An Interview with Judit Varga – Distinguished Alumna of the year

During our EMBA module in India, I had the chance to get to know Judit Varga, an alumna of the Rochester-Bern EMBA who graduated in 2020 (class 25) and joined our class for that one week. Judit is a seasoned finance leader with extensive experience in Fortune 500 and NYSE-listed pharmaceutical and chemical companies, including Takeda, Ecolab, and Baxter. She currently serves as Finance Lead for External Operations Small Molecule Europe at Takeda Pharmaceuticals in Zurich.

Judit was recently recognized as the Distinguished Alumna of the Year and received the award during the graduation ceremony of my cohort (Class 30) on June 20. The award honors a Simon School graduate for both professional success and meaningful contributions to the alumni community.

Judit, looking back, how did the Rochester-Bern EMBA shape your leadership journey or influence a key decision in your career?

One standout experience during the Rochester-Bern EMBA was a leadership class where we were tasked with writing a self-reflection on our leadership style. At the time, I was managing a team across different geographies, composed of both junior and seasoned professionals. This presented of course unique challenges in communication and alignment. The exercise pushed me to deeply analyze my strengths and areas for growth, highlighting the importance clear direction and vision in leadership. This reflection not only shaped my leadership approach but also provided actionable insights that I continue to apply in managing diverse teams.

Towards the end of the MBA, I realized that I wanted to make a bigger impact and contribute to a greater purpose, which led me to make the difficult decision of leaving my company at the time. This decision wasn’t easy, as I had developed a deep understanding of the organization, having written most of my university papers about it. Along the way, I built a strong network across departments – from marketing to investor relations and supply chain. However, I felt ready for a greater challenge and a global role. I joined an organization that perfectly aligns with my values and purpose, one that, like me, believes in lifelong learning.

How did you leverage the network from your MBA?

The EMBA also surrounded me with exceptional individuals whom I could rely on for meaningful and honest feedback in a safe environment. Even years after graduation, when I returned to my previous role in Zurich following an assignment at my company’s headquarters in Tokyo, and I was reflecting on the direction of my career, I reached out not only to colleagues but also to some peers from the MBA who had seen me in a completely different context. To my surprise, their feedback all pointed toward a particular direction, aligning with that of my colleagues, giving me clarity on which skills I should leverage in my next career step — an insight that continues to guide me today.

During your time as an EMBA-student, what part of the experience challenged or stretched you the most – and how did you grow from it?

Reflecting on my EMBA experience, I recall our final project, where we had to develop a startup idea and had to pitch for funding.

I realized during the pitch that I had overshot the funding request, as my perspective was shaped by years in large corporations, where resource allocation constraints exist but solid KPIs can justify investment. Adapting to a startup mindset, where initial revenue often doesn’t exist, was a challenge that truly pushed me out of my comfort zone and expanded my perspective.

You’ve stayed closely engaged as an alumna, and you’ve just received the Distinguished Alumna Award – congratulations! Can you tell us what motivates you to stay involved with the program, and how has this been valuable to your personal and professional network?

Thank you for your warm wishes, I was so humbled to receive this award among so many great alumni! Staying engaged as an alumna has been deeply rewarding. I can give you a very concrete example. I am passionately involved in initiatives like the Gender Parity Network and Healthcare Businesswomen Association at Takeda, dedicating significant time to promoting diversity and equity alongside my core responsibilities. This is why, for me being invited by the university to join a panel discussion at the MBA fair in Zurich on how MBA programs can advance women’s careers was a highlight. It was an inspiring experience, allowing me to speak on a topic close to my heart, connect with like-minded professionals, and represent my MBA alongside representatives from other prestigious business schools.

What’s one memory – big or small – from your EMBA days that still makes you smile or feel proud?

We had an incredible project team, and I must applaud the EMBA organizers for their exceptional effort in assembling groups for the first six months. Despite our diverse profiles – an Austrian IT expert, a Swiss CEO of a travel agency, a Mexican corporate professional, and myself, a Hungarian finance leader from the corporate world – we just clicked from the start when we had to build a spaghetti tower as a team building activity on the first day. (Our differences probably complemented each other just so perfectly).

One weakness of mine, along with another teammate, was saying ‘no,’ as we both had kind and accommodating personalities. Therefore, we did a role-play exercise for fun, I had to practice saying ‘no’ in one particular EMBA related situation which turned into a hilarious yet meaningful experience. It wasn’t just about learning – it was a moment of genuine trust and openness that you can only share with people you deeply respect.

Many thanks Judit, and congratulations again on receiving the distinguished alumna award!