!భమ$ SLÁINTE
PROST! į sveikatą
اهال وسهالNA class of 2015
U nhe khia
ZDROWIE
CHEERS!
干杯 நl ஆேராk(யm +க
ekele ndụ
Santé
SAHA Γειά ಉ"#ಸ µας mú inú si aye Bisimilahi
PURURUDZAI!
SKÅL
На здоровье
VAN DEN! NOROC 乾杯FRISSCHE! SALUD TIWAMWELE Şerefe
Dear E54, Completing the EDHEC Global MBA is a wonderful achievement. More than simply a learning process, it is d e s i g n e d t o b e a t r u l y transformational experience. As such, the EDHEC Global MBA experience is not only inspiring and exciting, but also challenging and sometimes painful… In a few years’ time, when you think back on your time at EDHEC, many memories and emotions will certainly come to mind: the Côte d’Azur, your classmates, your friends, the rigorous business education, personal exploration, teamwork, the careersmart, projects... all taking place in locations such as Nice, Cape Town, London, Paris, Singapore or… La Madone de Fenestre. It’s fair to say that it has been a tremendous year for the MBA. I’ll remember E54 not only as a wonderful bunch of participants coming from all over the world, but also as a solid group of highly committed and mature students. And, cherry on the cake, 2014 was our best ranking to date in the Economist. It was our great pleasure to have you on board, and I would like to thank each of you for what you gave to the programme. On behalf of the MBA staff and Faculty, I wish E54 all the very best. I sincerely hope the MBA will remain one of the most striking and fruitful experiences in your life, that will allow you to shape your future and seize the opportunities you deserve. Please stay in touch… this year in Nice is just the beginning of a long story that we’ll write altogether. Emmanuel Métais Professor – Director, EDHEC Global MBA
Parc national du Mercantour – September 2014
EDHEC MBA Summit | Mercantour Park | September 2014 Is there a better way to bring together a fresh new group of MBA students from across the globe than to put them in the face of danger, battling the elements, summiting mountains that would test their strength and endurance, forcing them to trust and work together, while forming lasting friendships, all in the spectacular stunning beauty of the Alp’s Mercantour Parc? I submit that there is not. On September 11-12, 2014 that is just what E54 did, and the mission proved successful. Madone de Fenestre, an alpine refuge owned by the Club Alpin de France, served as base camp, where the troops were provided shelter and food – and not just any food. The type of delicious, comforting French food one desires after spending the day summiting 2400m peaks. The newly formed team, along with Professors Emmanuel Matais and Phillipe Very, and five experienced Mercantour guides, spent two days blissfully exploring the terrain, learning about the wildlife and vegetation in the area and conquering the Col des Fenestre (2474m), Pas des Ladres (2448 m), and the Pas du Mont Colomb (2702 m). When you’re this high on adrenaline, full of French cheese, excited about newly formed friendships, while enjoying breath taking mountainous views – one really does feel like “the hills are alive”.
Life in Niรงa ...good times, good friends, and good food
STUDY (?) TRIP IN SOUTH AFRICA EDHEC MBA E54 students visited South Africa as a study (?) trip on November 2014. They could see & feel a part of “Real Africa”…..
STUDY (?) TRIP IN SOUTH AFRICA EDHEC MBA E54 students visited South Africa as a study (?) trip on November 2014. They could see & feel a part of “Real Africa”…..
The much-needed fall break!
Shlomo’s Macroeconomics course drove us near and far, on cycling adventures, road trips to Italy to see the Dolomites and to the Gorge de Verdun, and travels to Cologne and Monte Carlo.
Life on the 5th Floor
Where croissants beat flowers, and sense is made.
An Incomplete, Imperfect Reading List from Our Professors Bob Perry (among many) - Wild Swans, Jung Chang Karin Kollenz - Leading Change, John Kotter Declan Murphy - On a Clear Day, You Can See General Motors, John DeLorean - Managing With Power, Jeffrey Pfeffer Dominique Turcq - Capital in the 21st Century, Thomas Piketty - Jugaad Innovation, Navi Radjou Shlomo Maital - Blink, Malcolm Gladwell - Patent it Yourself, David Pressman Michelle Sisto - The Signal and the Noise, Nate Silver
Who best embodies the spirit of their country of origin? 1.Katerina (Russian) – she blond and wears high heels all the time 2.Yang (China) – always smiling and happy! 3.Patrick (Canada) – The hockey player 4.Chandulal (India) – Damn that man can dance! Lighbulb – Tap – Smoke stop 5.Gin (USA) – Cali, baby
Most memorable quotes by professors “Low cost, low tech, high impact!” – Bertrand Monnet “Look at me. I love you. You know I love you, but I’m going to have to yell at you. YOU CAN’T DO THAT TO PEOPLE! YOU JUST CAN’T DO THAT TO PEOPLE!” – Bob Perry “Are we OK?” – Joe Fisher “Focus Focus Focus Focus Focus” – Louis Hebert “The shoes of tomorrow are tainted with the mud of inflation.” – Pierre Mella-Barral
What is the greatest aspect of French Culture? Patisseries gourmands Fashionable old ladies and their little rat-dogs French wine Vacations and long breaks Froomaaaage Gin’s hat
What will you not miss about living in Nice? Wine shops that close early Sky-high prices Doggy doo doo everywhere Double parking Banking system King burger
Best part about living on the Cote D’Azur? The Mediterranean Sea on one side and the French Alps on the other Sea! Sunshine! The beach! Daily commute along the Promenade Beautiful views Fantastic weather
“Calculus is for losers.” – Christopher Ragan “By tomorrow morning, you will all be highly qualified cocaine smugglers.” – Bertrand Monnet “Why can’t we ever ask for a hug?” – Liz Borredon “Don’t let anyone treat you like a mushroom: they shit on you once a week and keep you in the dark.” – Maurice Saias “There has been war between England and France for most of history. My contribution to the war is to butcher the English language.” – Maurice Saias “It’s time for pizza and beer, and I’m buying.” – Declan Murphy
SINGAPORE
I LEFT MY HEART IN SAN FRANCISCO
“Blah blah, and yackity yack are the words that I hear on the Finance track. Guess what, I’m sorry to say, but the real money makers are over this way!” Monsieur Brandon Hoff It was against these undeniable words of bravado that the 25 entrepreneurship students left for a business trip to the famed San Francisco Bay area. Having spent two weeks in class crafting and developing our business ideas, a-not-so-quick flight across the Atlantic and we were now truly in Start-Up Nation; ready to learn from those who had successfully walked this path. After being welcomed by our gracious hosts the French American Chamber of Commerce, we started by getting to know and feel the soul of the city through a guided tour of the grand City Hall building.
From here we then took a drive to the Palo Alto region to visit that great institution of learning, Stanford University. Apparently 96 Disneylands can fit within the grounds of this colossus – a fact that Andrea quickly came to understand donned in her heels on our walking tour!
Then onwards to the “coolest place to work”, Google HQ! A stalwart in the region, we took a tour of the campus to get a better sense of “Googliness”. It boggles the mind that Google was only founded in 1998 and in 16 short years has changed the world. As a dear friend once told me, “We don’t argue, we Google”. Day two in the Bay Area kicked off very early with a visit to SalesForce.com. Located in downtown San Francisco, we spent time with a panel of entrepreneurs who spoke about the importance of thinking big and failing fast. Although quite counter-intuitive, these words of advice would be echoed over and over again by many an entrepreneur on our visit. After what can only be described as a gluttonous lunch in China Town, we headed to a Scoop.it! – a classic start-up also based in downtown San Francisco. Here we learnt about navigating the treacherous waters of funding your business. Images of Finance came back to haunt us as we were told about how Venture Capitalists dream of fat unicorns.
CHEERS!
Our whirlwind tour continued with more visits to Orange SV, 500 Start-ups, Change.Org, Linked IN and Facebook to name a few. Each host sharing their war stories, battle wounds, victories and vision. An absolute wealth of information and unparalleled learning; we ate, we walked, we danced, we absorbed, we immersed ourselves in San Francisco and all it had to offer. And fingers crossed, the next batch of EDHEC entrepreneurs will be here next year visiting an E54 start-up! Star Kachisa
January 2014 Intakes E53
Aki-Hero! The Man! The Hero! Japans most Legendary Export, words cant describe how much love I have for this man. From San Francisco to Cape Town through vast swathes of Europe, Legend has it that you need only follow the trail of empty whisky bottles, cigarette butts and broken hearts and like a Leprechauns pot of gold at the end of the rainbow you will find Akhiro. I look forward to welcoming you to my homeland soon, Sensei!
Shehriar RAFI
Aki my friend! There are so many things I remember you for but the best thing I remember you for is your cool attitude. You are the coolest guy I have ever met. I also remember you for all those wild after- party times;) which we had together. Thank you buddy for everything you did for me and for the group. I hope you be the same cool guy all your life. Wish you all the luck for future and hope to see you soon.
Sachin SHARMA Aki! It was a great pleasure being in a Dream Team F with you! Thanks for being a great teammate - Japaneseefficient, credible and responsible - no matter what. There are numerous examples to share, but the one in Prof. Shlomo’s class (which I told you about) is something really to remember you by. Wishing you all the luck back at home and hope to visit you in Japan some time soon!
Vaiva KONTRAMITE Akiiii! My brother! It has been a pleasure to share this amazing experience with you! I appreciate your genuine spirit, welcoming smile and authentic humor. You are truly a dynamic individual and I consider it an honor to call you my friend. We had a lot of good times together and let's continue to have them! P.S. I'm coming to Japan to visit.
Jason GRANT I had the pleasure of being teammates with Aki during the first couple of months of the Fall of 2014. As the only January member of our team, he immediately demonstrated leadership that made the transition for us “Septembers” as easy as we could have hoped for. During our initial team-building seminars, Aki characterized himself as an easy-going individual whose motto was “just have fun”. I remember thinking, “I wonder how much work this guy is gonna do once our team projects start.” What Aki left out from his self-description was how incredibly diligent and deadline-oriented he is. In fact, I found the fun-loving Aki to be as hard a worker and effective a teammate as any I’ve worked with. I wish him the best of luck and am sure he will be successful in all future endeavors!
James CASHMAN
Bukky, Excuse you! Beyond your wonderful hairstyles that keep on changing, and beyond your constant smile, there’s the kindest heart of the MBA class. Thanks for being such a good friend and classmate, even when we had our little fights! I truly hope to visit you one day, just keep the lions under control, alright? Besosnegrita, I will miss you. – Roberto
Bukky radiates happiness around her and her smile shines so bright it can even chase away the rain. Bukky, you are such a Plant ! You and I have our own way of working and I could always count on you to make me feel good about it. It has been a pure bliss knowing you and I can’t wait to hear your laugh again. The next Uber ride is on me, in Lagos, Nice or wherever! - Celine Bukola (as I call her) is a fabulous lady, with an incredible outlook on life. Fun loving! - I can’t recall any dull moments with her. Bukky is genuinely interested in people and is always willing to help out. Still fresh on my mind are the time we spent together – few days to your flight back home especially! Fun times indeed! I’m glad our paths crossed. Wish you the best in your future endeavours! I miss you babes! See you soon! Benedicta
Bukky and our team I struggled for a report until 10:00 pm. In our team, Bukky proposed the group meal. Bukky encouraged me when I was at a loss. In my eyes, Bukky is a trustworthy friend, a jolly soul and invaluable treasure. - Jia Bukky, my sister! We had a blast in Nice, your infectious smile and innocent laugh always gave me a warm feeling even at times when I was feeling anything but warm. I look forward to the next chapter and I hope you're ready for me when I come to visit, "The Island." Bukky Bukky Bukky! – Jason Bukky, you are a wonderful person. Full of joy, energy and big smile. Imagine situation: it’s pitch black and totally silent. And then appears a spot of light, which lights the whole area. To the amazement the area transforms and becomes full of joy, life, happiness, and you can hear music everywhere. That spot of light is you. Working with you was wonderful experience. Keep it going, girl. - Ernest
Bukky is all about the bass, no treble please. The wild child of the EDHEC MBA, this Nigerian brings the best elements of her culture in your face, she hides little and dares all. Fun, loving, charming, crazy are but a few adjectives that people have applied to Bukky but they fail miserably trying encapsulate the wild essence this African Queen. Someone I hope will always remain a dear friend for life. Shehriar
My first group in the MBA was with Bukky. She was the team mate who was the most outgoing, social, and friendly. While Ernest's & I were diving head-long into the specific problem, Bukky sauntered up & made us engage. She has such an effusive personality with a disarming smile. Even though MBA work was our main context, I really enjoyed those times we were outside of class: like the Diwali party & sipping cocktails in South Africa. She really seemed to value her friendships and her friends valued her; I recall numerous friends & family who visited her in Nice - even South Africa. She is missed & I hope she finds a charming (and wealthy!) suitor back in Nigeria. - Kerry
Princess Dina! It’s already more than a year, and I still remember very clearly how the first day when you arrived late, directly from the airport to the MBA. Not bad for my lazy memory. Who would have thought we would become as close as Tom & Jerry. From Greg’s party to the last night in Nice, going through South Africa and many other moments, you have shown me what a wonderful person you are, and you still keep on doing it. The same amazing strong woman that can face any obstacle life puts on her way but that cries like a little girl when she thinks she has lost her passport in a cab. The same one that changes her mood in 0.5 seconds, and that is always there for a friend. The same that arrives the last and takes the best spot for the photo. Too bad we didn’t have more time so you could teach me more of your smart tricks ;). Don’t ever change. I’m very happy to have met you. -Roberto My Dearest Kazak friend, Through the year in Nice FRANCE, I met a charming, honest, caring, lovely Kazak girl. Obviously she is beautiful, but not only her appearance but also her heart. Oh Dina, what a pleasure getting to know you. We have tremendous beautiful memories!!! Beginning from the day one, we were in the same team doing ice breaker and crazy survival quiz, do you remember that??? We went skiing, hanging out at parties, dinning at my place, running into you at the car rental station and heading to same destination Italy. I can’t forget the last party at my place. You were crying and asking your mom for forgiveness hahaha. So much good memories but this is just a piece of what we will share in our life. Keep in touch and hope to see you very soon . またね、ディナ(Dina)さん! Teru Dina, Always chic, very smart and in shape, and.. always late, I am very happy to have the chance to meet you my very dear Kazakh Lady. I remember our studying parties - the famous derivatives one, our very late nights at EDHEC at the end of the program, our deep discussions about so many topics. I highly respect your ambitions and perseverance, and I am sure you will lead your life to the endless success. With all my very best wishes my dear Kazakh demoiselle, -Le Beik
Dina ORAZOVA Dina, my favorite Kazak, who knew that I would be writing for you in the yearbook! I mean, let’s remember that you didn’t like me the first day . Rocky start aside, we both grew to know each other and a lifetime friendship was formed. You have so much to offer the world and I can’t wait to see what you do after the MBA! Is it Australia, Singapore, or Home…I am excited to see the amazing path you choose. Take care, be good to yourself and know that you always have a place to visit in Canada! See you soon friend. - Mike
Dina, International Woman of The World. Heralding all the way from the Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. Ambitious, with a hunger for knowledge and travelling. What’s not to love about Dini Martini? Wherever in this world this wonderful woman chooses to settle, she’ll bring happiness and joy to those around her. And she’ll be missed by everyone else! And with a few more ski lessons, we’ll make a slalom skier out of her one day. J Big love, -Oli I love Data Analysis…
From the first time I met Dina, I immediately knew what kind of person she was. It was 630 in the afternoon and the next day was the finance career fair at EDHEC. I did not have a tie and the shops in France only stay open for about 5 minutes a day so most of them were already closed. Although I did not know her, she offered to lend me some ties she had. This is only one instance out of quite many, that Dina has helped me out. She is always willing to offer assistance to anyone who needs it. I have no doubt that she will be an incredible success one day and help as many people as she can along the way. -Ruben
Dina is one of those people you are instantly comfortable with. A great friend she always has a genuine interest in you and there is never a dull conversation. I’m going to miss your hilarious honesty and I’m glad I got to know you in this short period of time. Only good things in store; see you on the other side. - Arun
Ellen is a fantastic individual! She has a unique sense of humour and is always willing to share knowledge/experiences and assist others. She possesses very strong work ethics; having Ellen as a team member was a great experience. Ellen is fun to be with – never a dull moment with her! Thanks Ellen for the wonderful time together and the lovely sketch! (smiley) I miss you and do wish you all the best in your future endeavours! - Benedicta
★
Ellen, what can I say? Well, I guess I can start by saying that you were the absolute best neighbor I could have asked for in my MBA! Intelligent, savvy, and always on time; I could count on you to always provide additional insights when I was lost! I am so happy to have met you and I am also so very pleased to be chosen to write for you in the book. That said, I look forward to crossing paths with you in Canada once you have found your dream job…that is if they let you leave from your role in Monaco with the Super Yachts! I wish you all the best and I look forward to keeping in touch in the future! See you soon! – Mike
Dear Ellen, I’m very happy that you chose me to write a little thing for you in this yearbook. You’ve been an awesome teammate, it’s really been a pleasure even when your presentations lasted a bit longer than planned and you kept your joy and enthusiasm until the very end of the program. I hope you’ll do more great paintings and I wish you all the very best for the future. Don’t forget to give a call if you come to Paris and I’ll keep in touch when I’ll have to buy a yacht. A bientôt, bisous Mathieu
Ellen Yifei Liu
★
Ellen, I was always surprised at your various abilities. You can speak some languages fluently, have excellent academic expertise, have a good sense of humor, and so on. In addition, you are a great painter!! I always envy you, but I know you always make huge efforts to pursue your goal. I like your sincere styles. I am so lucky to meet you, and become friends. I learned from a lot about academic things, history, customs.. . Thank you for your friendship :) See you soon in anywhere (Tokyo?) - Noriko
Gaurav Kumar GK is a person whom I feel as “A flower blossoming in a beautiful flower garden (life) and it will grow with more beauty in it till the earth moves around the son”. He became a friend of mine by nature. His cool and easy mingling nature attracted me towards his companionship. His respectfulness towards others has inspired me always not to look at the things in same way. He is a humble man with good professionalism to handle any kind of situation in simple way. His home town Mokameh. He likes his combined family with more than 60 members in the family which is very rare in any part of the world. He loves his family very much. This is one of his great strengths. “Agar dusre ke dukh ko dekh kar tumhe bhi dukh hota he to samajh lena bhagwaan ne tumhe insaan banakar koi galti nahi ki” it means that “If you can see the suffering a sufferer, then think that god has not made a mistake in creating you as human being”. He has a great sense of humour. Whenever we meet, I try to tease him about girls, property etc. “A handsome smart and simple friend with great attitude towards people around him. A lovable gentle man.”- CHANDULAL “Kumar was part of my first team at EDHEC. We started with Accounting and he did a great job in not only crunching numbers but also being very patient with me not understanding those numbers. He also knows about preparing a delicious Indian dessert and generously shared it.-Britta Tilsner”
“Kumar-san is a navigator forever. In fact, before MBA, he had worked on the ship for a long time. He stopped by many international ports including Japan and worked with local people. With those experiences, he wasn’t upset even when he faced big cultural differences during group work with diverse classmates. I was struggling with that though… :p Moreover, talking with him made me very relaxed even after hard work. He sometimes said sophisticated Indian jokes to entertain me with his soft smile. I believe he will be successful to work in multicultural environment as he showed me during this year. Till we meet again!! Bon voyage!!---From Akihiro” Gaurav Kumar san! I never imagined in my life to get to know harmless legal hacker. Hahaha just kidding but Kumar you really surprised me that you can get any kind of information in a second. I can’t believe that you are marine engineer, I totally thought you are from IT background. It was my great pleasure to have you in the same team. You are calm and gentle but passionate and taught me many things. During accounting and macro course I was having finance lesson from you! It was amazing that we Nirmalya Kumar had time to spend not only in class but also outside of the class. We had a great time for the kick off dinner at my place and thank you dinner at Britta’s place. Great moment that I will never forget. Best wishes for your future and keep in touch. Looking forward to see you very soon. आपका दोस्त हे , Teru
GILBERT EL HOYEK
The more I live, the more I realize that you can get to know a person well only by seeing him doing real things. Being a modest person, Gilbert has a remarkable intelligence and serious approach to deal with any kind of issues. You can always rely on him whether you are a colleague or a friend of him. If you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the sea I'll sail the world to find you If you ever find yourself lost in the dark and you can't see I'll be the light to guide you Find out what we're made of When we are called to help our friends in need You can count on me like one, two, three I'll be there and I know when I need it I can count on you like four, three, two And you'll be there 'cause that's what friends Are supposed to do Elena Khaweja Gilbert, My dear Lebanese mate, one of the special guys I met during our MBA. Having the authentic Lebanese attitude on all levels, I was so happy to meet you in Nice. I will always remember our accounting hours, our late hours at the end of the program studying at EDHEC and doing the hard job hunting work. I wish you a promising post-MBA life full of success, getting your dream job far from Paris (as you always dreamed) very close to Lebanon, with a Man'oushe every morning!
Really glad to have met you :). I think I will never again trick you into drinking vodka while I sip on water. The last time I did that I ended up almost getting kicked out of an MBA program. I am not going to wish you best of luck as I plan on staying in touch. Thanks for the great memories so far and I am sure we have many more to come. Przemek
All the best khaye, Imad Mon Gilou! You have been as you know my partner in crime all year around and thanks to you I felt confident and strong enough to overcome the rise of a few challenges this year…I have also finally found out what that is that so many women love about you –and the Libanese- but I’ll be quiet as a grave I could go on and on here so I decided on finding a quote that would best express my thoughts to you so here it is : “A bite from a loving mouth is worth more than a kiss from any other and Better to have one thousand enemies outside the house than to have one single enemy inside it.” Your friend forever!
Greg
Without knowing Gilbert, one might mistake him for a party man (sorry, Gilbert, this is true). However, you will soon uncover a super intelligent, ambitious, hardworking, generous person full of life, ideas and adventure! Thank you for your great help to settle in in this initially weird city. You were the first person I called to for help (remember the crazy French train story going in reverse?) Studying Derivatives in your place was an unforgettable experience! I’m definitely not saying good bye, I will be coming to Lebanon & Middle East for a visit - make sure to roll out the red carpet ;) and introduce me to all the famous Lebanese singers!
