01 Welcome Chronicle Programs Faculty & Research Excellence Rankings & Awards Network...

Transcription

1 2012 Annual Review

2 Contents 01 Welcome Chronicle Programs Faculty & Research Excellence Rankings & Awards Network Alumni List Mannheim Business School (MBS) is the umbrella organization for management education at the University of Mannheim and the only German institution accredited by AACSB International, EQUIS and AMBA. The school offers three international MBA programs: the Mannheim MBA (part-time and full-time), the ESSEC & MANNHEIM Executive MBA with two formats (weekend and modular) and the MANNHEIM & TONGJI Executive MBA. A specialized Master Program in Accounting and Taxation, Open Courses and Company Programs complete the MBS portfolio. With class sizes ranging from a minimum of 40 participants in the Executive MBA programs to a maximum of 60 in the full-time MBA program, Mannheim Business School hosts 400 students on average. To find out more, go to: Or join us here: 2

3 01 Welcome In many ways 2012 was a very successful year for us. For the first time, renowned U.S.-American magazine Bloomberg Businessweek included Mannheim Business School (MBS) in its biennial ranking of the world s best full-time MBA programs, ranking our Mannheim Full-Time MBA #12 among non-u.s. programs and #8 among European programs. This made us not only the best newcomer in 2012, but also the first and only German school to have been included in the ranking so far. One of our most important assets in achieving the leadership position among German business schools has always been our faculty, recognized both nationally and internationally for their research excellence and output: As the 2012 ranking by Germany s leading daily financial newspaper Handelsblatt illustrates, Mannheim is the business school in the German speaking world with the highest number of publications in the discipline s most reputable journals, the so-called A and A+ journals. It also fills me with great pride that less than a year after three MBS alumni won the Association of MBAs Entrepreneurial Venture Award, another team of Mannheimers was recognized internationally for their entrepreneurial spirit, winning the 20 th European Business Plan of the Year competition hosted by London Business School. I would like to once again congratulate the four Mannheim MBA graduates on their achievement and look forward to seeing their business idea take shape. portunity to pursue a world-class MBA without leaving their employment. The first cohort of the new Mannheim Part-Time MBA will start in September 2013, and I am pleased to say that so far demand for the program has more than met our expectations and recruitment is well under way will also see the first graduation of the MANNHEIM & TONGJI Executive MBA program that was launched jointly with Tongji University and its School of Economics and Management in 2011, as well as the 10 th anniversary of the Mannheim Full-Time MBA program, which I hope many of you will celebrate with us. For now, however, I would like to once again thank you, students and alumni, business partners, academic and non-academic staff, who make up Mannheim s Network of Excellence, for your dedication and support, and invite you to review with me our achievements of the past year. Without you, we would not be where we are at right now and I look forward to working closely with you in the year and years to come. Yours sincerely, Prof. Dr. Jens Wüstemann President Building on the success of the Mannheim Full-Time MBA, we also launched a new part-time program this year, aiming to give highachievers in the early stages of their professional careers the op- 3

4 In 2012 Mannheim became the first German business school to break into the Bloomberg Businessweek Full-Time MBA ranking, which is considered one of the most influential rankings in the world. The U.S.-American magazine listed the Mannheim MBA #12 among non- U.S. programs and #8 in Europe, also making Mannheim the best newcomer of the year. 4

