In Port and Learning: KLU Stories

3 teammates, 2 business dimensions, 1 sustainable solution. In this episode, we sit with Agostina Altobello and Mariajose Gonzalez, the two KLU students who made it to the final of the Global Sustainability Supply Chain Student Competition GS3, endorsed by the United Nations. With a mindset on sustainability that goes way beyond the carbon footprint, the incombustible duo guides us through their innovative project that balances the interests of small local businesses and giant multinational corporations. Let yourself be inspired by their creativity and efficiency, and venture into an honest conversation about overconsumption, responsibility, regional empowerment, and sustainability on global supply chains.

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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Endless curiosity and fascination for exactitude. These two traits made KLU Professor Arne Heinold embark on a life of research to find the optimal solution for very complex problems. Get to know his journey from studying at KLU to teaching the next generations about AI, transportation, and operations, from Hamburg to Vietnam. See how pure mathematics, logistics, data science, and business analytics can deeply influence to make our lives easier.

Heard of love at first sight? This is more like “friendship at first talk”. Exchanging a few words was enough for David and Michael to know they had found a real soulmate, matching each other’s craziest ideas. From gaming together to becoming business partners, they have gone through it all, and have the greatest tips for a healthy relationship. Throw in the mix drones, AI, unstoppable energy, laughter, and a bit of insanity, and you've got the recipe for a lifelong and meaningful connection.

Comfort-zone free. This way can Leska and Linus be described after challenging themselves during their semester abroad. From the skyscraper fantasy of Shanghai to the flavors of Mexico City, our KLU students bring us along on this journey through their experience. Discover how they went from misunderstandings with the locals to receiving wedding invitations from them. And of course, add incredible places to your bucket list.

Inspiration has one name: TED. And KLU students Oleksandra Shvets, Paul Scharlau, and their team have dedicated a year of hard work to bring the world-renowned seal of impactful stories to our Campus and to Hamburg. Get to know how a small student club became a true task force in pursuit of knowledge beyond the classroom, gathering some of the most stimulating minds to share a piece of their exciting lives with our community.

Diversity and inclusion are not synonyms, but they are interconnected. As a manager, employee, or simply as a human being it is key to understand this connection and have the tools to integrate diverse people. How can you become more inclusive in your day-to-day life? Prof. Gazdag, our expert on the topic, gives us in this episode clear achievable steps to make this happen and create for us all a better work environment, and a more aware and respectful world.

The right attitude and a good pitch. Those tools made Alan Coronado stand out at KLU's annual Career Connect recruiting event and get hired by Sysmex, an international company specializing in medical devices. Sysmex hosted Alan for his mandatory internship. In this experience, he further developed his knowledge of sustainability, learned about the day-to-day life of a big corporation, and of course, made a lot of new contacts. Alan runs us through his experience and gives his impressions about the intern life.

As a child someone handed him a hockey stick, and his enthusiasm, abilities and hard work did the rest. Bili’s dream of being in the world’s biggest championship, the Olympics, has come true… twice! Discover in this episode not only a great athlete, but a great person, and how true effort, big ambitions, and deep humbleness lead to superb achievements.

In this last episode of The Sustainability Talks, hosted by Ilkka Kujala from our Master in Sustainable Management and Operations (SuMO), we explore the world of emission reporting and accounting for companies. Ilkka is joined by Sirkku Palmuaro, an accounting and sustainability reporting expert, who shares her extensive experience and insights into the evolving landscape of sustainability standards and legislation.

In this episode of the "Sustainability Talks" series, Jonathan Schünke and Lidija Peters from the Master in Sustainable Management and Operations (SuMO) dive into the practical aspects of achieving sustainability goals in the logistics industry. Their guest is Anders Christensen, Vice President of Logistics for Nordics at DFDS, a leading ferry and transport company based in Denmark. Anders shares insights into DFDS's ambitious sustainability strategy, emphasizing the importance of collaboration.

In this episode of the "Sustainability Talks" series students Jonathan Schünke and Sophie Drakopoulos of the MSc in Sustainable Management Operations (SuMO) dive into the critical topic of sustainability collaboration in the logistics industry. They are joined by Christoph Wolff, CEO of the Smart Freight Centre, a leading non-profit organization in climate action for the logistics sector. The discussion explores the importance of cross-industry collaboration to break down sustainability barriers, accelerate progress, and spread the burden of innovation.