Dina
IMAD ALAMEDDINE Le Beik – my lifeline of 2014! Be Be Be Be
it it it it
walking me back home, lunching at Kings, all the nagging between us alone, the latest gossip sharing evenings ;) Be it bearing my falling dow my high heel’s load, Be it the difficult dining on my Indian spices, Be it still showering on me your cute praises, Be it playing on me your adorable pranks, Be it sharing about your deep dark secret fans, Be it being as silly as staring stars at night, Be it being as stressed as possible in the life’s fight, Be it bearing the burden of a crazy dependent chic, Be it still being chivalrous and caring in every bit, You just being around, and just being my adorable Le Beik, Is definitely the best thing that happened for life, While MBA-ing at EDHEC
Chou ya Estez, Walla it was a great pleasure knowing you during this exciting year! Imad is a smart and determined guy who always finds a way to his target despite all the difficulties, proud of his Lebanese origins and hometown Mina-Tripoli (which I adore by the way). Above all Imad is a respectful and helpful person who is always present whenever you need him. I wish you all the luck in your life and looking forward to seeing you soon in Beirut, Paris or Nice… Imad by Gilbert If there is one person who symbolizes selflessness, intelligence, resilience & humour – it is Imad indeed! Mr. LeBeik, thank you for genuinely caring, for a listening ear, for your help with the subjects, translation services , the excellent advice & of course never ending humour & sarcasm, especially sarcasm;)! I am extremely grateful to have met such a kind & intelligent person and to have found a true friend in you who trusts me & sticks by me no matter what. I know for a fact that if I ever needed help I can always dial Imad and he would help without asking a single question, and then seat me down and provide me with the much needed feedback. ! شكرا جزيال# Paris #Lebanese Food #Beirut #Pizza forever #Student life almost over… Hugs, Dina
My dearest friend, What a pleasure to have met you! I was trying to remember how exactly did we meet and I can just think that everything happened smoothly and so naturally. From the opera we went together to talking non sense things during the whole time during classes, you were one of my confidents in the MBA cycle. Without the need of being together every second, we were able to create a great synergy and a friendship not always easy to find. Wish you a great new journey in Paris! And be sure to have a friend waiting for you in Nice whenever you need. With love, Thabata
Hey you, After a few months of arguing, teasing, chatting -- I can not believe, I still pick up my phone to say you hello…It was pleasant morning at MBA summit….Hi..I am kallol…Hi I am Imad (as usual busy with your mobile connection of 5 gb internet package)…since then it was a great time with you buddy – be at canteen, cafeteria, burger king, party, last not but the least group work (Team H).….Mate you are a great دوست …ن ے.as I used to say you lady’s man…you will always be *******….. Not your boss…
Jeffrey, thanks for everything during this great year. It's thanks to you that I was able to have an enjoyable time. Although I didn’t recognize it from your fluent English in the beginning, I could know you are more and more shy guy than Japanese ☺ But you can’t drink a lot like Japanese mates (not only me :P). That’s why you seldom join the party. However, in the last week, you joined the party many times. Finally I could take you to the party and enjoy together at night in Nice. It was happy to make some good memories even in the end. I will visit your home town in the future. You should come to Japan to see me, my family. I will kill the fatted calf and prepare a lot of Sake for you and your loved ones. Please keep in touch. See you soon!
From Akihiro
My fellow Feb intake! Jeffrey and I often discuss our confusions and tribulations in only that subtle manner that Jeffrey can. The terror of my Facebook page, I don't think there has been a post in which Jeff has not managed to cause trouble for those involved. This man has taken the Art of the Innuendo to a whole new level (just ask Manas or Pradeep). Jeffrey is one cool guy who has often been my bridge to the mysteries of Chinese culture and deep thoughtful insights are abound when you are near this man. I’m a better person for having Jeffrey as a friend.
From Shehriar
Jeffrey Zheng Just want to say: thanks for coming to EDHEC! Your arrival enriched our Chinese diversity 囧 ! You are a person with great humor; there were plenty of joy during the past times. We Chinese used to spend most of time round the same table (right side closing to the wall) to share and discuss funny things during lunch. In my eyes you had been always calm, sparking cold jokes time to time; You are also a patriot, using your special humor as an excellent way of defusing awkward situations and influencing people. I’m not sure the reason that other people call you boss, I followed but with this reason :P regardless you are the youngest Chinese student among us! I was lucky to be in the same team with you during philosophy course, your wisdom was successfully interpreted and I viewed it as your own philosophical life. Take care Jeffrey, our Chinese boss; I wish you a brilliant future and a happy life with the one you love. 你懂得 …^_~
From Sara
Lateef is kind, and generous - especially when it comes to pouring. He has a French pétanque player's arm, a Canadian spirit of adventure, and a German mind for Data Analysis. Let me know when you move back to Canada, friend!“ - Julia
Ah Lateef. It’s very difficult to fit this into a short blurb (already wasted space), but first off thanks. Thanks for being that good friend who made all the new folks a part of the class right away, thanks for being an awesome group member and thanks for the long and short chats. Nice, Provence, South Africa…the tissues are out for real this time. Arun We all know Lateef by his famous pinky swear! Lucky me, I have got to know a lot more about him. He is an incredible friend; with no hesitation, he has one of the biggest hearth of all people I know. ENFP right ?! He never lets anyone down and he has a silver speech. You could find Lateef hanging out with all the different social circles and that shows how open-minded and curious he is. You made me discover hidden places of Nice like a true local. I loved siGninG French songs with you! I, we, already miss you tons! Melanie
Lateef
Lateef Can be very polite
Britta
Shared my concerns in Cirminal Risk Class.
Lateef
Britta
Is full of surprises – always!
Can words really do justice to accurately describe the man Lateef is? One can try to open a dictionary and search for days to find such words. Many have tried I suppose, and just as many have undoubtedly failed For the words to describe Lateef have not yet been created Of the words that do exist, were I forced to choose, I would select... Renaissance man- Lateef has many talents and gifts. For example, he can speak Three languages, play multiple sports, engineering and MBA degrees, And tell jokes (repeatedly). He is also one of the friendliest people I have ever met. Between his cheery disposition and Einstein-like intellect, people gravitated towards him Like white on rice. In short, Lateef is a special person, and I feel Extremely privileged to call him my friend. - Rubin and Rob
Nola is a very down-to-earth lady and is passionate about everything she does. She offers help and provides information/advice at every opportunity. Thanks for ways in which you made my MBA experience easier dear! I miss your sisterly presence (smiley) and wish you the best in your future endeavours. …….Benedicta 3 words (besides, the obvious one of course! D) Panache, Ambition, Drive. Could you be anymore perfect, Nola? …. Prithvi Krishnakumar Chikkapalya
She is someone whom I could count on for anything, she is someone who loved me unconditionally. Talking about style, dreaming about future businesses, shopping or just lazing around in the beach – I definitely miss every bit of you. Little Sudi …. Sudeshna Saha
Nola is one of the most beautiful person I have ever been given to meet. And I’m barely referring to her obvious stunning beauty... What makes Nola so special is the kindness of her heart. She’s always ready to lend you a helpful hand, and she is sincere and true to herself and to others. We can read in your eyes like in an open book and, from Day 1, it made me very comfortable being around you. Nola, oh la la! It’s been a blast and I’m proud I have you in my life. Keep in touch because I’m not done with you my sister! …..Céline Castex
Nola is not just my friend, she is also the elder sister I never had. She helped me in a lot of ways during the short time she was in the MBA programme. She was an adviser and guide. She held my hand in times of stress. I will never forget our mantra, "Seghe, Chill." I will miss you, My Surest Paddy, Nola. I wish you success in your Post-MBA travails. Will never forget you in a hurry! ……. Seghe Momodu
Cutest, humblest, quietest and a thorough Japanese– Nori Sato. This is how I fell in love with you and this is how you would remain in my heart forever. I especially like about you that you hate people who are not true to themselves and have a keen eye for transparency – somehow you figured out if he/she is being honest or not – maybe it is your Japanese strength. And to all the guys who will be reading this, let me tell you, she is such a pro that when people did not even start looking at the assignment question, she must have already finished it. She was someone to whom I could go up to anytime for anything. She must be shy herself but never shied away from taking the first step and getting stuff rolling.” I’ll cherish our Asian dates and girl talks for years to come. May the good God grant your every wish and hopefully we get to see each other very soon. Loads of Love, Sudi
Noriko, One of my first friends during the EDHEC MBA. You are very quiet but also very lovable. Thank you for the wonderful memories and I am sure I will see you again. After all you do owe me dinner. ;) Best of luck to you back in Japan and hope to see you again very soon. - Przemek
Noriko Sato Noriko, we made a great team! You were the amazing brains of the operation and I was the loud mouth presenter…a dynamic duo for sure! More seriously, I count myself lucky to have met you. You are one of the most kind, intelligent and funny people that I have ever met and I look forward to catching up in Canada or Japan! I will always fondly remember our time together in the MBA, partying at Teru’s and working on Data Analysis. You are going big places in life and I can’t wait to hear what the world has in store for you. All the best Noriko – Mike
Oliver Lyons My dearest Oli and Katie, 525,600 minutes, 365 days, how do you measure a year? Numbers of wine bottles or glasses that we drunk? How many times we laughed, good memories we had or Oli cursed? Those are countless. This year in France meant a lot for us, because of getting to know the Lyons. Before coming to Nice we thought we are the happiest couple in the world. But we weren’t till we met you. Our life was missing to get to know the loveliest, sweetest, funniest and warmest couple. You taught us how life can be even happier. Sharing our life with you is like a champagne. The time we are apart, champagne will 熟成する in the bottle waiting for the time. When we meet, cork will pop out like fireworks, celebrating our reunion and when we pour into glasses, beautiful endless bubbles such as our laughs, good memories will be shared. And I’m pretty sure you know I have limitless champagne supply from APERITIV ;) so it will never end. Home parties, hiking, Kayaking, SF, South Africa and even just throwing rocks to the sea were great unforgettable memories. One year is short, but still we have so much good memories and we have a lot more time to share the inexpressible amazing experience. Can’t wait to see you again soon. With billions of hugs, Ai & Teru Oli Babba aka the British Ambassador to France aka the man with the million dollar hug! Brother I love you and your lovely wife, our dearest Katie. You made my experience in Nice and I mean that without you and Katie things would have been very different. I look forward to what adventures this next chapter in life has in store for us. Love Always, Jason I joined this program with concerns about communication in English; however, fortunately, he was a member of my first team. He always tried to understand my real intension by listening seriously and to be sensitive to my feelings. His behavior made me act like myself, bringing me a confidence in the international situation. I cannot help kissing him every time we drink together since I like him too much. Kenji Yashiro Once upon a time, there was a Lord named Sir Oliver Lyons. His sword was the Language and his shield his big heart. He came from the Islands of the North to the South of the Gaul and he won many battles. Oli fought side by side with his foreign allies such as the Emir Alnaeem, the Japanese Emperor Yamaguchi, or the Inka Rodrigo, but this was just the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Rodrigo
ROBERTO ALVAREZ Roberto, recently found another secret of where your charms come from. ;-) Look at the pictures of Bradly Cooper, you will see the same warm smile as yours. Certainly, much more than that, your warm heart is one of the main reasons for your popularity. You were one of the first people who organized after work activities and your geniality gave me instantly the feeling of belonging to this big MBA family. By the way, the best tapas I’ve ever had are Roberto’s homemade! Looking forward to tasting again, and cheers for water of Valencia. ;-p Yang Yang
Amigo Roberto! It was amazing to get to know you! You have changed all the impressions that I had for Spanish ppl in a good way! I heard Spanish ppl are always at least 30 min late but you are only 15 min late :p haha Just kidding but I’m always surprised and impressed that how patient and peaceful you are. At the very first beginning of MBA, when we did the survival quiz, I was saying something not understandable and everybody thought I was insane but you were patient and listened with a smiley face. I knew you were wonderfully nice guy from the beginning. I can’t forget mentioning your and Sara’s hospitality. Marketing party at the beach, your home parties, I drool thinking of the food you prepared, jamón, queso, tortilla, pastel and agua de Valencia muy delicioso!!!! I wasn’t the only person who were happy to see you but also Ai was so happy to see you and Sara. Having you and Sara as a friend is our great PLEASURE and everlasting TREASURE!!! I don’t know where you end up working at but I can see your bright future without my glasses easily. You are one of the most trustful person I know! It was my great pleasure working with you in Marketing club and team (including Basketball too!) Can’t wait to see you again and I will probably visit you in Spain! Tu amigo japonés, Teru
The door closes and Roberto arrives running, like if he had come from the beach of Valencia. He knows what paella means, is not just yellow rice with things (“arroz con cosas no es paella”). But Roberto is more than just a nice smiling guy, he is the President of the Marketing Club, a shark diver, beach parties organizer, Che (Valencia, C.F. supporter), and, most important, a very good friend (he withstood his snoring roommate in South Africa for a whole week). Thank you for everything! Nos vemos pronto! Un fuerte abrazo, Rodrigo There are people who come to your life and change you forever – they can be obnoxious & challenging, they push you to re-examine your principles & beliefs and throughout this process you grow as a person. Roberto, thank you for being a dear friend to me, for pointing out my mistakes & weaknesses and not being afraid of my wrath; for believing in me and providing the support when I needed it the most and for actually being considerate once in a while (and not at all the rest of the time and I’m not even talking about the luggage, that’s a whole different story!). I am privileged to have met such a proud Valencian who refuses to bow down to anyone; extremely bright & intelligent, you keep a low profile and never show off your talents. I am sure you will have a lot of success in life and Valencia football team will wait for you with the open arms ;) You are a very lucky person indeed and I wish for your luck to multiply threefold as the years go by! P.S. I’m expecting for you and Sara to visit me in the Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan soon! I know she will love it (esp. the famous chocolate) but you have to start preparing the warm gear and stop complaining about the cold! Dina
My favorite Spanish friend . We actually made it to the end of the program. The second part of the year went by so quickly really! I am glad we got to know each other better, and definitely had a blast in SA with you and Dina taking pictures all the time, and I thought I liked pictures... lol Thank you for being the same guy I met on my 1st day in school ‘’good countenance, very welcoming, always smiling, and ready to face the day’’. I wish you the very best in everything you pursue, I am sure to see you around, till then ‘tenga cuidado de mi más querido amigo español’. Miss ya! Much lurv from your favourite Nigerian friend, Olubukola O.O.O
SARA WANG SARA is a beautiful Chinese professional who surprised me with her hidden talent of intermingling nature and respectfulness to fellow MBAs. She will not mingle easily but once she feels comfortable with, she will make you feel friendly and involve yourself in team building activities. She plays very nice jokes and makes the team work experience memorable. I will remember her for life time whenever I hear the country name VENEZUELA. Sometimes during team work late in the evenings, she wanted to go early home but we didn’t let her go and we had lot of fun doing this to her. A beautiful, very caring and lovable homely girl with great attitude and character. – Chandulal
Sara is a very quiet and endearing person. Sheer Asian for sure. She is one of the only girls whom I got the opportunity to help with directions, otherwise, the entire year I was the one directed ;) It’s so pleasing to have you around Sara and am sure whatever you will do in life, you will do great in it. Haven’t got enough chance to work with you, but whenever I heard you speak in class, you spread a sincere serenity and its very pleasing to hear you… May god give you all that you wish for and by the way, our Chinese food date is still due ;) Maybe sometime soon…"-Sudeshna “I remember I first met you. Because we both are a little shy, we cannot talk a lot at that time. We became good friends gradually. Actually, you are open-minded, and talked to me a lot. I enjoyed talking adn having tea with you. We talked a lot...our background, your friends, our future...etc. We have to talk what is hapening after MBA...:) I feel you became more and more charming during MBA. More fashionable, more smily, and more beautiful. I know the reason... See you in near future...in Paris or Tokyo. Keep in touch!”-Noriko SATO.
“Sara is the most kind-hearted girl I’ve ever seen. I can still remember the day when I felt terrible she rushed out and took me to the hospital with no hesitation. The anxiety in her eyes make me believe that this pretty girl was gonna to be my truly best friend forever. She is a little bit shy but she is nice to everyone around. I shared the room with Sara during our study trip to South Africa, and it’s the most precious memory for both of us. She will do whatever she can to help others. The encouragement she gave me will stay in my mind all the time, and I promise her that I’ll never give up on my choices. There is an old saying in China that optimistic man will have everything he wants. Hope Sara can have all the happiness in the future to lead a happy life. What’s more, don’t forget her BFF Xue and keep in touch all the time :)”-Xue HAN
Shehriar Fountain of Historical Knowledge. Prophet of The Unforetold Truth. Tall, strong and effortlessly handsome. Dangerous. They say a man grows into his name. If that is the case, the fact that Shehriar means ‘King’ in Arabic… is massively fitting for him. Without Bourbon and Marlboro Reds, this enigmatic man from Pakistan would be dead. With them however, the man is going far. Sheh, you absolute legend, I cannot wait to continue the journey with you my man! Big love, Oli
“Hail! Hail! Glory King Shehriar !!”
King Shey! I've had the pleasure of sharing a domicile with you for half of our program and I must say I looked forward to chopping it up with you and recapping our day regularly. There was always a documentary playing on one of our laptops and there wasn't a day that went by wh ere we didn't talk about politics. Loved every minute of it. You're a top notch gentlemen and the sky is the limit for you brother. Looking forward to being present at your inauguration as the President of Pakistan. Your brother, Jason
Future of Pakistan is in the hands of a hero!
Emperor, Shehriar!
Legendary speaker Shehriar, aka Guy Kawasaki of E54, chatting with you makes the shitty vending machine coffee to an Italian roast espresso. Listening to you during lunch will change the disgusti ng Kebab to three star full course dinner. You always gave me a strong but addicted spice to my life in Nice Can’t imagine how fast the year passed by. It’s like finishing one glass of double whiskey which is blink. The great memories, coffee breaks, SF, parties and South Africa were better taste than fabulously aged world winning whiskey. Can’t wait to share even more very soon!!! Wishing all the best for you and your lovely wife. Cheers with YAMAZAKI, Teru
A born orator, lovable leader in the making – one of a kind that this world is in need of. To me, you have been way beyond this though. Trust me, I was hardly ever interested in politics or Pakistan and never knew that indo-pak history could incite so much interest in me, but after meeting you al l (You and Babar), I must admit– I will NOT die without coming to your land. You guys are just like us - we are one, and you have loved me like your family. You are a rare joy to the people who you love and we are lucky to have you in our lives. Oh btw, inside this hard core metallic handsome hero, looks like there is also a respectful and adorable husband in the making who is super afraid of his prospective wife #wink #grin #love ;) ;)… you are super and you will be super in every hat you wear – Wish u a happy wedded life in advance ..Love, Sudi
“When I talk the world listens……” -and we confirm, it always will! Shehriar – Pehlivan-i Pakistan! I would have never imagined that people from pretty distant regions can have in common so many things and share a similar worldview, but you've proved it's possible! It's not about common history and culture, but rather common mindset and perspective. I guess, that's why I've enjoyed all our communication and discussions even if we did not necessarily share exac tly same opinion on every subject. Enough serious stuff! We've had a really good time in Nice, Paris and South Africa, bro! And I'm sure we'll meet again in Lahore, Baku, Istanbul or anywhere else! And I know you will be an excellent husband, caring father and brilliant businessman. I hope you won't forget to tag me on each photo of ancient Turkic weaponry and armors you might see in the future :) See you! Rasim
Demoiselle Saha, You are the first person I met in the MBA and you become truly one of the closest person to me in Nice. Living the same experience at our famous Jean Medecin, during London and South Africa trips and studying in the lobby there late at night. Supporting me in my "crises" at the end of the program! you are really a genuine chic lady. From the bottom of my heart I wish you all the best in your life after MBA: getting your dream job ASAP, and all the success, good health and love in the coming years. Having this Indian energy, with the unique open minded attitude, I am sure you will get out the best of what a life can offer. All the best best sudeeeshna! my dearest Indian demoiselle. Suds the range of emotions that you can Le Beik go through in course of one chat can put a hindi soap opera to shame! Our very own drama princess! It was a blast having you around this last year and i look forward to meeting the tornado that is you in our "peaceful" M umbai. Best of luck for your future, you know you've got it all in you! M anas Sudeshna, Sudie, little Sudie, Smartie…..!!! 50 shades of Sudeshna…Fragile like an egg, Cute as a button…and then, Small but MIGHTY!!! Your innocence, humility and authenticity will take you places… Best of luck dear. Olubukunola
One of the smartest thing that I did during the whole of my MBA was to listen to Grandma T's advice. Did I ever thank you properly?? :) Thank you also for always having a smile and time for everyone. Whilst people so often tested your patience, you seldom did lose your composure. This and your absolutely insane capacity for hard work will help you succeed in anything you pursue. Though I can't wait to see you start a fab business soon! May your journeys bring you to our shores soon. Have a great life, T. Manas
Minha linda amiga, Thabata! Your heart is bigger than the country of Brazil, your kindness never stop flowing like Rio Amazanas, and your smile is brighter than sol. I can’t believe that all the great things about you fit in your small body. You made my year in Nice unforgettable in my life. We had wonderfully brilliant time not only in class but also in real life. Needless to mention that we had amazing time working together. Your passion to entrepreneurship and creativity for marketing always inspired me. UberFries was one big event for me. Before working on the project, I was one boring person who didn’t have any entrepreneurship. But you are definitely one of the person who motivated me and changed me. Even though we had a bad luck for the project but it was so fun and exciting talking to you about the project. Whenever we hit the dead-end, we came up with new ideas and always ended our conversation positively. And also the tasting parties were so much fun with the lovely people. Hiking, SF, BBQ in Provence and South Africa (Shark Diving!), so many good memories that I can talk about it for all day. All the best for your future and see you very soon! My future company, Schaefer E Dias Inc. is in progress ;) With Billions of hugs, Teru
Toru – A super hardworking and efficient team member. An individual like none other I have ever worked with. Always prepared and ready to go the extra mile. Toru has a great personality and is considerate of other people and respects the opinion of others! Go Toru! I wish you all the best! A bientot! -
Benedicta
It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to know Toru and be friends with him. I felt that we both shared similar personalities and ways of working, so it was great to work with him. Though we are not outspoken, we did exchange thoughts and experience beyond the classroom. I was touched by his and his wife’s kind gesture and hospitality with which they welcomed us at home to have a get-together before some of us left Nice to continue their journey after MBA. Toru, I am sure that you can achieve anything that you wish to and you don’t need me to wish you luck. I only wish that someday we will be able to spend a serene evening at the French Riviera with a couple of beers, while revisiting the good times we had at EDHEC. -
Toru has all the qualities that are required to be an awesome team mate and a valuable asset to any organisation. Apart from being an ideal team mate, Toru is also a great friend. Exchange of knowledge regarding our professional expertise to work on assignments, discussing similarities and difference in cultures from Japan and India, and the way Toru integrated us – the September intakes in our first team assignments by inspiring each of us with his hard work has left a lasting impression about Toru. I would love to work with again! I feel that having an opportunity to work with Toru, not just ensured a smooth assimilation into the program but also helped me develop some serious chopsticks skills in short span of time… ;) Toru, I wish you all the best in your next assignment. Hope to see you someday soon! - Vrushali
Chetan
Manas Sengupta Because something remarkable needs to be remarked upon.