5 02 Chronicle January ESSEC & MANNHEIM Executive MBA: Introduction of U.S. residency into the curriculum, with New York University Leonard N. Stern School of Business (NYU Stern) as one of the partner schools February The Mexican business magazine Expansión ranks Mannheim Business School #26 worldwide and #11 in Europe March MANNHEIM & TONGJI Executive MBA: 2 nd Opening Ceremony at Tongji University in Shanghai in the presence of the German Ambassador to China, Dr. Michael Schaefer April Start of Program: ESSEC & MANNHEIM Weekend Executive MBA Class of 2013 WirtschaftsWoche: For the 11 th time consecutively, University of Mannheim is ranked #1 in Germany for Business Administration/Management and Economics The Story Behind India Success, Opportunities, Challenges: Diversity Conference organized by Srita Heide, ESSEC & MANNHEIM Weekend Executive MBA Class of st Mannheim MBA Spring Reunion May Start of Program: Mannheim Master of Accounting & Taxation, Accounting Track, Class of 2015 Graduation ESSEC & MANNHEIM Modular Executive MBA Class of 2012, Cercle National Des Armées, Paris Sino-German Business Insights: 1 st event of the new MANN- HEIM & TONGJI Executive MBA speaker series with Saori Dubourg, President, Asia Pacific, BASF SE, as keynote speaker América Economía: Mannheim Business School is ranked #13 worldwide and #7 in Europe June Alistair Bruce, Moritz Hertler, Stefan Reuter and Christian Uhrich of the Mannheim MBA Class of 2012 win the 2012 European Business Plan of the Year Competition hosted by London Business School Start of Program: Mannheim Master of Accounting & Taxation, Taxation Track, Class of 2015 Mannheim Master of Accounting & Taxation Program Conference with Dr. Carsten Wendt, Head of Planning and Controlling, HeidelbergCement AG July MBS Summer Party and Mannheim Business Forum sponsored by Korn/Ferry International with the Managing Director Germany Hubertus Graf Douglas Sino-German Business Insights with Jari Grosse-Ruyken, Vice- Director of the Sino-German School for Postgraduate Studies, Tongji University, Shanghai September Graduation Mannheim MBA Class of 2012, Knights Hall, Mannheim Palace Start of Program: Mannheim MBA Class of 2013 Mannheim Business Forum conference with Dirk Kaliebe, Chief Financial Officer, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG Mannheim ranked #14 in the International Financial Times Masters in Management Ranking October Mannheim Business School announces launch of Mannheim Part-Time MBA program Mannheim Master of Accounting & Taxation Program Conference with Silke Benzenhöfer, Head of Shareholder Relations EnBW AG, and Dr. Jens Kling, Corporate Executive Services EnBW AG Graduation Mannheim Master of Accounting & Taxation Class of 2012, Knights Hall, Mannheim Palace Start of Program: ESSEC & MANNHEIM Modular Executive MBA Class of 2014 The Economist ranks the Mannheim MBA #36 globally and #10 in Europe Financial Times ranks the ESSEC & MANNHEIM Executive MBA #41 worldwide November Graduation ESSEC & MANNHEIM Weekend Executive MBA Class of 2012, Knights Hall, Mannheim Palace Corporate Governance and Leadership in a Global World: 1 st International Forum hosted by the Council on Business and Society, Salon de la Maison des Arts et Métiers, Paris The Mannheim MBA is ranked #12 in Bloomberg Businessweek s international MBA ranking and #8 in Europe Mannheim Business Forum conference with Prof. Dr. Lars Feld, Professor of Economics at the University of Freiburg and member of the German Council of Economic Experts 5 th Annual MBS Alumni Homecoming with Chris Cools, President Business Unit GISAC of AB InBev, as keynote speaker, Knights Hall, Mannheim Palace 5

6 03 Programs The year of 2012 once again saw an expansion of the MBS program portfolio, as Mannheim Business School announced the introduction of a part-time option of its internationally renowned Mannheim MBA program. The two-year program will enable young professionals to acquire the skills necessary for a position in international top management without interrupting their careers. 6

7 We also introduced new elements into our existing programs, such as a residency at a renowned business school in the U.S. for the ESSEC & Mannheim Executive MBA program, further increasing their attractiveness and value to students. 7

