ESMT is a wonderful place to grow: favorite moments from a Full-time MBA

For Gloria Motopu, her 15 months at ESMT Berlin have been about growth. A soon-to-be Full-time MBA graduate, Gloria came to ESMT wanting a better business foundation. She left with the corporate knowledge she was seeking – and so much more: life-long friendships, a wealth of experiences, and new perspectives on the future of business.

Friendship and sustainability: Gloria’s MBA highlights

In this article, Gloria shares her insightful take on why future-ready businesses keep sustainability in mind. She also takes us through some of her Full-time MBA program highlights, from an exchange week in Switzerland, to corporate visits in Munich, and inside a sustainable consulting project with Nespresso. 

Hi Gloria, please introduce yourself

Hi there! My name is Gloria Mopotu. I was born in the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and raised in South Africa, so I have always felt lucky to have two places that I call home. Before joining ESMT, I completed a master’s degree in journalism at the University of Hong Kong, where I also lived and worked for a media and marketing company. 

That chapter of my life taught me how to communicate with clarity, think critically, and stay curious about people, industries, and ideas. In 2020, I left Hong Kong and joined my family-owned investment and development company. That experience sparked a much deeper interest in business and made me realize that I wanted to build a stronger foundation in strategy, innovation, and long-term value creation. That is what eventually led me to pursue an MBA. 

Why did you decide to join the Full-time MBA program?

I decided to join the Full-time MBA because I wanted to expand my business acumen in a more structured and practical way. Coming from journalism and then moving into a family business, I felt I had strong instincts and communication skills, but I wanted to strengthen my understanding of finance, strategy, entrepreneurship, and decision-making.

I was also very interested in learning more about innovation, AI, and data analytics, especially because these are reshaping the way we work and do business. Sustainability was another important motivation for me. It was still a relatively new area in terms of how I thought about business, and I wanted to understand how it can move from being a broad concept to something that is embedded in strategy, operations, and impact. Just as importantly, I wanted to learn from a diverse group of peers and build meaningful relationships that would continue beyond the classroom.

What drew you to ESMT Berlin in particular?

“What really drew me in, though, was ESMT’s strong focus on entrepreneurship, innovation, and responsible leadership.” 

ESMT Berlin stood out to me for a few reasons. I had always been curious about Germany, both as a place to live and as a business environment, so studying in Berlin felt like a great opportunity on both a personal and professional level.

What really drew me in, though, was ESMT’s strong focus on entrepreneurship, innovation, and responsible leadership. I have always had an interest in building something of my own one day, so I wanted to be in an environment that encourages that mindset. ESMT felt international, forward-looking, and practical, which was exactly what I was looking for in an MBA program.

You took part in the GNAM exchange week at IMD Business School. What was that like and what topic did you cover?

“Meeting peers from top MBA programs around the world was a real privilege. Being surrounded by driven, thoughtful, and globally minded people reminded me how powerful shared learning can be.”

My exchange week at IMD Switzerland was honestly one of the highlights of my MBA experience. The academic content was excellent, but what stood out most to me were the connections. Meeting peers from top MBA programs around the world was a real privilege. Being surrounded by driven, thoughtful, and globally minded people reminded me how powerful shared learning can be.

The week focused on sustainability in practice, and one of the strongest parts of the experience was seeing how large organizations are tackling real-world sustainability challenges. We had the chance to engage with the Nestlé Nespresso team, which included the ESG corporate strategy lead and global recycling manager who shared valuable insights into their sustainability initiatives and the complexity behind implementing them. We also worked in teams on Nespresso case studies, where we had to think creatively but also realistically about possible solutions.

Another standout moment was visiting the International Olympic Committee headquarters. It was fascinating to see how sustainability is being integrated into such a global institution, not just in theory, but in operational and long-term strategic ways. Overall, the week pushed me to think more broadly about how sustainability shows up across industries and how collaboration across sectors is often essential.

You also dove into the sustainability topic during your class visit to Munich. Could you tell us more about that experience?

The Munich class visit gave me another valuable perspective on sustainability because it allowed us to see how these conversations play out inside large, established organizations. One of the memorable parts of that experience was the visit to Allianz, where we were able to better understand how sustainability is increasingly connected to risk, resilience, long-term planning, and corporate responsibility.