Constantly highlighted by our students as one of the best evenings spent at KLU, this event brings the community together to learn through short films about leadership and organizational behavior. It serves as a celebration of the skills of the students, the engaging learning philosophy of our university, and the feeling of community for all KLU members. In this episode, the creators of the KLU Movie Night, professors van Quaquebeke and Tröster tell us all the ins and outs of this outstanding event, full of fanciness, enthusiasm, laughter, positive energy, and of course, filmmaking talent yet to be exploited!

Traveling through Europe was a clear goal in his life and an exchange semester at KLU made this, and much more, possible for him. With the energy of a spicy habanero, Cristobal guides us in this episode through the city of Hamburg, through the classes at KLU, and through an unforgettable experience that has broken all stereotypes and changed paradigms for him. Discover his journey and let yourself dream to live your own soon!  

The war in Ukraine forced her to leave her studies in Kyiv and find a safe place to continue her life. However, no army can destroy the extraordinary energy of Oleksandra and her will to grow, thrive and give back to her community. Now inside the walls of KLU Campus, she is still the extremely engaged student she already was in Ukraine, and her story of overcoming all kinds of challenges with a bold and positive attitude has conquered our hearts. Let yourself be inspired by it too!

He went through every department, working hand in hand with the employees for over a year to understand every nook and cranny of the company he leads. Kind of like the “Undercover boss” but he was not really meaning to hide. He does not have a “regular day” and his phone is his best ally. But there is much more to the life of a high executive, and Mark, CEO of Entelmann Gruppe, shares all the details of his years in charge of the company.

More than just bachelor students, Federico and Julia show up in our studio with the professionalism of consulting executives. The President and Head of Marketing of KLU’s student consultancy Advisupply guide us through the core of this extracurricular business. Discover how some KLU students are working their way to be the leaders of the future, without waiting until the future hits them.

He looked at the whiteboards in the classrooms of the Humboldt University, and now he faces the other way in leading the lectures of KLU. Professor Leopold has been awarded Best Teacher of 2022, elected by our KLU student body. He shares with us the keys to his success in Academia, both as a brilliant researcher, always up to the latest technologies, and as an excellent teacher.

From an innocent teen who fell in love with Germany to a kickass project leader and the most recognizable face of the KLU student body. Laura has worn many hats at KLU: Prep student, Bachelor’s student, lead student ambassador, Instagram personality, working student, and even model in some KLU photoshoots. This month, she will get the last hat (this time non-metaphorical): the graduation one. Discover a four-year journey in which Laura has grown externally and internally, developed many skills and made lots of friends along the way.

Leaving family and friends behind and venturing into a brand-new continent is not an easy task. Yet there are some brave ones who take the leap and go study abroad, in pursuit of a fascinating experience and a more attractive future. Today we meet one of these adventurous souls, Varunkumar, a master’s student who exchanged the sun of Chennai in India for the umbrella in Hamburg. With him, we discover the challenges of moving to a new country in the middle of a pandemic and the growth coming from figuring out life far away from the comforts of home.

Thousands of hours of hard work are behind the medals of our impressive KLU alumnus, swimmer Max Nowosad. In conversation with him, we dive into the topics of how to make the student life at KLU and the strong discipline of an Olympic level athlete compatible, and how to put your brain at the service of your purpose in life, overcoming your biggest challenges.

From a sparking idea during a family dinner to becoming the only company producing 100% sustainable yoga mats and accessories in Germany. We get to know the Homfeld brothers, the founders of Southern Shores, who also have sit in KLU classrooms. They explain to us the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, how to overcome challenges, how does it feel to assume risks, and how to keep faithful to your values while making your business work.

On Campus, she is an involved student and an excellent team-mate for assignments; out of KLU, a self-made musician with a contagious vibe. We talk with Management student Ann-Sophie Brenk about her passion for music and how creativity goes beyond the arts.

One of the best students that has passed through the classrooms of KLU, Philipp is the real-life example that pointing to the stars makes the impossible possible. After graduating with the highest grade at KLU, he got accepted in some of the most prestigious universities in the world, including Columbia University and the MIT, where he finally decided to enroll. We talk about his experience at KLU and his path to success, and discover the tools of an A class student.