8 Mannheim MBA For a decade now, the Mannheim MBA has brought ambitious young talents from all around the world to Mannheim, enabling them to hone their managerial skills, to grow both personally and professionally and to forge exciting careers. Recognized widely for its academic excellence and practical relevance, the program has become the clear #1 in the German-speaking world which is why we are now also offering the Mannheim MBA in a convenient part-time format. Two Formats Leaving employment in order to pursue an MBA degree full-time is not always an option even for young professionals, and interest in part-time programs also among this group has markedly increased in recent years. In answer to this demand, Mannheim Business School has decided to introduce a new, modular study option to its popular Mannheim MBA program as of One Program Comprised of thirteen modules spread over the course of two years, the new Mannheim Part-Time MBA is based on the same educational tenets as the established full-time program and will offer an equally rigorous curriculum, covering all core management disciplines. Participants will earn the same internationally recognized degree and will become part of the same powerful network. Professor Dr. Sabine Kuester Academic Director of the Mannheim MBA Since its inception in 2002, the Mannheim MBA has been going from strength to strength. Based on this success, we have developed the curriculum for an exciting new part-time MBA program that offers its participants all the benefits and excellence of a business degree made in Mannheim whilst recognizing the needs of young working professionals. 8

9 Broadening Horizons Participants of the new Mannheim Part-Time MBA will not only join a diverse class of high-achievers, but will gain further international experience through study trips to Asia and North America. Hosted by renowned business schools from our worldwide network, these residencies provide participants with first-hand insights into global business and enable them to experience different business cultures on-site. Learning from Peers As with all programs offered by Mannheim Business School, there is a strong emphasis on team-based learning: Participants will find themselves working and studying in small, heterogeneous groups most of the time even the capstone Business Master Project is designed as a team effort. This Multi-Competence Team concept maximizes participants opportunity to also learn from their classmates and allows them to enhance both their intercultural and leadership skills. Making a Difference As part of the curriculum, the class as a whole is asked to work on the so-called Social Sustainability Project, which challenges participants to put their management skills to the test in a different arena and allows them to make a contribution to society. The project is also meant to strengthen class spirit, which is why all class members are involved in the initial conceptualization as well as the actual implementation of the project. Applying the Knowledge During the second year of the program, participants face a different challenge, the Business Master Project. This capstone project, which in most cases will take the form of an internal consulting project, provides participants with the opportunity to apply all they have learned in class to a real business case and to demonstrate, also to their supporting employers, that they are indeed ready for the next level. Recruitment for the first cohort of the new Mannheim Part-Time MBA has already started, as classes are scheduled to start in September Intake for the program will be annual. 9

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11 MANNHEIM & TONGJI Executive MBA When the MANNHEIM & TONGJI Executive MBA was launched in 2011, it was the first joint Sino- German Executive MBA program on the market and its unique focus made it an instant success. Since its introduction, more than 80 participants have enrolled in the program, and we proudly look forward to the graduation of the first cohort in March To add further value to the program, Mannheim Business School introduced a new element into the curriculum in 2012: a high-profile speaker series designed to provide first-hand insights into German-Chinese business relations. Sino-German Business Insights Scheduled to take place in Mannheim on a quarterly basis, the new speaker series aims to not only further deepen program participants understanding of the Sino-German business world, but to provide a public platform for knowledge exchange and networking. The events are free of charge and open not only to other Mannheimers but to the business community at large. The inaugural lecture of the so-called Sino-German Business Insights series was held by Saori Dubourg, President of BASF in Asia Pacific, who discussed the enormous transformations China is undergoing and will continue to undergo as a result of both its new Five Year Plan and the recent change in leadership. 1 st Graduation of the MANNHEIM & TONGJI Executive MBA Program In March of 2013, the first cohort of the MANNHEIM & TONGJI Executive MBA will graduate from the program and we already look forward to the commencement ceremony scheduled to take place at Tongji University in Shanghai on March 14, Held once again in the presence of the German Ambassador to China, Dr. Michael Schaefer, the ceremony will also be the kick-off event for the 3 rd cohort of the program. Saori Dubourg President Asia Pacific, BASF SE Member of the MANNHEIM & TONGJI Executive MBA Advisory Board As the world s leading chemical company, BASF s commitment to the Asia Pacific region is long-standing and China is one of our major growth markets. However, as we continue to increase our investments in the region, we face a rising demand for executives who can successfully navigate both cultures. The MANNHEIM & TONGJI Executive MBA provides just the answer to this challenge: the program enables participants not only to hone their managerial and leadership skills, but to gain an in-depth understanding of the Sino- German business environment. 11

