Wise Women of WU
The Wise Women of WU mentoring program is an opportunity for women to share their experiences, perspectives, and visions – creating a network that empowers.
10 selected WU alumnae – 1 year of mentoring
Open to WU alumnae with initial professional experience and the ambition to advance their careers
Mentors in top leadership positions
Guidance from experienced executives with board, supervisory board, or similar C-suite experience
Career advancement through 1:1 mentoring
Individual one-to-one relationship with personal exchange and networking events
Growing together
Mutual knowledge transfer and experience exchange benefiting both mentee and mentor
Exchange, networking, and growth
At Wise Women of WU, the focus is on personal exchange. Dialogue across generations and hierarchies – on equal footing – fosters individual development and opens new perspectives. The program also creates valuable spaces for networking: contacts are made, relationships are built, and lasting connections are formed.
Mentees benefit from the knowledge, experience, and role-model function of the mentors, whose career paths offer a source of inspiration. At the same time, mentors gain fresh insights and opportunities for reflection through their exchange with the mentees.
This creates mutual added value that sustainably enriches all participants and enables both personal and collective growth.
Program goals
• Improve career opportunities for female WU graduates
• Build lasting networks among WU alumnae
• Foster career-relevant exchange of experience across generations and hierarchies
• Expand knowledge and competencies
• Strengthen women in their personal and professional development
• Heighten the visibility of female leaders as role models
• Increase the proportion of women in leadership positions
Angelika Hager and Dagmar Stanzig of the agency KopfSchritte support Wise Women of WU and contribute their many years of experience in mentoring. We sincerely thank them for their valuable support.
The Wise Women of WU 2025/26
The mentors are accomplished senior executives with board-level, executive, or supervisory board experience who have themselves earned a degree from WU.
Drawing on their own career paths, the mentors offer career guidance and share personal experiences as inspiration and orientation for the next generation of WU alumnae in leadership roles.
Silvia Angelo
Member of the Management Board, ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG
“Stay curious and open, embrace challenges – even the unexpected ones – and trust yourself to try new things.”
Elfriede Baumann
Supervisory Board Member at Wiener Stadtwerke GmbH, among other places
“Be willing to go the extra mile. Be ambitious and strive to move forward. Don’t feel you have to be “the better man”.”
Christine Catasta
Chair of the Supervisory Board, BIG Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft m.b.H.
“Be ambitious on the inside, calm and balanced on the outside. Listen rather than speak. Act, don’t react.”
Karin Exner-Wöhrer
CEO, SAG Group
“Do it with conviction!”
Patricia Neumann
CEO, Siemens AG Austria
“Curiosity and perseverance, personal commitment, an inclusive and fact-based leadership style.”
Renate Niklas
Managing Director, Friedhöfe Wien GmbH
“Stay authentic. Be courageous and trust yourself. You don’t have to play every game. And above all: don’t take things personally.”
Birgit Rechberger-Krammer
President, Henkel Austria GmbH
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way – especially when it comes to women’s careers.”
Herta Stockbauer
Supervisory Board Member at Österreichische Kontrollbank AG, among other places
“Set clear goals. Build networks. Seize opportunities when they arise – don’t wait for the perfect moment. It never comes.”
Sonja Wallner
CFO, A1 Telekom Austria AG
“Focus on things that bring you joy and allow you to enter a state of flow.”
Katharina Weishaupt
Managing Director, VIECON Wiener Messe und Congress GmbH
“Stay as curious and open as you were on your first day. Trust your abilities – and your instincts. Be visible. Build your network.”
Mentees from previous years
Mona Asfour
Mentee 2018/19
“The very open conversations and joint analysis of current topics repeatedly helped me gain new perspectives.”
Isabell Claus-Polster
Mentee 2019/20
“You can feel that the exchange among committed women is exceptionally personal, close, and mutually supportive.”
Tanja Simon
Mentee 2021/22
“My mentor’s professional approach to various topics motivates me every day to take on new challenges.”
Julia Bauer
Mentee 2022/23
“The mentoring relationship has strengthened my self-confidence and helped me define and pursue my goals more clearly.”
Kerstin Hoi
Mentee 2022/23
“With my mentor’s support, I was able to better evaluate my professional situation – there were many parallels to her early career.”
Martina Forsthuber
Mentee 2024/25
“My advice to anyone considering applying: seize this opportunity. It’s a true gift for your personal development.”
Frequently asked questions
Do you have questions about Wise Women of WU? Here you will find the most important answers at a glance. For further information, please feel free to contact us directly.
