If you’re looking to get actively involved in the major transformations taking place across the world, EDHEC Business School demands serious consideration. It ranks among the top 10 European Business Schools (Financial Times 2025) with programmes renowned for equipping Masters of Science (MSc) students with cutting-edge expertise in a wide range of specialities.
Its MSc in Business Management portfolio includes:
MSc in Strategy, Organisation & Consulting
MSc in Data Analytics & Artificial Intelligence
…and many more options to explore on their website.
The ROI of these programmes is clear: experience tackling real company challenges, a global network built even before graduation, and the opening of doors to careers anywhere in the world.
But what is the whole experience really like?
We asked two people who know it best: Ayzar Ahmad, an MSc in Strategy, Organisation & Consulting graduate who served as class president and student representative.
And Brigytte De La Sota, MSc in Marketing Management, Class of 2026, who represented EDHEC in the World Retail Congress competition and is completing her final internship at beauty company Coty.
Below, they share their EDHEC experiences and how the school has shaped their journeys.
Alongside an MSc, Ayzar Ahmad completed the Strategic Foresight Certificate to complement traditional strategy with a different approach to uncertainty and long-term change. Source: EDHEC Business School
Ayzar Ahmad, alumnus of the MSc in Strategy, Organisation & Consulting
Can you tell us more about your specialisation, specific role(s) (such as tutor, research assistant, etc), and past and present projects related to the programme?
I was always most interested in the practical side of strategy, how you take a messy business problem, boil it down to what really matters, and turn that into a focused decision that can be subsequently implemented. That shaped the parts of the MSc I gravitated towards, particularly corporate strategy, transformation, and organisational questions.
I was also class president and student representative, which gave me a slightly different experience of the programme. I was the one talking to faculty on behalf of the cohort, chasing feedback, trying to fix things that weren’t working. Honestly, I learned more about stakeholder management and answer-first communication, which has turned out to be very relevant in my career.
Did you undergo any internship or placement?
No, I did not undertake a formal placement as part of the MSc. After graduating, I took up a full-time position with Maersk Management Consulting (MMC) in Copenhagen, Denmark. MMC is the internal management consultancy of A.P. Møller – Maersk, one of the world’s largest shipping and logistics companies.
I now work in investments at APM Terminals across Asia and the Middle East. The subject matter has changed, but the core skill is still the same: making sense of complex situations and getting to a clear, defensible go-/no-go decision.
What’s it like to study at EDHEC, in France?
Studying at EDHEC is international, fast-paced and highly collaborative. You’ll work with classmates from different countries and academic backgrounds, while learning through group projects, presentations, case discussions and company projects. I enjoyed that mix because it made the programme feel less academic and more applied.
As an elected student representative, I also worked closely with students and faculty, gaining a broader view of a cohort representing more than 40 nationalities. EDHEC’s energetic community made learning enjoyable, and I formed some of my closest friendships there.
Why study a Master’s in Strategy, Organisation & Consulting?
The main value of the degree is learning how to approach ambiguity in a structured way. You learn to break down complex problems, identify key questions, analyse them and turn findings into actionable recommendations. You’ll also develop communication, teamwork and stakeholder management skills. These are valuable across careers, from consulting and business development to mergers and acquisitions, investments, and leadership.
In my case, I started in Maersk Management Consulting and later moved into investments at APM Terminals, where the subject matter is different, but the underlying problem-solving approach is very similar.
Tell us more about the classes you took as part of the MSc Strategy, Organisation & Consulting programme at EDHEC.
Practical and demanding are the two words I’d use. I gravitated towards analytical, judgement-based classes such as financial modelling, strategic costing, and M&A. What I valued was having to move beyond frameworks and consider what the analysis meant for a business. M&A and financial modelling strengthened my understanding of value and returns, while strategic cost deepened my understanding of business economics. Both remain relevant in my consulting and investment career, where commercial judgement matters.
How closely do corporate partners work with students during the programme?
