James Eisner

The highlight of the degree was its focus on digital marketing 

During my undergraduate studies, which focused on commerce and entrepreneurship, I spent over a year working and living in Asia. After returning home to Canada, I worked in the marketing industry for a few years for two medium-sized non-profit organizations before deciding to co-found a digital agency that focused on working with startups and entrepreneurs. While these were great experiences, I still found myself looking for the next challenge.

Embarking on an international career path

I knew that I wanted to work abroad and I knew that I wanted to work in the digital marketing industry. So, my search focused on finding a university that had the program, reputation, and network that would help me to embark on an international career path. As I had worked in the digital marketing sector for a number of years, I was attracted by the MSc Marketing program's emphasis on digital marketing. Since I was also looking to stay in Europe after graduating, HEC Paris’ strong relationships with international companies and local startups was a major factor in my decision to enroll in the program.

HEC Paris’ expertise in digital marketing

The highlight of the degree was its focus on digital marketing. It had courses covering subjects from digital marketing strategy and social media marketing to data analytics that did an amazing job in preparing us for the challenges the evolving marketing industry will be facing.

One of the other highlights was the certificate program. I took on a certificate that focused on digital entrepreneurship. It was a great experience that paired me and another HEC student with a web developer and a designer to create and pitch our own startup company to potential investors. Having the opportunity to apply the knowledge that I learned in a practical and entrepreneurial setting made me appreciate all that I had learned throughout the program.

Global perspective

The program was exceptionally international. Working with classmates from all around the world on marketing projects allowed me to tackle problems using perspectives that I would have otherwise not considered. The ability to evaluate business issues from a global perspective was unexpected, but a unique skill that this program helped me to develop.

One of the most valuable aspects of the MSc Marketing program are the career options that it has given me. The program has given me the opportunity to interview with marketing consulting companies, leading e-commerce organizations, technology companies, and startups from all over the world