Johannes Nolting - how he found his passion for marketing at UW/H and used it to climb the career ladder at Google
Johannes Nolting knows how to seize opportunities: in 2008, he began his studies in economics at Witten/Herdecke University - the rest is an impressive career that led him to a management position at Google.
UW/H graduate Johannes Nolting has been working for Google for more than 10 years - his first employer after graduating and his only one so far. Unusual in this day and age, but he never got bored: Johannes has taken on countless different roles in the company and currently leads a team in marketing at Google Cloud in Munich.
Johannes then returned to his home town. He grew up in a suburb of Munich, went to school there, completed his higher education entrance qualification and after a voluntary year of social work in the sports sector, Johannes began to find out about study options. His father had UW/H on his radar and Johannes attended an information day at the university. He liked it so much that he applied for the "Economics" degree programme.
The move to Witten was a very conscious decision
"The admission procedures were a formative experience for me, everything was new and exciting," he recalls. Despite several acceptances from other universities, he made a conscious decision in favour of UW/H. "I wanted to get out of Munich - and the atmosphere in Witten convinced me."
During his studies, he particularly appreciated the flexibility and the opportunity to think outside the box. "Studium fundamentale gave me an incredible amount. It not only broadened my perspective, but also allowed me to grow personally." In the second half of his studies, he discovered his passion for marketing through Markus Gießler's courses. "He inspired me to specialise in marketing. That was a turning point for me."
After completing his Bachelor's degree, Johannes wanted to discover the world: he moved to Stockholm and completed a two-year Master's degree there, specialising in marketing. From there, his path led him to Shanghai, where he met a Google employee. In 2014, he applied there himself and was accepted into the European headquarters in Dublin. He has now been leading his team in Munich for a good four years.
Friendships, freedom and independence: Johannes has learnt a lot from Witten
He looks back fondly on his student days. "In Witten, I wasn't just one of many - there was serious interest shown in me as a person." Johannes still appreciates the personal component of the degree programme: "UW/H taught me to think and act independently."
In addition to the professional impulses from the marketing courses, the community remains a special memory for him. "My closest circle of friends still dates back to my time in Witten. This community, the city, the shared flat parties and running dinners - it all had an incredible impact on me."
If Johannes has one tip for current students, it's this: "Become AI natives! Stay entrepreneurial and curious. That inspired me back then and still does today."