12 ESSEC & MANNHEIM Executive MBA Designed for senior executives with at least eight years of professional experience, a hallmark of the ESSEC & MANNHEIM Executive MBA is its emphasis on leadership and innovation. But the program is also renowned for its internationality: It currently holds 12 th place in the category international course experience in the Financial Times Global Executive MBA Ranking, and adding a U.S. residency to the curriculum in 2012 has enriched the program even further. Developing a Truly Global Perspective International study trips taught and hosted by distinguished partner business schools have been an integral part of the program since the beginning. Introducing a residency at a U.S.-American institution into the curriculum, however, effectively turns the ESSEC & MANNHEIM Executive MBA into one of the most international programs of its kind. With courses taking place in Mannheim and Paris as well as the U.S. and Asia, participants gain direct business exposure in three of the most important economic regions of the world. The first to benefit from the innovation were the members of the ESSEC & MANNHEIM Weekend Executive MBA Class of 2013, who started their program this past April and visited New York University Leonard N. Stern School of Business in November. For 2013, they can look forward to traveling both to Singapore and Shanghai. Academic Partners of the ESSEC & MANNHEIM Executive MBA Program Chinese University of Hong Kong Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad New York University Leonard N. Stern School of Business Tongji University, School of Economics & Management University of California, Los Angeles, Anderson School of Management Dr. Till Riehm ESSEC & MANNHEIM Weekend EMBA Class of 2013, Business Development Manager, Freudenberg Process Seals GmbH & Co. KG Our visit to the Big Apple and to NYU Stern, one of the oldest and most prestigious business schools in the U.S., if not in the world, has definitely been one of the program s highlights so far. There couldn t be a better place to go to if you wish to gain a deeper understanding of corporate finance in general and the U.S.-American market in particular. 12

13 Leadership Revisited Superior leadership skills are one of the indispensable prerequisites for success in today s dynamic and complex global markets, and one of the main goals of the ESSEC & MANNHEIM Executive MBA program is to develop the leadership capabilities of its participants. Although leadership might sometimes appear innate or instinctive, it can be learned and the program s integrated leadership development concept is designed to enable participants to assess their unique potential and to provide them with a toolbox that helps them deal with different types of leadership challenges. One of the key components of our leadership development program is an experimental training session at the training grounds of renowned Saint-Cyr Military Academy, Camp Coëtquidan in Brittany, France. Scaling walls, constructing rafts and bridges in order to cross rivers and ravines, the two-day training program is highly physical in nature and the immediate objectives of most exercises are easy enough to grasp. Achieving them, however, is a different matter altogether, and the leadership lessons derived from them are all the more poignant for the immediacy of their impact. During the subsequent debriefing on campus, participants reflect on their experiences and behavior, for example their conflict management style, and are asked to relate them to their normal lives. 13

14 Changed Admission Requirements for the MaMAT Accounting Track Admission requirements for the Accounting Track of the Mannheim Master of Accounting & Taxation have been amended so as to reflect recent changes in the legal framework for Master programs accredited according to 8a WPO: From 2013 onward, a minimum of only six months postgraduate work is required and candidates have until program start to complete the requirement. 14

15 Mannheim Master of Accounting & Taxation In the years since its inception in 2008, the Mannheim Master of Accounting & Taxation, short MaMAT, has turned into a true success story. More than 200 students have already graduated from the three-year part-time program, with the overwhelming majority of them having successfully passed their professional exams as well. Another 100 students are currently enrolled and we expect the already fifth cohort of the program, which will start in early summer of 2013, to be our largest class yet. Developed in close co-operation with the so-called Big Four accounting firms, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG and PwC, the part-time Master program equips young talents in the fields of accounting and taxation with the theoretical basis as well as the practical skills necessary to successfully meet the demands of the professional services industry. But the number of candidates from mid-tier accounting firms is rising yet another indicator of the program s success. Participants who are employed with medium-sized firms currently account for about 10% of the program s student body and we expect the number to continue increasing in the coming years. The Mannheim concept is no less interesting for regional or local accounting firms than it is for the Big Four. The reshaping of the German higher education landscape that was brought about by the Bologna process affects the whole industry, and accounting firms large and small have to rethink their approach to talent development. Marcus Streit Mannheim Master of Accounting & Taxation, Accounting Track, Class of 2014, Audit Manager, Rödl & Partner Already during my undergraduate years I started working for a mid-tier accounting firm. I was thrilled by the diversity of tasks and challenges that awaited me and I decided there and then that this was not only the field, but also the environment I wanted to build a career in. However, I also knew that in order to achieve my objectives, I would have to continue my academic education. Mannheim, with its excellent reputation and well-established part-time Master program in Accounting and Taxation, was the logical choice: The program offers academic rigor and practical applicability as well as a proven track record in preparing students for the relevant professional exams. Furthermore, the collaborative learning style that is common to all MBS programs not only fosters peer learning but also helps me hone my interpersonal skills. 15

