Alumni Stories Where east meets west: the adventures of Hong Kong and German alumni

Where east meets west: the adventures of Hong Kong and German alumni

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    Alex Sonnenwald Name Eleanore Yip
    MBA (2018) Study Programme BBA (2019)
    Tuebingen, German City of Origin Hong Kong, China
    Hong Kong Current Location Berlin
    Regional Manager, Commercial Analytics (KAYAK) Current Job Finance (SolarisBank)

    Q1. Please use 3 words to describe your life in your residing city.

    Alex: Fast-paced. Unpredictable. Ever-Changing.

    Hong Kong is a city that never sleeps, which makes it such an interesting place to live in.

    Eleanore: International. Opportunities. Start-ups. Berlin is the capital city of Germany, which offers lots of history and many stories. It is an international city where people do business and has different opportunities. Berlin is also famous for being a start-up hub, and one can find all types of companies here.

    Q2. What is the one thing you miss from your studies at CUHK Business School?

    Alex: The evening runs from Hong Kong Science Park to Ma On Shan and back.

    Eleanore: CUHK Business School offers very well organised programmes and the staff are very efficient, while professors are also very highly qualified. The CUHK Business School provides networking events such as mentoring programmes and internships that help students bridge the business world and get to know alumni working in different industries.

    Q3. What did you learn in CUHK Business School which has impacted your life?

    Alex: As someone who had predominantly been exposed to the western world, the MBA definitely helped me gain a higher degree of cultural awareness.

    Eleanore: Apart from the technical knowledge that helped me to land a job in the audit industry in Berlin at the age of 22, I am particularly thankful that CUHK Business School broadened my horizons. I gained the opportunity to explore living and working in different countries and cities, despite my lack of global exposure and financial resources.

    Q4. Which industry do you see strong business potential in your country?

    Alex: Difficult to tell in light of the current economic situation. Let’s see how the dominoes fall.

    Eleanore: IT, data science and engineering are hot industries in Germany. You can get a blue card with a lower salary requirement because there is a shortage of talent in these industries in Germany. There are also many start-ups in Berlin. I am currently working with Solarisbank, which is a new FinTech organisation. It has grown to a medium-size company with more than 300 employees in just 3 years.