Eye on Alumni Barbara Wagner
Country: Austria
Program: Msc Economics 2007
Currently: International Development Consultant, Dalberg Global Development Advisors (Geneva) What does your job entail? After graduating from the MSc in Economics I found a job with Dalberg Global Development Advisors in Geneva. Dalberg is a small, global strategy advisory firm focused on the international development sector. We work with both public and the private players on global issues in areas related to Health, Energy and Environment, Access to Finance, Agriculture, etc. So far I have mainly worked with a number of UN agencies and this has entailed some interesting traveling. My day to day work is very similar to standard consulting – interviews, analyses, presentations, etc. - but tailored to a different audience, and with a constant development focus. Given the entrepreneurial nature of Dalberg, I have also started to become active in recruiting, training and business development for the firm. How did the MSc in Economics prepare you for your job at Dalberg? The MSc in Economics provided me with the background to apply basic economic concepts to my job on a daily basis.
I can think of a number of courses that prepared me for my job in one or the other way - be it statistics, or behavioral decision-making. However, there were two courses that I found particularly relevant: Development Economics and Growth. They allowed me to understand some of the mechanisms of development. They influenced the way I think about development and raised my desire to work in International Development even more. At Dalberg, I form part of our ‘Building Institutions’ practice area in which we work on UN Reform, i.e. supporting efforts to make the UN more efficient. In that context, I often think back to the Growth class. What was the most valuable part of your experience in the program? I adored the combination of the city, the students, the faculty and the program and had a really great time. In terms of the program, I think that the most valuable part of the experience was helping me understand better where my interests lie, in addition to meeting a number of faculty members and students who would be able to support and guide me if I were to pursue further studies in Economics.
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