I joined Deloitte in Munich as a trainee right after I left school. Over the next nine and a half years, I combined work and study, becoming a consultant focused on small and medium-sized enterprises. It was a great foundation, but it tells only part of the story.
In parallel, I made a significant shift in my athletic career. In 2017, I switched from competitive swimming to rowing. This was not just a change of sport, but a transformation in mindset and performance, following my family’s heritage. I applied the discipline and structure from elite sports to the business world, and vice versa.
The most defining chapter of that journey came in 2024, when I fulfilled a lifelong dream by becoming an Olympic Champion in rowing. That moment carried special meaning because it came three years after the disappointment in Tokyo, where I missed the A-final as the reigning World Champion and gold favorite. In the grandstands in Paris, one of the MBAs of 2024 was waving the IMD flag; it felt like everything was aligning, and I was looking forward to the next transformation following in Lausanne.
The turning point
After the Olympics, and after nearly a decade at Deloitte, it felt like the right moment to pause and re-evaluate: What do I want from my career? Where can I have the most impact? The MBA is giving me the space to ask those questions and the tools to explore them with clarity and structure.
One specific realization pushed me toward joining a top MBA program. In my athletic life, I had become a natural and successful leader. But in the business world, I sometimes struggled to lead effectively and make the progress I envisioned. That gap triggered my curiosity and made me want to broaden my view, try new or different things, and explore professional opportunities beyond what I experienced so far.
Why IMD?
I considered several programs, but IMD stood out with its course size and focus points. The admissions process felt very personal, and when I came to Lausanne for the in-person assessment day, I was struck by the energy on campus. It’s a calm but inspiring place, ideal for reflecting and recharging after the intense Olympic cycle. IMD’s strong reputation for leadership development and its impressive faculty confirmed my decision.
Since arriving in January, I learned about different fields through courses and guest speakers, about myself through the Leadership stream, and experienced a lot of support from people around me. I’ve continued daily training and found that starting the day with a workout gives a mental edge, and it’s noticeable: those who move their bodies in the morning tend to bring more energy and focus into the classroom. Beyond that, joint activities outside the classroom have strengthened the bond between high-performing individuals and allowed me to collect diverse experiences around Lausanne. In addition, I was able to end the long-distance relationship with my girlfriend Sofia, who is a huge support during the intense program and has made Lausanne feel like home for me.
The importance of community
Academically and personally, the biggest impact has come from being surrounded by such an open-minded, international, and smart group. You do become like the people you spend time with, and I feel that influences you every day. During the MBAT competition, I even had the chance to bring some of my rowing experience to the group, and we ended up with five medals across these events. Seeing that mix of curiosity, teamwork, persistence, and how it paid off for my teammates makes me incredibly proud.
Looking ahead, I hope to continue contributing to the IMD community now and long after graduation. I want to stay connected, share my network, and build meaningful relationships with leaders who care about impact. Professionally, I want to find a path where I can bring the same drive and focus I’ve had in sport into a business environment. I came into the year with an open mind, and I’m still exploring, but I’m confident that by the end of this journey, I’ll have clarity on what’s next. And I’m just as excited about that as I was lining up at the start in Paris.