16 04 Faculty & Research Excellence It has been our mission to produce excellent research with the highest possible impact not only on science and education, but also on the real world : We aim to produce innovative knowledge and disseminate ideas that make a difference to management practice, public policy and ultimately, society at large. These measures might find expression in the standard taxation system, in the design of tax incentives for R&D expenditures, the way intellectual property is taxed or even in the taxation of people working in the R&D field. So how do you assess the impact of these incentives, particularly on the company level? How do they influence corporate innovation activities and the production of intellectual property? And how could R&D tax incentives be introduced into the German taxation system? These are some of the central questions that Professor Spengel and his international collaborators aim to answer. Their initial findings clearly demonstrate the positive influence R&D tax incentives have on corporate innovation activities, particularly for smaller firms. But they also reveal a link between corporate income tax rates and geographic allocation of intellectual property within larger, multinational corporations: in locations with low tax rates on patent income, the number of high-value patents tends to be higher. A prime example of what that means in terms of research projects is the work done by Professor Dr. Christoph Spengel, Chair of International Taxation at the University of Mannheim, and his research group on the impact of taxation on corporate innovation. Fostering Corporate Innovation the Impact of R&D Tax Incentives There exists a general policy consensus that Europe can be successful only as a knowledge economy, and the need for increased investments in R&D is widely agreed upon. To complement targeted R&D project promotion, the European Commission advises the broad promotion of R&D through the taxation systems and many OECD and EU member states have already introduced measures to that effect. These findings immediately make the implications for policy-makers not only in Germany apparent. However, important questions still remain to be dealt with: What could measurement tools look like that compare different combinations of policies and their effects on firms investments? What are the spillover effects and the impact on government revenues? If Professor Spengel s project, which is part of a larger research program at the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW), proceeds as planned, we will soon find out. Professor Dr. Christoph Spengel has been a research associate at the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW), Mannheim, since 2002 and an appointed member of the Scientific Council of the German Federal Ministry of Finance since The impact of taxation on competition, especially within the framework of European integration, is one of his main research interests and he frequently serves as an academic consultant to the European Commission. 16

17 Female Fund Managers at a Disadvantage Funds managed by women perform as well as funds managed by men. However, prejudices against female fund managers prevail among both sexes. Men are not alone in placing greater trust in their own sex when it comes to asset management. Women in the finance profession face prejudices from their own ranks as well. This is the result of the recent study Sex Matters: Gender and Prejudice in the Mutual Fund Industry by Mannheim s Professor Dr. Alexandra Niessen-Ruenzi, Chair of Corporate Governance, and Professor Dr. Stefan Ruenzi, Chair of International Finance. Their analysis of data from the American mutual fund industry 1992 to 2009 received the Best Paper Award at this year s Rothschild Caesarea Center Conference. MBS Teaching Award The Mannheim faculty is exceptional not only in their research quality and output, but also in their classroom performance. To honor their commitment to teaching excellence, Mannheim Business School established the MBS Teaching Award, which has been presented annually since The 2012 recipient of the award is Prof. Dr. Georg Bitter, Chair for Civil Law, Banking and Capital Markets Law and Insolvency Law at the University of Mannheim, who has been teaching in the Mannheim Master of Accounting & Taxation since the inception of the program. His introduction to Commercial and Capital Markets Law is a fixture in the curriculum of the program, routinely receiving best scores and enthusiastic comments from his students. American Marketing Association/Worldwide DocSIG Productivity Ranking Professor Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Christian Homburg, Chair for Marketing I at the University of Mannheim and former president of Mannheim Business School, is one of the top contributors to the four most important journals in the field of marketing and the clear # 1 worldwide if the Journal of Marketing and the Journal of Marketing Research alone are considered. The ranking is based on the number of publications in these four journals from 2008 to 2012 and was published by DocSIG, an organization of young marketing researchers under the umbrella of the American Marketing Association (AMA). 17