Manas Da, I do remember the warning that went along with the nomination of my name for the yearbook. I will write only good things today because the whole year I used my exclusive right to pull your legs. You have been an elder brother I counted on always. Lastly u look very cute when u eat, and I can totally relate to your joy… Bon’g’ Appetit :P I told you, I will tell only good things. Loads of Love, Sudeshna
"Manas – a perfect blend of professionalism and personal charm! I appreciate the way he welcomed us, the September Indians, by crafting a nice email loaded with all practical information. During the time that we spent together the inexperienced trekking at Mercantour, fun-gathering at his apartment, trip to South-Africa or simply the leisurely walk along the city-streets – I always witnessed his warmth, responsibility, spontaneity and presence of mind. My heartfelt wishes for him for all spheres of his life!!" If I had to choose one word with which to describe Manas, that word would be presence. Manas has that something special that only very influential few people have. He can lighten the mood with a joke, or bring classmates to tears with a speech of how India is dreaming. There are not many people out there like Manas. I am certain that he will continue to inspire his colleagues and excel at whatever he does. Manas for PM!
Dear Irene, It was very nice to meet you and study with you. I remember when we walked together in Mercantour the second day. I think that was a good opportunity to get to know each other better. I know that we did not share too many moments together, but I enjoyed those moments that we had. I wish you all the best in the future and I hope to see you soon in Nice! Rodrigo
Jason! Probably the smoothest guy I know, never fails to impress, whither it is the constant knowledge bombs he drops on unsuspecting victims or the depth of his character, you sir are a rarity. From that shopping fest in Milan right after we met, or the crazy escapades in New York we are about to unleash, this year has been one of the most exciting, exhilarating and confusing times of my life and I cant say it would have reached the heights of glory or the depths of depravity without you my brother. - Shehriar Brother Jason, I can’t write much here because this paper will be public :p ... I love how you always claim that you have changed but you actually don’t because Gold never changes. Keep rolling the way you are and we will roll together along with Shae in Mekkah soon I hope (in a good PG way)! Wish u all the best bro! - Lateef
Jason Grant
Jason my African brother !!! It’s being great spending this one year with you, so much fun and excitement never a dull moment with you. The year went by so quickly! I wish you all the best and keep being you. Like I say if anyone can crack down a person’s wall it’s you! Lol I Miss you, but know I will be seeing you around :) - Bukky LL Cool J…ason smashes Nice! When he’s not acting in The Wire, this delightful man-mountain bench-presses babes for breakfast. And then more for brunch. Don’t ask what he does for dinner. While it’s irrefutable that the ladies love Jason, so do the guys (well I do anyway). With an equal measure of brains, beauty and brawn, Jason will charm the skin off a snake, the socks off a sparrow and the knickers off a nun. At the same time. A disciplined teetotal, Jason’s also the only man I know who can party all night without a sniff of alcohol (or anything else for that matter). This multi-talented Bachelor from the Bronx is going places. He doesn’t know where yet, but what I know is that the places will be big and he’ll do well. Brother from another mother, I’m looking forward to sharing that journey with you! Big love, Oli
Yevgen Pleshkan
From the first day of school, Yevgen greeted me with his smile and his contagious energy. Always ready to give a hand, he helped me faced my fear of height at the Summit activity. If you were cold, Sexy Jack always had a cup of tea to share with his fellow classmates. Oh, I must not forget to mention how handsome he looks on special occasions such as his birthday or school presentations! Thank you for making this year even more entertaining by your dance moves, your leadership and your joie de vivre. Mel This person has a real sense of humor and excellent interpersonal skills. Whatever the situation was, Yevgen could always find positive sides around that, motivating and encouraging others to overcome any obstacles. As an elder classmate, you made me smile, you made me laugh, you were the one who cheered me up; when I was down you picked me up and when I frown you turned it upside down. Elena I had no idea that we would have so many great memories after only 4 months. I guess I owe you a big thank you first because had it not been for your swift negotiating skills I am sure I would not have made it back from Ukraine. After surviving 7 crazy days in Ukraine, with only few hours before departure I managed to get in trouble. Lucky for me, you used your negotiation skills to get me on that plane and make sure I get home :), although 20 Euro poorer. Next I should apologize for pouring you three times more alcohol in each drink on your birthday than I did myself and telling you that I gave you half as much as myself. Thanks for the great memories and I am sure we will have many more. Przemek Jack! You are a force of nature and a memorable addition to our class. Thank you for your energy, your enthusiasm, talking me through everything to do with the MBA on the bus ride to the summit, and your passion in preparing and presenting that poster for Shlomo’s class. All the best to you in your future endeavours! Julia
Teru Ya maguchi, who sleeps before his guests leave! (I've got many proofs). Seriously Teru and I'm being extremely mean here, you're one of a kind! The best Japanese I've ever met i n my l ife (I promise I met quite a l ot). I'm sure we will meet soon :) chin chin.. Oh sorry cheers mate. - La teef The Ma n. The Myth. The Machine. The Master. Samurai Drinking Legend Teru Yamaguchi will never be forgotten for his enviable ability to dri nk more fine wine than anyone in the room (combined)… and still hold a good conversation. A s kill nicely complemented by a n a bility to s leep safely a nywhere…e.g. in the mi ddle of a bus y road. And then not be hungover the next day. Teru, my wonderful wine buddy a nd fellow foodie, I ha ve fi nally met my ma tch. Deep respect to you my Ja panese brother; you a re missed already. - Ol i 100% true fa cts a bout Teru: - Godzi lla has not returned to Japan s ince the day of Teru's birth out of s heer fear. - Teru ea ts his morning cereal with shochu i nstead of milk. - A fool once tri ed to mug Teru...he tri ed. - Teru never uses hair gel. His hair stands up, because Teru tells i t to stand up. - EDHEC pa i d Teru for the MBA program.- Rubin
10ml of a saint émilion wine 10ml of the strongest tequila 10ml of hot milk with chocolate (that you drink before sleep) A ha rd combination to i magine, but a result ca lled Teru! The gentlest man on earth, that even drunk i s s weet a nd polite. The most energetic rep of the class, that, nevertheless, ca n sleep i n "unknown" pl a ces. A ja panese guy that has the heart of the size of the moon! Wish you all the best i n your new journey my dear! And hope news from little Yamagushi soon. From your always fri end a nd Uberpartner, -Thabata The worst host, wine novice a nd just an all around ja ckass. None of these words can ever be us ed to describe Teru. I don't believe I have met a nicer more welcoming person i n my l ife. Pri vi l eged to be your fri end a nd only wi sh we had more time together. But that ca n be fixed. - Arun I wa s really honored the first time I was invited to chez Teru. When I arrived, he said to me, “there is only one rul e here: you are not allowed to leave hungry or s ober.” He stayed true to his word. We will miss his red fa ce, a bility to sleep anywhere, and we're looking forward to seeing him i n Spain soon! - Rob
Sid loves so much chocolate that he may actually be made of it... with a melting heart of caramel because he’s so sweet and so generous! I can’t count the times you helped me out, whether it was getting back home on that day I couldn’t walk in high heels, or when you took the lead for our last group assignment. And, for that, I owe you way more choco bars that I gave you so far, in this life or the next one. Working with
Siddarth,
you and getting to know you was an once-in-a-lifetime
Since the moment I left my parents, you were along. Yes,
adventure and I’m proud to be part of the same ENFP family!
amongst 1.2 billion people, three Indians leaving New Delhi
T ake care and see you again
on the same night, on the same flight for the same b school
- - Céline
is d efinitely a rare co-incident. H aving said that, I must admit that I am really sorry that I couldn’t manage coming down till your place in an entire one year’s time!! This was life and I so regret that missing p art of it! Wh ile I am writing this, I am eagerly looking f orward to seeing your innocent face again very soon. Trust me when I say you are yourself as refreshing as a hot cup of coffee – Keep your en couraging and motivated self alive f orever and ever!! - - Sudeshna
Sidd, it’s one of the first Indian names that I remembered in this MBA program, not only because you were one of my first teammates, but also because of your friendliness. As the only guy from the January intake in the team, you welcomed us with your warmness. You are a good listener and a person that people can give th eir trust. Your encouragement and the sharing of your own experience gave me more confident in this one year’s adventure. The kindness of this
My d ear Sidd,
I ndian coffee p rince is d efinitely w hat I will remember!
You are one of the sweetest persons
All the best, my f riend!!!
someone will ever meet….ith your ravishing --Yan g
smile and full of good humor you have always been a beam of sunlight! I will take with me forever this intimate
The first thing you should know about Siddharth is that he has big heart. Inside its small body he hides a huge heart and a wonderful shy smile. Sidd is great in building consensus during discussions and giving the necessary pause in times of tension and stress. But, the most important thing about Sidd is that he is a great friend, faithful and constant. I wish you all the best wherever you go my friend! - - Rodrigo
moment we have had by the lake at the summit! I wish you all the best in your next endeavours
and
hope
that
Love
and
Happiness will always be surrounding you wh erever you g o! - - You r everlastin g mate, Greg
September 2014 Intakes E54
Akhilesh Prasad
Akhilesh is one of the brightest people I have ever met. He is also one of the most unassuming and humble people too. You always know Akhilesh is in the room because you will recognize his laugh. He has a wonderful nature and is always up for a laugh. Akhilesh, I'm so glad that we got to be in a group together. I learned a lot from you and you also became a good friend. You are very supportive, warm, and generous. I only wish that we had gotten to know each other sooner. I hope we will keep in touch and see each other again – Rob Langan When I first saw Akhilesh's picture on Facebook before we'd met, I thought this guy's super-serious, and how wrong was I! Although he doesn't talk much, people need to know that this man has a great sense of humor. Akhilesh is also a sport when it comes to taking jokes. Also, don't go by his quiet appearance as the man has pretty insightful opinions on a wide range of matters. Akhilesh would truly stand out in a crowd of people. I'll remember the many times we'd be on the phone talking about upcoming assignment work or just about how things are going at school. I wish Akhilesh a wonderful life ahead and may he succeed in whatever he chooses to do next in his career. – Jiten Thaker
This is my story about Akhilesh. Short and Simple. When I first met Akhilesh, he was very shy and not at all talkative. But, once we both found that we came from the same city in India, we were like brothers. He has a different nature and if we give him chance, he can be a very interesting person. Good to have him as a classmate. I wish him all the best and I’m sure that we will meet in Pune. – Mandar Deshpande
Arun, the Indo-Canadian who takes his life into his own hands every morning while flying on his bike through the streets of Nice. Qu'est ce que f%&K? Arun is someone who can make friends incredibly easily. He immediately puts you at ease and will ensure that you have a great time. More than just that, Arun is a great friend. One feels a great sense of support from him. Arun, we've had many conversations, many of which were influenced by cheap wine. We had great fun at the back of the class, on the weekends, and in Barcelona. While we often joke how lucky you are to have Tina, I actually think it's Tina who is the lucky one. We won't be far from each other in the near future, and we will see each other again soon. - Rob
For me, Arun combines all these things with ease: Canada, India, a bit of Cambodia and the French savoir vivre. He explains how the world works while he spills wine on his shirt or on the ground. He is ambitious and a slacker - in the right place at the right time. He is hospitable and funny. I am curious where you and Tina will live next. Hopefully not too far from me. - Britta
Arun DANIEL
Arun - The day we landed in Nice, when you actually showed up at my residence room to go for lunch, I knew I had met someone that I could count on. I really do admire the way you never take the easy way out (BBQ'd rabbit, anyone?), you are always willing to learn, you cook like an Indian grandmother, and you're a kickass friend. In the words of a wise man, "Big Gulps, huh? All right! Well, see you later." -Your friend, Hu-hu-hulia
Arun, you are a person who has the charm to get good people arun-around you. This charm comes from your handsome Indo-Canadian look. It comes from your jokes, which in your own words, dumb ones. ;-p It comes from the magic influence you have on people, which passed the “curse” of spilling wine on oneself to all of us. I might be exaggerating the good looking, ;-) but I am definitely honest and serious on the following. This charm comes from your considerateness and empathy, which makes a trustable friend. You are a true friend with whom I can share feelings and from whom I can learn good things. Hopefully we will still meet each other frequently. Otherwise I will miss Tina too much. ;-p - Yang
Arun, known as the fastest bicycle that the Rue de Californie has ever seen! One morning I saw you with his bicycle in front of my place. I decided to follow you , so we could go together to school, but I didn’t know what it was waiting for me. Cars, buses, motorcycles, and red lights were not obstacles for you. I think that one of my lungs stopped working that day because of the effort I made. However, it was worth it, we got to school in 10 min! (Nicois Record Gambetta-EDHEC) It was an honor to leave Le Hussard with you! Thanks for the good times, driving us to the gas station in South Africa, walking together back home, the kebabs, the Indian food, the little cigars, the coffees, and French club! - Rodrigo
Benedicta She has a kindly heart. I always felt comfortable with her. She always gave us good atmosphere with her warm jokes and rhythm. She is also professional. I learned a lot from her, especially cool judgement. Even when we tackled with challenging assignments, she logically made a right decision. If she is on your side, you must be confident. Lastly, I will present a Japanese name (kanji) as a proof of the friendship to her. Toru name (kanji) pronunciation
Meanings
(be)
neighborfood, side, edge
(ne)
sound, rhythm, music
(di)
coming out, start
(c)
Rouge
(ta)
rice field
Toru Benedicta, or Benediction or bendicion, or the blessed one … doesn’t really matter the point is , you are not only blessed, you bless others with your kindness and support . Thank you for blessing me with your friendship , knowing you and working with you were a privilege . Also thank you for laughing at my stupid jokes, it helps my ego. I really Hope life gets to put us in shared situations. Toufic
Sitting beside each other for so many months, how did you endure all my mood swings? I am so glad we developed this friendship, I am still amazed about how quickly you can read me and are able to call if something is slightly bothering me. You have this huge interest in people and amazing listening skills. I wish you best of luck in your success at Total! Whenever you come to Montreal, you have a place to stay and a private guide of the city. I will miss you! Mel
"My dear Benny, I just wonder how we’ve created such a wonderful and rewarding friendship within a span of just 4/5 months. It’s always a pleasure to be surrounded by like-minded people, but we rarely get such chances. I am happy that I got such a rare friend in you! I respect your logical and rational thinking capability, your sincerity, your sense of responsibility and the kind and caring heart inside you. Though we often regret on why didn’t we made friendship earlier, as they say “Better late than never”! I am sure, in the coming years, we are going to reap the fruits of the friendship that we have sown in this beautiful Mediterranean city. I'll miss you a lot once I leave Nice, but I am sure we will end up meeting quite frequently :) My heartiest wishes are always with you, mon amie :)" Soumita
'What you see is what you get' with Benny! I am privileged to have shared some moments with you and of course not forgetting the so unique lunches. The plantain you made was absolutely finger licking delicious, a big departure from my usual sandwiches! Bring more plantain next semester! Susan
Britta - my fellow literature student, publishing buddy, and former trumpet player - I am so glad to have you as my friend during this year, during the mornings at the farmers market, Deutschstunde, Sunday dinners, South Africa and San Francisco roommates, first Sundays at the museum, wine tasting in Provence, city tour of Grasse, and many, many cups of coffee. Your courage, decisiveness, and unwillingness to compromise are unmatched, and aspirational for me. I look forward to our Rocky Mountain road trip, and your guided tours of Munich and Vienna. All the best. Julia.
Britta! You are sooo friendly, considerate, understanding, supportive, fun, determined, decisive, independent and much more! I am really happy to have met you here in Nice! The conversations, coffees, tapas, wines and pastas we shared on our trips along the Mediterranean wouldn’t have been the same without you… So let’s keep it up – I hope to see you soon on our next travel adventure. Or just a coffee is equally fun. But for now, wishing you all Britta: you are my bicycle-riding, quiche-making, the success in finding your dream job cassis-drinking, better half. I will always hold dear wherever it might happen to be! Vaiva our year together in our Nicois apartment – including the Cave of Wonders kitchen, terrible Britta...since the first time I laid neighbors, and lack of water eyes on you, I knew I had to have pressure/temperature control – and then laughing you. As my friend. I will miss the about the whole thing over a glass of wine (or morning coffee and French chats, six). You are such a supportive, determined, and the knowing glances exchanged as fun-loving friend, and I have been so lucky to we roll our eyes in class ...this is so share a lodging with you this year. It almost seems like we might live in the same city again in stuuupiiid ( I can tell when you roll the near future, but if not, you had better visit me your eyes from the back of your in Canada, preferably in the winter. – Zahra head now BTW), and of course the
riveting and deep conversations that balance it all out. I appreciate your honestly and directness, don't let that go. It's been awesome and I will be making copies of that goth picture when we meet up next. Arun
Super efficient, dynamic & beautiful half of the Entrepreneurship club. Over achieving leader of the MBA class. Animated drinking buddy at the rain or shine, we drink to everything club. You rock, Britta! Yours-truly-who-treasures-those-spiritedfights-over-ideas, Prithvi
YOLO... If you know Celine, you would definitely have heard her utter those words more than a few times.Celine was a lot of things to me... neighbour, fellow party animal, world standard class rep, handy french translator, ace comedienne, go-to-girl for the times I needed to pour out my heart to someone, ace event planner and many other thing I cannot put here so my other friends don't get jealous and dump me. Everybody loves Celine (that is to say, if you don't, you should get head checked ArAP). My dear Celine break as many legs as you can in your post MBA exploits, I'd love to hear all the funny stories. Also, The end of our studies is definitely not the end of our friendship. I have lock you in a cage in the farthest corner of my heart, from whence you can never escape HA..HA...HA..HA... *maniacal laughter* reghe
Celine, my beautiful French friend, the more I came to know you, the more you have surprised me with your extraordinary talents and commanding multi-language skills!! You were the Class Representative in terms of taking care of every small need of your fellow classmates and lending a helping hand and showing caring attitude for them. When we were all struggling to combat with the highly demanding MBA course, you found out time to organize many successful parties to give us some much-needed relief. You are the warehouse of talents and I am very sure that you will be immensely successful in your life by utilizing them properly! I am proud to have you as my friend and will be happy to be your guide in your India tours; do keep in touch :) roumita
I had a privilege to work with Celine in first assignment Team. Team C…ool. rhlomo class was the first and thanks to Celine the things went wild during the “The World has never been the better place to live” presentation which stared Care Bears. After that there was a famous poster exercise with puppies all around it, proposed by our dearest “Plant” and the rest is history including “B for All, All for C”. Celine is essential indigent of every party, great companion on the parties who knows all cool places around city where the sangria is for free. With her multicultural experience she was very helpful in overcoming all kind of barriers for all students, for me she help with the registration of the “MBA baby” at the local Mairie (doing tons of photos with me and the rice representative) That is the thing that for sure she brought from Japan, her love making photos in every situation and giving it Japanese blend. Wszystkiego rajlepszego and ra Zdrowie Celine, WoWo
Celine........a bishoujo from the land of Pyrenees , a cherished friend with a radioactive bionic arm and a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig heart of gold ......... her spirit and energy are unmatchable. Her favourite slogan – YOLO (you only live once). Her ultimate career objective is to start an elephant taxi service in rice....r . ro party can be complete without her. rhe is a live wire whose presence suddenly changes the whole mood in a party. rhe has this rare quality of laughing at herself and her knack of repartee is extraordinary. A perfect plant (extremely green and luxuriant), who encourages people to think creatively and differently, and a true leader. However, behind all the fun and frolic is a very intelligent and accomplished person, an expert in languages, a world traveller and an accomplished cultural expert. With two masters under her belt and about to complete her MBA, she is a powerhouse of intellect. I wish you all the best in your life and hope to see you soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, Pradeep
When I was asked to say things about Céline, I thought that a photo could tell much more than a long speech, she likes funny photos therefore it’s a good way to talk about “la petite Céline” (the little Céline). Just for the story: this photo was taken during innovation class where Céline came dressed with a Catwoman suit, don’t ask why but use your “creativity machine” to guess why, this is magic Céline. Céline is also known as railor Moon, as Catwoman, also as Bionic Girl (the legend say that she is able to turn any electrical device just by the power of her eyes), she is also known as the fifth member of the village people (there’s a photo that can prove it), as known as Dr. Pallata (and many other legendary persons). However, the most important think that she is famous for is her “bisounours” heart. Ma petite Céline don’t change anything, just stay the same with your kindness and your spontaneity. rofiane
CéCé, the colorful flower of our group and the amazing CR!! You are a true positive energy provider wherever you are. I can remember our very amazing time in the first group in reptember, with that pizza dinner before posting your puppies in our Japan Project! Elegant, smart, easy going and always ready to party to enjoy the moment, I am sure you will succeed in you post-MBA life. I wish you all the best on all levels. iMad.
rome might say she’s half Japanese (and half “Ariegoise”), she has a bionic arm (lightning in the night or to plug the washing-machine), she’s Cat woman or she comes directly from the 70’s (London Calling?). Celine has so many hidden power. Could everything be revealed? Obviously not! Always funny, always smiling, she was always available for everyone in the class to help. rhe logically was on the class representative for the 4 first months of the program. Always optimistic, Celine is able to make less dramatic every ….. dramatic situation and make you looking forward (“But don’t look back in anger”, I heard you say ….) Really impressed by her dedication to others, her “power” and her happiness, Celine is definitively a person who everyone could be inspired! “Aligato Céline” And let’s meet in “Fêtes du rud-Ouest”!, JB
Celine – you are known for your Japanese ways and heart-wrenching Bryan Adams covers. I enjoyed working with you as part of Team C; your creativity and enthusiasm were unmatched! I hope you keep your crazy fun-loving spirit always. – Zahra
Chandu is a free-spirit. He is very friendly and always eager to give a helping hand, most times at his expense. He is also a very talented individual with exotic talents ranging from his impressive coin tossing skills to his very entertaining acting skills (endorsed by Prof. Maital Shlomo himself). He is also an amazing family man who divides his time between our rather strenuous workload and talking with his beautiful wife and lovely children. Because of people like Chandu, India has moved up in my "Places I should definitely visit list". So Mr. Chandulal Rathlavath, when I visit India, I would love to eat my favorite Indian delicacy, Biryani, at your home. Be prepared. Till we meet again, my dear friend, may you choke on success in your post-EDHEC exploits.
