How has attending the MBA Program helped you?
During the Warsaw-Illinois MBA Program I met a lot of great people and I really benefited from contacts with them. I have made contacts which I perhaps might make use of someday in business, but what is most valuable, I've met great people and I am getting on well with some of them in my private life. At the end of the program we had to prepare consulting projects for real life companies. Although I graduated only half a year ago I already feel more confident about what I'm doing.
Andrzej Miłkowski holds the position of a manager responsible for the development of new products in one of the telecom operators. He holds a Master's and an engineering degree in electronics and telecommunications, which he received from the Warsaw University of Technology. He finished the European MBA program (run jointly with the University of Bradford) at the Leon Koźmiński Academy of Entrepreneurship and Management.
Why did you decide to take an MBA?
I could have attended an MBA course immediately after my graduation, as the Warsaw University of Technology was launching an MBA program and was actually offering places for free for best students. I didn't do it and I do not regret it, because the seven years of work helped me gain experience and helped me look at some problems from a different perspective.
How have you benefited from your MBA studies?
The MBA course taught me to take a more strategic approach to business - not just coordinating the projects. I started to look at the products as the investment and deeply analyze profitability as well as consistency with corporate strategy. I also learned how to manage and coach employees and empower their job and careers
Interviews by
Michał Pakulniewicz