18 05 Rankings & Awards More and more, Mannheim Business School is recognized internationally as Germany s best business school, and we are proud to be the first German institution to have been included in Bloomberg Businessweek s international MBA Ranking. However, seeing our participants place us at the top through their achievements is at least as rewarding to us. Mannheim has become a top player in all international rankings Bloomberg Businessweek The Economist Financial Times America Economia Expansion Program Mannheim MBA Mannheim MBA ESSEC & MANNHEIM EMBA Master in Management Mannheim MBA Mannheim MBA World 12 (non-u.s.) Europe Germany st and only German school in the ranking #9 worldwide in the category "Faculty Quality" #12 worldwide in the category "International Course Experience" Top 10 worldwide for Marketing, Finance, Accounting and Economics Climbed up 21 places compared to 2011 Top 30 worldwide for three consecutive years Handelsblatt Research Ranking 2012 Germany s leading daily financial newspaper, Handelsblatt, once again recognized the Mannheim faculty for their research excellence. As in previous years, the Handelsblatt Research Ranking for business administration identified Mannheim as the business school in the German-speaking world with the highest number of articles published in the discipline s international top scientific journals. The list of these so-called A and A+ journals comprises only 19 periodicals worldwide. Furthermore, the two top researchers in Germany in the field of business administration are members of the Mannheim faculty as well, namely Professor Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Christian Homburg and Professor Dr. Dr. h.c. Martin Weber. 18

19 Mannheimers win European Business Plan of the Year Competition Less than a year after ESSEC & MANNHEIM Executive MBA alumni and founders of Treasury Intelligence Solutions (TIS) Erol Bozak, Wolfgang Kalthoff and Jörg Wiemer won the Association of MBAs 2011 Entrepreneurial Venture Award, another team of Mannheimers was recognized internationally for their entrepreneurial spirit. While still in the Mannheim MBA program, now-graduates Alistair Bruce, Moritz Hertler, Stefan Reuter and Christian Uhrich won the 20 th European Business Plan of the Year" competition hosted by London Business School. The idea: A mobile app, Spotted", that facilitates professional networking by recognizing and connecting people with similar interests who find themselves at large events in a defined geographical area, for example trade fairs or conferences. Established with the aim of encouraging the creation of new ventures among MBA students, the European Business Plan of the Year" is the longest continuously running competition of its kind. This year 15 teams from ten different countries participated and the Mannheim team not only had to submit a detailed business plan, but had to pitch their idea to a jury as well as their competitors, involving several rounds of discussion. Since their graduation in September 2012 the four entrepreneurs have been working hard on bringing Spotted" to market, with the launch date scheduled for early Alistair Bruce, Moritz Hertler, Stefan Reuter and Christian Uhrich Mannheim MBA Class of 2012 Our victory at the competition in London really kick-started our journey into entrepreneurship. Since then we have been on a roller coaster ride of highs and lows. Going it alone and starting something new was a step into the unknown for us all. But through an extensive network of fellow entrepreneurs and investors we built over the course of our work, we were never truly alone. So far it has been an education like no other and we highly recommend others who are considering it to take the plunge. You have to be in it to win it! 19

20 06 Network Mannheim Business School continues to experience exceptional growth rates and so does our alumni network: More than 200 talented, ambitious Mannheimers join the network every year, transforming it into a vibrant and thriving community. We greatly appreciate their initiative and extend our thanks to all the individuals who contributed their time and talent in the past year to organize or speak at an event, to recruit and mentor students or to provide feedback on our programs and initiatives. 20

