Skip to main content
DE
AAM

Annual Alumni Meeting 2023

We are excited to open registrations for this year's Annual Alumni Meeting, which will take place on Friday and Saturday, June 16 and 17 at ESMT Berlin.

For the first time, the Annual Alumni Meeting will take place over two days, with various opportunities for reconnecting, reminiscing, networking, and enjoying Berlin. We will use this opportunity to celebrate 5, 10, and 15-year anniversaries for six different cohorts. Please make sure to read the program carefully and register today! 

Register here!

 

Friday

16 June

Program

3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. 

 

Class Reunion Sessions
These sessions are open only for alumni from cohorts celebrating 5, 10 and 15-year anniversaries: MBA 2008, MBA 2013, MBA 2018, EMBA 2011-2013, EMBA 2016-2018 and MIM 2016-2018 

5:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Town Hall with Jörg Rocholl followed by reception (please note that this session will be livestreamed for all alumni who cannot join us in person)

We will kick off the Annual Alumni Meeting with a Town Hall session with ESMT President Jörg Rocholl and the Alumni Council. During this session you will have an opportunity to hear the latest updates from ESMT Berlin, hear from the Alumni Council and discuss ideas for improving our alumni network. This session will be followed by reception and is open to all alumni.

8:00 p.m.

Class Reunion Dinners

Celebratory cohorts will meet outside for Class Reunion dinners with their groups. Class Reunion dinners are organized in cooperation with Class Representatives and are open only to alumni from celebratory cohorts and their families. Please make sure to register to help with organization.

Saturday

17 June

Program 

 

11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 

ESMT Community Impulse

Join us for a joint session where ESMT alumni share their thought-provoking ideas and concepts. You will have an opportunity to discuss individual topics in breakout sessions. Speakers will be announced prior to the event.

1:00 p.m. -

2:00 p.m.

Lunch

2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. 

Emotional energy, status-based advantage, and alignment by Prof. Matthew Bothner

An understudied catalyst of your influence and ability to align with colleagues is the emotional energy you impart to them (and get back from them) in interaction. This session starts with a brief review of how your emotional energy complements the competitive advantage conferred on you by your status. We then assess and reflect on the three drivers of your capacity to energize your colleagues. We close with an evaluation of how often you align on key projects by generating strongly shared emotions and intense mutual focus. This is an interactive session, with significant opportunity for group-level discussion and reflection.*

 

*Please note: EMBA alumns who took Agile Leadership in autumn 2022 have seen part of this material. 

 

2:00 p.m. -
3:30 p.m.

Selective coaching techniques for managers by Prof. Konstantin Korotov

Based on research and practice of executive coaching, this session will provide the participants with several conceptual and applied tools for self-development and for supporting others in their growth. The session involves discussions, exercises, and small experiments

2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. 

How to approach a fundraising round in 2023 by Vali Berlin

In 2020, venture capital (VC) funding reached new heights, but the current macroeconomic environment has put significant pressure on the startup ecosystem and startup founders. With increasing interest rates, decreasing public market valuations, and global VC funding shrinking by 53% YoY across all stages, the landscape has changed dramatically. How should startup founders in Europe approach fundraising in 2023 and what does this mean for the overall European startup ecosystem? Together, we’ll conduct a case study, in which you will pitch in front of investors or put yourself into the shoes of a VC.

2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Securing Next Generation Computing Technologies by Digital Society Institute

The field of computing technologies has made remarkable progress over the past few decades, leading to the development of innovative solutions for a wide range of applications. However, the emergence of next-generation computing technologies, such as quantum computing, edge computing, and AI, has also created new cybersecurity challenges. Ensuring the security and integrity of these advanced computing technologies requires a zero-trust approach based on comprehensive security measures, continuous monitoring, and adaptive response strategies.

This DSI workshop aims to provide a platform for ESMT alumni, students and faculty to learn about the latest trends and technologies in the field, the skills required to maintain a high level of security, and the benefits of adopting a zero trust approach to securing advanced computing systems. By bringing together cybersecurity experts from academia and industry, the workshop aims to stimulate interest in further collaboration and innovation in cybersecurity.

3:30 p.m. -

4.00 p.m.

Coffee Break

4:00 p.m. - 6.00 p.m. 

Supporting science with business: what role do you play?

We are bringing the T back in ESMT. How can you apply your business expertise to solve real challenges deeptech startups face? Join in for a hands-on workshop to bridge the gap in the commercialisation of science, conducted by the DEEP Institute for Deeptech Innovation.

4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

ESMT Alumni Entrepreneurship Club 2.0

How to generate value by actively engaging in the Alumni Entrepreneurship Club. - We will present our strategy for 2023 and invite everybody to discuss with us how to best leverage student and Alumni potential to gain insights in the world of founders and entrepreneurs. This session will include a networking exercise with alumni entrepreneurs.

4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Speed Networking Session

Join us for an organized round of networking with fellow alumni and expand your professional network! We will match you with best suitable alumni based on your resume and interests.

4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. 

DiSC for Effective Communication and Conflict Resolution by Hiu Pun Chong

Discover your own DiSC work and communication style, understand how different DiSC styles interact with each other, and identify strategies to make more meaningful connections between different DiSC styles. This session is offered by MBA 2006 alum Hiu Pun Chong and is limited to 20 participants.

4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. 

Last Chance to See: behind the scenes of history

In 2023, work will commence on a major project at ESMT: the completion of our campus by renovating the last remaining spaces that remain untouched since the time of the GDR. We invite you to see these spaces in their original state, before they undergo a restoration to incorporate them into the ESMT campus. Please note: The spaces within this tour are not generally accessible and may contain physical hazards. We request that all guests exercise caution and advise you that that you enter this space at your own risk. Guests must be accompanied by a member of staff at all times.

6:00 p.m. -

10:00 p.m. 

Summer BBQ 

Enjoy the ESMT Berlin garden and connect with fellow alumni during our Summer BBQ. 

10:00 p.m. -

2:00 a.m.

Party

We will end the Annual Alumni Meeting with a party on our campus. Please note that we will have cash bar at the party.