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Nele Wessels

Programme
MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management
Nationality
German
Job after graduation
Founder, Skinutri
Year of graduation
2021
Nele Wessels, MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management 2020-21, student at Imperial College Business School
Nele Wessels, MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management
“I really feel that the programme gives you the right tools to go out and change the world. It is just the right combination of evolving your creativity and sharpening your business acumen underlined by cutting edge business insights and teaching methods.”

About you

What work experience/internships did you have before beginning with Imperial College Business School?

I undertook a dual study programme in Germany, which meant that I was working while studying, in order to apply the theoretical knowledge learned at university straight onto practical cases for my company. For one year I was thereby working in banking at Targobank Germany followed by a three-year rotational programme in marketing, sales, HR and logistics with Mattel Inc. in Frankfurt, Hong Kong and Warsaw. After finishing my Bachelor’s, I then did a gap year at Estée Lauder Companies in Munich working in online marketing.

Why did you decide to study MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management at Imperial College Business School? 

I chose the MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management mainly because I wanted to accelerate my entrepreneurial journey without sacrificing an elite management education. I really feel that the programme gives you the right tools to go out and change the world. It is just the right combination of evolving your creativity and sharpening your business acumen underlined by cutting edge business insights and teaching methods.

Furthermore, surrounding myself with people from diverse cultural, geographic and ideological backgrounds really helps me see the world from different angles and adapt new ways of thinking. Since Imperial College has a great reputation for its diversity, I felt it is the right environment to immerse myself in. Also, I wanted to make use of the endless possibilities that London and Imperial College Business School have to offer as hubs for entrepreneurship, like the Imperial Enterprise lab which already prior to my programme start helped me with my entrepreneurial aspirations.

"Also, I wanted to make use of the endless possibilities that London and Imperial College Business School have to offer as hubs for entrepreneurship."

Programme

What aspects of the programme do you most enjoy the most?

I really enjoy that the faculty does its best to give us the same experience as if there was no COVID. This includes the multi-mode teaching, such as in-person classes, virtual simulations, online lectures and additional learning material, Zoom meetings and bonding activities via Zoom. One of the things I enjoy the most is that we can be very creative and develop many new ideas and projects from scratch.

Which has been your favourite module so far and why?

My favourite module so far has been Strategic Management as we had many real-life examples and insights into many interesting industries. In particular, I liked how we approached the many different business cases and thereby learned to analyse these from a consulting viewpoint, which was new to me at that point.

What has been the most rewarding part of the programme?

I feel the most rewarding part of the programme has been to get all group work, extra-curricular work and startup things done in time. At times it can seem very overwhelming to manage everything simultaneously, but once you have mastered it you will feel very rewarded. Apart from that, the opportunity to develop many ideas and projects from scratch, seeing actual changes and improvements being caused as a result was very rewarding too.

"The opportunity to develop many ideas and projects from scratch, seeing actual changes and improvements being caused as a result was very rewarding."

Did you get involved in any initiatives hosted by the Imperial Enterprise Lab?

Prior to commencing my Master’s I took part in the Pitch n’ Mix sessions offered by the Enterprise Lab in which you can pitch your idea to fellow students and mentors. I really appreciated it as I felt directly involved with, and warmly welcomed to the Business School. Other than that, I have participated in several talks and workshops which have helped to foster my startup acumen. This includes the Experts in Residence scheme where you are able to meet legal or business experts in a one-to-one call to discuss your startup journey for free.

Career

What are your future career goals and how have they been realised since being at Imperial?

I am planning on continuing my startup, Skinutri, full-time after my Master’s. Skinutri is the first European snack brand that offers a skin-friendly chocolate for people with sensitive skin who are looking for a carefree way of sustainable snacking without sacrificing on taste. The Enterprise Lab as well as extra-curricular activities such as the Imperial Launch Club, the Discovery Fund and the Imperial College Summer Accelerator thereby help you very much along the way to make this happen.

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