Laurent Andriot EMBA McGill-HEC Montreal 2020Laurent Andriot (EMBA 2020)

Senior Director, Software Development & Architecture
OnDeck Canada

Be humble, you’ll meet a lot of talented people with different backgrounds and you’ll only be able to gain from it if you are open-minded.

Describe yourself in 25 words or less:
I like to help companies to get to the next level, by empowering individuals, solving organizational structure issues and providing efficient technical solutions.

Why did you choose the McGill-HEC Montréal executive MBA program?
I looked at multiple top EMBAs in Canada, but also in the USA. The one thing that pushed me to pick the McGill / HEC program is the humanity of the different persons I met before the selection process.
I felt immediate chemistry and knew that there was something unique about this program, which turned out to be totally accurate.

What is the biggest lesson you gained during your EMBA and how did you apply it at work?
One could expect to get a strong business acumen out of such a program. This is 100% true, but the biggest gain is the personal growth that you acquire.
I am a better leader; morehuman and authentic, creating a safe space that allows people to thrive.

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal?

Be the CEO and board member of companies that have strong positive impacts on people’s lives.

Give us a story during your time as an executive MBA on how you were able to juggle work, personal life and education?
The program is heavy and being structured is a prerequisite to be able to juggle your life aspects and the EMBA workload.
I used commuting and lunchtime to do most of my reading, making sure that I could still give enough attention to my family.

What advice would you give to a student looking to enter an executive MBA program?
Be humble, you’ll meet a lot of talented people with different backgrounds and you’ll only be able to gain from it if you are open-minded.