ASEBUSS

The final EMBA Year 2 session brought together strategy, teamwork, and a truly international business perspective.

During the 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 led by Prof. Florin Marin, our Executive MBA students presented 𝟒 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 focused on entering international markets, across industries such as 𝐜𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲, 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲, 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲. Each presentation reflected strong analytical thinking, market understanding, and the ability to turn strategic concepts into concrete international expansion scenarios.

The voting moment brought great enthusiasm and positive energy to the room, as all teams contributed to selecting the winning project. Congratulations to the winners for their strong project and compelling presentation — and warm congratulations to all participating teams for the quality of their work, commitment, and team effort.

The course concluded with a special moment: Prof. Florin Marin awarded each participant an 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞 through the 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 (𝐔𝐒𝐀), our partner university. The certificate recognizes the students’ participation in the unique International Project, bringing together ASEBUSS Executive MBA students and students from Georgia State University in a shared global learning experience.

This international, cross-cultural learning experience, created in collaboration with 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲, is an important part of the ASEBUSS Executive MBA journey. It helps our students develop global leadership, intercultural collaboration, and the confidence to work in international teams — skills that are increasingly relevant in today’s business environment.
Congratulations to all our second year EMBA participants!

Session 3 of our 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐄𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 course, led by Prof. Robert Maftei, brought together what defines our Executive MBA experience: rigorous strategic frameworks, applied discussion, and direct exposure to real business decisions.

The session focused on the analytical foundations of strategy — SWOT, VRIO, and the value chain — and on one essential question:

Does your company really have what it takes to compete?

Our guest speaker for this session was 𝐕𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐯 𝐋𝐲𝐩𝐤𝐨 (Slava) — Head of International Expansion at PragmaGO. Drawing on his experience in building and scaling businesses across markets, he brought a sharp, practical perspective to the strategic concepts discussed in class.

A few insights that stayed with the group:

→ You don’t have to be the largest player. You can choose to be the best, the simplest, or the fastest.

→ The market always tells you the story. The real question is whether you are willing to listen.

→ Operations deliver the result. Everything else is still a plan.

→ You cannot beat the macro level. You can only understand it, protect against it, and build flexibility.

→ When you listen closely enough to your clients, you earn the right to charge a premium.

Slava did not simply confirm the frameworks discussed in class. He challenged them — in the best possible way.

Thank you, Vjaceslav Lypko, for bringing the real world into the room and for giving our EMBA participants a sharp, honest perspective on strategy in action.

𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 - Our strong international academic partner for a global Executive MBA experience

Through its partnership with Georgia State University – J. Mack Robinson College of Business, ASEBUSS connects Executive MBA participants to one of the most dynamic academic and business environments in the United States.

This partnership continues ASEBUSS’ long-standing commitment to bringing American business education and international know-how closer to Romanian managers and entrepreneurs. Over the past three decades, ASEBUSS has built a strong community of more than 1,600 alumni, creating a learning experience where local relevance meets global perspective.

Georgia State University is one of the largest public research universities in the U.S., with 53,000 students, 11 colleges and schools, and a strong presence in Metro Atlanta, where it generates an estimated $2.6 billion annual economic impact. Its vision — “Innovation for all” — reflects a learning environment shaped by research, diversity and applied thinking.

At the heart of our partnership is J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University, one of the leading business schools in the southern United States, with a strong portfolio of graduate programs designed for today’s business leaders.

The university’s location adds another important layer to the experience. Atlanta is home to a powerful business ecosystem, with major companies such as The Home Depot, UPS, Delta Air Lines, The Coca-Cola Company and Southern Company headquartered in Georgia. This makes the city a relevant context for understanding global business, logistics, branding, mobility, innovation and large-scale operations.

The International Project is one of the distinctive components of the ASEBUSS Executive MBA experience. It is developed together with Georgia State University – Robinson College of Business and combines virtual collaboration with in-person interaction in Atlanta, where ASEBUSS participants meet Robinson EMBA students face to face. Guided by Dr. Mourad Dakhli and Professor Florin Marin, the International Project gives participants the opportunity to work across cultures, exchange perspectives and approach business challenges through a truly international lens.

For ASEBUSS Executive MBA participants, this partnership brings more than an international academic perspective. It creates access to a learning environment shaped by business relevance, cross-cultural collaboration and the energy of one of the most important business hubs in the U.S.

ASEBUSS Executive MBA — local relevance, global mindset. Join our 2026 EMBA series and take advantage of the early-booking discount!

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞?

This was the focus of the second session of the 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐄𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 in the ASEBUSS Executive MBA program, led by Prof. Robert Maftei.

The discussion connected strategic thinking with real entrepreneurial experience through the contribution of our guest speaker, Cosmin Cosma — ASEBUSS alumnus, Founder of Finqware, and President of the Romanian Fintech Association.

Cosmin shared insights from his entrepreneurial journey and from the fintech ecosystem, highlighting how innovation, open banking, and technology can reshape access to financial services and create new sources of competitive advantage.

His perspective added a valuable real-world layer to the concepts discussed in class, helping Executive MBA students connect strategy frameworks with the realities of building and scaling a business in a dynamic environment.

