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Wed. 06 December 2017

FIFA Master Alumni – Where are they now? Lena Schoeps

Lena Schoeps

Current Position: Mercedes-AMG F1 Team - Hospitality and Events Executive 

Year of Graduation: 2014 (14th edition)

Nationality: German 

 

What does your current position in sport involve?

After ‘pit stops’ at the International Olympic Committee working on projects for Rio2016, PyeongChang2018, BuenosAires2018 and Tokyo2020 as well as a further position working in the world of the Extreme Sailing Series, I have recently joined the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team as their Events and Hospitality Executive. We are currently the leading team in F1 with our two drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. We have won four consecutive double world titles in both the drivers and constructors championships. In 2018, the F1 Championship will have 21 races around the globe and is widely considered to be one of the most prestigious sporting events in the world.

The events and hospitality team is a sub-team of the Marketing function and is comprised of three people who work mainly in the delivery of all on-track hospitality matters and also any off-track events such as factory events, partner days or the launch of the new car.

My role involves the planning and management of VIP guest hospitality and events by supporting my manager in the preparation and execution of the Paddock Club programme. This includes the fulfilment of the hospitality rights of the team´s partners as well as liaising with our different suppliers such as catering companies, merchandise suppliers and logistics suppliers.

Basically, we are responsible for offering our guests the best possible experience starting from booking their tickets and accreditation to arriving at our hospitality suite at the race track. Part of my job on site also includes the organization and coordination of our garage tours, viewing galleries (the only place in the garage where guests can follow live the conversations between the drivers and the race team via headphones) as well as the smooth running of the VIP suite and the team hospitality area.

I love the excitement you get from working in events and being challenged by unforeseen situations which will occur no matter how well you have planned in advance. However, when it comes down to it, it’s the great people in your team who make your working life enjoyable. I am happy to say that our team makes dreams come true and that I am now part of it.

 

Which aspects of the FIFA master course have helped you most in your career?

Having had the chance to study with my 28 classmates from 24 different nationalities has definitely helped me the most in my career. The unique learning environment of the course, which clearly extends beyond the classroom, facilitates working in any international company and easily adapting to its respective requirements. The structure of the FIFA Master with its split of three different modules – Humanities of Sport, Management and Law is also very helpful. These modules give FIFA Master Alumni the opportunity to develop and extend knowledge in different areas, and also provide graduates with a great base for the diverse range of jobs available in the sports industry.

 

What advice would you give to future students on the course?

Be open minded and always curious to ensure you take in everything you learn, hear and experience during the course. Ask your professors, classmates and guest speakers any questions which come to mind. Challenge (but don´t belittle) the perspectives of your classmates and always have as many shared lunches and dinners with your classmates as possible since eating is often the best moment to get to know more about the cultural backgrounds of your class. Finally, don´t forget to use the well-connected network of the FIFA Master family when you need help or if you have been asked for help. Basically, enjoy every single moment of the FIFA Master year as it will go by in the blink of an eye!

 

The FIFA Master - International Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport is organized by the CIES in partnership with De Montfort University (Leicester, UK), SDA Bocconi School of Management (Milan, Italy) and the University of Neuchâtel. In 2017 the FIFA Master was ranked as the No.1 course in Europe for the fifth time by the SportBusiness International global rankings.

Discover more examples of inspiring FIFA Master alumni career paths by clicking here.  

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