German MBA Conference

I recently spend one weekend in Chicago at the German MBA Conference.
Approximately 40 German MBA students from all over the US came together for a great weekend in the windy city.

First of all I want to thank the organizers from University of Chicago. Great job, we all had a wonderful time.

So what did we actually do there?
Friday night we met in a bar in the Trump Tower. Key learning from this evening came from the president of Siemens Management Consulting. He explained what it means to have an option that is "in the money". While he pushed to get a marriage contract his wife did not agree. Consequently they do not have a marriage contract. But since his wife now earns way more than he does, he possesses "an option that is in the money".
As a side note and to be fair I want to emphasis that he was quick to point out that he does not plan to exercise this option ever.
We had a great time Friday night and it was great to get to know so many fellow German MBA students.


Saturday we had an impressive program at the University of Chicago.
Speakers included Frank Mattern (Managing Partner McKinsey Germany), Dr. Markus Schenck (CFO, Eon) and Martin Schlatter (CMO, Wrigley).
Unfortunately Nobel Prize Winner Gary Becker needed to cancel his participation at the last minute.

And yes, I enjoyed this Saturday way more than you can tell from this picture.

Nevertheless the highlight of Saturday was a Gala Dinner in a Chicago Skyscraper.
What a wonderful thing that there is no recession for McKinsey and they have still money for stuff like this. ;-)
I very funny scene was then when about 20 German MBA Students and suits and ties entered a Chicago Hip-Hop club in which the other guests were at best dressed casual.
Unfortunately I do not have pictures from that night. But it is surely only a bad rumor that this is somehow related to the amount of alcohol consumed by McKinseys' Principals. ;-)

Sunday morning we than drove back to Ann Arbor - just in time for my Finance Assignment.