Full-time MBA alumni careers: “we are not just developing a new aircraft”

When Full-time MBA (FTMBA) alum Marie Masson (Class of 2018) joined ESMT, she was not planning to become a leader in the electric vertical take-off (eVTOL) industry. Yet, eight years into her post-MBA career, she is the Head of Sales & Marketing at Volocopter – a German aircraft manufacturer specializing in fully electric aviation and the opportunities offered by eVTOL technology. 

In this blog, Marie explains how a strategy assignment in the Full-time MBA introduced her to the eVTOL industry in the first place, and how her program and cohort gave her the mindset to thrive under uncertainty: a key part of her switch from public service to private, ground-breaking aviation. 

Marie also outlines what it is like to create a market for a new technology as the tech is being developed; why the dynamic nature of such a young industry means that there is no such thing as a ‘typical’ day in her role; and what future graduates should keep in mind as they build cutting-edge careers of their own. 

Hi Marie, could you please introduce yourself?  

I’m Marie, originally from France and now based in Munich. Before my MBA, I started my career at the United Nations as a lobbyist. I graduated from the ESMT Full-time MBA in 2018 and have since spent eight years in the eVTOL industry. 

I joined Lilium in 2019, when the company had around 150 employees, and spent two and a half years there before joining Volocopter in 2021. Today, I am Head of Sales & Marketing at Volocopter. 

You graduated from the Full-time MBA in 2018. What has your career path looked like since then? 

After ESMT, I joined Lilium in 2019 and spent two and a half years there, initially using my public affairs background as a bridge into the private sector and the aviation industry. 

In 2021, I joined Volocopter, where my role gradually shifted towards business development and sales. I also led one of our most strategic projects: preparing the launch of eVTOL operations in Paris around the 2024 Olympic Games, working closely with Groupe ADP and a broad ecosystem of partners. 

More recently, following Volocopter’s acquisition by Diamond Aircraft, I became Head of Sales & Marketing, focused on bringing our aircraft closer to certification and commercialization. 

You have been working in the eVTOL industry for eight years. For the uninitiated: what is eVTOL? How is it shaking up the aviation industry? 

“What makes the industry fascinating is that we are not just developing a new aircraft; we are creating a new market and ecosystem around it.” 

eVTOL stands for electric vertical take-off and landing. In simple terms, these are electric aircraft that can take off and land vertically, combining some of the flexibility of a helicopter with electric propulsion. They are being designed and certified to achieve a safety level comparable to commercial aviation. 

What makes the industry fascinating is that we are not just developing a new aircraft; we are creating a new market and ecosystem around it. That includes certification, infrastructure, operations, maintenance, training, airspace integration, and public acceptance. 

And despite years of development, nobody knows for certain yet what the winning use cases will be. Personally, I am a strong believer in emergency services, where eVTOL can bring real operational value, as well as the “city hopper” use case: connecting key points within and around cities quickly and efficiently. But regional mobility, logistics, and other applications are also being explored. That uncertainty is part of what makes the industry so interesting. 

This is still a young industry: how did you know it was the industry for you? Did you get any support from ESMT in making this decision? 

“ESMT had a very direct impact on my career: it exposed me to industries I might otherwise never have discovered and gave me the business foundation to make the switch.” 

I loved working at the United Nations, but I realized that the rhythm was too slow for me. With a bachelor’s degree in political science and economic development, I also felt I lacked the business background to make the transition from the public to the private sector. That was one of my main reasons for joining ESMT. 

I was actually the only person in my MBA cohort coming directly from the public sector, and, at 24, the youngest student in the class. That made the MBA a particularly steep learning curve for me, but also exactly the exposure I was looking for. 

During the MBA, we had a strategy assignment where we had to analyze a transforming or emerging industry. I discovered eVTOL while researching that project and was immediately drawn to it. 

I had no aerospace background, so I thought my experience in lobbying could be my bridge into the industry. By coincidence, Lilium was looking for a lobbyist at exactly that time. 

In that sense, ESMT had a very direct impact on my career: it exposed me to industries I might otherwise never have discovered and gave me the business foundation to make the switch. 

“In a young industry, roles evolve extremely quickly. What matters is getting close to the important problems and being willing to take ownership of them.” 

Don’t assume you need an aerospace background. I didn’t come into the industry as an engineer, and some of the most interesting challenges in eVTOL are not purely technical. 

Emerging aviation companies need people who can understand a complex product but also think commercially, work with regulators and governments, build partnerships, develop business models, and translate technology into something customers actually value. 

I would also recommend being open to roles that might not look like the obvious next step on paper. In a young industry, roles evolve extremely quickly. What matters is getting close to the important problems and being willing to take ownership of them. 

