WU Alumni globally connected

The more than 55,000 alumni of the WU Vienna form one of Austria’s most important business networks, reaching far beyond the country's borders. WU graduates regularly meet in more than 60 hubs around the world to share knowledge as well as to promote and support one another. Their alma mater is the link connecting many intelligent, innovative and highly successful people.

Europe

Austria

Burgenland

Friederike Heinrich 

"The WU Alumni Hub Burgenland is intended to create a suitable framework for regular networking. I am convinced that through joint activities and through a stimulating personal and professional exchange, cross-sectoral learning is possible, which supports each and every one of us in our professional and private everyday life."

Carinthia

Susanne Laggner-Primosch

"I have served as a WU Alumni Hub Manager in Carinthia since 2008 because I think that it's important to hold events for the WU Alumni Community outside Vienna. We’ve already visited several great companies run by WU alumni in Carinthia and I find it amazing to see what successful homecomers do in our region. The most fascinating thing for me at our meetings is when graduates from the old Hochschule für Welthandel talk with bachelor’s students or master’s students, who have graduated more recently from the new WU Campus, and discover common interests."

Lower Austria

Markus Brunnthaler

 

Upper Austria

Hannelore Struger-Waniek 

"Since I am currently commuting between Upper Austria and Istanbul for work, it makes sense to put my volunteer work as a hub manager to use in Upper Austria as well. I think this can result in very good synergy effects for the WU Alumni Network."

Salzburg

Andreas Eichler

"The Salzburg WU Alumni meet for regular, almost monthly "Get2gethers". The focus is on the exchange of experiences in a relaxed atmosphere, the dialog with local companies and, in particular, being a contact point for new WU alumni in Salzburg. Contacts with new alumni colleagues and former fellow students from the active time at WU are renewed and cultivated at the meetings.

The desire to travel has taken me to some parts of the world. In 1998 I studied abroad in China, followed by professional engagements in China and Germany. I returned to Austria/Bavaria in 2002 and enjoy the diversity and quality of life in Europe. Since 2008 I have been organizing and supervising the WU Alumni Hub Salzburg with regular meetings and a large number of participants.

Especially abroad and within Austria, networking with people with a common origin means being a building block and anchor in a foreign environment. Even if you don't know the WU alumni directly from your student days, you immediately have a special relationship with your colleagues because of your shared alma mater.

Every "Get2gether" is a success - but only because the WU alumni are enthusiastic and participate in the monthly meetings.

"Personal matters - business happens!"

Styria

Anda-Lucia Jagersbacher

"I see our interpersonal interaction as a potpourri of different qualities, talents and experiences from which we can all benefit. In exchange and contact we can grow and develop. I gladly commit myself to this with all my heart."

Vorarlberg

Sibylle Drexel

"The WU Alumni Hub Vorarlberg promotes networking in the region, exchange and mutual support. Optimally, joint activities and mutual learning also result in inspiration for Vorarlberg alumni."

Salzkammergut

Iris Isabella Haiderer

"I founded the WU Alumni Hub Salzkammergut because our beautiful region is a world of its own and I would like to encourage the exchange among WU graduates here as well."

Tyrol

Ernst Hoffmann

"Tyrol as a powerhouse! Tourism, industry, trade and commerce deliver top performance every day in Tyrol, bringing us prosperity and benefiting everyone in Austria. Many Tyrolean WU Alumni are in top positions, whether as self-employed, entrepreneurs or managers. As Hub Manager, I would like to link WU Alumni with each other, promote the exchange of ideas and make know-how transfer possible."

Belgium

Brussels

Christian Macek

"Especially abroad, a network of alumni from the same university is interesting both on a professional as well as a personal level. This is why I founded the very first WU Alumni Hub in Brussels more than 20 years ago. It is fantastic to see how much the network has expanded since then and that it has turned into a real ‘blue chip’ of our alma mater."

Bulgaria

Croatia

Czech Republic

Prague

Ondrej Klaban

"Being a WU Alumni Hub Manager in Czechia is a great opportunity to stay in contact with interesting and enterprising people. However, this is not the only reason that the WU Alumni Hub in Czechia has been going strong for 10 years and was one of the first in the CEE!"

Estonia

Finland

France

Paris

Christian Miller

"After my studies at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration, it was clear to me that I was looking for an international job. Under the motto "What is better than supporting an Austrian company in export markets?" - my answer was "to support as many Austrian companies as possible". I am now happy to be in Paris and to work to bring the Austrian economy a little closer to France and, conversely, to present Austria as a business location to the French.

A core task for business delegates is to network people. And so, as a business delegate and WU alumnus, I see it as a logical consequence of my work to promote contact among the hundreds of WU alumni in France, to keep them up to date, but also to connect them with people and companies from the country where they studied for a few years."

Germany

North Rhine-Westphalia: Bonn, Düsseldorf, Cologne

Thomas Planinschetz

"As a WU Alumni Hub Manager for North Rhine-Westphalia, I intend to create a platform that gives WU alumni the opportunity to network while attending exciting and interesting events. Of course, it should also be fun!"

Frankfurt

Michael Fedesin and Jochen Vogel

"The financial center Frankfurt am Main is characterized by the strong bank sector, the largest German stock exchange, the international orientation as well as the location of European supervisory authorities and is home to numerous successful WU alumni. We would like to strengthen the WU Alumni Community and develop the Frankfurt Hub to become a point of contact for all WU alumni in research and business."

 

 

Munich

Ines Linnemann

"For me, the WU Alumni Meetings offer an excellent platform to think outside the box, to benefit from the experiences of others and to establish new professional and private contacts."

Stuttgart

Ingrid Münz

"As a WU graduate with profound work experience, I want to set an anchor for newcomers. They can use it as a docking point for networking and professional exchange."

Christoph Soukup

 “The WU as Alma Mater was my entry point and path to an extremely exciting professional life. I still feel very connected to the university nowadays and whenever I'm in Vienna I try to include a visit to the campus. Over the years I have met many people who also feel that way. That connects. And this may even have another meaning when living and working in a foreign country. For me, the hub management together with Ingrid Münz, is an expression of solidarity and living community with other graduates."

 

Great Britain

Hungary

Budapest

Paul Binder

"Being a WU Alumni Hub Manager is an exciting task! Our first ever hub meeting in Budapest took place more than 10 years ago, on 13 March 2009. Our first specialist event on “Coaching in Practice” (with Éva Farkas) was held in the spring of 2009. Many more events have followed over the years. I really enjoy working as a WU Alumni Hub Manager! The WU Alumni and WU Executive Academy Community have been jointly organising events in Budapest since 2017."

 

Italy

Milan/Turin

Andrea Sasso

Liechtenstein

Vaduz

Monika Stur

"Since setting-up WU Alumni Liechtenstein in 2011, my aim has been to build a network of WU alumni in the area, so we can inspire, support and empower each other."

North Macedonia

Skopje

Johannes Heidecker

"North Macedonia is a small country with a great potential, Austria is the biggest investor. As the WU Alumni Hub, we want to accompany our students and alumni on their way into the future. Get in touch with us and continue to live the WU community in Skopje!"

Norway

Poland

Romania

Timisoara

Adrian Pocola

Russia

Serbia

Slovakia

Bratislava

Vladimir Vano 

"It's not what you have, it's whom you know. Nurturing a mutually supportive network of alumni is a very important post-graduation part of the WU educational experience, both for social and professional purposes." 

Spain

Madrid

Christian Kohler

 

"My motivation for setting up a WU Alumni Hub was to create a basis for knowledge transfer for business-related and academic topics among WU alumni in Madrid and also to give the numerous foreign WU alumni an opportunity to meet up and network with each other."

Sweden

Stockholm

Karl Matsch

Switzerland

Zurich

Aladar Tepelea

"Based on my business background in innovation management, professional networking is part of my daily routine. I am glad to play my part as a WU Alumni Manager to create more and more interesting ties between WU alumni to help this network grow and get stronger."

Turkey

Istanbul

Hannelore Struger-Waniek

"I have always felt strong ties to the WU because I learned so many things during my studies and I can look back on a fantastic time with many lasting, fun memories. When I went abroad a few years after my graduation, I thought that Istanbul could be a very interesting bridge for WU alumni. Twelve years have passed since then and our membership list in Istanbul numbers more than 100 WU alumni."

Asia

China

Hongkong

Wilhelm Brauner

"Hong Kong - the free port is a magnet for free spirits due to 'free speech' and 'rule of law'."

Shanghai

Christian Fuchssteiner

Alexandra Runge

"Shanghai is the "New York" of Asia - a thoroughly cosmopolitan city and global business metropolis. The WU Alumni Hub Shanghai, run by two WU alumni, sees itself as the first point of contact for WU graduates and students in Shanghai; we network them with each other and with the Austrian business community in East China. All WU alumni are very welcome, the motto is: the more, the merrier...".

 

Beijing

Drago Saric

"There are few cities in the world that could be described as “global cities”, Beijing is definitely one of them.

A city where old meets new, full of contradictions and where everything seems to be possible."

 

Israel

Japan

Tokyo

Florian Kohlbacher

Florian Kohlbacher

"Japan is a fascinating country to live and work and Tokyo an exciting metropolis. My goal is to bring WU alumni together to discuss, exchange ideas and learn from each other – and enjoy quality time together while also having fun."

 

Christina Schösser

"I am delighted to be able to connect and support WU alumni in my "new Asian home" Tokyo and thus strengthen the global Austrian network. Japan, the world's third largest economy, is an economically and culturally fascinating country and Tokyo, the world's largest metropolitan region, surprises anew every day. Together with Florian Kohlbacher and the WU Alumni in Tokyo, we want to experience today's Japan with all its variety, diversity, quirkiness, tradition and inventiveness."

Philippines

Singapore

Singapore

Julia Thallinger

"The city-state of Singapore is increasingly developing into the number 1 metropolis in Asia. When living in such an exciting city, far from home, it's even more special not to lose touch with Austria. Therefore, after founding the WU Alumni Hub in Bangkok, I am delighted to now also represent my alma mater WU in Singapore."

Thailand

Bangkok

Johannes Kagerer

"Living and working in Bangkok is exciting and challenging at the same time. I am happy to represent WU in this exciting city and to exchange ideas with other WU alumni.”

North America

Canada

USA (California)

Los Angeles

Patrick Renner

"As a proud graduate of WU Wien, I believe it is essential to create a community where alumni can connect, network, and support each other in pursuing their personal and professional goals. Los Angeles is a city filled with talented and driven individuals, and I believe that bringing together alumni from various disciplines and backgrounds can create a valuable network of like-minded individuals who can help each other grow and thrive in their respective fields. This hub can serve as a platform for alumni to share ideas, collaborate on projects, and provide mentorship to younger graduates."

San Francisco Bay Area

Andreas Preuer

"We are proud WU alumni in the San Francisco Bay Area and started this hub to give back, build helpful networks and scale mentorship. The San Francisco Bay Area is home to many WU alumni. Research universities such as Stanford University and University of California - Berkeley and many tech, biotech and finance companies are based in this part of Northern California."

USA (Colorado)

Denver

Ursula Webhofer

"Many of my American friends and colleagues use the networks set up by their former colleges, fraternities and seniorities profiting from the potential professional and social benefits they offer. As an Austrian expat and WU graduate, I can see enormous potential for similar benefits at an international level via the WU network. I am proud to be a part of this network and support it actively."

USA (District of Columbia)

Washington, DC

Thomas Meth

USA (Illinois)

USA (Massachusetts)

USA (New York)

South America

Brazil

Chile

Santiago de Chile

Cristian Garate 

"As the first Chilean student to graduate from WU's LL.M. in International Tax Law and the recipient of the Wolfgang Gassner Award, I decided to participate in the creation of the WU Hub in Santiago in 2023. It is an honor to be able to activate the WU alumni network for professional collaboration in all areas of knowledge related to the university. I hope that this initiative, which is also supported by the Austrian Ambassador (a WU alumnus), will be successful with many members and activities in the future".

Puerto Rico

Africa

Uganda

Kampala

Markus Lejsek

"It is a great pleasure for me to represent my alma mater as WU Alumni Hub Manager in Uganda. Even though the East African economy is innovative, full of opportunities and has a promising future, there are comparatively few Austrians in Uganda (yet). This makes common cohesion and a mutually reinforcing network all the more important!"

Oceania

Australia