An American friend once asked me what the best meal I had in France was. This got me thinking. It could have been the duck at Le Bistrot d'Antoine, Nice (2 weeks reservation); or the Foie Gras Ravioli with truffle oil at Comptoir de la Gastronomie, Paris…My best meals in France were the occasional meals with Chandu and Jiten during lunch breaks. The meals were just simple rice with frozen veggie mix and Indian spices but they were done with so much hospitality and kindness. I am glad to call Chandu my friend, and I look forward to have more meals with Chandu in the years to come. Gin Quang Dang
Seghe Momodu. “An Indian guy with a good listening ear”. This was my first impression about him and this was the time to break my stereotype of Indian people. Actually this impression has still now continued without any
Chandu! A war m and humor ous presence in our MBA class, wicked dancer and ace cointosser. I wish you all the best and success in the future! Julia Chanter
change. He is soft, warm, and playful. I know he is also a good father and a good husband. I am impressed by his strong bond with family. He said to me that he was chatting with his wife in India every day. I saw the ideal family man in him!! Here is the guy with a lot of love.
Maasa Yamamoto
Chandu is a free spirited and super friendly person. I'm glad to have met him during the MBA program and I believe that the journey of our friendship will continue for long. Though he is academically qualified from the top institutions in India, he is always curious to learn from everyone. He always takes the lead to share stories about his personal life, which made me trust him to share the deepest of my memories. I wish him all the best and I'm sure he will be a noticeable face in the crowd. Siddharth Barma
If I recall correctly, our friendship started even before the first days of school! It was wonderful to share this year with you. I knew I could always count on you no matter what. You even taught me how to clean and prepare an entire fish! I truly hope you find your sweet spot in Europe; which will make you closer for a little visit to Montreal! Best success in the continuation of your career! (Melanie JOBIN) We introduced each other at the start of program, so Chetan was my 1st friend at EDHEC. Since then, we had many opportunities to have a lunch together. By talking with him during lunch break, I was able to be relaxed thanks to his calmness and kindness even when I was busy. In addition, we often discussed lesson contents and his brightness offered new insight into me. Last of all, I’d like to mention that he is good at drawing!! When I have a reunion with him, I will ask him to draw a picture of my family. (Kenji Yashiro) It was great spending the year with you and I am glad you’re someone I get to call of a friend from now. I really enjoyed working with you in a group and getting to know afterwards. I am a very jealous of the view from your balcony and your cooking abilities. Best of luck and if you need anything feel free to reach out.
(Przemek BOBEL) Long time no see. You are tender-herted, polite, and honest. Thanks to your personality, I feel pretty comfortable when we are talking. Of course, I enjoyed working with you. I hope you find nice way for after MBA. And, I look forward to seeing you in Japan....(I also hope I will work less at that time...) Keep in touch, and enjoy the rest MBA!! (Noriko SATO) Chetan, le "beau gosse". I take this opportunity to share with you a few French colloquialisms to encourage you to embrace the culture you plan to emerge yourself in as you pursue a career in the Nice area. I had the pleasure of doing some great work with you this year, "tu es un vrai bosseur", and I hope we can do it again some time. Exceeding your talent in making Dahl is only your impeccable taste in women. Vrushali is an angel sent from heaven ("tu as tiré le gros lot") and perhaps the best proof to me of the quality of your judgement. With her cooking and your enjoyment of beer and wine you are well on your way to being a "bon vivant". Until we meet again, I wish you "bon vent". (Luc BOCAHUT)
Elena Shalimanova My dear Elena! My Travel buddy! Zermatt, Chamonix, Portugal, what is next?! I am so glad I got to spend this year in your company. My Russian friend, you are such a classy lady, even when having a decadent cheese fondue! You always have your friends’ best interest at heart; full of surprises and little gifts when you least expect it! If you ever need your Canadian friend, you can count on me whenever and wherever we are! I wish you a tremendously successful career and have no doubt you will get what you want! - Melanie Elena – I am very glad to have met you! I really enjoyed our pleasant conversations, adventurous trips in Cote d’Azur, weekend cappuccinos and movie nights! I appreciate your friendly and considerate demeanor, your motivation and determination. Wishing you all the success in finding a job that you want and hope to see you soon for an English version of cappuccino! - Vaiva My dear friend, I was very happy to meet you in class and to organize our small russian corner. I will always remember our trips together, as well as our party time in Monaco. I wish you to succeed in your career and I am sure that such a strong woman like you can achieve whatever she wants. I hope that we will be able to keep up our close relationships after graduation. You can always count on me, if I can help you one day. - Kat "Elena, I will always be thankful to Virginie for putting me with you in our third assignment team because it was through our intense late-night group works through which I came to know about so many good qualities in you and eventually we became so good friends!! Apart from your thoroughly professional and your goal-oriented work-ethics which I admire a lot, I will always remember the caring side of you being my saviour in the MBA-Summit trip by borrowing your sandals or dropping me a note with the details of Singapore Visa requirements!! You have every single quality to reach your professional goal in your life. Keep in touch and don’t at all hesitate to call me to be your guide in your future India trips " - Soumita One of the funniest texts I have read in years came from Elena when talking about Finance. ‘They don’t even realize the scale of this nightmare!’ I nearly choked when I read that. Elena has a wonderful sense of humour. And she is also very sweet. It was so fun working with her in a group because she was always able to keep the mood light, smiling or kidding around, but still a hard worker. Elena was such a great team member because she is so well-rounded. She is smart, efficient, a wonderful presenter, and she always had a good sense of the overall picture. Elena, I will miss seeing you in class and chatting. It was always so much fun with you. We had many laughs and you were always so supportive of me too. I hope we keep in touch. You can always count on me. - Rob
ERNESTAS Ernestas is a great team mate & I enjoyed our near-‐daily trips to the ground floor for coffee. He is a diligent worker. I appreciate his candor & sense of humor. He has the rare mix of being a person who can call you on your BS & still find him very likable. Kerry
Ernest, the team mate who went all the way to Lithuania to convince his team about a wonderful business idea for the Marketing course. And what he got back for us was an awesome snack that we planned to launch in France as a part of the course assignment. His dedication to the team and the extent to which he can go to get ideas running is commendable! On a serious note, Ernest is someone who initiates thought process and reasoning amongst his peers. He not only presents his ideas well, but also walks his team through his ideas and approach. He is someone I can rely on to discuss with, during any decision making process. Besides being an ideal team mate, mentor and friend, he is an excellent athlete with love for cycling. One can see his planning, preparation, and perseverance in both sport and work. It was wonderful knowing Enerstas. I wish him success and happiness. Vrushali
A colleague. A team-mate. A great friend. For me, Ernest has worn many hats during the time we have spent together. And I was most inspired by his ability to simplify and explain complex things to me without losing patience during the time we worked together. A rare talent.
First look at Ernest and you could think he is one tough nut to crack. However, when you get to know him just a tad more, you realize how friendly and knowledgeable that person is. E, your optimism, your desire for action and your determination to understand the unknown certainly kept me entertained during this MBA! Thank you for your patience and your drive; you greatly contributed in bringing all teammates on the same level. I hope to receive an invitation once you get your own private jet ;) Melanie
My Lithuanian brother, I see a great future for you ahead, and hope you will come to see me in India once every year – on your private jet. Or fly economy till you get one! Jatin
EDHEC E54
September 2014
Culture
Man, I got to thank you again for arranging a group a photo at hotel lobby during MBA summit. Tell us your habit of moving against the concourse and your love and passion for Vogue magazine…I wonder do you sleep, eat with Vogue magazine? ‘Ha Ha, lol’…! By the way, I really appreciate your knowledge about art, fashion, dance and list goes on and on… This guy from California is always ready to share every bit of knowledge he has…. If anyone is reading this does not catch off guard, he is a good person…. What I have written was all in good humor…. I am sure whatever you do you will be successful… Keep in touch buddy… Kallol
Re:find Gin, you are always funny, and unique. You could not stay in one place, and talked so much, spoke aloud in a restaurant, and…. were always fashionable! You are an American guy from California, but other than that, I don’t know how to describe about you! Anyway, you are really special. Stay cool! And come to Tokyo, you will like it! Mamiko
Cali-Baby! Mr. Dang, you still need to take me out shopping. Your impeccable style, taste in music and knowledge of art is second to none. I’m not sure if it was living in Rome for two years, or your weekly GQ magazine purchase that made you so cool but regardless, don’t you go changing buddy! I am pleased to have met you, let you teach me about Chagall, and talk over countless wines about true happiness. Whatever you do, wherever you go, I know you will be a success. Keep in touch man…and try to respond to my emails once and a while. – Mike
Neighbor, you may not always be the next street over, but I hope that you will never be far. You are the first friend I had in Nice, I appreciate our frequent trips to the local cafes. I may never have your level of cultural appreciation, however your influence, on art and music, has added some color to my life. ~ Mark
Gin! I am very glad to have met you! I really appreciate your original thinking, creative mind, sense of humour and art-loving nature. These are the most unique and valuable features you have. So please – keep this up! I am looking forward to our next Sunday coffee and, of course, fun and thoughtful conversations! - Vaiva
THE CASHMAN Who’s James? He’s the man! The first time I heard about him, I was very impressed by its background. Once you talk to him, you discover a very nice guy, always ready to discuss an interesting topic or to help you. Several times, I asked him for help and he always gave me good advice. The kind of guy I would have like to have met before! I should add that he definitively deserves the award for best questions asked during class: always relevant and sometimes very funny!" Cheers, JB James is my teammate, mentor, older brother, sometimes a professor. His veteran experience and honor in finance do not make him an arrogant person; instead, he is humble, friendly, thinking for others. I respect him because he keeps his curiosity, dares take risks and maintains professional attitude towards work. As an absolute leader, he can bring a sense of safety and calmness to his team members. He is never mean to share his knowledge and opinions with others. He is one of the greatest men I've ever seen- Jia Remember that time when the international finance professor asked us to give our names and one thing to remember us by. James had an epic one: "you should remember me as the one who likes to get good grades for participation"... Perfectly witty. - Luc One might think he has super powers. He moved to Nice from the US with his wife, 3 kids (and a broken car). He aced most of the classes. He studies French every morning. He speaks pretty good German, because he stayed in Munich for 6 MONTHS MORE THAN 20 YEARS AGO. To cap it all, he is a really nice guy. Hope to have a “Kaffeeklatsch” every now and then with you, James! Britta James is someone you aspire to be like. The subtle but oh so delightful humor, the breadth of knowledge, that balance of maturity and ........but I digress. It's truly been a pleasure getting to know James and I wish him the best as he continues his educational adventures. - Arun
Jatin, is the coolest Indian guy I’ve ever met, and the bar was set very high ! You’re always in a good mood, even during times of hardship and this energy spreads around you. I’m super happy I got to work with you in the Marketing Club and call you Boss, even if you don’t like it, hahaha ! You did act like a boss at the time of organizing the beach party, naturally taking the lead and keeping us all together under a lot of pressure... all for the best! Bro, I am sure you will succeed whatever you do next, always with a smile ! - Céline
Jatin, my man! For sure, you are one of those classmates who have contributed to our famous diversity in MBA! I’ve always enjoyed talking to you on various subjects, sharing ideas, opinions and simply chatting. You enriched my knowledge of India and of your culture, society, youth... And always being open to communicate with others, you made our “famous” coffee-breaks interesting and colorful. And of course, if I ever need help regarding marketing in the future, I know that there’s Jatin who can always share his ideas :) I’m not sure when but one day I’ll visit India, and I’d love to hang out with you there, that will be fun! See you, man, see you soon! - Rasim Jatin. Team J! Please don’t judge my layout skills! You more than anyone live the words that John Steinbeck wrote “The free exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world.” I admire your curiosity, your hard work, your sense of humour, and the high quality standard you set for your work, your life, and your friendships. I have learned a lot from you in this year, and I feel honoured to have had you on my team and as my friend. Come to Toronto some time soon for a visit, okay? - Julia JT, you are a blast of fun to be with and always have your quick with and anecdotes handy. But the great thing about you is that underneath that persona is a smart and ambitious professional. I admire that about you and this balance will lead you places. Where the hell you get all those stories from i just cant fathom, but they always are apt for the situation and lots of fun. Our times in Nice have been richer for those stories. My only worry though is that you may just come back from Nice a pseudo South Indian! Beware! I have had great times with you in Nice and I look forward to many more of those times in the coming years. I know you will ace whatever you set your mind to, but I still wish you the Best of luck for everything. Cheers!! -Manas Dear Jatin! It was a real pleasure to share to MBA with you! You, your big smile, and your energy bring the best of the people. In my case, you were not only a great President, and cigarettes provider, but also a good friend. Thank you for make me and the entire MBA better! I hope that wherever you go you share your energy, and make people feel at home like you did with us. I wish you all the best! You will always have a friend here. Cheers, Rodrigo
Jatin Tyagi
Thanks Messages to JB JB! I can’t find any words to describe my gratitude in my MBA days! You’re so kind and take care of me at any time if I had some French language programs. It was very difficult to live in France without your support. And you also contribute a lot to our group-works, especially in Micro economics. Time flies… our MBA have finished… but please let me know when you have a plan to come to Japan! See you soon!
Yoshito
Jean-Benoit, or JB as most of the class likes to call him, has been a wonderful classmate. I still remember the first time I had met him in class. He told me he has worked as an aeronautical engineer and I was suitably impressed since I've always had a fascination for airplanes. However, the time I really got to know him well is when we were assigned to work in the same team. I felt he was a very efficient and intelligent worker; but more than that, he came across as a genuine and friendly person. I'll remember our frantic phone and skype conversations right before the deadlines of assignments as we tried hard to complete them. Though there were some tough moments as a team but it was great fun in the end and I think I have found life-long friend in JB. I wish him great success in career and life in general. Stay in touch JB!! Regards, Jiten Thanks to JB, I found a neighbor who would talk to me in French when I was tired of searching for my words in English. Sometimes grumpy but always in a very funny way. JB has been a great friend and I’m looking forward to working with him as a teammate during the finance track. JB, now that you’re reading these lines and the MBA is over, I hope you found your dream job and that you don’t regret the good old times of the MBA class. Wish you all the best and I hope I’ll see you around even when this MBA will be over. Mathieu I have sat near Jean-Benoit since the beginning of program and realized that he is an extremely hard worker. He prepared well for the class, listened carefully to professor’s talk during class, reviewed lessons at night!! So, every time I had questions about lectures, I often asked him. Moreover, it was obvious that, in spite of his cleverness, he was quite humble which made everyone very easy to speak to. Now, I regret that I didn’t have plenty of occasions to drink with him even though he has a detailed knowledge regarding wine. I hope that, in the near future, we will enjoy his favorite wine while looking at a fabulous view of the sea. Kenji You were always generous, patient and working hard. You are definitely French, but you were showing all the Japanese virtue to us! I think that was the reason why I was relieved to talk with you. I believe you will be a super engineer to save the tradition of French engineering. Please don't forget that we were able to be a good team! And,,, let's form a big team like Renault & Nissan in Future!!
Mamiko
Mamiko
Jia is a dedicated worker: always reading above & beyond the course requirements. She is also quick with a kind word & willing to share. I appreciate her frequent suggestions to improve projects - or me. Kerry
JIA GUO
Dear Jia, my best desk-buddy! I truly appreciate your genuine and sincere nature. You are always considerate, kind and thoughtful. I have witnessed your hard work, determination, courage and original thinking - I am certain this will pay off and get you what you want! Wishing you all the success in your career! Stay in touch! Vaiva
Jia is a lovely person with so much dedication that anyone could only dream of. Always eager to learn, always eager to show best performance. Supports other people at any moment and true team player. Ernestas I've been really struck by Jia's progression during the MBA. She is as hard a worker as any, and it's been inspiring to watch a teammate grow so much in just a few short months. Initially somewhat hesitant and perhaps a bit unsure of herself, Jia's hard work has paid off immensely as she has evolved into a more outspoken and valued contributor to the classroom discussions. As important, she has a contagious positive attitude and a smile for everyone! James
There once was a kind, young woman, from China To Nice, of blue sea and warm sky, flew our Jia Finance to study Home the library Her kitchen the store next door called Dia And so opens my introduction of the kind, warm-hearted and extremely industrious Jia Guo. I recall my first introduction to Jia – the EDHEC CV book. Starting out in sales & marketing at a manpower planning agency then moving on to teaching IELTS, TOEFL & GMAT level English before ending up as a foreign currency operator. It had hard work written all over it. Over the next few months, Jia lived up to that impression and bettered it – she was always punctual, always with a warm word, courteous and proved to be a reliable classmate. I have a good deal of respect for Jia, for her professional contributions and personal advice. I wish her all the best. Nikhil
Jiten “takes a nap”
Jiten! I have truly enjoyed your company as a classmate, as a teammate and as a friend! I like your laid-back attitude, professional manners and friendly character. No matter what, you know how to keep it cool! I appreciate our thoughtful conversations on the flight from Cape Town, more trivial ones about Microeconomics and Finance… and surely the fun ones beyond the school. Wishing you all the success for the future and stay in touch! Vaiva
This bro saved my life! Jiten is pretty cool, he’s the man who “takes a nap”. You can never imagine that this guy is a metalhead, listening “Whiplash” when he wakes up and “Fear of the dark” before sleeping. Some might say his laid-back style inspired JJ Cale and Mark Knopfler as well. It was definitely a pleasure and an honour to work with him. He is a reliable and easy-going person. Jiten, you’re the kind the guy I need in a working team. I’ll never forget our talking, man! Take the best and take a nap! JB
Is there anything Hulia can't do? On any given day, maybe even at the same time, she will make incredible chili or some other type of amazing food, somehow find an article about an obscure conversation we've had (I promise I will read them), make sure 80 lazy MBA students submit their yearbook pages on timely manner, and still have time to herself for reading and school work. I'm always amazed at how Julia handles it all, and I'm extremely grateful for her friendship. Julia is an ambitious person, and I know she'll succeed at whatever she sets her heart to. (I ended the sentence with a preposition, sorry) - Rubin
Hu-Hu-Hulia! She has such a sharp sense of humour. She's intelligent, kind, fun, and honest. I became friends with Julia quite early into the MBA and I'm glad I got to know her well so early. One gets the sense that Julia is a very supportive friend and that she is truly happy to see you happy. That is a wonderful quality, I think. Julia, we all spent so many great times together out at a pub, restaurant, or chez someone's. Your cooking skills could actually surpass your yearbook skills. I will miss all the great times we all had together and I really hope that we keep in touch. My laundry machine will always be your laundry Rob machine.
