Current Alumni of the Year recipients

Maria Sangder

Maria Sangder, a �鶹�� alumna of NHH and AALTO, has built a strong career in consulting focusing more and more on sustainability related business issues over the years. She recently has been nominated as Chairman of the Board for and as Executive Director of the . With a previous expertise as the Managing Director of Gaia Consulting, a 30 year old company which strives for systemic change to accelerate the green transition by helping it’s clients achieve measurable sustainability effects. Maria herself says that she believes sustainability to be an opportunity, not a threat, and that the future is full of market shaping sustainable business opportunities. “My professional purpose is to support strategic growth and realisation of organisations and always strive to also build capabilities in the organisations I work with”, says Maria on the company webpage, and adds “At best, the impacts, both to business and society as a whole, can be greater than either of us [the company Gaia or its client] could imagine”. With her sunny outlook and great communication skills Maria easily makes an impression on everyone around. She is charismatic and driven, and personifies positive thinking and a can-do attitude.

As a �鶹�� Alumna Maria has been always been happy to give back. She gladly makes time for �鶹�� events, even in her current position, and has organized six skills seminars for Aalto �鶹�� since 2015. First three of the skills seminars were about ‘Market shaping’ under a different consultancy company and the last three under Gaia with sustainable business as their common denominator. She has also visited our �鶹�� exclusive consultancy course in fall 2022 to give student teams feedback on their consultancy cases. Maria has also been a constant assessment team member in the Aalto �鶹�� student selections. Overall, Maria is a great example of a �鶹�� alumna who is looking to give back to �鶹�� community and works towards a more sustainable future with a goal to impact the society as a whole.

Piotr & Malgorzata Kosla

Piotr and Malgorzata combine extensive leadership experience in finance, healthcare, and consumer goods with a shared mission to improve lives through innovation. Piotr held leadership roles at Abbott and Biogen before becoming COO at , where Piotr drives operational excellence. Malgorzata has led commercial excellence teams in global FMCG and pharmaceutical companies, most recently at . Together, they co-founded , dedicating their expertise and energy to advancing treatments for ultra-rare diseases. In less than 2 years, they have built global interdisciplinary research consortium with such partners as Oxford University or Boston Children’s Hospital transforming personal challenges into impactful societal contributions.

Piotr and Malgorzata embody �鶹�� values by turning adversity into purpose-driven leadership. After their daughter’s debilitating diagnosis with ultra-rare PACS2 syndrome, they transformed their family’s struggle into a mission for change. Through the PACS2 Research Foundation, they fund research, advocate for treatment development, and build international networks for neglected diseases. Today, 60+ researchers across nine countries are working on a therapy for a condition that had little visibility back in 2022. Their initiative reflects accountability, courage, and innovation, as they champion causes overlooked by larger institutions. By combining professional expertise and personal resilience, they inspire the �鶹�� community, showing how global leaders can create lasting societal impact with compassion and determination.

Piotr Bator

Piotr earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Finance and Accounting at SGH Warsaw School of Economics and completed a �鶹�� semester at NUS in Singapore. He began his career at PKO Bank Polski before moving into consulting with Kearney and corporate strategy at Qemetica and T-Mobile Polska. Since 2023, he is the CEO of G-DEVS S.A., leading listing on Warsaw Stock Exchange as Poland’s 1st MBO with no external investors. He also devoted 2+ years to supporting refugees from Ukraine, providing shelter and care for 200+ people—work recognized by the Warsaw Rising Museum and the International Organization for Migration.

Piotr embodies values of integrity, diversity, and global citizenship. He emphasizes responsibility, empathy, and impact—guiding both professional decisions and personal commitments. He believes excellence means not only building successful businesses but also contributing to society, as shown in his response to the refugee crisis caused by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, where he supported those in need and mobilized others to act. For him, international management is about fostering trust and building bridges in uncertain times. His recognitions as a and symbol of the underline this vision: creating value while staying deeply human.

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