Stefanie Mager

Graduation Date:
March 2018

Study Programme:
International Brand Communication M.A.

Title of Thesis:
(Confidential) Corporate Brand Management Topic

Supervisors:
Prof. Dr. Yonca Limon-Calisan
Margaret Tillmann, MBA

Grade:
98 Points / 1.0

Hi Stefanie, what are you up to next?
I intend to fuse my years of work experience in strategic and operational brand communications with the up-to-date academic knowledge I have obtained at Brand Academy and apply the resulting USP to the benefit of my clients.

What kind of career are you shooting for – and why?
From 2004 to 2012, I worked in national and international, small and large corporations (e.g. Warburg and Otto) – then I became an independent consultant. As such, I would like to continue working for companies and management consultancies, especially in the field of strategic corporate topics such as communications and brand-focused organizational development. The reason is simple: I really enjoy doing it.

What do you think will be your greatest challenge?
Stephen Hawking once said that the greatest achievements are the result of effective communications, while the greatest failures have come to pass because people didn’t talk to each other. I want to contribute my share to creating effective communications. What I don’t want to do is talk my clients to death and tell them what to say. Instead, I want to be good at listening and asking smart questions – and that’s a real challenge. But passing that challenge will lead to understanding my clients’ goals and the reasons for those goals. This, in turn, will not only help them moderate their exchanges with stakeholders, but also assist them in building mutually beneficial relationships with the latter.

Looking back at Brand Academy – what do you see?
To be honest, aligning my independent work with my studies turned out to be a significant challenge because I wasn’t just trying to obtain a piece of paper with a degree on it, but current and useful knowledge. In retrospect, the fresh perspectives and knowledge I gained through my studies were worth every effort. On top, BA recognizes and sharpens its students’ individual skills – something I very much profited from as well.

Do you have any advice for prospect students or first semesters?
If brand communications are your calling, then studying at BA is right for you. That’s true even for those who already have a job. Don’t be afraid of the additional workload. Just talk to your employer or clients about it and if they would be willing to support you by accepting more flexible work hours. Why shouldn’t they help you? If you pull together now, you will both accomplish more than ever after graduation.

What are you up to when you’re not studying – or working?
I like people, that’s why I am interested in sociology, cultures and all kinds of related topics. I travel a lot and try out plenty of foreign cuisines. Going for a swim always restores my personal balance. If the aforementioned activities involve friends and family members, the better!