In Port and Learning: KLU Stories

Meet Marta Balbastre, a go-getter leader with an Operations Mindset

Always happy to “come back home” and always ready to approach any task with an Operations Mindset. This way shows up Marta Balbastre, MBA alumna and an absolute powerhouse. She tells us about how her ambition led her to KLU and how this step changed her professional career, but also made her grow from within. With remarkable strategic thinking and passionate about a job well done, Marta guides us through the MBA program, her long-lasting connections, her best memories of it, and explains how her Operations Mindset accompanies each part of her work today. Dig in and learn what makes a good leader a greater one.

Meet Dana & Juan Manuel, two generations joined by a visionary event

Thinking outside of the box was not just a suggestion, but a mandatory rule in the future-thinking event Beyond Now, one of the boldest initiatives of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center at KLU. 160 students, 10 challenges, 7 strategic partners, and one goal: resolving real-world industry challenges with the most innovative ideas, dreaming beyond the frames of today’s business world. Take a look at this intellectual experiment and discover how generations connected, new perspectives flourished, and teams reinvented the possibilities in business in an intense and unforgettable event.

Meet Ksenia Ramaj, the engine of Disrupt HR Hamburg

With hundreds of hours of university engagement and a fairly developed Operations Mindset: this is how Ksenia Ramaj approaches the preparation of Disrupt HR, a globally spread event, for the first time in Hamburg. In close cooperation with Prof. Brooke Gazdag, Ksenia opens the way to KLU for experts in HR trends, inviting along all types of audiences who want to know how to make an impact in the new era of the workplace, in which humans face complex intercultural frames and the strong entry of AI in their teams. Take a sneak peak on the event preparations and discover how students like Ksenia shape the intellectual and community-building offer of KLU.

Meet Charlotte Hahn, a committed activist and fresh-started KLU student

“Ask for more, the universe is not on a budget” – under this life mantra, Bachelor student “Charlie” has developed from scratch and participated in social engagement projects that have not only earned her a scholarship to KLU, but most importantly have bettered the experiences of hundreds of people. From representing over 80,000 students in her federal parliament to building an AI app with IBM, Charlie’s drive does not stop with the words “No” or “impossible”. Learn how she’s facilitated the happiness of others with her can-do attitude, all while remaining humble and true to herself.

The power of human capital with Prof. Rodrigo Garrido

In this episode, Carlos Avila Gorostiaga and Ferdinand Quaye are joined by Professor Rodrigo Garrido, Director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Data Science and Professor of Industrial Engineering at Universidad Diego Portales in Chile. Together, they explore how human capital is at the heart of building sustainable logistics systems. Rodrigo discusses the challenges of workforce development in South America, from mental health pressures after the pandemic to the fear of automation. He emphasizes the need for innovation, interdisciplinary learning, and closer ties between academia and industry. He also highlights how music and diverse social networks contribute to creativity, resilience, and well-being in logistics professionals.

Digitalization moving sustainability with René Vorpahl

In this episode, So-Young Kim and Katja Wiedemann talk with René Vorpahl, Change Manager at Airbus, about the future of digital logistics. With over 25 years at Airbus, René shares how digitalization is reshaping supply chains from creating digital twins of physical processes to streamlining warehouse flows and reducing waste. He explains the challenges of integrating new systems, ensuring data security, and bringing people along in the transformation. The discussion also highlights Airbus’s broader sustainability efforts, including sustainable aviation fuels, energy-efficient warehouses, and innovations like rotor-equipped cargo ships.

Circularity with Lucy Cooper and Steve Hanks

In this episode, MBA students Ina Litterst and Agata Florek welcome Lucy Cooper, Project Lead for Refill, and Steve Hanks, National Account Manager for Customer Partnerships at CHEP. Together, they explore how circularity is more than a buzzword – it’s the DNA of CHEP’s business model. Lucy and Steve explain how CHEP’s share-and-reuse approach reduces packaging waste, how refill pilots in UK supermarkets are pioneering scalable solutions, and why every job at CHEP is considered a sustainability role. They also share insights on company culture, innovation in pallet and container design, collaborations to reduce empty miles, and navigating legislation across markets.

The effects of Lean principles with Nelson Zampieri

In this episode, SuMO students Zakaria Nefaoui and Spencer Artman are joined by Nelson Zampieri, Lean Six Sigma Manager at Pandora, who shares his journey from a law graduate in Brazil to an operations leader in Europe. Nelson explains how Lean principles like Kaizen, PDCA, and standardization are applied in practice, why people and mindset matter more than tools, and how coaching and teaching fuel successful transformations. The discussion also highlights the challenges of engaging employees, creating lasting habits, and building momentum for continuous improvement.

Sustainable finance with Thomas Hougaard

In this episode, SuMO students Merry Haarder and Thomas Ponath talk with Thomas Hougaard, Senior Vice President at IFU (Investment Fund for Developing Countries), about the role of sustainable finance in accelerating the global green transition. Drawing on IFU’s portfolio and Thomas’s own experience, the conversation explores both the opportunities and challenges of impact investing in developing economies. Thomas shares concrete examples, from scaling solar power in Nigeria to reducing the carbon footprint of cement production in Ghana, illustrating how private capital can unlock solutions to systemic sustainability challenges.

Meet Ferdinard Quaye, a sustainability advocate bridging Africa and Europe

His passion for logistics and sustainability is only comparable to his passion for people. Ferdinard Quaye, recent participant of KLU’s Master’s in Sustainable Management and Operations, gives us first-hand insights into sustainability practices across the world. From his homeland, Ghana, to Germany, Ferdinard looks back into his educational journey and how sustainability is met in different societies. How can we encourage green technologies? Can we be really sustainable when not all the countries comply? Find out in this episode!