What I appreciated most was seeing sustainability framed not as a separate topic, but as something that cuts across business decisions. That visit reinforced for me that sustainability is not only about environmental goals. It is also about governance, accountability, and making decisions today that are still viable in the long term. Experiences like that made the topic feel much more real and relevant. 

You took the Sustainability in Practice (SIP) summer elective. Can you tell us a bit about your project with Nespresso? Do you think sustainability is an important part of business?

“It also reminded me how valuable diverse teams are, because solving real sustainability challenges requires different perspectives and a lot of openness.”

Our SIP project in collaboration with Nespresso, tackled a compelling challenge: creating a more comprehensive and consistent method for assessing how coffee companies affect biodiversity. The aim was to design an approach that could be used throughout the coffee sector and explained effectively to a wide range of stakeholders.

Working on the SIP project showed me that sustainability is not just about having the right intentions, but about asking better questions and being willing to deal with complexity. As an MBA student, one of my biggest takeaways was learning to think beyond the usual business lens and to appreciate that some of the most important decisions cannot be measured by short-term returns alone. It also reminded me how valuable diverse teams are, because solving real sustainability challenges requires different perspectives and a lot of openness.

Yes, I absolutely believe sustainability is an important part of business. Today, it is not something companies can afford to treat as secondary. It plays a big role in how businesses build resilience, respond to stakeholder expectations, and prepare for the future. To me, sustainability is really about long-term thinking, and I believe the strongest businesses will be the ones that know how to combine profitability with responsibility. 

Is sustainability something you are interested in exploring more of during your career?

Yes, definitely. Sustainability is something I would like to continue exploring, especially in sectors where the stakes are high and the impact can be very tangible. I am particularly interested in what this could look like in the mining sector in the DRC, where issues around community impact, worker safety, responsible operations, and long-term development are so important.

I think there is a real opportunity to approach sustainability in a way that is both commercially realistic and socially meaningful. For me, that is what makes it so compelling. I am interested in work that connects business performance with responsibility, whether that is through ESG, CSR, stakeholder engagement, or building systems that create value beyond short-term profit.

What other lessons from ESMT do you think you will leverage after graduation?

“Our cohort was incredibly supportive, and what stood out to me most was how much people genuinely wanted to help one another.”

One of the biggest lessons I will carry with me from ESMT is the power of collaboration. Our cohort was incredibly supportive, and what stood out to me most was how much people genuinely wanted to help one another. It never felt like an overly competitive environment. Instead, it felt like a space where people were committed to learning together, sharing ideas, and lifting each other up.

That has really stayed with me, because it reflects the kind of leader and teammate I want to be. Beyond that, I will also carry forward a much stronger comfort with ambiguity. The MBA experience constantly challenged us to solve problems with incomplete information, work across different perspectives, and stay adaptable. I think that mindset will be just as valuable as any technical skill.

Outside of the classroom, what has been your favorite memory from your time at ESMT?

It is hard to choose just one, because a lot of my favorite memories come from the people. One of the biggest highlights for me was the GNAM at IMD Switzerland which was such a unique experience both academically and personally. I also really valued the moments outside the classroom when we had the chance to connect more informally with professors and hear their advice in a more personal setting.

But above all, the friendships I built during my time at ESMT are what I will remember most. The MBA is intense, and going through that experience with such an open, collaborative, and diverse group of people made it incredibly special.

Do you have any advice for someone thinking about applying to study at ESMT?

My advice would be to come in with a clear sense of what you want to gain, but also to stay open to being surprised. ESMT offers a lot, academically and personally, and some of the most valuable parts of the experience may come from the things you did not plan for at the start.

I would also encourage applicants to really engage with the community. The people around you, your classmates, professors, and the wider network, are a huge part of what makes the experience meaningful. If you are looking for an international environment that combines academic rigor with entrepreneurship, innovation, and a strong sense of collaboration, ESMT is a wonderful place to grow.

Thank you Gloria!

If you would like to hear more inspiring content from Gloria, including further insights on business and sustainability, you can connect with her on LinkedIn.