Hoolia ( ringtone for life). The first person I met in the program, we agreed that MBA's have douchy reputations, so I used you as a base... glad to report no douches so far. I've loved our intellectual debates, the discussions around life and aspirations, google chats ( how would I have got through without them), the inappropriate jokes, my...best stop here. While its been way too short, I'm so happy that we met and will always cherish our friendship. Arun
How lucky we are to have you as the editor of the yearbook, which wouldn't exist without you. And how lucky I am to have you as a friend! You are courageous, adventurous, honest, curious and your hospitality always turns out to be delicious. I hope to go on many more holidays with you. Britta
Kallol, I was very happy to meet you during class and work with you in one team. You will stay in my memory as highly accountable person, who will never leave your team members to work alone. You have a great positive energy and I am very glad that we have become good friends. Thank you so much for these great pictures you did for me and sharing your experience. I wish you to succeed in your financial career. You and your wife are always welcome in my family. - Katia Kallol was the first person I met when I came to Nice. And throughout the MBA, I’ve seen him always ready to help people and share his experience. A good cook. A great photographer. An amazing friend. All the best buddy. May life bring you much success and joy. Jatin
KB! Mr. Kallol, I have a confession. The first night we met on the beach I think I only understood about 3% of our conversation, the cool part was, that was all I needed to know that we would become great friends! Now, eight months later not only can I understand you 100%, but I also have had the pleasure of working with you, drinking with you and becoming great friends. You are an awesome guy to be around and you always bring a great energy. Additionally, you are one talented photographer and I can’t wait to see some of your shots in National Geographic! Good luck in the future buddy, there is much more success coming your way! - Mike Dear President Kallol, It was a pleasure to share the MBA with you! Always with a smile and open to listen and share, you made things easier for me. You were not only the best President that the Finance Club ever had (and the only one by the way), and the keeper of the back seats of the class, but also a great friend! I wish all the best whether if you continue your promising career as photographer or as a financial advisor! Thanks for everything my friend! Rodrigo
Kallol, the finance geek. It was a true pleasure to know you during our MBA. I can remember our first chat at the mountains, when we were both rationals (non risk takers :-p) and discussed about jobs and the MBA program. A professional photographer with an artistic eye, very smart, always prepared to the team work, I hope and I am sure you will get your dream job in Finance. All the best for you and for your wife in your professional and personal life, I hope we can cross again after our MBA. Imad
My favourite Russian! Kat, I will never forget mee8ng you on that mountain in France. We made our way down from that peak together and I knew that we would be friends. Your determina8on to get to the top of the mountain in spite of your fear is a perfect example of how you live life…then I learned you like to party! From then on I knew we would be amazing friends and I know this will con8nue aFer the MBA. I can’t wait to read about you in the Wall Street Journal (or FT) someday soon, you are going places Kat, and you will con8nue to be an amazing success. See you at the Stampede! -‐ Mike Dear Katia, my Russian friend with a beautiful smile and great sense of humor! I've enjoyed our friendship throughout the MBA and I'm sure we'll keep in touch. We had so much fun in Capetown! Remember that VIP service for the Ferris wheel with Champagne?! :) And of course, the legendary Russian corner! I guess, in 5-6 years you'll have your private jet parked at the Nice airport, and hope you'll give me a ride :) And maybe, we'll fly back to Capetown again, what do you think? :) Give me a call if you come to Istanbul, and I'll show you the Turkish corners :) See you, Katia! Rasim
Katerina Zhuravleva Katia, my Russian Princess: I begin by expressing my admiration for your skills in finance, networking, hosting Russian Parties, and partaking in Champagne flip cup. I have witnessed many great displays of your unwavering character, and I know you will someday be running the show on Wall Street – and having a wonderful time! I am so proud to be your friend and Russian Corner counterpart. I know I can always count on you for another crazy adventure, and I am looking forward to many more! – Zahra
Bella Ka8a! The founder of the Russian corner. Thank you for your endless generosity and your willingness to help me at any 8me. I simply love how everything is possible with you and you certainly know how to make things happen! I look forward to many more Russian corners anywhere in the world. Just tell me where and when and I will be there. See you soon and in the mean8me, knock them dead in the investment banking world! -‐Mel
Kenji One of the meanings of the name Kenji is ‘wise governor’. When Kenji was given his name upon his birth, I wonder whether his parents had this particular meaning in mind for the destiny of their delightful son. Because this is exactly the great destiny that my man Kenji is heading for. He might not quite know it yet, but for those who know him he clearly already has the wisdom part, and for the final part it’s safe to say that we’re witnessing a governor in the making. Historically not all wise governors have been nice people, however you’ll be hard-pressed to meet a nicer man than The Legend That Is Kenji Yashiro. This man will be going far in life, I just know it. Not only do you want this man on your team, you need him Written with love by Oli Lyons For about 8 months, I had the privilege to sit near Kenji during the courses. Difficult to find the words … He’s so nice, so kind! Typical hard-worker Japanese, it was a real pleasure to discover Japanese culture and state of mind through him. He was always available to help me when I needed! Kenji is definitively a model for me! It was a real honour to meet him and share 08 months of the MBA program with him. JB Kenji is probably the best team mate I ever had. Half-human, half machine, I called him “excel sensei”. I couldn’t imagine we could do such things with this software. His mastering is just close to art! Beyond that, this infallible machine has also emotion: always smiling, available and open to others, Kenji send very positive energy around him. He is also curious and even able to tell me the precise date like, for example, when Napoleon was crowned “emperor of the French” (December, 2nd 1804)! I have no doubt Kenji will meet success in all his projects.Good to know: to reload his battery, just offer him an Asahi beer! He will be your best friend forever David Tobar
Kenji, is one of the few people I became friends with from the very beginning of the program. Before the South Africa, I only knew that he was a humble, studious, hard working person. During the trip, I realised that Kenji also had a fun-loving side! It was indeed a very pleasant surprise to see the extrovert side of Kenji outside the classroom. From our endless discussions on various subjects at lunch in 507 to working in a team with Kenji are some the memories I will cherish forever. Intelligent, organised, strong-willed, understanding – that’s Kenji-sama. Needless to say, he is a resource that every organisation should have. I wish the best for him in his future endeavours. Vrushali It's a Bird... It's a Plane... IT'S Kenji! Even though Kenji can’t fly, he is no less a Superman. I am lucky that I got to know him on the very first day of the school when we introduced each other to the rest of the class. He is a person like no other. Brilliant in studies, excellent with numbers, polite, caring, fun loving and always ready to help. I will regret not having an opportunity to work with him in a team. With his humble nature and hunger for knowledge, I am sure he will achieve great success in his career. Wish you the best for all your future endeavors. Chetan
My first impression of you was that you are a very attentive and witty person, but you also seemed pretty quite. My second impression was that all of my first impressions were true! That said, I took it upon myself to learn more and sat next to you on the bus in South Africa, this was a great decision. That bus ride was the first of our many chats or deep conversations in which you provided me with interesting and new views on life, careers and classes. Additionally, I think you are an an excellent drawer, and I can’t thank you enough for giving me something tangible to take away from the “Self Trust” class. :) - Britta
Kerry LaPrees It was a great pleasure to meet and work together with Kerry. When he does something he dedicates himself 100%. Very good team player, always open to new ideas from other teammates and always has his own ideas. Kerry, I’ll miss those days when we almost every morning went for a coffee machine and had conversions ranging from business and studies to vacations, trips and other personal experiences. - Ernest
The startingcenterforthe EDHECMBA Basketballteam, measuringat atowering5'10" the HoosierStateNative, Kerry! What a pleasure to get to know himand his family. I'll always remembermeeting on the first day of school. Kerry was the first person I met and I left ourencountervery impressed. I thought to myselfthat if allthe students were half as smart,kind and interestingas himthen I'd be in in fora good year. I was not wrong. He set the barthat day and has continued to amaze. Heeven recently revealed his sense of humour, who knew? I’mvery honouredto call Kerry a friend and hope that one day I’llget to work and live in abuildingdesigned by him. Good luck to you Jen and Winston. -Patrick It’s tough when one of the It was such apleasure gettingtoknow you, JenandWinston.Icame intothe program hoping tomeeta familylike yours however Icould’ve never imaginedwhat agenuine,hilarious and funfamily itwouldbe.Asfor you Kerry, Ifind you extremely wittyand I love yourclassicone-liners.Ican’twait to see which path you take andI almostforgot…canyoudesignmy basement? Iamhappytosaythatthis is the beginningofa lifelong friendship. See yousoon. -Mike
nicest persons asks you to write for his yearbook page. If you are already reading this you know the kind of person you are. It’s no brainer. Hey man I got to learn, how do you juggle so smoothly between family and the MBA class. Yet you are the first person to complete the assignment. I still remember when first time I asked you, did you have any idea what to write about the law exam? The answer was I had already done it. I was asking myself seriously?? I would cherish every moment of our group work and your occasional witty comments. Be in touch!! – Kallol
KUMARAVEL DEIVAM We were teammates in the 1st assignment group. Kumar was the person who could voluntarily consider what to do in order to achieve the team goal. He did his best to contribute to the team even if his task was the one that others would avoid. I also found that he loves automobile because he had a joyful look when talking about cars. I believe that his enthusiasm regarding automobile will make him succeed in his career. - Kenji
Thalaiva! Together we did the impossible, travelled across Europe, drank humanly impossible litres of alcohol, hopped innumerable pubs, hogged weekend Indian lunches, almost froze to death in the middle of nowhere and lived through Tyagi's nautanki/Prithvi’s bak-bak. Bro, only for you, we'd even go to McDonald’s for breakfast. May the gods keep the madness in our heads & the dosas in our stomachs! Partners-in-crime, Prithvi & Jatin
Kumar was my mate during the EDHEC introduction day, we had get to know each other for the first presentation and we had to present each other so I already had a chance to discover his passion for movies and football. He perfectly pronounced former Borussia Dortmund polish striker name Robert Lewandowski and even harder one Błaszczykowski. His passion for the sport goes well beyond that and he is also very good player himself. We managed to play MBA football match and he scored a lot of goals, becoming top scorer. He is also passionate about automotive industry as his background is automotive engineering so if you ask him about newest trends in industry or which car manufacturer belongs to or has alliance with, he will know everything. That is why his dream job is in that industry and he is even willing to sacrifice and is looking for the job as far as Eastern Europe J Good Luck and maybe see you in Poland. - Wojtek Cristiano Ronaldo? Leo Messi?... Kumaravel!! Kumar is the next Ballon d’Or winner. The way he moves with or without the ball, just as he did in South Africa or in the Marketing Party in the beach of Nice, makes him one of the referents of the international MBA soccer league. Kumar received many offers from teams such as Real Madrid, Manchester United, INSEAD, or LBS, but finally, he decided to come to EDHEC and became one of the stars of the team. He is one of the best team members inside and outside the field. It has been a real pleasure to play the MBA with you dear Kumar! I wish you all the best! - Rodrigo
Loig Loig is such an interesting guy. He has this subtle humour which comes unexpectedly and makes you laugh so hard. He is also extremely intelligent; that is clear. He points out things that I would never have seen. In short, Loig is one of those people that you are really glad you met. Loig, I loved being on a team with you. I learned a lot from you. You are hardworking but also very relaxed. Your humour cracks me up and you have a wonderful nature. I have no doubt that you'll be very successful. I hope we will keep in touch. On se voit a Paris! Rob
Getting to know Loig has been one of the best experiences of the MBA. What is a quiet and seemingly shy exterior gives way to an ambitious outgoing and fun loving character. From the long discussions that go into unavoidable detail to the simple pleasantries, I will always remember us on the best team ! - Arun A never say no guy who is super wise, super committed, and super awesome – that is what Loig is to me He is one of those I loved arguing with, because every argument left us with a better decision and his patience in the process is unbeatable.. He took the toughest part with a smile o his face always – my second French team mate of the year and must j’adore French Monsieur!! See you soon, Loafs of Love, Sudeshna
Loig is one of the most hardworking person, I have ever met. He works so hard, that sometimes he forgets to realize that he is working too hard and which is not at all required. :D. He was in my first group and he made us work so hard on the group assignments, which left us asking for breath and mercy from him. He has excellent leadership potential and because of that leadership potential, he has earned the title of Napoleon for himself from the other group members. Though, I am trying to hide the fact that I was solely responsible for giving him that title and my other group members had just nodded in agreement. He is a very nice and polite person and he is a good friend of mine. And, now since he is moving out to conquer other parts of the world, I wish he would have stayed a little longer, so that I would have accorded more titles and honorifics to him. I wish him all the best in his upcoming battles of life, Napoleon, I Salute you!!! - Vivek Loig mon amour <3 I can't believe the massive difference between my expectation when I first met you and your real person "after drinking at the Irish place haha". You're such a great friend and colleague (not when you argue with Arun though, because I hate you both at those moments :D) all the best in your post MBA life and let's keep in touch my friend. Lateef
Thanks Messages to Mamiko
"Mamiko was part of the first team I had to work with. The best team I’ve worked with so far. A very good state of mind, a lot of respect and very efficient in our work. During the Teamwork review, Mamiko told us that some might said we were a “powerful” team. That’s the point! And Mamiko embodied this success. She was reserved but hard worker, very efficient and very helpful. In the frame of the Legal course, we had to prepare an arbitration. It was difficult for us, nobody had a lot of knowledge in the legal field, and we had a lot of documents to read. Mamiko took the lead and managed the work successfully! We could rely on her to succeed! I definitively enjoyed teamwork with her! Always smiling, always happy, it was a real pleasure to discover Japanese culture and state of mind through her! JB
Mamiko Years from now, I will remember little about Nice. I will forget most things, such as the bad food, the local, and the MBA program. However, I will never forget the bus rides. Strange! It takes a Japanese friend to make French public transportation “bearable”. Mamiko makes me feel comfortable; around her, I can be myself and talk about art, film, food, and culture. I adore Mamiko for having this inner child character/ personality within her; the fun child who watch animes, and play video games (and miss the airplane.) It has been my pleasure to share with you spring, sunshine, beach, balcony, and cappuccinos. You are a dear friend to me. GIn
Dear Mamiko! I truly admire your kind and thoughtful character! At the same time, I know I can rely on you, be it a team project or the best restaurants in town – you always deliver what you promise! Thank you for all the Japanese dinners, great café recommendations and very pleasant conversations on the way to catch a bus home! Oh, and thanks for the best matcha tea I have ever tried! Wishing you all the success in settling in Germany and stay in touch! Vaiva It is sometimes very intriguing and inspiring at the same time when you meet someone like Mamiko and are humbled by their down-to-earth approach. She is soft spoken and often delivers powerful facts and advice in the most polite manner with a smile on her face. She is determined, strong willed, and is capable of handling complex tasks with ease. Mamiko is one of the people at EDHEC that have left a long lasting impression on me and have inspired me. I wish her happiness and success in future. With love, Vrushali On the first day of MBA, since I spoke to you and introduced ourselves, we were colleagues to stand uphill MBA programs. On the surface, you looks very quiet and intellectual, however, you had achieved lots of big national projects in your previous company! As in MBA, you earnestly addressed all issues, assignments and I got lots of great experiences and feedbacks from you. I also heard that you made lots of contributions to group-works! Besides, you were a leader of September’s Japanese team so you gave useful advises to Kenji, Maasa and me. I spend quality time with you during my MBA days….I appreciate your advices and be also hoping that you will make great achievement in next career!! Yoshito
Mathieu has worked in quite a few dangerous places during his time as an engineer. However, I’m convinced that at no point during that time was he in any real danger. His French cool and charm can save him from any situation. Which is why it was only right that he be the pitch man for our French luxury good, ELECTROElegance. He is not the stereotypical Frenchman one might think, but he does live up to one stereotype, and that’s regarding the wine. He laughed himself silly when Rob said “Rose is made from mixing white and red wine”. I consider myself lucky to call him my friend and I can’t wait to see where he ends up in life. - Rubin Laska
Mathieu Soubiran
From the first time we met on the terrace at the MBA welcome lunch, I enjoyed every conversation I had with you which always surrounded by your chipper laugh. Friendly and warm-hearted, you are definitely an opposite to the stiff impression on a Parisian. T’es très souriant, gentil, intelligent, cool… (If you didn’t laugh at my accent in French, I would come up with more compliment..haha) Hopefully we could see each other soon. And if we have the opportunity to have dinner together, I will make sure to find a restaurant which doesn’t have octopus as the only food on the menu. lol - Yang
I remember the first day of the class, Mathieu was the first French speaker that I met and I had a good feeling about this “Frenchfrog”…J, and this feeling was confirmed and strengthened all along this year. Another thing which surprised me in the first MBA’s days is that Mathieu had studied surveying like me and knows what’s a theodolite (I wasn’t expecting that anyone in the MBA will understand what a hell is this job field…especially when even your family members don’t understand it…lol) One of the nice character trait of Mathieu is the fact that he always takes the things in a relaxed way (sometimes in his cloud), having a good mood and laughing to all kind of jokes (especially to my silly ones, that’s a good point for him…lol). Mathieu is a very kind and interesting guy…and these are rare things for a Parisian... ;-) - Sofiane Dear Mathieu, though you never once accepted any of my carrot offerings, I still consider us to have been pretty good chums this year. You are the cool, calm and collected friend who is fun to go out clubbing in Paris or Cape Town with, and at the same time an excellent coworker. Remember the Team of Three? We nailed it! Good work this year! – Zahra
Mathieu, I am lucky to get you as my teammate in my first assignment team here in EDHEC. We had so many healthy and fun-filled fights on such silly topics as color, picture etc. during our team works that it is almost impossible to forget you :) I will always remember you as a modern, smart, thoughtful and very intelligent, classy French gentleman with a super-cute childlike smile on his face!! Don’t think my fight with you will get over anytime soon because I am going to bug you whenever I will be in Paris :) In return, I promise, I will be a superefficient, informative and cooperative guide whenever you will visit India :) All the best for your life ahead and do keep in touch !!- Soumita
Mel!! It feels like yesterday that I met you on the Promenade and wondered who was this “trainloving”, “smiley” girl from Montreal. Luckily, I would get to find this out on our morning bus rides (where we would constantly take turns giving each other motivational talks), Classic Thursdays, Beach Alcools, and of course the first infamous Canadian Brunch. I knew that I was going to get an education at EDHEC but I never thought that I would end up gaining such an amazing friend as you. You are going to go far buddy, and I can’t wait to continue celebrating along the way. -Mike
Mel, we certainly have had some adventures this year! You are a prime example of someone who is confident, determined, and bound for greatness. Almost as importantly, you stand for excellence in partying!! Classic Thursdayz, Wine Appointment Fridayz, Canadian Brunch Sundayz, the escapades in Spain, Portugal, South Africa, Paris and Chamonix, and lets not forget the infamous Champagne Ferris Wheel! In addition to being my wine drinking accomplice, you are a great ski buddy, and one-third of the Russian Corner. All I can say is – see you in Vegas xxxx – Zahra
Melanie Jobin Mel, I remember I firstly met you in our class during first day presentations and thought – “wow, what a beautifully, smart, energetic and inspiring girl. I definitely want to become her friend”. Thank you for being a part of our russian-canadian corner, for Canadian brunches and all the time we spent together. I wish you to realize all your dreams after graduation and find the best job in the world. I hope we will be able to meet again even though we are on different continents. You can count on me in whatever situation you are. - Katia Melitta! prettiness, intelligence, toughness, and cuteness... Melitta combo style. Because of you, I got to know the concept of "Canadian brunch" which I may not try again :P. Because of you, I developed -inG phobia. Because of you, we adopted papaoutai :D. Stay positive and keep the level of ambition, I'm sure the future hides for you better things than you wish for. One last thing I would advise you to do, it is singinG haha ... Till we meet next :) xoxo Lateef Red, I think that is the nickname we’ve all agreed on??? I remember when you told me for the first time that you liked trains. The only thing I could think of was “she likes Thomas the Tank engine” weird. Well it turns out you are much more than a train person. You are a smart, driven and a mostly funny person. You bring energy to every situation especially Wine Thursdays. You’ve been there to knock me down a peg or two when needed and for that I am grateful. I’m very happy to call you a friend. Choo Choo. P.S. You owe me Champagne from Ferris Wheel Champagne Night. -PK
Hey Mike! I am having such hard time writing about you without showing my man crush for you. In my own words, you are as essential to me, or any man, as my favorite Gucci loafers. Like the loafers that go with everything in the wardrobe, you are a friend that fit for all occasions, be it shark diving in Africa, hanging out at the café, Chagall art exhibition or Sunday brunches. You sure make the MBA experience more “colorful” (it could oh so dark and oh so gray without the parties that you hosted.) Mike, you are a cool friend, promise I will try to keep Mike McAra, you contributed in making this in touch. You will always stay on my phone (FAV year one of the best year of my young life! Even 5) :) - G. Dang with all the stupidities and partying we did, I can say that I have enormous respect for you. I loved your moments of leadership, especially in Wanna grab some McDo and Beers? Two of Mikes favorite things, other than Cola, School, Rocks, his South Africa. You have a contagious optimism Wife, School and Life. A model student if I ever and positivism that motivate everyone! Your saw one but an even better person. We have gone willingness to seize the moment and enjoy through a lot this year whether it was cheering on everything life has to offer tells me our Les Aigles, going to alcools or just shooting the friendship will last forever. Thank you for shit. I’d also like to thank you for not snoring when standing by me through this MBA! I wish you we had to share the pull out (couch) in Paris. I the best in life, love and career. See you in didn’t know what to expect out of this program Montreal for more partying :D -Mel going in but I do know that I gained a life long friend. I’m looking forward to more adventures " ROCKS! They are among the many "nuggets down the road, especially ones that involve Moet of gold" I will take away from getting to know -PK you this year. As well as how to be perpetually smiling and positive at all times - no matter what. Among the best MBA memories I have are dancing and singing to EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE - from Plage Opera to the streets of Nice, Parisian bars and South African rooftop clubs. You define seize the day, and if i could put this year into one word, it would be "J'maize" -Z Mike, you are my best teammate ever. I am so glad we have overcome many challenges this year. You have become my Canadian friend, with your J in MBTI profile I can always rely on you. I have learned a lot from you this year, your confidence and your leadership. Thank you so much for sharing this experience with me. I wish you to become the owner of one of the oil companies as soon as possible combined with keeping the harmony of your family. You can always contact me and wish to continue partying together. – Katia
Pl ease Note: Most pictures have been vetoed to protect the subject
Oh PK, you made me laugh so much this year. ..And yes put some god damn pants on! It is not because you can swearin Quebecois that I amproud to be yourfriend but simply becauseyou are awesome! Yourlack of inhibition when it comes to sharing whateverpasses through yourmind, really shows yourauthenticity! I look forward to sharingmore good times with you. J’maize! -Mel
Patrick Kroeger
My very first MBA friend! I haveenjoyed immensely laughingat yourun-hilarious jokes,South Park references, and ourinfamous country music duets to Shania Twain and Garth Brooks. Even though we are 9000kmaway from Calgary, I respect yourcommitment to the Flames, yourhorse shirt, cowboy boots,belt buckle,and Time Hortons coffee. You will be agreat sports manager someday... I might even let you be managerof Arsenal.... Maybe. -Zahra
Hey Patrick, I always want to rememberyou as aPolarbeerwith a Hockey Jersey and a beerin its hand.Go Flames!!!I have neverworked with you, but I wish I had. I have always wondered how the hell you areso cool. I know we have something in common, Sports! Cars!! Beers!!! Wish you won’t be able to get inside the BMW Museumforeverin yourlife:). You are always easilyapproachable,always ready forany assignments and of course very friendly. I hope I willsee a Flames match with you one day. It has been a really great pleasure to be with you in the class. Look forward to sharing more good memories with you -Kumar PK –I neverknew I was going to studymy MBA with the future Commissionerof the NHL. Don’t forget when you get to the top, where you came from: No shoes at breakfast, yelling out yourinnerthoughts sporadically, and the classic “see yatomorrow”. If you stay true to your roots, I know your going right to the top. I amproud to call you my friend and I can’t wait to continue the journeyafter the MBA. -Mike
I started to work with Patrick fromthe beginning of our MBA programin the first assignment team. My first impression about himwas very certain: honest, calm, real teamplayerwith proven leadership experience. Workingwith him, you can always be sure in his accountability and support. Havingstrong analyticaland presentation skills, Patrick is always ready to manage any project.He has no fearto take up any assignment even in a new field forhim, defining how the teamshould tacklethe matterin orderto achieve the result.Anothernotable thing about Patrick is his desire to learn and progress. During the MBA year, I saw himevolvingand becoming more mature. At the same time, Patrick’s passion forsport makes himan all-round and sociable person. It was a real pleasureforme to study with Patrick. I would like to wish himgood luck and to realize allhis plans and projects.-Elena
Prithvi  is  one  cool  Indian  guy,  more  like  from  those  Bollywood  movies  đ&#x;&#x2DC;&#x201E;.  And  even  better,  his  team  spirit  is  on  ďŹ&#x201A;eek,  Prithvi  was  the  best  team  mate  I  had  in  EDHEC,  very  hands-Ââ&#x20AC;?on,  smartly  collaborative  and  overall  a  good  friend.  I  wish  you  the  best  in  your  life  endeavors  and  pray  that  we  see  again  doing  great  things.                      -Ââ&#x20AC;?  Nola Â
Prithvi...oh  Prithvi.  GMAT  be  damned....you  are  fun.  Gonna  miss  that  hair  blocking  my  view  and  your  love  aďŹ&#x20AC;air  with  HP.  I  still  say  I  know  more  about  India...but  let's  leave  that  argument  for  the  next  time  we  meet.  Good  luck  with  everything  going  forward!                 -Ââ&#x20AC;?  Arun  Abey  Hero!!  We  have  never  worked  with  you  in  a  team  (lol).  But  have  travelled  around  the  world  with  you.   We  have  been  to  pubs  and  clubs  which  the  world  doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t  even  knows  exist.  And  have  walked  together  through  sun,  snow,  rain  &  supermarkets.  You  are  always  cool,  genuine,  always  ready  for  any  work  or  for  some  beer  (writing  good  things  about  you  is  extremely  diďŹ&#x192;cult  for  Jatin).  Hope  you  will Â ďŹ nally  understand  the Â ďŹ ner  things  in  life  starting  from  the  fact  that  Chennai  is  far  better  than  Bangalore  and  that  Delhi  rocks.  Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  make  those  spicy  lumps  of  rice  you  call  biryani  some  time  again.  To  remembering  good  memories  of  the  times  past,  and  making  new  ones.  Cheers!                   -Ââ&#x20AC;?  Kumar  &  Jatin  Prithvi,  conversations  with  you  are  never  boring  because  it  is  hard  to  predict  on  which  part  of  the  discussion  we  will  disagree.  I  appreciate  your  optimism,  your  serenity  (â&#x20AC;&#x153;We  have  plenty  of  time,  we  wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t  be  late,  relax!â&#x20AC;?)  and  your  good  humor.  I  am  very  curious  about  your  next  business  idea.  Maintain  the  entrepreneurial  spirit  and  letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  keep  disagreeing.                   -Ââ&#x20AC;?  Britta Â
crazy 'mes with the trading challenge. might be fake money, but the energy was definitely real. best of luck when you're doing this with real money! invite me over to your yacht in a few years when you're a millionaire ;) Kiran
Ca va? eeuhh, I've heard you described as intense, I describe you as a friend, a true friend. Honest and direct, you say what's on your mind. Loyal and caring, you s'ck up for your friends. I know that you are very ambi'ous, s'll I expect you to exceed every ambi'on that you have. I will miss you when you leave, but I'm sure that we will make many opportuni'es to get together and experience the world! Mark
What’s up Przemek, aka. “Captain sunshine”? My friendship with Przemek is like my rela'onship with blue cheese, a love/ hate rela'onship, wonderful flavors that come with s'nky smells. Przemek is a cool brah with the occasion in your face nasty comments. The one thing that I most respect him for is that he is fair in the way he treats the people around him. Nothing nega've or cruel that he ever said to or about anyone are without that person deserving them. As I remember from the movie “the Schindler's list,” for a good life, a man needs three things: a capable doctor, a forgiving priest, and a clever accountant…I hate to admit this but for me to have a good life, I need a weekly dose of drama which freely provide by my brah, Przemek. -‐ Gin
Rasim Asgarov I imagined first him standing out in the “Kippax” (the terraced stands at Manchester City’s Maine Road Stadium) during a Manchester Derby (Manchester City FC versus Manchester United). Or playing the bass in a stoner rock band like Kyuss (Where is Josh Homme?) . Forget it, he’s definitively not this kind of guy. Rasim is the man from Azerbaijan, the man I talked in the bus every morning, the man with whom I spend time on the roof, chatting, sharing our experience about our life (past, present and ….. expected). I will always remember how we were laughing about all this …. And he’s a smart guy, always available to help you. Nasdrovia ! Cheers, JB Sultan Rasim! Definitely one of the wisest,coolest and most vibrant individuals I have ever had the pleasure to call "friend". This guy operates on an entirely different level, from rocking concerts with his guitar solos to being the most committed family man at EDHEC, nothing escapes Rasim's orbit. From Paris to Nice to Cape Town, My brother you have enriched my MBA experience at every turn, I wish you and your family the best in life and I look keenly forward to our next meeting. Shehriar Rafi Rasim, I was very happy to meet you in our class. Thank you for the lessons of history in Cape Town and Paris. You are a very interesting person with multiple knowledge in different spheres. I wish you and your family to set up in a good place and hope to be invited once again for the history lessons . Wish you all the success in future! I am sure you will become a CEO of some oil company in the short future! Katia Zhuravleva Rasim was my team mate. The first team i had when I arrived here. We all went to restaurant called 'La Favola' as get to know all team mate thing. There I got to know Rasim is also a guitar player like and enjoys rock and hard rock music. \m/ I was glad that we got something in common. He has very helping nature and he has helped me a lot during "Finance" days. It was a hard time :P for me. I remember when we were told to negotiate a business deal in Louis Herbert class, we became Uncle and nephew and negotiated the deal. He has brilliant negotiation skills. I am sure he will be successful in future. All the best to him! Thanks & regards, Mandar Deshpande
Rob Langan
Rob is kind and polite person and also a fun maker person. He likes Butter Chicken with Pasta and wants to eat them in presence of sunlight. He is fan of going Dia during break He creates consensus within team and respects each individual equally. He is eager to help othersAkhilesh
The best girlfriend a guy could ask for. Rob laughs at every one of my horrible jokes with such enthusiasm that I sometimes question his intelligence. Jokes aside you just can't say a bad thing about Rob, he's genuine, considerate and a ton of fun to be around. Being able to call him and Rubin my good friends has definitely been the best takeaway from the MBA. From dumb comments at the back of class to deep conversations about our fathers or the future it's always been com-for-ta-ble. Spontaneous drinks, late night kebabs, coffee breaks, impressions, words of wisdom ( your dads not yours), Paris, Barcelona , Cape town, Singapore, the list of things I'm going to miss goes on. I look forward to calling you Dr. Langan sometime soon, silently chanting one of us..one of us. Oh and we're eating a bowl of butter chicken and pasta. -Arun
Hey Rodrigo, You are such a friendly and genuine person I have ever met. It was a pleasure working with you in our team. We have had great times together. You are always easily approachable, always ready for any assignments and of course for beer. I am very happy I got to know you in my life. I will always remember the “Dog Story” you told us in South Africa :). I will remember you as one of the very few people who think “Barcelona is the best football club in the world”. I hope one day we will watch El Clasico together in Camp Nou, Hala Madrid!! I would love to be your good friend for life. Look forward to sharing more good memories with you. -Kumaravel
Rodrigo has a spirit that I've never seen in anyone before. He's so genuine. He's kind, generous, intelligent, fun, and hilarious. We had so many good times together. It was always more fun when he was out. Rodrigo, I will miss having a coffee with you after lunch and talking. You are a true friend in every sense. We had such fun in South Africa, on the weekends, and at the breaks during class. I will always consider you a great friend. Rob.
