Interview with Lutz Kögler

Name: Lutz Kögler
Nationality: Swiss 
Cohorte: EMBA 59

You started your Executive MBA HSG learning journey a few months ago. How would you describe your impressions so far?

From the very first moment, the EMBA journey was a densely packed experience of a new place, new requirements and quite impressive new acquaintances (both as teachers and fellow students). I graduated from ETH Zurich ten years ago; the task of now soaking up knowledge again on a daily basis is a blessing and a privilege, but also a great challenge. I notice how I need to relearn how to learn. But I also notice how good it feels to come out of an intensive course week and take away my own new treasure of knowledge and experience.

You are currently partner at Nightnurse Images, a company that specializes in architectural visualizations. You also studied architecture. How do you think architecture and business can be combined and what do you hope to gain from our Executive MBA?

Architects (and architecture-related service providers) are also increasingly in demand as entrepreneurs. If architecture in the future doesn’t want to be reduced to taking on some design within predefined boundaries, then it must also be able to adequately meet economic challenges. As visualizers, we’re part of this profession and are well advised to learn to assess today’s buildings in terms of their complex economic performance. At the same time, we’re often small or micro entrepreneurs in a volatile environment. Today more than ever, companies, especially small ones, need a better understanding of economic relationships – not only to survive, but also to consciously manage their own future. Architects are no exception.

EMBA 59 participants come from a wide variety of industries. What do you appreciate most about your cohort?

Supposedly, a unifying element of many successful personalities is that they have a confident environment. Whether I am (or will become) a “successful personality” remains to be seen. That the EMBA cohort is an exemplary “confident environment,” on the other hand, is obvious. I am continually impressed by the many strong personalities, the variety of career paths, and the wealth of experience that I now have the opportunity to directly experience. The high degree of optimism and the pronounced will to take on responsibility is inspiring for me.

What advice would you give to future participants?

In my case, there were years between the initial idea of attending the EMBA and the first day of school. The organizational, temporal and financial hurdles were not insignificant. During this preparation time, I got to know various EMBA alumni from my immediate and wider surroundings and asked them for their experiences and advice. I would also recommend this to anyone interested. The experiences of my contacts were positive and encouraging – and their descriptions helped me to realistically adjust to the daily course routine. But above all, the first-hand accounts helped me in the end to gradually overcome the hurdles I mentioned and to now be able to be part of the EMBA 59.