International MBA (IMBA) Program

Gabriele
German Citizen
Class of 1996 

Global Director,
Business Process Improvement, Automotive Coatings 
PPG Industries
Mexico 

Send me
a question

Return to
Ask Moore ...
... Students
... Alumni
... Faculty

Brief job history:  Started with PPG right after graduation 11 years ago in Internal Audit based out of Pittsburgh.  After a few years of traveling all over the world, moved to Birmingham, England to be the cost accountant at a coatings manufacturing plant.  Next move was to Paris, France (I was a French tracker) as the Financial Analyst for Automotive Coatings, then to Detroit, MI as the NA Financial Analyst, then promoted to Global Financial Analyst, Automotive Coatings.  Then I decided to leave finance and moved into the position of Global Product Manager, Clearcoat and was responsible for new product development.  My next move was due to my husband’s (IMBA alumnus) job which transferred us to Mexico.  I was able to continue with PPG as project manager working on various projects in a nearby manufacturing plant. Then at the beginning of July, I was promoted into my current job and have global responsibility for driving quality tools (Sigma, Lean) into all parts of the organization. Never thought I’d be with the same company so long, but the moves have been great!

Why I chose IMBA:  Length of internship experience (6 months at the time), the fact that I did not have to organize the internship myself and good value for money.

Where I interned:  Bosch in Brussels, Belgium

What impacted me the most during the IMBA Program: The caliber of my classmates and learning from them!  Plus growing up bilingual in a smaller US town where I was one of only a handful of foreigners at my high school, I really felt at home with my IMBA classmates who shared my love of international and travel and interaction with people from different backgrounds.

How IMBA has added value to my career:  Strong awareness that cultural background impacts work style and decision-making process.

Other thoughts: The IMBA program attracts “characters” with such a variety of previous experiences; however, there is a common interest in international which binds us. When I meet alumni at various gatherings around the world, I am always amazed by the amount of energy I get from our interactions.  We may be strangers when we meet, but it’s so easy to fall into a conversation with a fellow alumnus and feel like you’ve known each other for much longer.  The network is the key!