Melanie Alvarado, OMMAX – Digital Solutions

Company

OMMAX - Digital Solutions

Industry

Consulting

Position

Digital Strategy Manager

Why did you choose the MiM?

When I was applying to grad schools, I outlined criteria for the masters programs and objectives for myself as a graduate: to become theoretically focused, analytically savvy and culturally versatile. The combination of the program’s quality and the fast-paced, financial nature of the city of Frankfurt were the overriding influences of my decision to attend Frankfurt School, along with the vision to embody the aforementioned goals.  

What are the key skills that you took from the MiM?

The MiM program cultivates agile business thinkers and problem-solvers. Through case studies and simulations, we are trained to unravel and decode business obstacles whilst becoming proficient in problem-solving. I pride myself on my reputation of case-solving and pitch presentation skills which were refined by my professors and showcased in various European business games. Alongside my FS teammates, we consulted BMW, Lufthansa, Baker McKenzie, Swarovski and Nespresso. My team won the BDO Pitch Challenge at the University of St. Gallen and was a runner-up of the Google Pitch Challenge at HEC Paris.

The program is founded on management principles aimed at fluency in financial analysis to draw managerial decisions. In particular, my specialization in Strategy and Organizational Design solidified a mindset that has propelled my career. That mindset is the salient deliverable from the MiM program.

What does your current job look like?

Based in Munich, I work for OMMAX – Digital Solutions, a consulting firm which focuses on digital transformation of SMEs and large corporations. Our clients face the digital age without an arsenal of [digital] intelligence to combat their competitors; we provide them that arsenal both in strategy and in practice. We are able to pitch strategies for our clients to become visible on a digital landscape, and implement operational techniques (marketing automatization, SEO, SEA, web development) to bring those strategic objectives to fruition.

As a Digital Strategy Manager, the essence of my work is strategy development and positioning whilst aligning financial, operational and organizational design tactics into a cohesive vision. As the company continues to grow in size and expertise, my team is responsible for steering that growth along a prosperous path. That navigation is also applied to an external context as my team executes an eclectic array of pitches and due diligence projects across various industries and borders. We focus on how executives can innovate new strategies and business models in order for their organizations to thrive in the digital age. The most exciting part of my job is the clientele that I am exposed to and the problems we solve as a team. The most rewarding part is seeing this company grow whilst partaking in that evolution.

How would you recommend the MiM to future students?

The association of professionals in practice and intellectuals in research is what drives Frankfurt School to be named amongst the top business schools in Europe. The master’s program offers an international network with a profound understanding of today’s business challenges, extending from students to faculty alike. As a MiM student at Frankfurt School, I became business oriented and strategy-driven. My education has become an invaluable edge as a Latin-American woman working in today’s global marketplace. An FS master’s degree symbolizes experience in a challenging environment amongst international classmates that propelled my skillset for the future.