FHWien der WKW opens up the best career opportunities in business for its graduates. This year, for the 15th time, nine graduates were brought before the curtain and honored with an Alumni Award as examples of the diverse career paths made possible by studying at the university of applied sciences specializing in management and communication.
The award winners were officially presented at the award ceremony on November 20, 2023, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Vienna. In front of 150 guests, including other top alumni of FHWien der WKW as well as representatives of the university and business, the Alumni Awards were presented to the winners in a festive atmosphere. The trophies were designed by artist Sonja Riemer, who is also an alumna. The evening was hosted by TV presenter Andreas Schmid.
Award for professionals and managers
The award in the category “Professional Achievements” was presented to specialists and executives who have achieved national or international success in their industry or field of activity.
The award winners:
- Luigi Barbaro: The graduate of the Master’s degree in Leadership in Tourism is Managing Director of Barbaro Gastronomie and founder of the Fratelli Barbaro brand.
- Tanja Grubner: She graduated from FHWien der WKW with a degree in Marketing & Sales. Today, Grubner is Global Marketing Director at Essity.
- Ingrid Heschl: The graduate of the Bachelor’s degree program in Human Resources Management is HR Lead and a member of the management team at Microsoft Austria.
Award for particularly innovative alumni
In the category “Shaping the Future”, graduates were honored for finding forward-looking answers to pressing questions of our time with their way of thinking and their actions.
The award winners:
- Kristina Maria Brandstetter: She completed the International MBA in Management & Communications at FHWien der WKW and is now Head of Communications & Transformation at AustriaTech.
- Paul Bruckberger: The graduate of the Executive Management Master’s program is the founder and CEO of Linxfour – Transforming Equipment Finance.
- Claudia Falkinger: She completed a Master’s degree in Communication Management. Falkinger is the founder and managing director of the mobility platform “Punkt vor Strich” and the innovation consultancy “NOW & NEXT”.
Honoring exceptionally committed alumni
The category “Exceptional Commitment to FHWien der WKW” honored alumni who are particularly committed to teaching or research at FHWien der WKW and thus contribute to the continuous development of the university of applied sciences.
The award winners:
- Josef Baumüller: A graduate in Finance, Accounting & Taxation, he is an expert in ESG reporting, an investor and an author.
- Michael Klinger: He graduated from FHWien der WKW with a Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate Management and is now a real estate trustee and managing director of KLINGER Immobilien GmbH.
- Yvonne Widler: The alumna of the Master’s program in Journalism & New Media is a journalist, non-fiction author and head of department at KURIER.
Studies as the foundation for careers
“The fact that many of our graduates are so successful in their careers makes us very proud. For many, their studies laid the foundation for careers in Austria and abroad. With the Alumni Award, which we have been presenting to successful graduates for 15 years now, we are putting some of our more than 14,300 alumni in the spotlight,” says Michael Heritsch, CEO of FHWien der WKW.
The event was kindly supported by RIEGL International GmbH & the media partner Der Standard
>> Here are the photos of the evening. <<
Photo: Alexander Müller | www.alexander-mueller.at