Let’s catch up with

Let’s catch up with Katharina Kühnle [F 2012]

Acquisitions and Financial Planning Manager at UrbanHub, Mexico

How did you end up in your current job?

After my internship, I Financial Planning Manager at UrbanHub, Mexico stayed in New York for about 5 years and worked for HVS, a hotel valuation company, as well as in EY´s hospitality group. I met my husband and we decided to move to his hometown, Mexico City. At that point, I only spoke the little Spanish that I learned at HMSM, didn’t have many professional contacts, and knew little about the culture so I decided to do a MBA in Mexico. As part of my summer internship, I worked for UrbanHub, a multifamily developer and operator in Mexico City. It’s a small and very dynamic team, which I enjoyed very much. When I graduated from my MBA, I happily accepted a full-time position. I enjoy living and working in Mexico City. Emerging markets provide a different kind of challenge and make you think out of the box more often; I am responsible for the company’s growth and every day brings something new. My job requires my analytical skills, fast decision making, but I also get to meet new people and form new relationships every day. For me it’s the perfect balance.

Why didn’t you choose for a career in the hospitality industry?

I absolutely love the hospitality industry. I fondly, cooking dinners in our small apartments with newly made friends or our first cooking classes and serving our fellow students lunch in think my education and especially the Global Program (one semester in Hong Kong and one in the U.S.) is one of the main reasons that I ended up in Mexico City without ever planning on it. Both of my jobs in New York were in the hospitality industry, just in a different niche. I quickly realized during my internship at HVS that I am a very analytical person and that I enjoy the [F 2011] Acquisitions and financial aspect of the hospitality industry. The company I currently work for is a bit similar to the hotel industry; our tenants always come first. We strive for extraordinary services and experiences, and our buildings are much more than your standard apartment.

What is the most important skill you’ve gained at HMSM?

Being part of the international stream has really taught me how to work with people from different cultures and backgrounds, which I think is a very important skill. The exchange semesters and internship abroad really opened up my eyes and made me a very adventurous person that is always up for trying new things.

What is your best memory of your study at HMSM?

It’s very hard to pick one memory; I absolutely loved the entire four years at HMSM. I remember my first year living on campus Refresh! One of my favourite experiences is probably exploring Hong Kong with my classmates from HMSM and our American and Chinese classmates that we travelled and studied with for 1,5 years. Hong Kong was such a fascinating, beautiful, and fun city! And what better way to explore a city than with people that call it their home.