EMBA at HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management: Alumni Profile

Frank Fankhauser tells TopMBA.com it wasn’t until the Executive MBA at HHL Leipzig that he had the tools to do what he always felt would be right for him. 

Frank Fankhauser found being in the position of medical director without proper economic training very uncomfortable. “After some time of fruitless arguments with hospital management, I decided to acquire the know-how to become superior to them,” Fankhauser says. So he turned to the Executive MBA.

What Fankhauser hadn’t prepared for was the impact it would have on his career. “About six months after beginning [the program], I was sure the knowledge learned
– and to be learned – would be more than sufficient to start as an entrepreneur.”

Fankhauser has since founded a company which delivers top level service in ophthalmology. He believes there are many entrepreneurs who may not need an MBA “This is probably because they have natural talent,” he says. “But for those who don’t have this natural talent (people like me), the MBA is probably one of the few ways to level up and be able to talk to the true geniuses at eye level.”

In retrospect, Fankhauser says there were many opportunities for him to pursue his entrepreneurial ambition during his lifetime. “But it was not before the [E]MBA that I had the tools to do what I always felt would be right for me.”

The Executive MBA has bought added advantages for Fankhauser. “To be able to identify and eliminate traps, to fight my opponents on their own level, to negotiate on all levels without any problems, and to be sure to have the tools to operate on a truly global level,” he says.
“There are two global languages: one is medicine, the second is economy – now I can speak them both.”