Rodrigo Rachitoff-Miranda
When we arrived in the MBA class, one of the first good news that I had was that we had Spanish speakers, one of them was Rodrigo from Peru. I was very happy to meet Rodrigo and Roberto (It was hard to leave Barcelona where I was living and come back to France) and to have the opportunity to talk and share things in Spanish and feel a little bit like in sweet home…:-).One of my rules in life, is as follows: if a guy speaks Spanish, he should be a good guy (I know it’s a little bit a strange rule), this was more than true many times and Rodrigo had confirmed me this rule at 1000%. We also had the opportunity to work together in our first team, it was very cool and we had great time. Rodrigo is this kind of guy that create a good relationship environment, always enthusiast and happy to share with others (specially the delicious empanadas peruanas that he cooks…lol). This MBA was a great opportunity to meet nice and interesting people with their different cultures and stories, for me one of them was Rodrigo “más que un compañero de MBA, un amigo” (an MBA classmate and a friend)-Soufiane Lawyers. Never trust them. ESPECIALLY ones from Peru. That’s what my Mama always told me. However as a free-thinking libertine, I like to make exceptions in life, and Rodrigo (a lawyer from Peru) is one of them. Which makes him exceptional, which I can safely say is true in both senses of the word. For more reasons than I care to mention here Rodrigo is an exceptional example of a human being. Put it this way – if the aliens ever come down and land on Earth, I would put this man forward to shake their green little hands and greet them as an ambassador for the human race. I just hope to God that this never happens. Rodrigo...even though you were Written with love by Oli Lyons new as well, I felt like it was you who welcomed me into the MBA. You are one of the kindest and funniest people I have ever met. Before anyone says anything you have already volunteered to help, no reciprocation required ( your words). You do not shy away from a debate or opinion either, a fine If only all lawyers were like Rodrigo. There definitely wouldn’t be so many jokes quality in my mind. The memories about them. He’s fair, honest, follows the rules, attentive, and has an of Mercantour, buying each other incredible work ethic. But this is just professional Rodrigo. The casual the next round of beer, learning Rodrigo has the latino fire inside him, burning like the sun. On at least one about Peru, Spain, Mexico and the occasion.…that he’s admitted anyway….he’s come late to school because he boring side of law. I'm glad to say was dancing too much in the morning. He’s also very spontaneous…out of I'll always have my friend in Nice to nowhere you can get an invitation by him to have lunch in Italy or go for a day trip to Cannes. I’d never say no to these invitations, because every moment visit. Also thanks for beating me for spent with Rodrigo is filled with not only fun times and laughter, but also with class rep, biggest sacrifice you conversation about politics, history, or religion. Rodrigo has a lot of passion made.- Arun and drive, which always leads to success and possibly riches, and I can’t wait to witness it.-Rubin
R
rrubin. Say the word 'three' for me. Did you
remember your wallet, phone, watch, and glasses? From the first time I met Rubin, I liked him. Although some may claim that he's standoffish, I disagree. He is a true gentleman. He'll never let anyone search for a velo blue or go home alone. He's got a great sense of humour and he's up for anything. But more than anything else, I think Rubin is a very selfless person. Rubin, I will really miss sitting at the back of the class with you, joking around so hard we couldn’t speak. We had great times on the weekends, in Barcelona, and telling stories about our fathers. We'll see each other again soon and get a nice big steak. - Rob
i
Rub n, You are definitely the best Albanian I’ve ever known. (If you know what I mean..lol ;-p) From you, I knew that Nutella is tastier when mixed with butter. From you, I knew when I should laugh for a joke I didn’t get. It’s even from you I learnt a Chinese song; it took me a while to recognize the lyrics though. ;-) You are kind and generous. More than that, you know people with your heart. You always care others. It is funny that we had similar stories of bad luck. Like we both missed the flight. But it is a real good luck to have you as my friend. It would be awesome if the world tour we talked about can happen. So we know we will see each other soon in one of or all of these places: U.S, Canada, Ireland, Germany, India, Albania, China and etc… - Yang
u
R
bin - You're probably watching me type this right
now, so I'm not sure what I can add that you don't know already. I love how you're up for anything and how you stick to your guns: like eating entire lemons, redefining "carbs," and not wasting food. I will fondly remember velo bleu rides at 2am on the Promenade, the train ride back from Paris, your Albanian cuisine at Thanksgiving, and your admirable dedication to Lent. I can't wait to show you around Toronto, and I'm sure we'll be seeing each other into the future. - Your friend, Hu-hu-hulia
Ru
b
in. my classroom buddy, consulting co-head,
drinking mate and fellow culturally confused friend. Its been so much fun. You are wise beyond your years and capabilities, a caring Albanian, a calm and collected American ( standoffish?)and a sober drunk. Yes you did say ai in Barcelona, no I don't think there's anything wrong with the way you say three, fine we'll let you have Mother Teresa. I couldn't see the MBA being the same without you, I have loved every minute and how you're always up for anything, nothing hidden, doesn't need to be. I think what ill miss most is seeing you go red trying to hold in the laughter at the back of class and laughing at you unable to tell a joke because you can't stop giggling ( like a little girl I might add). Slaps knee one last time, waits for the gunshot, pushes glasses up bridge of nose. Sniff. - Arun Querido Rubé
n
,
It was a pleasure to share the MBA with you since you made us better human beings. We learned a lot from you, from the history of Albania, to what food has carbs and what doesn’t, and, most important, what is the right position to take a finance exam! I will always remember you for sharing Akhilesh financial knowledge with my team. You (and him) saved our pellejos with the Boeing’s case. But you are much more than that; you are the Uber caller, the kids pusher in crowded bars, the walking home partner, and a great friend! I wish you all the best! Un fuerte enorme, - Rodrigo
SACHIN
Sachin is a very friendly person. We went to the Amsterdam together and it was fun to be with him. WE had a blast at Club Smokey and other adventures in Amsterdam were thrilling. :P Very cool person. Not Sachin! so photogenic. At least the pics I clicked of us or him, It was a pleasure having you the guy can not smile. All the jokes aside, he is a best as a teammate! I mostly guy to be a friend with. Plus, he speaks in a cool enjoyed our conversations on the bus No.10 on the way back American accent which I find hard to speak :P -‐‑ Mandar home... You are always positive, fun and super friendly! That’s the approach Hey Sachin, I have never worked with you, but I wish that I like! Oh, and you are a I had. I have wondered how the hell you are so cool great cook too! Wishing you always. You have always been so friendly, genuine, all the best for the future, and ready to help anytime and with anything. We Sachin! Stay in touch! have many interesting things in common, Cars!! -‐‑ Vaiva Beers!! We have had many unforgeKable good memories, night outs to cherish. You are one of the best cooks I have ever met. I would love to be your Mera Bhai, good friend for life. Look forward to sharing more the other son of UP in class! good memories with you. -‐‑ Kumar We have had so much fun together during the programme, its hard to put it Sachin is a great guy and I'ʹm glad to have had him as on paper – the night long a classmate. Behind the 'ʹcool guy'ʹ exterior is a person parties and endless who is friendly and out-‐‑going, and someone who conversations. cares about his friends. I also had the chance to travel together with him to Amsterdam and Paris. I'ʹd say he All I can say is that beneath was the perfect guy to travel with as he knew the best, that cool guy exterior lies a fun places to visit before-‐‑hand and as a result our genuine friend with a heart of short trip turned out to be quite awesome thanks to gold. And I wish you all the him. I wish Sachin all the very best for his future very best for your future. -‐‑ Jatin endeavors as we get ready to depart at the end of the MBA programme.” -‐‑ Jiten
Seghe, my Sister, I don’t know how but it happened. We became ‘fighting friends all the time’. I think you will remember me for the word “I will kill you”. In our language there is one song. This song is dedicated to you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a09c-n5MmQ. From bottom of my heart, I saw a great human being in you. I can say ‘you are a Nigerian Tigress’. I like your attitude and way of living boldly. You are a strong minded person with good reason behind every action you take. Very good outspoken and easy to mingle character are best part of you. Hope you enjoyed Indian food, especially “Hyderabadi biryani”. Hope we will be in touch all the time, wish you a great success in your future aspirations. With lots of love - Chandu Seghe, the Nigerian beauty queen, I am so happy to meet you in my MBA class and eventually become a good friend of yours. Even though you have “tortured” me with your plentiful hugs throughout the MBA program and your “Nigerian English” accent whenever you wanted to shut my mouth up, in the end, I have to admit that you have always mesmerised me with your caring, super cool, lively and fun-loving nature. I won’t say “Keep in touch” because I know you are not going to stop your “torture” on me anytime soon Wish you all the best for your life ahead, my dear friend, and hope to meet you again in India soon!! – Soumita Every morning, I arrived at school before 8:30 and I saw Seghe in the class when I opened the door of the classroom. Therefore, she has been the first person whom I say good morning to. She always replied with radiant smile which made me feel comfortable. I also found that, from early in the morning, she made efforts to understand the contents of case study by reading in detail. I suppose that both her smile and steady efforts will bring her life great benefit!! (Kenji)
Sharp, smart, and sassy : her academic achievements are as brilliant as her jokes Elegant : this Nigerian beauty queen does everything in style, even talking about butt-shaping pants in front of a crowd ! Generous : behind this smile lies a giant marshmallow heart Hot as red hot chilli peppers ! Wherever she goes, she sets the place on fire ! Endless possibilities awaiting ahead of her ! I still haven’t got over the fact that you have the same name as my beloved cat ! A coincidence ? I don’t think so... You’re a great classmate and an even better friend ! Take care and see you real soon ! Céline
Smart, resolute, straight forward are a few traits, which I would never forget about Seghe, other than the enchanting smile and the bling. One of the few who had the courage to get the team to focus on excellence, when surrounded by despair. Waiting for the day, when we would get to hear on the news that she has decided to run for office in Nigeria. I do miss being culprit of her heavy phone bills, those were some of the most interesting discussions of the group assignments. Wishing you the best of everything in life ahead. Danny
Shufei is a pure girl, full of caring
settled, and she was living at the upper
and loving energy. She is humorous, loves to smile and always
floor of my flat!! That was a really nice accidental happening. Lucky me I launched the
brings me a sense of
new life with this reassuring
peace. With stunning language
friend. I will not forget that you gave me plenty
abilities, she can speak
of fun times with her sense of
fluent French, English
humor and that you took me home
and Chinese. Despite her typical
with safe after I got pretty drunk at fun
Chinese charaters-emotional
parties ;D
and implicit, She adapts herself very well into local culture, making French friends
Thanks lots & Love you! – Maasa YAMAMOTO
and exploring new stuff. Additionally, her kindness is straightforward and
No words are enough to talk about Shufei. Jｕ
genuine. Whenever I want to talk to people in class, the name "Shufei" invariably appears first in my mind. That is mainly because she is
ｓｔ look at her lovely smile you’ll never
a reliable who can alleviate
and optimistic person others' stress with
Shufei, You were a great teammate and now you are a great friend. I enjoyed our
her influence. Shufei is a sweet and brave girl and meanwhile she has intrinsic wisdom and capabilities to deal with conflicts and extend
walks home from the bus stop together, and despite your protests of not being able to cook, you put together a memorable meal. I expect you to have a long satisfying career in
her influence to others. – Jia GUO
France. ~ Mark
I love the memory with Shufei for drinking, home party, and daily chatting. She was actually one of persons I
Shufei! You were one of my first friends in
became close to at the beginning of school, because her cute smile attracted me and made me
forget. - JB
the MBA programme. Full of life and always ready with a smile. You are the
万 舒 菲
honorary head of the French delegation in class! I’ll always
remember the
interesting conversations we had over the year. Stay in touch. Live long and prosper. Jatin
Sof is really suppor tive, optimistic, funny and reliable person. During the time which I spent with him, I saw all above-mentioned characteristics on the constant basis. Personally, I enjoyed teamwork with him. Even when someone in the group got nothing to say during presentations, Sof is the man, who can save the whole team by answering questions by himself. Thanks to these actions the team can have a time to reconsider situation and find suitable solution how to get things done in the proper way. I mostly remember how we were laughing before each presentation which we need to prepare. It gave us positive energy and positive mood. There were so many stories so that I do not even remember anything. But there will be much more memories in the future without any doubt.
Sexy Jack This man is awesome. He should be called "Sof and the mechanics". He made me discovered something you'll never learn into an MBA program : automotive mechanics ! I'll never forget the coffee-break we shared (for sure), the laughs we had and the return journeys we did every evening. Never change, stay the same and keep going forward ! See you, JB
Sofiane,
Sofiane with his bright smile and sense of humor, is the sunshine of this MBA class, the pride of Toulouse and the Faudel of the geolocalization. I never got to understand what kind of work you actually do for a living, but I know I could always count on you to geolocalize me when it mattered, whether it was about snitching a free coffee or saving me from Cape Town nights. You read the potential in people as well as you read Google Maps and you can connect with anyone, even coffee machines. My MBA experience wouldn’t have been the same without you and I’m proud I can call you my friend. I don’t need to wish you good luck because I know you’ll be fine whatever you do and wherever you go. Keep in touch and invite me to your wedding! Tellement n’brick ! Céline
My couch surfing fellow, you are to me one the last of the few Mohicans living on this planet. There is so much I could say about you and so little that I want to share here as my thought is simply: If you have ever met Sofiane then you can say that you have as a matter of fact met someone truly authentic, sensitive, careful and wise to list just a few of his great and compelling human characteristics …..don’t want spoil it so I’ll cut the adjectives list off right here (so you won’t be feeling dizzy and too overwhelmed frérot) and for those who haven’t met him yet then good luck fellows! Man, you will always be in my heart and I’ll always be there for you…..I know sounds a little gay but fuck it….Friendship is Love. Greg
SOUMITA ROY Soumita is such a warm person. I was lucky enough to be in a group with her and we immediately hit it off. She has a wonderful sense of humour and she brings such a sense of positivity to everything. She can laugh and joke and can also produce wonderful work. She is very committed to what she does and the results speak for themselves. Soumita, I will miss seeing you around. You were so supportive of me and became a great friend. I know that you will be successful in whatever you do. And you deserve it. I hope we will see each other again. And I have no doubt that we will keep in touch. And if you lose anything, don't forget to let me know so I can contact St. Anthony. - Rob If asked my benefit at EDHEC MBA, I’m going to answer like this, “It’s to get my best friend.” I’m proud of Soumita. I can’t count how many times I learned important things in life from you. I have really known the reason why you are loved by people around you. Consideration for friends, hard-working, hospitality and… oh, your great cooking too! :D Grabbing your homemade dishes of spicy shrimps at your home, I keep chatting with you endlessly about recent news, love, future, career and both happy and sad things. It was my favorite time. Thanks for sharing precious time with me. Just wait for me until my next flight to India. Let’s continue our endless girls chatting there again! - Maasa Soumita, you have made a big impact in my life within this short time. I do wish though that I tasted that 'milk' sweet dish that you explained over and over again how it is made. I am also looking forward to that global cookbook that I know you will write one day after seeing you get the recipes from the Global MBA Class. Whats the probability of you actually
writing it? Probably you need stats crunch to find the answer! And if you do get a loan for the cookbook, remember you can always do a balloon payment without loosing sight of your present value. Talking of values, you do have great ones! Susan Soumita, aka the Lady in Pink, is the embodiment of the Indian Princess of your dreams. On top of being extremely beautiful, she is gentle, soft-spoken and considerate of others’ feelings. The Networking Queen of EDHEC, she has incredible interpersonal skills and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t appreciate her. Not only can you read my destiny in my palm, but you also read in me like in an open book! I am happy I met someone as incredible as you and can’t wait for the next time we meet, in India, Barcelona, or wherever (and, of course, for your wedding!) A bright future is ahead of you my dear and I wish you the best! - Celine I knew I would meet lots of people at EDHEC, but one thing that never crossed my mind was that I would find such a true friend! Soumita - my fellow Virgo! Though from different continents, with different backgrounds, experiences and personalities, we click so well! I spent the most time with you during my stay in Nice and girl, never was there a dull moment! Calm, smart, kind, always eager to share and help! You know I have a lot to say, but space won’t permit. One thing I am sure of is that this is a friendship that will last a lifetime. See you soon – India, Nigeria, Japan, Europe! Benedicta
Susan is smart, friendly and beautiful w hile she smiles. In South Africa, she accompanied me to "adventure" outside local campus for shampoo. Susan has her independent visions and view s, reflecting the unique character as an entrepreneur. Sitting in the first row (in front of me) nearly half a year, she gave me sincere feedback, posed brilliant questions, and kept calm all the time as I observed. She is a reliable friend, clever soul and responsible businessw oman. Best w ishes to your future career and family life, Susan -- Y our loyal friend, Jia
Y ou are a soft spoken, deliberate, thoughtful and very kind person. Y our calm demeanour makes it very easy and pleasant to be w ith you – I guess that w as the attraction to you and Soumita! I enjoyed our conversations during the few minutes of w alk after school (w henever I w asn’t too lazy for a w alk). You are clear on your dreams and I see you getting there! Thank you for the experiences shared during the last couple of months and I w ish you the very best in the future! May God grant all your heart desires! Cheers! – Benedicta
Hey Susan, I w ould like to emphasize how gentle, tenacious, friendly, passionate, entrepreneur and conscientious you are. I thank you because I think I now might be able to w ell explain how to produce energy in new w ays that can help be more efficient and solve several important problems. I hope you w ill success in creating something in this field - if it remains your w ish in the future. All the best for you! - Loig
Susan, my in-school coffee and school-to-home w alking partner, I feel lucky to meet you and be friend w ith you in such a short span of time. It w as our daily one-to-one conversations through w hich I discovered the caring, reliable, sensitive-to-others and humane sides in you. Y ou are such a great thinker, but probably, you don’t even know that you have so much hidden potential in you. Just tap on them and be the most successful w oman “Business Tycoon” of Africa!! And next time onw ards, w henever you w ill be in India, you w ill alw ays have this friend to guide you in the best possible w ays I w ill not tell you to “Be in touch” because I know w e w ill!! – Soumita
Susan! It’s my pleasure meeting you! I remember our first time together for a long time – at Mercantour Park, during the MBA Summit! We had a great conversation and your determination kept me going.
