Annalisa, what is your current position?

I am CFO of Kern Tunneltechnik SA, the family business of me and my husband.

How the EMBA helped you in your job?

EMBA improved my knowledge in all the aspects of the business, but the most important help was the improvement in my mindset.
I managed to see my business from different points of view and I gained a deeper understanding of its peculiar dynamics.
I got more confident in myself and in my potential.

During my EMBA, my firm was running a negotiation with an important construction company in order to enter in our business and support its growth.
Thanks to the knowledge acquired, I was able to debate our position, to analyze all involved factors with the help of the gained tools, to find compromises and take the right decision. I’m sure I wouldn’t been able to do so successfully without my EMBA experience.

Why you decided to start an EMBA?

I decided to start this journey because our company was growing fast, and I wanted to be ready to bring it to the next level: from a small family business to an international organization.
At the moment we have our Headquarter in Switzerland, and some subsidiary companies in Slovenia, UK and Spain.
Our next big step will be Australia, a new challenge.
EMBA added also a valuable academic knowledge to my professional expertise: theory and practice are two sides of the same coin.

Describe yourself before and after EMBA in three words.

Before EMBA: limited knowledge, lack of strategic and international approach

After EMBA: consolidate knowledge, self-confident, and successful.

How the program changed your mindset? Did it changed your temper?

I became more confident and stopped analyzing each detail, looking at the bigger picture.
My strong temper did not change, it is way too explosive to me tamed, but I managed to channel and focus my energies in a strategic way.
I remain an energetic and passionate woman, lover of rock music. Imagine that at our graduation party I invited the band of a very good friend to perform with me on the stage.
Being a strong woman means not to compromise your true essence, yet being able to negotiate with your counterpart.

Would you suggest an EMBA to women? Why?

Of course I would recommend EMBA for women.
It is a journey to become more self confident, strongly competent and a way to show the value of women in business.