Yaffa Ludwig takes in the Melbourne skyline atop L'Oréal's head office in Australia.
Homecoming Abroad: Cosmetics & kangaroos
Here’s a fun fact—as you begin to read this, Yaffa Ludwig [BComm(Hons)/12] will have already put in a full day’s work, or be starting on tomorrow’s.
She is always one day ahead of the game, living in Australia, where the industrious Asper School of Business grad is using her major in marketing and international business to strengthen the L’Oréal cosmetics brand.
We caught up with Yaffa at her office in central Melbourne.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN AUSTRALIA?
I’m working as a brand development manager for Pureology at L’Oréal Australia’s head office in Melbourne. I started off as a marketing intern and am still here nearly five years later!
My job includes managing all brand and marketing strategies within Australia, and working closely with our international offices to integrate global directives and launches into our local market. I also oversee our digital strategies, local e-commerce partnerships and education platforms that anchor our brand within Australia. L’Oréal is very much an entrepreneurial environment where no two days are ever the same, and I absolutely love it!
WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF LIVING AND WORKING IN MELBOURNE?
When you live in Melbourne, you’re living in the center of activity in Australia! There’s a reason it’s been rated the most livable city in the world for seven years in a row! The best part of living and working here is having access to world-class events all year round. I’ve had the opportunity to attend and work with the Australian Open, Melbourne Cup Carnival and Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Sydney. Not to mention watching the Formula 1 Racing from my desk as our head office overlooks the racing circuit!
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE MEMORY FROM YOUR TIME AT THE U OF M?
I have so many great memories; it’s hard to pick just one. Some of my favourites include co-chairing the 44th Annual Business Banquet, representing the Asper School of Business at JDC West at UNBC, and travelling to Israel as part of the Arni C. Thorsteinson Study Exchange Program.
Some of my favourite days were spent hanging out in the student lounge and getting to know my fellow students. They are still some of my closest friends today even though we live so far apart.
THE U OF M IS CELEBRATING ITS 140TH ANNIVERSARY. WHAT DO YOU HOPE THE U OF M ACCOMPLISHES IN THE NEXT 140 YEARS?
140 years is such a milestone! It’s exciting to see the direction U of M is heading in by building world-class facilities, attracting renowned faculty and changing the way we approach education. I think the U of M will continue to thrive from this in the next 140 years. The next generation of students will have so much to look forward to.
WHAT DOES THE U OF M MEAN TO YOU?
U of M represents community to me – a community of peers, colleagues, and fellow students with shared experiences. Winnipeggers share a special connection to our city, and U of M alumni share a special connection to our school. No matter where you go in the world, when you come across a fellow U of M alum there’s an instant sense of community and home.
NOT ALL ALUMNI CAN COME BACK TO CAMPUS FOR HOMECOMING. HOW DO YOU STAY CONNECTED WITH THE U OF M?
I love social media for this exact reason. It’s hard to believe Instagram wasn’t around when I was in University (and that really wasn’t that long ago!). I keep in touch with fellow grads and former faculty through social media. When I’m back in Winnipeg I try to attend alumni and Associate events while I’m in town. Thanks to social media I always feel connected to the U of M community.
To celebrate Homecoming 2017, UM Today will be running the Homecoming Abroad series, featuring alumni and students across Canada and around the world who are proving that from here you can go anywhere.
Homecoming is a chance to reconnect, reminisce, and celebrate. Join the U of M community at our Brown and Gold Brunch or meet up with fellow alumni at faculty, college, and reunion events all week long from Sept. 11-17.