Hannes Hebel
Hannes Hebel

I am Hannes and I graduated from Hamburg University in Germany with both a master´s and bachelor´s degree in business administration, majoring in finance and accounting. My university studies also included an exchange year in Bangkok, Thailand, where I fell in love with Asia.

Prior to the HKU MBA, I was working for Ernst & Young, most recently in increasingly senior roles, where I acquired a comprehensive understanding of fundamental valuation techniques, accounting concepts and expertise in auditing consolidated financial statements for leading multinational businesses. During my time there, I contributed to diverse projects and engagements, and gained significant experience within the trade business of agricultural commodities and freight industry, private equity, oil & gas and manufacturing.  I was also part of their 19-month graduate trainee programme, which is recognised as one of the leading and most awarded programmes in Germany. This involved rotations through diverse departments, including the German Speaking Business Desk at the Shanghai office in China and the Transaction Tax (M&A) service line, thereby enabling me to gain valuable insight into financial services and commercial awareness.

Moreover, I was always engaged outside the company and have acted as a representative of Ernst & Young as a Young Leader in the German Asia-Pacific business association (OAV), a leading network of German companies with interests and activities in the Asia-Pacific region.

Since my first encounter with the Far East years ago, I have been fascinated by the region. It was always my dream to work and live here. My goal after completing my MBA is to join a leading private equity firm or investment bank where I will get the opportunity to contribute to the decision-making process on investments and transactions, tackling all of the tremendous challenges that may arise.

I chose to study my MBA in Hong Kong because I believe that Hong Kong is not only the heart of the Asian economy, but it is also a modern, highly developed, bustling and buzzing world that has always fascinated me. From my point of view, the Asian region is certainly more difficult to handle when looking from the outside in than it is when you are looking from the inside out. And this is exactly what the MBA at HKU is helping me to gain; a deep insight into doing successful business in Asia. In addition, HKU is the ideal place to study finance, as the Asian financial industry is rooted here.

Taking all factors into account, the HKU MBA was my primary choice due to the combination of a highly international network, modern infrastructure, a high rank as well as a thoroughly international curriculum (partnership programmes with CBS, LBS or Fudan), which all could help me to achieve a top degree in order to broaden my future possibilities.

My HKU MBA experiences so far have been amazing. To study with fellow students from such diverse backgrounds and cultures is extremely enriching and exciting. The time in Beijing gave me the opportunity to acquire basic Mandarin skills and to become true friends with my classmates. Now I am really looking forward to the challenges ahead and the rest of my MBA life.

Current Status

Employer: Deutsche Bank
Position:   AVP