MBA: A stepping stone to Europe

AFTER WORKING in management consultancy in London, Michael Moore, 32, decided the time had come to do an MBA. He wanted a one-year MBA and the chance to move to Europe, but his linguistic skills were virtually zero.

"Nijenrode appealed to me because it has very small classes and draws students from all over the world. I didn't want to go somewhere that churns out 500 MBAs a year. It cost me about pounds 10,000 in fees. I borrowed money and used my savings, as well as using my earnings from the project thesis I undertook at the school.

"After the MBA I joined a small Dutch software company for a few months. I had been in touch with a consulting company called Monitor since my Nijenrode days and joined their Amsterdam office, where I worked until a few months ago. I'm now head of the Benelux office of a small UK business consultancy called Conduit Communications.

"The Nijenrode network has been useful to me for business development in the Benelux countries. When you call someone up you get a warm reception. It doesn't get you the job or the deal, but it gets you in the door."