Quite closely, and that was one of the programme’s strongest aspects. My Master’s Project with Capgemini Invent involved solving a real business problem for an EV charging startup. Our team developed a transformation roadmap and explored B2C monetisation for an internally developed software product. We also took courses led by consulting firms such as Deloitte, Capgemini and Sopra Steria, connecting classroom concepts to real-world challenges while building valuable industry networks.
Brigytte De La Sota is completing an MSc in Marketing Management, with a focus on luxury branding, consumer behaviour, and fashion and beauty marketing. Source: EDHEC Business School
Brigytte De La Sota, MSc in Marketing Management, Class of 2026
Can you tell us more about your specialisation, specific role(s) (such as tutor, research assistant, etc) held, and past and present projects related to the programme ?
I am currently completing the MSc in Marketing Management at EDHEC Business School, with a concentration in Luxury & Fashion. This concentration has allowed me to deepen my understanding of luxury brand management, consumer behaviour, fashion and beauty marketing, and the specific challenges of building and communicating value for premium and luxury brands.
During my time at EDHEC, I have had the opportunity to work on several projects related to marketing, luxury, fashion, and retail. One experience I particularly valued was representing EDHEC in the World Retail Congress competition, where we worked on a real-world retail challenge and developed a strategic proposal. This experience allowed me to combine creativity, consumer insights, and marketing strategy while collaborating with an international team.
Overall, my academic journey has allowed me to build a profile that combines communication, marketing, and business, while my specialisation at EDHEC has enabled me to further focus this expertise on the luxury and fashion industries.
Did you undergo any internship or placement?
Yes. I am currently completing my final internship at Coty within the Media Performance & Partnerships team. My role has a global scope, and I work across both Coty’s Consumer and Prestige brands, including brands such as Burberry, Chloé, Hugo Boss, and Calvin Klein. My main focus is media performance and efficiency, working with major media and technology partners such as Meta, Pinterest, Spotify, TikTok, and Google, as well as leading media agencies such as Publicis Groupe.
One of my main responsibilities is analysing media efficiency and campaign performance across different markets and channels. I work with performance data and KPIs to identify opportunities for optimisation and understand how effectively media investments are performing at a global level. I also contribute to global reporting and projects related to media performance and partnerships. This gives me the opportunity to understand how a global beauty company works with both major digital platforms and media agencies to support the performance of different brands across markets.
This internship is closely related to my MSc in Marketing Management because it allows me to apply concepts from the programme, including digital marketing, performance marketing, data analysis, consumer behaviour, and marketing strategy to real global business challenges.
Is Marketing Management a difficult course?
Yes, Marketing Management can be challenging, but it is also practical and rewarding. The programme combines individual assignments, group projects, presentations, case studies, exams and real business challenges. You cover areas such as consumer behaviour, brand management, digital marketing, strategy, data analytics, luxury and retail. The workload can be intense, with multiple projects and deadlines, but it develops strong time management, analytical, strategic and presentation skills while preparing you for real-world marketing challenges.
Is it worth pursuing a Master’s in Marketing Management?
Absolutely. The programme has been a valuable investment for me. It helped me transition from communication into marketing, and my final internship at Coty gave me hands-on experience in global media performance. The programme also strengthened my understanding of business and analytics. Studying at EDHEC exposed me to an international community and new perspectives. Most importantly, it gave me greater clarity about the career I want to pursue.
What makes EDHEC’s MSc in Marketing Management different from other marketing master’s programmes?
The programme stands out because it connects marketing theory with real business experience. It gives students opportunities to work on company projects and take part in international competitions. One experience that stood out was the World Retail Congress, where my team worked on a real retail challenge and achieved second place against teams from leading universities.
I also took part in the Louis Vuitton Challenge x EDHEC, where my team ranked among the Top 10. The Luxury & Fashion concentration further allowed me to explore industries I am passionate about while developing a stronger marketing foundation.
How has EDHEC’s MSc in Marketing Management prepared you for your career?
The programme has prepared me for my career by strengthening both my business and analytical perspective. Coming from a communication background, I have learned to analyse consumers and markets while using data to support marketing decisions. Company projects and real business challenges have helped me apply these skills in practice. My internship at Coty has further developed my experience in international marketing, media performance and partnerships.
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