Shanghai success: what it is like to win a global consultancy competition

Master in Global Management student Christian Sandanger (Class of 2027) is president of the ESMT Consulting Club and was part of the ESMT team who recently won the Corporate Consulting Project 2026 at ZIBS, one of the top universities in China.

In this blog, Christian shares more about his team’s winning strategy. He also gives us a look at his current master’s internship with Allianz Consulting in Munich and explains why making the most of life at ESMT requires grabbing the opportunities – and the filter coffees – that come your way.

Hi Christian, please introduce yourself

Hey, my name is Christian Sandanger. I’m 26 years old from Norway, Oslo. Grew up by the forest with two cool sisters, mom and dad, and a pair of apple trees. Currently pursuing my master’s in Berlin while meeting as many interesting people as possible. Love the gym, hiking, and filter coffee.

What drew you to the Master in Global Management (MGM) program at ESMT?

“The class size is small enough to build real relationships, and the network punches well above its weight for a school this size”

I wanted to carve out a clear direction in my career with massive impact. I saw the MGM program at ESMT as a strong launchpad into the consulting and financial services world.

The class size is small enough to build real relationships, and the network punches well above its weight for a school this size. Both the curriculum and ESMT administration seemed modern and active, in the sense that they follow the market demand closely to deliver up-to-date content.

Did you move to Germany to get your master’s? What is it like studying with such an international cohort?

Yes, I moved to Germany for my master’s, and it’s the best decision I ever made. Made a ton of new friends with all kinds of backgrounds. Lunch-talk at Uni usually consists of news from the Ukrainian/Russian border, flexing the three financial statements to peers, and building a “must-watch” Bollywood movie list – and all in one sitting. We rarely have a boring conversation at the lunch table!

You are currently completing your MGM internship as a Consulting Intern for Allianz in Munich. How did this opportunity happen, and what is it like so far?

It took some work and a bit of luck. I was first introduced to Allianz through a seminar at ESMT one late weekday evening in autumn 2025. Many of us students had just finished a long day with classes and studying and tuned in to this seminar to learn more about the company. A friendly Allianz representative named Nasir gave a great first impression. Fast-forward a few months and I was applying for internships and landed an interview at Allianz Consulting.

Working in Allianz Consulting, Finance Strategy & Transformation at the Schwabing office in Munich is a real pleasure. The team is open and friendly, and the tasks are challenging and engaging. Never a dull moment. I’m currently in my first month with five more to go. Looking forward to a summer in FC Bayern München’s hometown!

How has the MGM prepared you for this consultancy role? Were there any skills seminars or professors that particularly stood out?

First thing I’d like to point out here is the experience of moving to Germany on your own, and the process of building a network of relations and routines in a new environment – while trying your best to make the most of it. This experience will teach you the most, in my opinion, about responsibility and the guts to jump on opportunities.

Secondly, I would like to highlight conversations and reflections with fellow students, as they have absolutely helped me navigate the corporate world. Sharing experiences from similar roles and discussing which job markets to aim for, among other things.

Thirdly, I can credit Professor Francis de Véricourt and Professor Martin Schweinsberg for their contagious enthusiasm for problem-solving theories and corporate-life perspectives. Professor de Véricourt’s decision science framework is something I still use when breaking down complex problems at work. It sticks with you.

Let’s talk about extracurriculars at ESMT. Are you part of any student clubs?

Yes, I am the President of the ESMT Consulting Club. It’s been one of the most demanding and rewarding parts of my time at ESMT.

Can you tell us more about your role in the Consulting Club?

My role is to create exciting opportunities for our members. I manage projects and make sure we are all on track. We currently have 27 active members who aspire to enter or scale their careers within consulting and financial services. I try to provide opportunities that will give them exposure to the German consulting market and the tools to navigate it.

What sort of projects does the Consulting Club take on?

We are engaged in several different types of projects: company visits, case competitions, and workshops. To name a few recent ones:

1. PwC Deutschland visited our members at ESMT to build new connections and present the role of their Risk & Regulatory team.
2. A workshop with Think-Cell to learn more about data storytelling through PowerPoint.
3. We had two separate teams competing: one in in the Harvard Case Competition 2026 and one in the Global Corporate Consulting Project (GCCP) 2026 at ZIBS, the top five ranked university in China.

Can you tell us more about the competition experience in China?

“We experienced all the highs and lows of facing a tough challenge, which made the experience so much more rewarding. Built friendships and work experience for life.”

My team won! We were a team of five MGM Class of 2027 students: me, GuanXin Chen, Amadeus Böttcher, Lennard Maretzki, and José Maria Steinhauser. We won the Best Consulting Achievement Award and GuanXin won the Best Presence Award.

It was epic. The team was a dream to work with and the case was challenging. We experienced all the highs and lows of facing a tough challenge, which made the experience so much more rewarding. Built friendships and work experience for life.

It was a week of hard work, collaboration and client meetings, with a little celebration in downtown Shanghai to top it off. Shout-out to Guan for fixing breakfast of champions, Ama for canvas magic/king of push-ups, Lennard for totalen jokes, and José for the lovely Italian DJ’ing.

What was it like consulting for a company outside of Europe?

Exciting with a dash of nerves. Our client was Zhongnan Holding Group, a Chinese conglomerate focused on both construction and animation. Language barriers and Chinese data collection were our main challenges, but we found ways to make it work.

By using AI tools and leaning on our team member GuanXin, we were able to translate and communicate with the client in real time. With the guidance of Professor Geng Xin, who supported us through our case, we managed to locate Chinese data hubs to extract data. We were researching how strategic foresight can be used to navigate velocity and unpredictability in the Chinese construction market.

Do you think the projects you are exploring with the Consulting Club will be useful in your future career?

“Running something like this teaches you consistency and ownership in a way that’s hard to get elsewhere.”

Yes. Running something like this teaches you consistency and ownership in a way that’s hard to get elsewhere.

Everything from building up the club with your friends, to client-facing roles with firms like PwC or Corporate Value Associates, and even the GCCP 2026 teamwork process can be directly translated to the work I do today, and it helps me a lot.

What is your favorite memory from the MGM so far?

There are too many to count, but they range from seeing my friends every morning for class and praising Arshia S. for his stakeholder outreach in Berlin, to tasting grass vodka for the first time, shared by a Polish ESMT peer named Wolf.

Do you have any tips for someone considering applying to the master’s programs at ESMT?

“If you’re looking for a life-changer, ESMT can be the right fit. But you have to jump in with both feet.”

Talk to current students, dig into what the program actually offers, and know what you want from the experience. If you’re looking for a life-changer, ESMT can be the right fit. But you have to jump in with both feet. The opportunities are there. Nobody’s going to hand them to you over a filter coffee. Well, actually, sometimes they do.

Thanks, Christian!

If you would like to hear more from Christian – including insights from the ESMT Consulting Club – you can follow him on LinkedIn.