
Annika F.
5.0
(11)
MBA Coach | HEC Paris MBA | MBB Consulting and Expert Storyteller
2 followers
Studied at International Coaching Federation
Worked at Bain & Company
Available tomorrow at 5:00 AM UTC
Usually responds within 7 hours
Questions? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.
Annika's Coaching Offerings
Craft Powerful MBA Essays
Craft winning MBA essays through brainstorming, drafting, and editing
Starting at $7955h+ of coaching
Early Starters MBA Prep Plan
Get a head start on MBA admissions with expert strategy and planning
$9546h of coaching
Custom hourly · $159/hr
Get help with Editing, Interviews, and .
Annika also coaches for Management Consulting and Career Coaching. View all.
Annika’s MBA Qualifications
Coaches professionally
50+ people coached for MBA
As an MBA alum and former HEC Paris recruiter, I help ambitious professionals secure admission to Europe’s top programs, including LBS, HEC Paris, Oxford, and IESE. My coaching is designed to help you stand out as a dynamic, leadership-ready candidate. Whether you need end-to-end guidance or targeted support, I provide: • Target school selection & MBA strategy • Essay and CV reviews with actionable feedback • Interview preparation & mock sessions • Holistic coaching from first application steps to final admission What clients say: "Few know how to master the art of giving feedback, and Annika has perfected it. Her positive encouragement, combined with clear and actionable guidance, helped improve my MBA essays. I thoroughly enjoyed working with her and wholeheartedly recommend her services to others. Annika has an incredible way of making you realize your potential. She helps to clear the challenges you may have and helps you focus on what you think is the right decision. It was well worth it! Overall, I am very pleased with Annika who is very professional, candid, and organized. THANK YOU for all the coaching provided. I highly recommend Annika for anyone considering applying to an MBA program." My MBA journey led to two “triple jumps” and a transition into MBB consulting. I know what it takes to leverage an MBA for a career pivot, global move, or consulting entry, and I’ll help you do the same. Beyond MBA admissions, I’m also an ICF-certified coach specializing in career pivots, strategy, and consulting pathways. 👉 Ready to get into your dream school? Let’s connect.
Annika can help with:
Editing
Interviews
Cover Letters
Networking Strategy
School Selection
Secondary Review
Application Strategy
Essays
Resume
General Exploration
Supplementary Materials
Annika also coaches for Management Consulting and Career Coaching. View all.
About Annika
I’m a Leadership and Career Coach with 13+ years of experience across consulting, finance, and strategy including my experience at Bain & Company and KPMG. I’m a CPA, CA, hold an MBA from HEC Paris, and am an ICF-certified coach. On Leland, I coach in three areas: Case Interview Prep, MBA Admissions, and Career Strategy for ambitious professionals navigating pivots or growth. My coaching blends the structure and strategy of my consulting background with the empathy and clarity needed to help clients feel understood while moving decisively toward their goals. Whether you’re preparing for consulting interviews, exploring an MBA, or redefining your career direction, I’ll help you clarify your goals, strengthen your narrative, and move forward with confidence and purpose.
Why do I coach?
I’ve always been drawn to understanding people’s potential. What drives them, fulfills them, and helps them thrive. Throughout my career, I've seen how many talented professionals were achieving success yet still seeking clarity and alignment about what’s next. I coach because I believe we can all design our dream careers and lives, but it’s far more strategic, focused, and sustainable when done with the right support and resources. Growth happens when we’re challenged in a safe environment, where we can learn, experiment, and build the skills to perform at an elite level in real life. My mission is to bring both strategy and empathy to that process, helping ambitious professionals navigate transitions and opportunities with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
Work Experience

Founder and Coach
Annika Friesen Coaching & Consulting
May 2021 - Present
I coach ambitious professionals through career pivots, MBA admissions, and consulting interview preparation. My approach blends structured strategy with clear, actionable feedback — helping clients gain clarity, sharpen performance, and move confidently into their next chapter.

Consultant - Senior Consultant
Bain & Company
January 2023 - December 2025
Interviewer
Specific experience across Sustainability, Aviation, Investment Analysis, Sovereign Wealth, AI Prototyping, Public Sector, Professional Services, and collaboration with the World Economic Forum

Executive MBA Development Manager
HEC Paris
September 2021 - September 2022
Interviewer
•Refined EMBA application process for hundreds of candidates by reforming the qualification phase and preliminary interviews •Transformed the overall student recruitment process by developing digital videos, increasing student journey efficiency, and launching local city visits resulting in an increase in student enrollment •Acted as liaison with a major GCC-based partner for the launch of a partnered EMBA program
Investment and Business Development
Estée Lauder
January 2021 - March 2021
• Worked with Director, Commercial & Business Development on special projects including strategic education reform, financial and non-financial based analysis of channels, products, brands, and retailers and developed database for performance projection purposes • Engaged cross functionally, cross divisionally and coordinated among all participating EMEA affiliates to drive projects and obtain data

Manager - Interim/Contract Division
The Mason Group
November 2016 - November 2019
•Generated new business for The Mason Group and directly managed 45+ accounts and clients, while using strategic advisory skills to build a new pipeline of business •Selected to speak on behalf of The Mason Group at a CPA conference, increasing the brand awareness, reach, and relevance of the firm as a subject matter expert
Manager
KPMG
October 2012 - November 2016
Assurance (Consumer Markets Practice)(Completed CPA designation) Sr. Consultant Risk Advisory Manager, KPMG International
Education

International Coaching Federation
ACC
2024 - 2025
HEC Paris Business School
Master of Business Administration - MBA, Strategy
2020 - 2021
Admissions Committee Experience
Activities and societies: Recipient of HEC Scholarship for Excellence Project Manager, Sustainability Consulting Project with Moët Hennessy & Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Student Social Media Manager Member of TEC (The Executive Committee) VP Wine & Spirits, HEC Retail & Luxury Club No. 1 European Business Schools Ranking 2021 - Financial Times No. 4 Global MBA Rankings 2022- QS No. 11 Full-Time MBA ranking 2022 - Financial Times No. 2 Best International Two-Year MBA Programs 2019 - Forbes
BrainStation
Certificate, SEO/SEM & Analytics
2017 - 2017
Google Analytics, Analysis & Reporting, Search Engine Marketing (SEM) with Google AdWords, and Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario
CPA, Accounting
2012 - 2015
University of Ottawa
Bachelors of Commerce, Accounting
2008 - 2012
11 Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
Annika has helped clients get into these companies: