Alin-George Popescu
INSEAD Business School (GEMBA Programme)
Age: 36
“Driven by curiosity and self-discovery. I embrace change and foster cross-cultural connection through leadership and empathy.”
Hometown: Macin, Romania
Family Members: Wife, Irina and a 5-year-old daughter, Maia
Fun fact about yourself: I’m an avid angler who travels the world to fish—from the Indian Ocean to Swiss alpine rivers.
A less funny one: I learned to play the violin in primary school just so I could tour the country for free. I wasn’t particularly talented, but I made up for it with hard work and earned my place in the orchestra for 10years in a row.
Undergraduate School and Degree:
- Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest – BSc in Management
- Additional executive education: Harvard Business School Online, INSEAD Online, and 20+ P&G leadership modules
Where are you currently working? I’m currently leading the commerce strategy for WPP in APAC. Previously, I worked in marketing at P&G in Europe. I made the transition during INSEAD—something I wouldn’t wholeheartedly recommend unless you’re ready to test the limits of your resilience and juggle family, school, a new job, a new industry, and a new country all at once.
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles:
Mentor early-career professionals in digital marketing
Speaker at regional CPG and media industry events
Advisor for early-stage start-ups.
Volunteer at IAB (International Advertising Bureau) India + SEA.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I built a $100M business for the Always Discreet brand by reinventing how women access incontinence care. It blended purpose, digital innovation, and team empowerment to normalize a stigmatized issue.
Beyond the quantifiable results, it’s the journey that energizes me. Changing jobs, countries, teams, and business scopes every few years, I often felt like I was starting over. Yet, each time I uncovered a stronger resilience muscle and clearer thought process to guide me through change.
Who was your favorite MBA professor? I’ll name two, though many outstanding faculty deserve recognition.
Professor Pushan Dutt—His holistic knowledge of markets and geopolitics, along with his charismatic teaching style, made me embrace a subject I once thought I had little affinity for.
Professor Michael Freeman—Despite the misleading simplicity of Process and Operations Management, his clarity and well-structured materials created a solid foundation in innovation and sustainable business models.
Why did you choose this school’s executive MBA program? INSEAD’s unmatched diversity, global exposure, and thought leadership aligned perfectly with my values and aspirations. The program offered a growth platform for the next chapter of my career in Asia and beyond. INSEAD is an investment—arguably the most globally diversified educational asset one can add to their portfolio.
What is the biggest lesson you gained during your MBA and how did you apply it at work? Leadership truly unlocks at the next level of self-awareness. Knowing your strengths, acknowledging biases, and managing blind spots are key to success—for yourself and your team. Leadership isn’t about having all the answers but about asking better questions. This helped me shift from directing to empowering teams—especially valuable when transitioning into new industries and roles.
Give us a story during your time as an executive MBA on how you were able to juggle work, family and education? I started a new job between modules. It felt right for my family, and I felt brave—until the pressure hit. Balancing school and work left me with little time for my daughter and wife. While I was the one in class and after-school gatherings, my entire family went through the INSEAD experience. Open communication with my wife, mutual understanding, and intentional compromises helped us protect family time.
What advice would you give to a student looking to enter an executive MBA program? Approach the EMBA with curiosity and a growth mindset. You’ll quickly realize how much there is to learn—not just about business, but about yourself and those around you. Expect to feel like an imposter at times; it’s part of the transformation. This journey isn’t just about climbing the corporate ladder—it’s about figuring out which wall is truly worth climbing.
What was your biggest regret in business school? Not really a regret—but I wish I’d journaled more. So much insight comes from classes and conversations, and I didn’t capture enough of it in writing. INSEAD is more than just coursework and exams—don’t underestimate the power of informal gatherings and peer interactions.
Which MBA classmate do you most admire? It’s hard to name just one – it would undercut the incredible diversity of INSEAD GEMBA. Every story is unique, and I’ve learned something memorable from each of the 70 individuals in my Singapore cohort.
That said, Didith Noerdiansyah stands out. One of the humblest and kindest people I’ve met, he came with a rare family background. He gave up his childhood dream of becoming a professional football player, but his comeback two decades later could inspire a movie script
What was the main reason you chose an executive MBA program over part-time or online alternatives? Nothing compares to in-person interactions and passionate debates. The immersive experience, surrounded by like-minded professionals, is irreplaceable. I wanted lasting connections—not just a credential.
How did you finance your EMBA and what did you do to make tuition and associated costs more affordable? Self-funded through savings and partial investment returns. I also applied for—and received—a diversity scholarship. Planning and managing cash flow made a big difference.
What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? I want to lo lead a global business or build a venture at the intersection of commerce, media, and tech—driving innovation, empowering people, and solving real-world problems at scale. But that’s just where my interest lies today. I remain open and curious about opportunities that may not yet be on my radar.
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