From engineering to industrial transformation: how the International Part-Time MBA shaped Ekaterina Makarova’s strategic vision for sustainable innovation

Technology, sustainability, and strategic leadership are the cornerstones of Ekaterina Makarova’s journey - an alumna of our International Part-Time MBA who now leads strategic projects in renewable energy and sustainable industrial development.

In this interview, Ekaterina shares how the MBA helped her evolve from a specialised engineer into a systems thinker and innovation leader, bridging research, industry, and long-term vision. From green hydrogen to iron fuel, and from multidisciplinary leadership to navigating uncertainty, discover how she is helping to reshape the future of industry through purposeful transformation.

Dear Ekaterina, your path combines high academic training and leadership in the industrial sector. How has the International Part-Time MBA contributed to giving you a strategic vision of technological innovation applied to sustainability?

Before the MBA, I primarily saw technological innovation through the lens of engineering optimisation - how to make processes faster, and more efficient. But through my studies at POLIMI GSoM, I developed a much broader perspective: I began to see innovation as a catalyst for systemic change - not only technological, but also organisational, environmental, and societal.

What made the experience truly transformative was the quality and vision of the faculty. Many of them were not only academics but also actively involved in cutting-edge research and real-world industrial transformation - from AI and digital platforms to energy systems, Innovation leadership and business model innovation. They didn’t just transfer knowledge; they challenged us to ask the right questions: How do you scale a solution? What shapes successful adoption? What does it mean to lead technological change in an era of sustainability?

This helped me build bridges between R&D, production, and corporate strategy. Today, in my work with renewable energy carriers, hydrogen storage, and circular processing of critical materials, I no longer view technologies in isolation. I evaluate them within the broader context of supply chains, regulatory frameworks, investment readiness, and long-term sustainability. That strategic lens - both holistic and grounded - is what the MBA gave me.

Working at the intersection of technology and environmental impact, what do you think are the key skills a leader needs to develop to drive change in the industrial sector? Which ones have you been able to acquire thanks to the International Part-Time MBA?

In today’s industrial landscape, where technological acceleration meets environmental urgency, leaders must develop three core capabilities: systems thinking, curiosity for emerging technologies, and the ability to foster multidisciplinary collaboration.

First, systems thinking allows leaders to connect the dots - between technologies and business models, between research and market needs. The MBA helped me sharpen this mindset. Second, technological sensitivity - the ability to quickly grasp new tools, from data analytics to decarbonization strategies, and to ask the right questions even outside one's core expertise.

But perhaps most critically: multidisciplinary leadership. Today, industrial progress happens at the intersection of engineering, digitalization, policy, and sustainability. The ability to build common ground across diverse stakeholders - from scientists to regulators to investors - is essential. The MBA was a laboratory for this: I worked in international teams, analysed real-life challenges across sectors, and applied frameworks like Design Thinking and Business Model Innovation to complex industrial contexts.

Through this experience, I shifted from being just a contributor to becoming a driver of innovation. And that, I believe, is the essence of modern leadership - being the bridge between vision and execution in a dynamic, interconnected world.

Today you lead strategic projects for renewable energy and sustainable development. What was the most stimulating challenge you faced in this area and how did you overcome it?

One of the most intellectually stimulating and ambitious challenges I've faced has been developing an industrial strategy for using iron powder as a renewable metal energy carrier (iron fuel). It’s a promising technology - but it sits at the intersection of engineering complexity, infrastructure gaps, regulatory uncertainty, and long-term market evolution. You can’t just “roll it out”; you have to account for green hydrogen readiness, customer interest, and investment cycles.

What makes this kind of project so demanding - and exciting - is the need for strategic thinking under uncertainty. The MBA equipped me with tools to handle exactly that: building roadmaps, stress-testing assumptions, identifying key stakeholders, and staying agile as conditions evolve.

I created a development strategy, initiated partnerships with universities and industrial players, and started engaging public and private stakeholders in collaborative efforts. But perhaps most importantly, I learned to embrace complexity - not as a barrier, but as a design space. True industrial sustainability doesn’t come from linear execution, but from the ability to pivot, reframe, and co-create.

This experience reaffirmed a belief that guides me daily: real transformation starts with a clear and bold vision - but it becomes reality only when you bring others into that vision and lead them forward with purpose.