21 MBS Alumni Commitment Award In 2011 we introduced the annual MBS Alumni Commitment Award in order to formally recognize the significant contributions made by our alumni and to honor outstanding individuals for their commitment. This year s award, presented in November at the evening event of our Alumni Homecoming weekend, went to Srita Heide, ESSEC & MANNHEIM Weekend Executive MBA Class of 2010: As a student, Heide single-handedly established the MBS Diversity Conference series, bringing together representatives from the industry, politics and education to exchange thoughts and ideas on different aspects of the issue, and has continued to organize and moderate the annual event after graduation. The 2013 conference is scheduled to take place in Mannheim in early summer. Entrepreneurial Thinking and Innovation Management Retreat Mannheimers are an enterprising lot and their entrepreneurial spirit is certainly not limited to classroom simulations. In September 2012 present and future entrepreneurs came together to discuss business ideas and to expand their knowledge in the field of innovation management. Initiated and organized by MBS Alumnae Yvonne Linz and Sandra Trittin, the 2-day moderated workshop focused on business growth, innovation and transformation. Mannheim Master of Accounting & Taxation Program Roundtable Ensuring the practical relevance of our programs is one of our central goals and we never stop working on our curricula, continuously adapting and enhancing them to the changing demands of the market. The so-called Program Roundtables are an important element in this process and are well established in our MBA and Executive MBA programs. Held annually in Mannheim during Homecoming weekend, they provide a unique platform for discussion with and immediate feedback from our alumni, and we are pleased to announce that 2012 saw the successful introduction of a Program Roundtable for the Mannheim Master of Accounting & Taxation, too. Srita Heide ESSEC & MANNHEIM Weekend EMBA Class of 2010, Founder/Managing Consultant, Srita Heide International After completing the first fifteen years of my professional life and while planning the next phase, I realized that to further grow my consulting business, I needed to gain additional entrepreneurial insights and sharpen my general management skills. So I joined the ESSEC & MANNHEIM Executive MBA program and made Mannheim my new academic home. Being an HR management consultant, working and living between different cultures and continents myself, I greatly appreciate the diverse network that Mannheim offers, thus giving all participants the opportunity to experience and learn to value the benefits of a diverse work environment. Furthermore, given my own background and expertise, I felt that I might in fact be able to contribute to the school s efforts, and it pleases me tremendously that the MBS Diversity Conference series, which I helped bring about, has become a permanent fixture in the school s event calendar. 21

22 Mannheim MBA Spring Reunion Supporting our students in achieving their personal and professional goals is of central importance to us, and Career Services and Career Development programs constitute a core pillar of our offer for self-financed full-time MBA students. Counselling starts on day one of the program and events and courses take place on an on-going basis throughout the year. Each year in spring, however, MBS Career Services and Career Development kicks into high gear, as full-time MBA students get ready for the University s annual career fair, a three-day event that brings to campus more than 100 national and international companies. This year, Mannheim Business School successfully introduced a new element into its event and service portfolio designed to help self-financed full-time MBA students prepare for their job hunt: the Mannheim MBA Spring Reunion. Scheduled right after spring break and before the University career fair, the event brought together current students and graduates from recent full-time MBA classes for a full day of knowledge sharing and networking. The day s program included presentations and alumni-lead discussion groups, allowing current participants, particularly those not so familiar with the German job market, to learn first-hand from the successes of their fellow Mannheimers. The 2013 Mannheim MBA Spring Reunion is scheduled to take place on April 20,

