Bernard Arnault Is a Successful

Bernard Arnault is a successful global businessman who believes his companies' products contribute to bringing people of the planet closer to each other. Arnault's fashion sense, business acumen, and world view make him a worthy role model for a student like me who seeks an education to bring breadth and depth of perspective to my international experiences.

During the summer of 2010, I was an intern at the Blok M. Plaza shopping mall in Indonesia. My primary job as part of the mall management team was to help develop strategies for attracting more customers to the Plaza. I learned a great deal about the marketing process used to attract retail tenants and create a balance of mall occupants that is optimal for both businesses and the customers. I studied clients' pro forma financial plans and learned to analyze shopper demographics. By far, however, the most valuable experience was helping to settle a dispute between two major clients, Giordano and Breadtalk.

Giordano, a clothing retailer, was nearing the end of its lease and decided at the last minute they wanted to renew. Breadtalk, a food retailer, reserved the space a year earlier in anticipation of Giordano's closure. Breadtalk incurred considerable expense in the planning and preparation for its Blok M. opening. The situation was tense, with both sides presenting compelling arguments in their favor. In the end, I suggested that Giordano's lease be extended for three months at a higher rate. The profit was to be given to Breadtalk as compensation. Ultimately it was an agreement approved by both parties. It was a valuable lesson for me because I witnessed, first hand, the animosity that can result when two groups feel strongly on opposite sides of an issue, both believing that they are right. I had the experience of bringing about a meeting of the minds, fostering compromise and a peaceful resolution to a problem. The experience and the lessons learned will stand me in good stead in business and in life.