Hey Susan, I am very happy to w rite on your page. Y ou are one of the coolest persons in our class. I saw a tranquil and composed human being w ho is alw ays ready to help, discuss and share ideas w ith friends. Whenever I come across the name MALAWI, you w ill be definitely sparking my mind in future. Y ou have great personality. I w ish you and your family great success in your future endeavours. - Chandulal
To Vaiva, our dear friend... Vaiva is fun Vaiva is sweet Vaiva is a friend I love to meet Sunday at the cafĂŠ
I was fortunate enough to have Vaiva as one of my first teammates and was impressed immediately with her quiet and effective style of leadership. She is an excellent sounding board for ideas but also has a nice touch for ensuring that the team stays on task without inhibiting discussion. In leading our Macroeconomics country report, she taught me not only about her home country of Lithuania but also much about the value of the EDHEC MBA: personal growth and development in a team environment. --James
Wednesday on the bus September to May How great are us? Your smile spreads across your face Like a butterfly Again, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll meet Temporary, this goodbye --Gin
Vaiva is addicted to teas. She is always bringing her cup and tea, and can even understand the differences between steamed and roasted teas. Every tea has a different culture and character. Like loving every kind of teas, she is always respectful to every member who has different cultural background. Those her graceful attitude makes us to feel to be a nice person like her! --Mamiko
Vaiva touches me by her warm smile and kind heart. Impressively, she turned the roster to the page with my name on before passing it to me. Unforgettably, her smiling face is like a blooming flower. Everyone who knows her will be addicted to it. She also teaches me to be frank, brave and independent. Vaiva, my truly best friend, is the crucial reason why I have been so deeply attached to this program. --Jia I'm very grateful for EDHEC to have Vaiva in my second last team during the program. At first glance, she was quiet and cool. But I realized her strong passion and dedicated leadership style through group works. She was always with a team to try to share everything for making us a real team as a unity. Also, I have to mention about her beautiful and peaceful smile. Even if we are in an intense situation, her smile makes us feel relax and calm down. I believe her smile has been saving all of us and France and will save all over the world. Vaiva, wish your bright future! Arigatou! See you in anywhere. --Akihiro YONETAMARI
Vrushali TALEKAR Vrushali is the most positive-minded person I have ever met. Always smiling even if faced with tough assignments. Very easy and fun to work with her, full of ideas and very organized. And she cooks FANTASTIC Indian food. - Ernest Vrushali, I was really happy to meet with you. You are always friendly, kind and working hard... Anyway, I am really respecting you! I felt you were like a old friend, and comfortable to be with you. I believe that the fortune also feel at ease with you(-: Keep in touch, and please be a friend forever. With love(^o^). - Mamiko It is funny how sometimes you like somebody, even without spending a lot of time with that person. The first time I noticed you was in the mountains, and I already knew we would get along. We didn’t talk a lot after that, we didn’t work together in class, we didn’t go out together… but I had a great impression of you. Always positive, with a nice smile in your face and willing to help the others. I guess that’s why the Belbin test said you were a much better person than me :) When we did start talking more, the MBA was about to finish for me, but I’m happy we had some time to know each other a bit. All the best, take care, and who knows, maybe we’ll see each other in Spain and I can take you to a bullfight! ;) - Roberto
Vrushali, I didn’t even realize when we became close. Because it was just so naturally. Your smile makes you as an old friend even the first time to talk with you. A real organised and reliable person can be seen from the details of life. You are a perfect proof for that. It’s a pity that I missed the chance to go to the Safari with you in South Africa. But I’m so glad we will be teammates for the Finance track. I’m sure I will enjoy it as I enjoyed your awesome Indian food. - Yang
She is very thoughtful and professional. She dedicated to deal with our assignments the most at any time, however, she never forgot to make our reports pretty. She also prepared very well ahead of the classes and our team meetings. Even in the free time, when we had a Japanese food party, she practiced how to use the chopsticks ahead. She was not a beginner but a master of chopsticks! I really enjoyed a lot of time with her. It made my MBA life happier. When I think about her Japanese name (kanji) below, I am convinced that it means everything about her. The only thing I regret is I missed her dance on Diwali Toru name (kanji)
pronunciation
meanings
(v)
dancing, swirling
(ru)
fashion, way, style
(sha)
stylish
(li)
logic , reason, principle
Wojciech, The other Pole in the class. Great getting to know you and although we did not have a chance to work together we did share a few good drinking memories. Hope you enjoyed your time in Nice and will recommend all your friend to come here and visit the parks as there is lots to see there ;) Best of luck going forward and hope to keep in touch. -‐ Przemek Mr. WO, since I could never pronounce your real name right, I gave you an Asian version – that fits very well.
Wowo is a person with a charming and endearing smile, whose favourite piece of equipment is a Watch (J) and his favourite TV show is “The Muppet show” . One thing that we have in common, besides being particular about time .......Haha... , is love for vegetarian food. He comes from an extremely cold country but is an extremely warm host and a great cook. I am a real lucky person to have him as a friend. He was the one who brought sense of purpose, order and discipline to our really cool team “C” which had this tendency to be all over the place due to a lot of creative energy in our group. I was impressed by his eye for detail and thorough approach. His dancing skills were a revelation to me.
With your calm and composed manner, you make accountants and CFO’s look cool. I enjoyed sitting next to you in class for the whole year and I wish you all the best for your future will miss our early morning conversations. Let’s endeavours and hope to see you keep in touch and take India-‐Poland relations to the next level! -‐ Jatin soon!!!!!!!!!!!! -‐ Pradeep
Wojciech, The best discussions start in the bike parking, don't you think? :-‐) With you, we can have many of them, from Nice area enjoyable things, e.g. things that move fast and furious, to interesting sharing about theories to put in practice in terms of language education ;-‐) You are somebody who's calm, thinking, eager to share, personable ; if you create a company I feel it will be efficient, profitable ; you will do it step by step, each one the right one. It will be a pleasure for me to continue getting in touch with you; feel free to contact me anytime you're in Paris area ;-‐) -‐ Loig Wowo, aka the Jet pilot the most knowledgeable in accounting in the world ! It took me six months to learn how to say « Cheers » in Polish, but I lost count of the number of times we did something that deserved to be celebrated : not getting completely insane before the end of our Japan poster, sending Prapra off with some serious disco dancing, registering your new baby at the City hall... and of course conqueering America ! Working with you was amazing, but knowing you as a friend even better ! I wish you the best of the best for the next step and can’t wait to C you again ! Never forget : we need more puppies in this world ! -‐ Celine
XUE HAN
My first impression of Xue was like: wow she is so cute like Pucca, who is one of my cartoon charactor! When I got to know her better, I was also attracted by her inside world, she shows her kindness and tenderness to the people in need. As a Cancer, she would feel difficult to leave home far away for the first time, but she got over it and did a good job at school. Another fact I want to emphasize is that she is such a good cook, who often enriches my diners, you should not miss it! Shufei
Xue! First of all, what an adventure we had in Cape Town! Like no one else - the most authentic and true experience, which we can really laugh about now! It was also fun to visit Grasse with you, have Chinese dinner and run for the 8.40am bus in the mornings… You are thoughtful and kind, and at the same time really determined - I am sure this will get you where you want to be! Wishing you all the success in the future and keep in touch! Vaiva
The best part of knowing you is not feeling obliged to do something when we are together its always comfortable. The things I used to ignore and hesitative to drop became so easy since I met you. We discussed best things and problems without fear or reservations; it’s really a great joy to have your friendship! Give you a conclusion? Well, you are just too brave, and a little stubborn, and somehow in the middle! Sara Xue, you were exactly like a lovely doll with the two bowknot hairpins, beautiful big eyes, your slight smile and the soft voice. :-p As what your name means in Chinese, you are as gentle and pure as snow; and that made it so easy and comfortable to share and talk with you. As I know you better, I found that different with your appearance, you have a very strong and firm heart. Your doughtiness will certainly help you achieve your dream. I can’t wait to buy delicious desserts from Xue’s patisserie. Yang
Yang Sunshine; it's what Yang's name means, and it couldn't describe her better. Always with a smile and always generous, there are few people in the world like Yang. She brightens the room. Not only is Yang such a nice and warm person, but she is very intelligent, always very humble, and has a great sense of humour. To exemplify all of the attributes noted above, I will always remember how quickly Yang learned to laugh at all of our jokes that weren't funny and made it seem like she actually found us funny. On se voit a Paris.
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Rob
Yang has had the unfortunate luck of befriending Rob, Arun, and myself. Before the program she was simply a girl full of ambition and a promising future. She is still quite ambitious and I’m sure she still has a promising future waiting for her. However, over the course of our friendship we have filled her mind with uncouth jokes, wine, and headaches (some I’m sure she would have done without meeting us). I’m sorry for this small bump in your otherwise successful journey in life. I just hope the fun memories we had in Nice, South Africa, and London too hopefully will have made it worth your while. Good luck in all that you do going forward. We’ll always have our song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVstwtpr4WU
- Rubin Yang, perhaps is the only girl in the MBA class with some serious Chinese combat skills which were hidden from rest of the world until recently. Apart from her martial arts skills, she is an asset to any team because of her ability to handle complex problems, positive attitude and friendly nature. She is smart, confident, soft spoken and has a cute smile :-). Yang is what her name symbolizes - the brightness of sun, positive energy, and all that is good. Yang, I wish you happiness and success in your future endeavors.
- Love, Vrushali Yang is the nicest and kindest girl of this MBA and I had really great pleasure to spend this whole year with her. I’m pretty sure she’s also the first person I talked to in this MBA. I haven’t got the chance to be teammate with her but I wish I had. And also I regret that we’ve so often seated on opposite sides of the classroom. I’ll miss you a lot after the MBA but hopefully you will find your dream job in Paris and I’ll get to see you all the time. I wish you the best. Take care. -
Mathieu
Yang is one of those people that you just can't help being drawn towards. Charm, smarts, humbleness, style ;) and beauty. Always smiling, ready to help the intellectually challenged (the guilty parties are aware) and up for a good time. The coffee break chats, discovering China, letting you know you might have had a sister...it’s been too short and I'm going to miss it all. Unfortunately for you though bad jokes don't need to be told in person, fortunately for me I've now got someone who (feigns) laughter at some of them. - Arun
Yoshito Yoshito was a great team-mate. We made it through the Finance assignments only because of his thorough preparation. He contributed the most creative idea to our presentation in e-marketing. He is smart, friendly and provided me with interesting insights into the Japanese culture and delicious Japanese candies! Thanks, Yoshito and all the best for your new job! Britta
Some might say he’s the boss of the Japanese Team. He was one of the “guardians of the back seats”. A keen eye, always focused on the course, Yoshito always impressed me! I definitively enjoyed teamwork with him in March. Yoshito is a hard worker you can definitively rely on. He is supportive, optimistic and so funny! It was a real pleasure to work with him. JB
Nobody ever had a name fitting them as well as Yoshito, aka « Good Guy »! Yoshito is always smiling and always has a kind word for everyone. He fought very hard to defend the pride of the Japanese drinking culture and taught a big lesson to everyone about a different kind of Cool Japan! I count on you to make the same kind of impact back home the same way you did here, by just being the sweet person you are. Change Japan, change the world! Yoshito banzai! And keep in touch ;) Céline I have learnt from one of our best Japanese MBA specialists named Céline (I know it doesn’t sound too much Japanese), that your name means “Good Guy”, I think that everything is summarized with these words, I don’t need to say much more...:-). It was a real pleasure to meet you and share moments with you during this MBA. Thank you Yoshito, I have learned interesting aspects of your culture and a lot of useful words for my future trip to Japan like Arigato, Kampai, Ikki…lol I wish you all the best Mister Good Guy. Sofiane
Z – I have not met someone so smart, chill and worldly as you! From the first beer we had back in Calgary to the many (SO MANY) we shared in this MBA, you never cease to amaze me. Whether you know or not, you are an inspiration to our group. Your attitude on life, excellent energy and wiliness to live life to its fullest are the best attributes a friend could ask for! I can’t wait to see which successful path you take and just know, if you do end up back in Calgary, your future puppy always has a playmate with Freo J. – Mike Zahra is an awesome friend and I had a lot of fun with her during this year. She was also the BEST teammate ever (no offense for the others who were all really good too). I’ll sure miss you a lot when you’ll be back in your cold country and also I regret I didn’t go skiing with you when I had the chance. Hope to see you very soon in Paris or in Calgary or wherever… All the best. Mathieu
I don’t think it’s smart or prudent for me to write about a store I never shop at… Oh, Zahra the person, spelling has never been my thing. Great joke I know… Ever since we met for the first time in Calgary I knew we were going to hit it off. From our tales of being overserved to our love of Southpark (and school?) we’ve definitely achieved a lot in Nice. I am very fortunate to have you as a friend and if I’m lucky I can come back in my next life as you. Your ability to conquer school while maintaining your traveling, partying, other stuff is truly a skill I’d love to master. You do it to perfection. God Bless, PK I couldn't have picked a better room mate! We shared the fab, joy and frustration about living in France, classes & neighbors and bad plumbing. We had oatmeal for breakfast, established Sunday afternoon habits (you napping on the couch). We hiked had excellent dinner français, went to Brussels, put popcorn on the Christmas tree and finally had lunch at La Ribote. I can't believe we were strangers 9 months ago. I will miss you, your sense of humor and your Canadian slang! Britta Dude! In my opinion, this is clearly just the beginning of a lifelong friendship! Your love of life is contagious and makes us want to live every moment at its fullest. A true skier, adventurer, traveler, partier…and the best wing woman ever! I am immensely grateful for having spent this year with you and I look forward to our next escapade! Z, you are a little genius I am a true fan of the never ending energy! Thank you for bringing this year to a whole other level! Success in your career!-Mel
January 2015 Intakes E55
Andrea!! One!of!three!people!with!a!La2n3American!origin!in! the!group,!Andrea!has!a!smile!in!her!face!with!a!service! a;tude!that!I!hope!will!help!her!to!develop!a!great! career.!As!a!neighbor!of!Andrea!not! only!within!a!con2nent!but!also!in!the!Nice!area,!I! really!deeply!believe!in!her!strengths.!! Fernando!
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Brandon is a cool dude; he has a great sense of humour, is laid back and yet very smart. I remember when I first met Brandon in class and he told me he just got off the plane all the way from Chicago; I thought he was insane. I can see Brandon hosting his own late night show – he has the talent, charisma and creativity for it. One of the things I’ll never get over about Brandon is how he says “axed” for the word “asked”; it’s catchy and fun. I believe Brandon has the potential to do things that are beyond his imagination and I look forward to seeing his future successes. It’s been good times with Brandon so far and it’s only been a short amount of time; I’m looking forward to more fun times with him ahead. Tak
Bonsoir Mademoiselle !! Looking fine tonight !!! About the 5 first words I heard this guy said … and I knew it was going to be a very very fun year. Then he started a Youtube channel, check it out !! Man Meeting him was a treat , being his friend is a privilege ! Toufic
Monsieur Hoff will be remembered for very many things, one of these being your insane French accent. I'm not exactly sure what those French housemates of yours were teaching you?? Brandon, ever the consummate entertainer. You made us laugh with your daily musings and observations. Those late night show hosts had best watch their backs! Such a joie de vivre it was infectious - all the best Monsieur Hoff! Brandon is the man. Always a great presenter and entertainer in class. Who can forget his Stevie Wonder reprisal after Innovation class Star Monsieur Hoff! Spokesperson, potential artist, motivator, deep thinker. Brandon, I like your authenticity, your energy, and your passion about life. “Jason Bernard,” you are such a gentleman and a reliable friend. Keep thinking big and pursue your big dream because you´ll successfully achieve any goal you set for yourself, just remember all the inspiration and motivation you have shared with us, just go for it!
Andrea
(forever stored in E54 Facebook Group). However, for some reason his survivor skills weren’t deemed crazy enough. He brought a whole new meaning to the word Mademoiselle and even kept us amused out of class with his YouTube channel Forever Zachariah, I recommend the one where he gets outsmarted by an old lady. All in all the MBA experience wouldn’t be the same without him. Hopefully after building his own company (French coffee shop in Chicago and a honey conglomerate in Liberia) we will be able to see him on his own talk show with his own catchphrase. Just don’t forget about us little guys. Gijs
Danae is one of the first friends I made here in EDHEC and I hope will continue to be a friend after EDHEC. What I will remember the most about Danae is petite and that she smokes!!! All jokes aside, I will remember Danae for being a sincere, kind and smart friend and classmate and it’s not something that you find out there very much in the world these days. I hope you’ll find a great job in a great location after your MBA to truly develop your potential and look forward to hearing about your future success and happiness! Tak
She is great! Rarely have I seen all those qualities and emotions in one person. Danae is very professional on the first encounter, polite, smart and sociable. And once her friendship is earned, she shows her lovely character, her happiness and sadness, her vulnerability and strength. And especially her honesty. A truly great encounter! Pavel
It been short, but its been fun. Danae's commitment to continue being a friend in spite of my horrible sense of humor can only be described as noble. A Danae “sunbathing” pleasure to work with and an awesome character to be around, you can't help but enjoy her presence. Scene.. you are a strong confident woman....scarf over face.. and lets end it with a Peter Griffen laugh. Gratsi Arun
Δανάη Δαναάκι Δαναούλα
Δαναΐτσα Greek efficiency, Just a small collection of the same name Danae is the first Greek I got to know and I have never been to Greece (shame on me). Being teammates, I developed the following prejudices towards the Greeks: They are very friendly, love to laugh, they are open-minded, curious and ambitious - and they have style! Good to know you, Danae! Britta Κουκλίτσα µου the Greek one. I will to the end of days remember her as the English linguist that seems lost for words when she gets frustrated but will send a flurry of Greek, I assume lovely, words your way. Perpetually cold, Danae only comes out of the house when the sun is shining and even then clothed like an Inuit. In far too many ways she changed my perception of things. Most notable is Danae’s version of Jazz Hands… Added on top of this little Greek dessert is her friendship. Something more valuable than an MBA.
The MBA experience would not be the same without our Greek classmate. Gijs
Bond, David Bond. One of the first people I met in the program and connected with right away. David has been like a big brother to me; whether it's been through teaching me argot or discussing the wine business, David has never hesitated to help and always willing to put up with my antics. I appreciated David's realistic approach to business and radar to detect BS and always refreshing when someone shares my views and breakdown the walls of academia, I hope David will keep being my big brother for a long time to come. Tu es un vrai pote. Tak
David Bond, wow where to start . I was really intrigued by the name at first, so cliché right ? but then again what if Agent Bong was a AJ Auxerre supporter that knew his way around wine? pretty cool ! :) David my friend, you are good person, make discount for me when I go to the states, oh merde putain, il parle francais ! Wech david , wech du verbe wecher … zi va ta pas 2 francs pour le fiktou ? Man meeting you and your wife was a treat, definitely one of the few I’m happy to have in my life ! Toufic
When Mr Bond told me he wanted to work for interpol I thought… is he taking me on a ride? Then when he told me he was in the wine import business I thought « wow that is the perfect cover » and it got me thinking, what would be an even betterTM cover is if he said he wanted to work for interpol. Coming to think of it Bond is a great cover name because who would suspect right?!!
I still haven’t figured out if he is indeed a spy, he has the credentials to become one for certain. Nevertheless what is sure is he will make a lasting contribution to whatever organization he ends up joining or leading. David has an exceptional radar for BS, I would rely on him to get me out of any situation. For instance he has no FB page for me to pull any embarrassing pictures from, how brilliant? Si on m’avais dit que je deviendrais pote avec un charretier qui supporte l’AJ Auxerre pendant ce MBA je l’aurais pas cru, mais qu’en plus ce soit un franco américain malin et bon vivant c’est juste de la science fiction. A bientôt autour d’une bouteille de rosé mec. Luc
David bond, the guy who is always silent but when he talks in the class everybody knows its him like firing a gun in the lecture! he's one of the first people I met at school we talked like we know each other I always know what he wants to say thats why he dose not explain to me what in his mind, and I always look at him at some of the boring lectures we had he gave me that look of ‘whats this BS’, very humble and down to earth. David my friend I wish you all success and the best in your life and hope this friendship wont end as the program end. Sultan
I had the chance to be in a team with David during my last days in the program. He has one best work ethics I have ever seen. Regardless of whether he’s sick or tired, he will get everything done. He’s also a cool guy to be around with. He has an awesome sense of humor, and never takes himself too seriously. If the MBA doesn’t work out for you, David, you can always find work in the movie industry, cause you made our Innovation video look very professional, considering it was made by a bunch of amateurs looking to meet a deadline. I wish you nothing but the best in all that you do. (Rubin) I will always remember David’s generous hospitality and kindness. He allowed me to take web test of microeconomics at his flat because I couldn’t work at my flat. When I visited his home, “my desk and chair” had been prepared, which made me concentrate on the exam. After the exam, I could refresh my mind by drinking his recommended red wine at the balcony from which to view beautiful hills in Nice. I’m looking forward to eating “real Ramen (his favorite Japanese food)” together when David visits Japan!! (Kenji)
David is very passionate about his work and I could see his commitment in our team. His excellent technical skills and professionalism helped us learn the industry practices in several courses. He is friendly, funny and has an excellent sense of humor. He can make a worst day at work look like the funniest one. I will miss the funny emails with art/posters created by David that make me laugh every time I recollect those. He is someone who sarcastically hints that you owe him much more than a coffee when you spill his coffee all over the floor, he is someone who will help you finish the excessive amounts of Biryani from weekend lunch in the days to come at school, He is someone who can reassure and support his friends. David, you make a great team mate and a friend. I wish you success and happiness in your future endeavors. (Vrushali) Monsieur David Michaël Tobar - always cool, calm, and collected. He is such a pleasure to work with. David exemplifies what it means to be a professional. David is always willing to put in extra hours. He is incredibly knowledgeable in many aspects of business, but I was particularly impressed by his expertise in Marketing. I learned a lot from working with David. I look forward to future projects and best wishes to all future endeavors. (Brandon)
Fernando! I recall these two very unique and impactful moments with you between January and now - First being our talk after class sharing life experiences, while the second was on the mountains at Isola where you (and Mark) relentless worked to put the snow chains on the car tyres after with a ski outing couple of classmates. These moments were about sharing and helping others! Just keep on being your kind self – It’s priceless! I wish you the very best in life! Cheers Benedicta
My Spanish-speaking buddy! As one of the three Latin Americans in the class, it´s always nice to talk to Fernando in Spanish at least for 5 minutes during the breaks. Even though very reserved sometimes, Fernando is a unique person, deeply concerned about the environment, and ready to help a friend whenever he / she needs. Also, he is a good listener, always greets with a smile, and dances salsa very well! Whatever career path you decide to pursue after the program, I wish you nothing but the best and lots of success. Regards, Andrea Fernando, you are a good friend, I will never forget the diligence you showed when we worked together to put on snow chains after our snowy ski outing. You share great unconventional ideas, I love the different perspective this adds to class. We both have a lot of work left in our MBA, and I hope we continue to grow our friendship. ~ Mark
Fernando is one of my best friends in the program. Since we started the program, we have always discussed business ideas and the possibilities of starting a joint company. I am sure with his business skills and life experience everyone would like to interact more with him. A straight forward businessman I would describe him as "One Man Army". His favorite spot is on the 2end floor business lunch always, I plan to visit his country one day and hope to meet him and know more about the agriculture market and his businesses in Columbia. I wish him all the best in life and hope he meets all his goals. Regards, Sultan What can I say about Fernando that hasn’t been said already? He is sociable and experienced. And most important of all, he is hell of a dancer. His favorite adjectives are beautiful and amazing, as he would describes most things about Nice; this so upbeat, unlike some other negative classmates, wink wink. I have quite an experience with Fernando in the last few months; it's nice to have him in the MBA. Gin
The mysterious case of GCR Anderson
Is he Gus, Gils, or Gijs? Is he brown or white? Is he Dutch or Danish? A considerable amount of controversy surrounds the individual we call “that funny-looking guy that is drunk every other night”. According to inside information we have, he is performing exceptionally well during presentations and interviews, despite the copious amounts of wine running trough his veins. More specifically, an observer of the incident, whom we will not name, says: “The prevailing opinion was that he is bright. In fact, he was told to slow down his speech and allow time to people that are less intelligent than him take everything in”. Credible sources also state that in the numerous sightings we have, he has been friendly and sociable, and “he always comes prepared for a ten second dip in the sea, even in the middle of the freakin’ winter”. Other reported interests of his appear to be biking, reading books, and eating cheese. Upon encounter, it is advisable to approach with humorous attitude and a pinch of sarcasm. It is also recommended that you overlook his forthright remarks, as once you earn his friendship, he will be there through thick and thin for you. Danae
Testimonies
When I first met Gijs, I thought his name was Gus because from far the I and the J were close together and looked like a “U”. Then when I found out his real name I had to practice to say it properly. Gijs is a funny guy and is everything I thought a typical Dutchman would be; a real prick, but in a good way. It was fun getting to know you day 1; hanging out with you, getting drunk and getting drunk again. Discovering the city has been a real pleasure with you. Since day one I got along with Gijs and appreciate his sense of humour, his wits and his friendship. It’s been nice knowing you so far Gijs; I hope the future will bring us even more good times ahead. Tak
I met Gijs on the first day in a get-to-know-each-other class. And from that moment on, I realized that he is one of those characters whom you will never know completely. Apart from the simple facts, there seems to be a layer which always escaped my sight. Experiencing him in an offwork environment leaves an image of a very nice person to hang out with, funny, witty, and adventurous. Having a glimpse at him during serious times shows his determination and intelligence. And all these features are combined with great communication abilities… But again, this makes every single meeting with Gijs enjoyThis guy….what a guy. I able, knowing you might don’t think I’ve ever met be surprised every time. someone with such a rare Pavel talent. Gijs is crude yet was starting to sound like charmingly charismatic a conversation between and surprisingly hard to he and I. Gijs is the man! dislike. Oddly I can totally But watch out, after a relate to this guy and we’ve become good friends. I don’t know how much that says about glass of wine or two he talks with his hands. Silly me but really, this guy is awesome. If you need someone to have your back – he will certainly be there. I can’t imagine what he would Dutchman! Brandon think of the “having your back” colloquial. I think I’ve said enough. It
I very much enjoyed talking to Kiran about capital markets. He has very deep knowledge about investing, not afraid to take risk and take calculated guesses. We participated in trading challenge organized by CME and Kiran showed big dedication to the challenge. (Ernestas DARASKA) Kiran, we came together in our first group in January and passionately debated minutia to the point of becoming friends. Skiing, Pool, and Poker; I've learned a lot from you and I suspect that I still have a lot to learn from you. Onward to many great times together in the future! (Mark WARNER) Kiran! The best skiing teacher ever! Thanks to you I am a somewhat avid skier now. I am surely in next time you’re going to Isola! :) I appreciate your curiosity, energy, willingness to learn and share, your natural eagerness to connect with people. Good luck with your studies and all the success in your future career! Stay in touch! (Vaiva KONTRIMAITE) Kiran’s attitude for the class impressed me. In all lectures, he tried to concentrate on listening and understand deeply. Though such a serious pose in the class made me think at first that he might be a steady person, I realized by working together in the same team that I had been wrong. I was amazed at how many topics (including movies, tennis, hockey and soccer) Kiran could cover. I will never forget his big smile when he talked about those. (Kenji YASHIRO)
Kiran, we worked on many projects and may be more in the future as well. I notice that you Work hard and Play Hard. I also notice that you multitask or diversify your activities! At any given instance I see you working on several projects simultaneously like, working on MBA challenge and Trading Challenge, working for your company, building your own startup company while working on the case studies for Strategy class, organizing for Isola skiing and completing all the episodes of House of Cards. All in one week. I still don’t know how you do that. Hmm, now I can imagine you with that big smile. Keep smiling my friend. You are not only a friend but also an inspiration to me. (Vamsi MARELLA)
In Short … a Brother, a Friend
We would like to say the Following:
‘’ Luc is one of the smartest and yet most humblest people I have met in my life so far. Luc is amazingly friendly and always willing to lend a helping hand. Luc also has a great sense of humour as I really appreciated him putting up with my shenanigans and yet recognize that I was not a total connard.’’ Tak Luc has been like a big brother figure to me throughout my journey in Nice so far and I hope that this will continue throughout the rest of my life. It’s been fun having Luc as a friend in the few short months and I look forward to what the rest of the year has to bring. I have the utmost respect for Luc and hope that the future brings him and his loved ones greatness, happiness and tranquility. David “Clothes don’t make the man” is the best proverb to describe Luc, when we saw him the first time, we were like “ this guy looks boring, I don’t think it’s the kind of person that I will hang out with”. After few days, we had our first lunch together with few classmates, and we immediately felt a connection, the way he talks, the way he is, humble with a lot of wisdom, always calm and smiling, He is also the most welcoming and friendly person I have ever knew. Abdou Luc is Aramis from the 3 musketeers. Elegant, Eloquent and very friendly. I’ve learned a lot from him during the first few months. I look forward to the rest of the year and would love to maintain this friendship for the rest of my life Toufic
Looking at him is looking at the silent before the storm; he is one of my best friends and I have always liked the way he handle and approach Sultan
Mandar Deshpande Mandar is a chilled dude and I always liked his company. I came to know him better after we shared the trip to Amsterdam. We had some really fun time together with Jiten. It is hard to believe that we are parting in a few months but the memories we shared are going to last for always. I wish him all the fun and success in life. – Sachin Sharma Mandar is probably the youngest person in class and he looks the part! I first met him during the welcome for January batch at school and funnily enough he mistook me for the IT guy at EDHEC. Since he lived close by, he'd often drop by at my place for a chat or a coffee. I think the most memorable time I've had with him was on our trip to Amsterdam and I remember him being very determined to visit Anne Frank's house because he felt a close connection with her (the two share a birthday). I wish Mandar the very best for his future with a fun and exciting career ahead! – Jiten Thaker Mandar, is an young and dynamic Indian professional with lot of aspiration to learn and succeed in life. He is a simple, social, fun loving and friendly person to be with. I hope he will succeed in life with his great learning capabilities and easy going attitude. Whenever he sees me, he greets me in my language (Telugu) "CHEPPANDI CHANDU GARU". 'That means How is everything going, Sir', even he doesn't know my language. Thats how he attracts people. I wish him a great success in his future goals. – Chandulal Ratlavath Mandar is the youngest of the entire MBA Batch. He is smart and he had contacted me earlier before the MBA Program asking for help but i could not help him because, i was myself busy in a bureaucratic mess for the schengen visa. He is funny and talks to most of the group and he will excel in all parts of life. I wish him all the best for his bright future. – Vivek Haldar
Mandar, the youngest of us, a game-tester (a dream job for many) and my "nephew" :) Do you remember that negotiation case during the 'Internationalization of the Firm'? I remember your first days in the program in January, you seemed a little bit anxious and worried, but adapted very quickly. I have no doubt that you're going to enjoy your time in this program, and will succeed in the future. Never underestimate your skills, and everything will be fine! Hope to see you in the future! – Rasim Askerov
If there is anyone prouder of his undergrad school in this MBA, that´s definitely Mark! It is amazing listening to him talking about any topic, and out of the sudden when any story related to Texas A&M University comes into play, he would point out his ring to let people know what is he talking about. An easygoing person with a peculiar sense of humor, a very good listener and a nice friend because he is willing to help others anytime. You´ll always be our Princess Texas! =D
~Andrea
1) Great guy, easy to get along with, and quick to join up on new adventures. One of the first to agree to go skiing with me, despite his lack of experience, and he picks things up quickly! Same goes for our semi-regular billiards nights.
2) One of the few people who have actually been able to convince me that my opinions were wrong on a given topic - not easy since I tend to be pretty convinced about the accuracy of my opinions! -Kiran Mark You love Texas more than anyone. I know you only for 3 months, but your happiest face I have ever seen was when you met people in Barcelona who graduated from the same university as you; Texas A&M University. ∩( ✧Д✧)∩ Another thing you like is manga. You know many mangas more than I know even I am from manga country (๑❛ᴗ❛๑) You are very considerate but a funny problem is that you say so yourself like “You can learn from me” ... but I like this humor, Princess Mark (o^∀^o) Mari
1. More sometime is just more, more doesn’t necessary mean its better. The length of time you know someone doesn’t automatically translates into that he is a good friend. 2. Out of all the friends a man could have in this world; there are few people that he could ask for a ride to the airport or helps with moving the furniture into a new apartment. For sure that I have known Mark for a very short time; however, he has become a dear friend to me. Mark is exactly the airport ride type of friend, the one that I can count on for in the time of need. Thank you, Mark for being helpful and reliable.
- Gin
Nikhil has been a great teammate and friend. We had a lot of fun together with professor Shlomo’s video project. He is not only brilliant and efficient but also very keen to help others when he knows the subject (finance particularly). It’s been a real pleasure to spend these few months with you and I wish you all the best for the rest of the MBA and the rest of your career. And don’t forget to give a call if you ever come to Paris. Mathieu The first task during strategy class was to talk to a student we never talked to before. That was our first conversation, which lasted only a couple of minutes, but we got on very well. Later as your team mate, you were easy to work with. I admired your resilience, your analytical skills and your commitment, you did much for our team! I hope that your expectations for this program will be fulfilled Nikhil is my first Jan teammate who exerted AND that you have fun! Britta full-round knowledge and versatile skills in
the team. Engaged in many different industries, he has broad visions and always thinks out of box. With a background in teaching, he is generous to share his thoughts and the relevant references within the team. Most importantly, he is a kind person. Once team members encountered a problem, he would ask initiatively, propose a solution and stand up to the pressure for the whole team. It is my honor to work with Nikhil, a knowledgeable and kind man with knight spirit. Jia
This Guru knows what he wants and has so many stories he can share. I’d buy your book man … WRITE ONE !! Toufic
Dear Nikhil, It was a pleasure to work and share the MBA with you! Your presence and your spirit made our MBA a nicer place to learn and growth. You were always smiling, and ready to share your experience and sense of humor with us. We had a very good time with Finance!! ;) I wish you all the best my dear friend. Rodrigo
You have a smile and a sense of happiness that lights up the room. You have a fantastic personality! Everywhere you go, that smile, that laugh, brings up the mood of the whole place. Genuine. Authentic. It’s refreshing to be around you, I’ve enjoyed getting to know you. 2015 has been great has been great already! By the way, jam and jelly is the same thing. I’ve never heard of a peanut butter and JAM sandwich J
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Our friendly class rep...Tak! The class rep everyone wanted. First person ever in the history of the world to swoon a whole MBA class with a sweet song from Bryan Adams. Tak took his repness very seriously. Not only would he calm people down in class with one of his signature “Come on guys!” sometimes he would just keep us sharp by sneezing so loud the BBAs on the third floor would wake up. In twenty years I’ll remember Tak from great nights at the dinner table drinking wine, eating cheese, singing and making dumplings. Gijs Tak was the first person from the MBA program that got in touch with me (by email), we shared few drinks before the starting of the program, he described himself as an introvert in class… BUT it is the complete opposite, he sings in front of a 70 people class to get nominated as class rep, loves dirty french words and is incredibly enjoyable as a person. Also, he is a body-builder who eats eggs and meat at 9h00 am and drink beers at lunch (perfectly logic in his mind). Last but not least, he is the most hilarious person in class, he can say whatever he wants, whenever he wants and nobody would blame him because it is Tak. Abderrahmane Tak is the epitome of “good guy”. He is 100% genuine. What you see is what you get - a rare phenomenon this day and age. I can see Tak being a life long friend. It¹s especially important to keep people like him in your circle. He is a man of honor and integrity. I have the upmost respect for this guy. SALUT my brother! Hoff N Tak Show coming soon. May the Guinness be with us. Brandon His boldness and bravery are renowned from Canada to China to France and back. He’s the guy who will “ask the questions everyone wants to but does not dare to”. He’s the one who will fearlessly sing Brian Adams at the top of his lungs to a crowd of ruthless MBAs. You will always find him mingling with people and making crude funny jokes that will make you fall off your chair laughing. But the greatest token of Tak’s facetious personality is one of my very first memories of him when he introduced a group of us (strangers at the time) to “Cards Against Humanity”… I’m sure that without all the wine our bond would not be as strong. Danae Tak Your energy and enthusiasm is contagious. I was lucky to have you in my team when we started off in January. Tough subjects and tougher deadlines couldn’t wipe the smile of your face. Its sad that we got so little time together. Let’s keep in touch. May the force be with you. Jatin Wong, Tak: What can I say? Tak, you are the life of the class. Not many cloudy days in Nice but when there is one I know that you will cheer everyone up. French curse words, weird stinky food, awesome questions for the professors, not quite sure what I appreciate most. Maybe its just your uncanny ability to be the glue of our group of friends. I hope to be able to teach you new French words when we meet again after EDHEC in the years to come. Keep up the global Tak show! Tu es un vrai pote, Merci Tak, David
Toufic Hawly I must admit that when I saw that someone at EDHEC was also from Fontainebleau, I was very curious. Not in my wildest hopes could I have expected that person to be as cool as Touffic! Une fois qu'on a compris qu'on etait tous les deux bellifontains, c'était facile! A ton of knowledge, a regional culture I seek to learn from, I am only upset about your amazing guitar skills which have clearly relegated me to a rhythm guitarist level! Entrepreneurs at heart, we will likely cross paths in the professional world. Touffic, petit dej au Delice Imperial et le dejeuner a la Brasserie les Glaces, vive le 77! Merci Toufic, David
Toufic is a force to be reckoned with; when he was a child has was born to be the rival of Kim Jong Un and challenge the dictator in a Japanese game show contest to see who was the best dictator in the world. When Toufic is taking a break from dictating, he likes to rest with his guitar and jam out on his room in the dark as he plays sentimental music and sobbing to himself about the loneliness of life and what could bring some warmth to it.
My first impression when I met him was first day at school & I entered the class while he was talking in English suddenly he spoke French I was confused where would the guy be from and then someone asked him how many languages do you speak he said 5, so I had to ask him where you from? he replied Lebanon, I was not surprised because most Lebanese are smart & intellectual people and I really like his country especially the food.
Toufic has been a good friend to hangout with, share drinks with and have general conversations with. All the best to Toufic throughout the rest of his life and may the guitar gods bless him with great tunes in his life. Tak
Since then, we became very close friends as he is one of our special group members, he always helped me out when I have to do something that requires French language. He is a great musician, playing guitar as soon as he has a free time, we played a few songs together and I must say hes one of the people I met who knows how build up a beautiful melody. Best place for him or spot I would imagine is actually what I would love to visit one day, is his hometown in the mountains Tripoli I would love to visit and try the fresh fruits they have as he always mention how delicious and fresh it is. He always tell me about the "Lemonade" farms they have in Lebanon. I am really thinking Yeah Toufic at class with all his questions and comments he makes to the professor is like a Lemonade! I wish him all the best in his career and life and with his entrepreneur motivation he has I am sure he will achieve all his goals. Sultan
Few people epitomize the word diversity as Toufic. He is a social chameleon, comfortable and relevant in any crowd: from his infinite business experience to his love for his guitars, his music, and to his obsessive entrepreneurial compulsions, he has a unique and captivating voice that cannot leave you indifferent. Toufic is always in fifth gear, 100% engaged in the moment. He is in friendship as he is in life: genuine, carrying, passionate, and a ton of fun. I can't wait to bake bread with you, I can't wait for our next game of tonk or whatever else, I know if I hang out with you long enough we will create a few businesses, and I am so looking forward to the next adventure we will share. Thank you Toufic for your ever lasting generosity, and for entertaining us with your art of opinionated digression. I am happy and proud to call you "my friend"! (No I have nothing to sell you at the moment…) Luc
Vamsi Krishna MARELLA Vamsi, I'm very glad that I had an opportunity not only to meet you but also to work with you within a team! Always being positive, willing to overcome whatever challenges we might have encountered, and always open to communicate and discuss, you've been both, an excellent teammate and a nice friend to interact with. I'm sure that you'll have a very successful career path 'cause the world (especially business world :-) ) needs more people like you! All the best for the future, and let's keep in touch! Rasim ASGAROV Idealist, dreamer, brilliant, Vamsi is the type of person who irradiates joy and is always ready to help anyone who needs him. Very polite and diplomatic while working in teams, he is an excellent mediator and problem solver. You are a very smart guy, and one of your ideas will definitely make you very successful. I look forward working with you and trying to change the world step by step =) All the best for you and your wife. Andrea Sofía ZAMBRANO REGALADO Vamsi is an Indian classmate that started the program at the same time as I did, with big pressure from arriving and starting the hardest part of the program nearly immediately. He arrived with his family in Nice, and almost always has a smile and a correct attitude to learn and to develop the class knowledge. Fernando AREVALO Vamsi Krishna should be Vamsi Vishnu because he has so much energy and can put up so much work that it looks like he has four arms! You’re an incredibly warm-hearted and generous person, always willing to lend a helping hand around you. Your never-ending thirst for knowledge never ceased to amaze me and I am positive that it will take you very far. Keep this positive attitude, your dreams are closer than you think! Celine CASTEX If you are one of those persons who have a hard time being creative and innovative and need a source of inspiration – ask Vamsi! He will not only solve your problems (being an engineer), but he will solve them in a way you could not even imagine. Professionally and personally, Vamsi never stops amazing me. There is a lot to learn from this man, you just have to accept the challenge of listening to him all the way to the end. Pavel COJOCARU
You were one of my first group work members.We cheered up each other during the tough group work; our group worked for not only after classes but also weekends. Even it was really tough period but we had fun thanks to you humor.
Walking encyclopedia, terrific cook & an intelligent mind You are cool because you are one of those creative kind. Have fun! -Yours-truly-chickenconnoisseur, Prithvi
I hope someday I can see Indian handicrafts which you sell :D Mari
He likes chicken. Even though, he is presently in MBA class, he is till behave as he is in Engineering class. Vivek is a back bencher, and always plays with facebook but he is highly intelligent person Akhilesh
Vivek, I have known a little piece of incredible India through you. The Indian Handicraft is amazing! I leave you with a quote from Ellen Degeneres "Follow your passion, stay true to yourself, never follow someone else's path unless you're in the woods and you're lost and you see a path then by all means you should follow that." Good luck in your pursuit of your dreams!
Vivek is from Bombay(Mumbai) and also understands little Marathi.(my mother tongue). So when we met 1st time(btw, he arrived little late to the class), I was glad that I could at least speak to him in Marathi a little bit. Besides that, he is an artist which we all get to know from Facebook. Cool nature. I wonder if he gets angry :P I already asked him for a cartoon sketch of mine and I am waiting for it. Glad to have a "Mumbaikar" in our class.
Susan
Mandar