23 MBS Summer Party and Business Forum Conference: Mannheim Business School and Korn/Ferry International Formally Launch Collaboration More than two hundred students, alumni, faculty and friends came together in Mannheim on July 13, 2012, for the annual MBS Summer Party and Business Forum Conference, generously sponsored by renowned executive search firm Korn/Ferry International. The event marked the official beginning of the collaboration between the two institutions, which was first announced in April As Hubertus Graf Douglas, Managing Director of Korn/Ferry Germany, noted in his keynote speech, executives today operate in an environment that is characterized by complexity and a high degree of uncertainty. They face different kinds of challenges than executives in the past and, consequently need to develop a different set of leadership skills. As part of the collaboration, Korn/Ferry will make available some of their exclusive professional assessment and development tools to MBS participants, allowing them to profit from the company s widely regarded expertise in the field. Hubertus Graf Douglas Managing Director, Korn/Ferry Germany Korn/Ferry and Mannheim Business School are a perfect match where the promotion of management education made in Germany is concerned. To develop senior talent on a level that is on par with highest international standards is of critical importance to Germany and German companies. 23

24 Return, Remember, Reconnect: Homecoming weekend is a wonderful time for our alumni to get back together, to learn about recent developments at MBS and to celebrate the Mannheim spirit. It is a special time for us, too, and we are excited to see the event grow and expand with each passing year. The German Economy and the Euro Crisis a Mannheim Business Forum Conference with German Economist Prof. Dr. Lars Feld One of the marked highlights of this year s homecoming activities was the Mannheim Business Forum conference held by Prof. Dr. Lars Feld on Friday, November 23, As one of Germany s most renowned economists and a member of the German Council of Economic Experts, Feld laid out different scenarios for the future design of the European Monetary Union, discussed the entailed risks, and commented on the growth prospects for the German economy. Feld, who holds the position of a Full Professor of Economics at the University of Freiburg, is also a Research Associate at the Centre for European Economic Research in Mannheim and has been an adjunct faculty member of the Mannheim Master of Accounting & Taxation since the inception of the program. Prof. Dr. Lars Feld Chair for Economic Policy, University of Freiburg, Member of the German Council of Economic Experts Speaking at Mannheim Business School s signature alumni event was a kind of homecoming for me, too. Having taught regularly in Mannheim in the past, I have to admit the institution, its students and alumni, as well as its faculty members and staff still hold a special place in my heart. I am certain Mannheim Business School will continue to grow and gain stature internationally and I very much look forward to seeing it happen. 24

25 A Night at the Palace with AB InBev On November 24, 2012 Mannheim Palace once again opened its doors for the traditional Homecoming evening reception and dinner. Close to 300 alumni, friends, faculty and staff attended the event, filling the magnificent halls of Mannheim Palace with their laughter as they shared stories with old friends and connected with new ones. As keynote speaker of the evening, Professor Wüstemann, President of Mannheim Business School, welcomed Chris Cools, President Business Unit GISAC of Anheuser-Busch InBev, who introduced his audience to the universe of the world s largest beer company. Mostly known for brands such as Budweiser, Beck s or Stella Artois, the Belgian-Brazilian multinational pursued a relentless series of mergers and acquisitions over the last decade, becoming one of the largest consumer goods companies in the process. As in previous years, the festivities continued until late into the night and Mannheim Business School is already looking forward to next year s event, scheduled for November Chris Cools President Business Unit GISAC, Anheuser-Busch InBev Speaking at the annual MBS Homecoming event, it was inspiring to observe the tangible bond between these talented up and coming business leaders and their alma mater. It was a joy and a privilege to share some of my experiences and insights with them and I look forward to the continued collaboration with Mannheim Business School. 25

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27 You know a Mannheimer when you see one? We take great pride in our alumni and recognize the significant potential of the individual networks they develop over the course of their professional careers. Being Mannheimers, they know what the MBS experience is about and who among their network might share the Mannheim spirit. It ought to come as no surprise then that many of our best candidates come to us through alumni referrals. In order to show our appreciation for their efforts, MBS alumni are upon successful referral eligible for a valuable reward. So, spread the word and make sure to let us know about the great MBA candidates you have met or talked to. You are not yet a Mannheimer, but think you have what it takes? Then we encourage you to get in touch with us today: Mannheim Business School ggmbh L 5, Mannheim Germany Phone: +49 (0) Fax: +49 (0) info@mannheim-business-school.com 27

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29 Contact Mannheim Business School ggmbh L 5, Mannheim Germany Phone: +49 (0) Fax: +49 (0) info@mannheim-business-school.com