Thank you, Cosmin, for returning to ASEBUSS and for sharing your experience with our EMBA participants!

The International Residency in Atlanta included an engaging and thought-provoking session led by Denish Shah, Ph.D., Professor of Marketing and Adjunct Professor of the Institute for Insight, at Georgia State University - J. Mack Robinson College of Business.

The course on 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 & 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 & 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 offered our EMBA participants a highly relevant perspective on how digital platforms, data, AI, and shifting consumer behavior are reshaping the way organizations communicate, compete, and create value.

In a business environment increasingly defined by digital transformation and rapidly changing market dynamics, the session explored why brands need to go beyond tools and channels — and develop a deeper understanding of relevance, authenticity, audience engagement, and strategic adaptation.

Professor Shah brought together academic rigor and real-world perspective, helping participants reflect on the evolving relationship between technology, consumer behavior, digital platforms, and business strategy in an increasingly connected world.

Thank you, Professor Denish Shah, for an insightful and thought-provoking session at Georgia State University - J. Mack Robinson College of Business, as part of the ASEBUSS Executive MBA International Residency.

Vineri 22 mai am avut o nouă ocazie de a aduce împreună comunitatea ASEBUSS și invitați din mediul de business, într-un cadru exclusivist de dialog și networking, la evenimentul The Adaptive Organization: Strategic Choices for the Next Competitive Era.

Alături de Cerasela Baiculescu, CEO IBM Romania & Moldova, și Nicoleta Forfota, Corporate Bank Head, Citi Romania, într-o conversație moderată de Prof. Ovidiu Dimbean-Creta, am discutat despre alegerile strategice care pot ajuta organizațiile să rămână competitive într-un mediu în continuă schimbare.
Printre temele abordate s-au numărat productivitatea, viteza deciziei, AI, suveranitatea datelor, adoptarea schimbării și nevoia de a integra tehnologia în cultura organizațională, nu doar în proiecte punctuale.

Dintre concluziile discutiei, adoptarea schimbării nu mai este doar un concept de management, ci o realitate concretă. Pentru a rămâne competitive, organizațiile trebuie să anticipeze nevoile clienților, să integreze tehnologia în cultura lor și să privească datele, AI-ul și digitalizarea ca parte din strategia de ansamblu, nu ca proiecte punctuale.

O idee care a rămas cu noi: organizațiile adaptive sunt cele care reușesc să transforme incertitudinea în parte firească a modului în care gândesc, decid și acționează.

Mulțumim speakerilor pentru perspectivele împărtășite, IBM Romania pentru găzduire și tuturor participanților pentru contribuția la dialog!

𝐀 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐌𝐁𝐀

One of the highlights of the 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 in Atlanta was the academic session led by Professor Evaristo Doria, Senior Lecturer at the Institute of International Business, J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University.

With remarkable energy and a highly interactive teaching style, Professor Doria challenged our Executive MBA participants to look beyond the immediate “noise” of the business environment and identify the signals that may shape what comes next. The session became a dynamic conversation about uncertainty, disruption, and how leaders can prepare their organizations for emerging shifts.

The experience was further enriched by a guest contribution from Jeasy Sehgal, Professor of Practice at Georgia State University’s Creative Media Industries Institute. An internationally acclaimed filmmaker and emerging technology specialist, he brought a fascinating perspective on virtual production, digital humans, AR/VR/MR solutions, simulations, and how immersive technologies are changing the way we imagine and design future experiences.

This is the value of the International Residency: access to relevant academic insight, direct interaction with inspiring faculty, and exposure to ideas that help leaders better understand the future of business.

𝐕𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐢 𝟐𝟐 𝐦𝐚𝐢, 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐚 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐭𝐚 𝐯𝐚 𝐟𝐢 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐚 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐎𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐄𝐫𝐚.

As Corporate Bank Head at Citibank Europe - Romania Branch, Nicoleta Forfota is part of the franchise management team. She is responsible for driving the overall performance and engagement with corporate names, public sector and financial institutions. Nicoleta is also in charge with managing the local Corporate Bank team and is a liaison for Citi partners based in other geographies with whom she fosters a close cooperation.

Nicoleta joined Citi’s local Banking Capital Markets and Advisory team in 2018 as a Senior Banker, with a previous professional track record of 16 years in the sector. On the back of an extensive experience of over 25 years in managing relationships with local corporates and public sector companies, Nicoleta became the Corporate Banking Head for Citi Romania in May 2023. Her expertise spans Client Coverage & Credit, Capital Markets Origination, Transaction Services, Business Strategy and Risk. She has a wide sectorial focus anchored around Energy, Infra, Telecom & Technology, Retail and Real Estate, with a continued engagement across the Public Sector space and Financial Institutions. Nicoleta has a vast transactional track record and was part of cross border teams, working amongst other on all recent trades executed by Citi in Romania, including M&A, Equity & Debt Capital Markets. Prior to joining Citi, she worked at UniCredit Bank and ING Bank.

Nicoleta holds an International Business diploma from the Academy of Economic Studies (2002) and is an EMBA graduate with ASEBUSS in partnership with Kennesaw State University / Atlanta (2018).