Fontainebleau, 29 June 2004

Dear all,

Time for the final update before the summer.

Finished exams last week. Might have been my last exams ever as most electives don’t have any exam.  A lot more human this time round with only three of them. Went ok, I think. Based on my experience from last period, however, I will be happy if they are just around the average. I have been (positively) surprised with the level of the other students. If it wasn’t for my background in Economics, I would really be struggling.

From now on it should be downhill the rest of the year.

Teachers have been pretty good this period. The most amazing course was negotiation analysis. Among the best courses, if not the best course, I have ever taken. The most eccentric but also most hilarious professor I have experienced. I enjoyed every minute of it. In addition to the classes which were as entertaining as a good movie, the course comprised a number of negotiations with the other students. Bidding in auctions, bargaining over a piece of land, settling a law suit, structuring joint ventures, building alliances etc. Absolutely fascinating. The negotiations were then analysed in the subsequent class. Every negotiation was graded against all the other students based on the individual results as well as the process (graded by the opponent). 75% of the grade for the course is based on these negotiations.

So great to be on vacation, though. Can’t remember when I last had 2 month of vacations. I’m so happy not be working over the summer (at least 1/3 of the students are doing internships, typically in consultancies or investment banks). I plan to stay in Fontainebleau until the middle of July. I’ll go down to Cassis for a few days and may also be in London for a weekend, but will spend most of the time here, practicing my golf, which I have just started. I’m totally hooked. There is a course just next to my place, so I go at least once a day. The weather is absolutely extraordinary at the moment. Hope to play with some of you guys while I’m home.

I plan to be in Copenhagen between the 15-19 July and then again from the 29 July-17 August. The last week of July, I will be in Sicily with Jakob Grønbæk.    

I wish you all have a great summer and look forward to seeing most of you in August.

Jonas

PS: Since my last update, there has been another article about INSEAD including an interview with me and another Danish Student. Attached for those of you which might be interested.

PPS: In my last e-mail, I mentioned our exchange-program with Wharton. A number of you have asked me what it is and where it is located. It’s located in Pennsylvania and considered the no. 1 business school in the world ahead of Harvard, Columbia and INSEAD.