7 April 2026

Alumni Spotlight "Leading Across Borders: How Kristian Mandagi Turned His MBA into Global Impact"

How do you turn an MBA into a truly global career? For Kristian Mandagi, the answer lies in combining strategic thinking with cross-cultural understanding. Originally from Indonesia and now working in Copenhagen as a Senior Global Sales Execution Manager at Carlsberg Group, Kristian shares how his time at KLU broadened his perspective, strengthened his leadership approach, and prepared him to navigate complex international environments. From immersive learning experiences to real-world application, his journey reflects the power of a global mindset in today’s business world.

Name: Kristian Mandagi

Position, Company: Senior Global Sales Execution Manager, Carlsberg Group

Program, year: MBA in Leadership and Supply Chain Management, class of 2025

Best about my degree program:

One of the best parts of my MBA journey was how it broadened both my thinking and my career perspective. A pivotal moment for me was studying subjects such as marketing research and strategy, combined with international immersion experiences in other countries. These gave me the opportunity to see how business decisions are shaped by different market realities, cultures, and leadership styles. It made my learning much more practical and globally relevant.

The coursework also helped strengthen two capabilities that have been especially important in my career: leadership and research. It trained me to analyze problems more systematically, form grounded recommendations, and communicate ideas more clearly. While I did not have one specific mentor or professor who particularly shaped my journey, the overall learning environment encouraged independent thinking and personal growth.

For peers earlier in their career, my advice would be to pursue an MBA when they are already working in a company. That way, the learning becomes more tangible, and their thesis and reflections can be much more grounded in real business challenges.

Best about my job:

Currently I work as a Global Sales Manager in Copenhagen, and one of the most fulfilling aspects of my role is managing stakeholders across cultures, regions, and business units. I find it highly rewarding to work with diverse teams, align different perspectives, and build shared direction across markets. That cross-cultural dimension makes the role both challenging and meaningful.

My approach to leadership starts with seeing the big picture, while also taking time to understand the reality on the ground, which are the business context, local ways of working, performance levers, and barriers. From there, I focus on engaging teams, shaping a long-term but practical strategy, securing buy-in from key stakeholders, and then driving execution with continuous review and improvement. For me, leadership is not only about direction-setting, but also about enabling people to perform with clarity and ownership.

My MBA has supported this significantly, especially in shaping how I approach cross-cultural communication. It helped me become more thoughtful in navigating complexity, communicating across differences, and leading with a more global and adaptable mindset.

How KLU helped me get there:

My time at KLU played an important role in shaping both my career path and my personal growth. It gave me stronger knowledge of global business and helped me better understand how organizations, markets, and people interact across different environments. That broader perspective has been very valuable in my current role, where working across countries and cultures is part of daily life.
The university network also contributed to my professional development by exposing me to people with different backgrounds, ambitions, and ways of thinking. Even when those connections do not immediately translate into direct career opportunities, they expand your mindset and help you appreciate the value of collaboration and diverse perspectives.

Looking back, my advice to current students would be: study to truly learn, or be prepared to learn the hard way through experience. Both paths teach you something, but intentional learning gives you a stronger foundation. Lifelong learning, to me personally, means continuing to grow through any means possible and never stopping just because life feels comfortable. Growth begins when curiosity continues.

How do you incorporate an "Operations Mindset" in your current job:

In my current role, I incorporate an operations mindset by treating work as a continuous cycle of planning, executing, checking, and improving. To me, managing work effectively already reflects an operations mindset, because it requires discipline, structure, and a focus on outcomes rather than just activity.

Holistic and systems thinking is important because decisions in one area often affect many others, especially in global organizations. I also rely heavily on systematic, data-driven problem solving to understand root causes, make informed decisions, and prioritize the right actions. At the same time, responsiveness and resilience are essential, because business conditions, stakeholder needs, and market realities can shift quickly.

Ethical and responsible leadership matters because sustainable performance must be built on trust, accountability, and respect for people. Finally, hands-on implementation is critical. Strategy only creates value when it is translated into action. For me, an operations mindset is about connecting strategy with execution in a practical, disciplined, and people-centered way.