10 years ago another group of MBAs prepared for their exams. How did it compare? Here’s what Mathieu Pointeau, one of the 2018 MBA bloggers, wrote:

26th March 2008

His name is Stefano Masino, Global Partner Director of Adecco Human Capital Solutions. Born in Italy, he graduated from IMD in 2005 and was kind enough to return to see us to share his views on international recruitment trends. For a couple of hours, we benefited from the personal insight of a previous MBA and a recruitment expert. Listening to him, I wondered how many of us would have the opportunity in future to address an MBA Class so soon after graduation. Only two years. Grazie mille, Stefano.

At lunchtime, we received two related and yet contrasting emails: one official and procedural explaining what was expected of us next week for our first set of Exams. The other like a light at the end of the tunnel inviting us all to a party to celebrate the end of the exams. The choreography here is timed to perfection. Nothing is left to chance.

In the afternoon, we had our last class of Finance for the first quarter. We will meet again with Professors Jim Ellert and Arturo Bris but today was our final opportunity to ask the questions which still needed clarification before next week. Then came POM at 17h45: Production and Operations Management. Our usual Professor Corey Billington was temporarily replaced by Matt McKee [American] who might be the youngest student in our Class but successfully managed to lead 50 of us through the fundamentals of supply chain theory. Corey would have been proud.

Matt had taken the initiative and organised the session but was fully assisted by Olivier Prigent [French] who had prepared summaries to the Class and Harsh Mehta [Indian] who clarified a few concepts for us. In the end, everybody was taking part, making sure that all would understand. It was interactive, it was fun, it was useful and most importantly… it felt good. The Power of 90.

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I then went to my study room to do some accounting work and discuss with the two Singaporeans in our class: John Ng and Loon Chian Yeo. Block I is almost over and it will soon be time to change groups. New dynamics, new start and the nostalgia to leave your first study group mates behind. It all goes so fast.

I left IMD after midnight, wished John good night and rode my bike home uphill through Place Saint-François, under the refreshing drops of a late March rain. I still needed to write the Diary. What would I write about tonight?

Sogni d’oro [sweet dreams] wherever you might be.

Mathieu

 

 

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