"I'm interested in strategy and leadership" Isac Boukachabia on why he chose Innovation and Industrial Management    

What is your title and what do you do at work?    
“My role at Finwire is Head of Funds & ERP, which basically means that I work as the product owner for our fund service and all the fund related news that we produce.   

I have editorial responsibility for our fund news, where I work with my team of writers to produce fund news that we then distribute to fund platforms and various media outlets. We cover a large number of funds and ETFs on a monthly basis, following the funds' monthly and quarterly reports, monitoring press releases, rating changes and conducting interviews with fund managers.  

In addition, I have client responsibility and am in regular contact with the asset managers we work with or are considering working with in the future.”  
 
How did you decide what to study?   
“I have two degrees from the School, a Bachelor's in Economics and a Master's in Innovation and Industrial Management.  

As far as the Bachelor's degree is concerned, it started with a great interest in society and the desire to study a broad programme that I could end up being a bit like, because at that time I wasn't really sure where I wanted to go. I had some loose ideas about the diplomatic programme or possibly working in sustainable finance at the big bank I was working for at the time.   

Then I actually decided to change direction when it came to choosing a Master's programme, as I had become increasingly interested in strategy work and leadership in both small and large organisations. Combined with a strong interest in technology, it was relatively easy for me to apply for the MSc Innovation and Industrial Management.” 

Was there a course that you particularly enjoyed?    
 “At the undergraduate level, I would have to say macroeconomics and essay writing, along with my semester abroad, were the most enjoyable. Macroeconomics because of the fantastic lecturer Hans Bjurek, but also because of the connection to all the social issues I have always been interested in. As for the Bachelor's thesis, we had Professor Thomas Sterner as our supervisor, which was a very fun and educational experience. I think it was extremely cool to apply research to practice.  

On the Master's level, I think the whole programme was very good. I was incredibly impressed by everyone involved in the programme. Again, my choice would probably be the Master's thesis as the absolute most fun part of the whole programme.” 
 
What did you like most about the programme?    
“At the undergraduate level, I think the best thing was the breadth you got and it opened a lot of doors in business that were completely closed to me before. At the Master's level, I enjoyed the community in the class as there was an incredible drive among the students, but apart from the friends, the best thing was the opportunity to finally specialise and really get to know a subject in depth over a longer period of time.  

I am very happy and proud of my education at the School of Business. I have knowledge and memories for life for which I am very grateful. It was a fun and educational time and if there is one thing I regret, it is that I did not get more involved in the clubs, events and guest lectures that were available.” 

Did you do any exchanges?   
“Yes, I went to Lyon, France, as a part of my Bachelor's programme. It is still one of the best experiences of my life! Great weather, fun classes, amazing people and it was such fun to live in another country. I was then supposed to go to Lisbon for the Masters, but unfortunately it was cancelled due to the pandemic, so I was stuck in my student flat in Kviberg instead... Almost as good!” 
 
How did you experience contact with the business world during your studies?  
“At the undergraduate level, my experience was that contact with the business world was mainly through Gadden. However, this changed considerably during the Master's programme, when we constantly had sharp cases with different companies and organisations.” 

What advice do you have for those considering the programme?  
“If it sounds like fun, go for it! You can always change your mind if it's not for you. One piece of advice is to get out there and network with other students, if you don't want to do it in the corridors, get involved in one of the associations at the Student Union. It may feel like everyone has a clear idea of what they want to do with their education, but I can promise that this is definitely not the case, but it has the ability to turn out pretty good in the end anyway!” 
 
What skills from the programme have you taken with you into your professional life?   
“I have taken a lot of tools from the programme. Everything from developing my analytical skills and being able to work with complex financial literature to negotiating techniques and being able to set up strategic processes. I would certainly say that I use the knowledge I gained from my time at the School on a daily basis. “ 

What is the best thing about your current job?  
“The absolute best thing about my job right now is my team, my colleagues and the culture we have. As well as having the best colleagues in the world, I think I have an incredibly interesting job where I work to keep myself and others up to date with what is happening in the world, and where I can keep my social interests stimulated. At the same time, I get to work with senior management, product development and set long-term strategies for my product area.  
I actually ended up here as a result of referrals from my network that I met at the School.” 
 
What are your plans for the future?    
“Career-wise, I would dream of developing my role to work in an even more international context. It would be extremely interesting to travel around the world and get to know all the companies, cultures and people I read about on a daily basis.”