Your industry and your company, Volocopter, are at the forefront of innovative technology. Was innovation a topic you explored during the Full-time MBA? 

Absolutely. But one of the things I understand much better today is that innovation is not only about having the best technology. 

A technically innovative product still needs a viable business model, customers, financing, regulation, partners, and an organization capable of executing. That has probably been one of the biggest lessons of my career in eVTOL. 

You are the Head of Marketing and Sales at Volocopter. Broadly speaking, what does a typical day look like in this role? 

There really isn’t a typical day. I might spend part of it discussing a potential aircraft sale or partnership, another part working on commercial strategy and positioning, and then switch to certification, product requirements, or market entry. 

Sales and Marketing also cannot operate in isolation in an industry like ours. We work closely with engineering, certification, operations and management because customer discussions very quickly touch on technical capabilities, regulation, training, maintenance, and infrastructure. 

My role is largely about connecting those pieces and translating what we are building into a compelling proposition for customers. 

What kind of challenges do you face? What stands between now and the time we'll see eVTOL flying regularly around our cities?   

“We are simultaneously answering two questions: can we build and certify the aircraft, and where does it create enough value to become a sustainable business?” 

Certification is one of the biggest milestones. Aviation is rightly extremely safety-driven, and certifying a completely new aircraft architecture takes both considerable time and considerable money. 

But certification is only part of the equation. You also need economically viable operations, infrastructure, trained personnel, maintenance capabilities, regulatory frameworks, and, ultimately, customers. 

And because this is still a new market, we are simultaneously answering two questions: can we build and certify the aircraft, and where does it create enough value to become a sustainable business?

Yes. An MBA doesn't automatically lead to a leadership position, but it gave me a much broader business toolkit early in my career. 

Today, I constantly move between strategy, finance, marketing, sales, operations, and technology. ESMT gave me the foundations to look at problems from several of those perspectives rather than through a single function. 

More importantly, it taught me how to approach unfamiliar problems. In an emerging industry, there often isn't a textbook answer. Being able to structure ambiguity and make decisions with imperfect information is something I use constantly. 

What do you think is the most important thing someone can do during their MBA if their end goal is a commercial leadership role? 

Build breadth. Senior commercial leadership is ultimately business leadership. 

Understanding customers and sales is essential, but so is understanding the economics of the company, its product, operations, strategy, and competitive environment. 

I would also use the MBA to put yourself in situations where you are not the expert. Learning to work with people who think very differently from you – and being willing to challenge your own assumptions – becomes increasingly valuable as you move into leadership. 

Let’s go back to your time at ESMT. What was your cohort like? Have you been able to keep in touch? 

“That is one of the most valuable things I took away from ESMT: friendships with people I probably would never have met otherwise, who continue to challenge how I see the world.” 

Our cohort is still incredibly close. At least ten of my classmates came to my wedding, and we continue to meet regularly. Some of my closest friends today are people I met at ESMT, and our families now know each other too. 

The friends I am closest to come from Pakistan, Mexico, and Serbia, so needless to say, we have very different backgrounds! It has led to countless interesting conversations over the years – alongside a lot of fun. 

For me, that is one of the most valuable things I took away from ESMT: friendships with people I probably would never have met otherwise, who continue to challenge how I see the world.

“Eight years later, it has become much more than a professional network – it is a group of people I trust and know I can rely on” 

For me, the alumni community is first and foremost a very strong network of trust. Many of us stayed in Germany after the MBA, particularly in Munich and Berlin, so we have remained closely connected. 

We help each other both professionally and personally. If someone is looking for a new job, negotiating a contract, searching for an apartment or simply needs advice, there is usually someone in the group who can help. Eight years later, it has become much more than a professional network – it is a group of people I trust and know I can rely on. 

What is your favorite memory from your time at ESMT? If you could go back, what advice would you give your pre-MBA self? 

It is difficult to choose one memory, but what stands out most is the people. Spending such an intense year with a very international group, learning together but also building friendships that are still a big part of my life eight years later, was quite special. 

If I could give my pre-MBA self one piece of advice, it would be not to plan every step afterwards. 

When I started at ESMT, I certainly couldn't have predicted that a strategy assignment would lead me to discover eVTOL, or that I would then spend almost eight years helping build this industry. 

The MBA gives you a toolkit and opens doors, but some of the most interesting opportunities are the ones you couldn't have planned for. Stay curious, take calculated risks, and don't be afraid of a career path that isn't linear. 

Thank you, Marie! 

Marie Masson is the Head of Sales & Marketing at Volocopter, a pioneer in the eVTOL/UAM industry. You can follow Marie on LinkedIn to learn more about her role, and Volocopter’s mission to bring urban air mobility to leading global cities.