Guiding Future Communicators: An Interview with Professor Katya de Freedericksz
At ESEI International Business School, our community is strengthened by the educators who guide students on their academic and personal journeys. Professor Katya de Freedericksz is one of those people. Her international career, hands-on approach to teaching, and commitment to empowering founders and women in business all reflect the values that define ESEI. We spoke with Katya about her professional path, her teaching philosophy, and the skills she believes students need to make an impact in a fast-changing world.
A Career Built on Growth, Innovation, and Global Experience
Katya’s professional journey has been wide-ranging, spanning corporate marketing, startup acceleration, and founder support. “My background is in growth marketing, go-to-market strategies. I worked for various startups and scale-ups in Amsterdam. I supported companies through different stages of growth, from taking one to an IPO to helping another scale and exit through acquisition by a market leader,” she explains.
After years in startup & corporate roles, Katya decided to take a more independent path. “I always felt restricted within a certain role. I wanted to build a dream job for myself. At the time, what I was enjoying most was running workshops, mentoring, and being a spark of innovation in my team,” she says. She realised that her strengths lay in guiding teams, fostering creativity, and designing growth strategies, skills she could apply more broadly if she struck out on her own.
Since then, Katya has built a career that spans continents. She has mentored ex-Olympic athletes launching their own ventures, supported global accelerator programmes such as Google for Startups and Techstars, and worked with startups in various sectors from green tech to deep tech ventures. She ran education programs and spoke on stages in Europe, Asia, Africa and MENA regions, and founded a community of women founders called SheRise. Reflecting on her role, Katya says, “I see myself more as an enabler and ecosystem builder. I support founders in their journey, I connect people, create platforms, and help them achieve their goals.”
Katya also highlights the freedom her career gives her. “I have a portfolio career rather than a traditional entrepreneurial journey. My core values are around creative freedom, choosing the projects and people I work with, and pivoting when I need to. That allows me to keep exploring and develop my strengths.”
Teaching International Communications with Real-World Insight
At ESEI, Katya teaches the International Communications and PR course, which she has led for four years. Her students are mostly international relations majors, drawn to global issues and curious about the world around them. “They are deeply curious, generalists, and sensitive to global issues. My bachelor in international relations helps me understand their mindset,” she explains.
Her teaching approach combines theoretical knowledge with practical application. “Even though it is about communications and PR, a lot of campaigns we study connect to global issues. I always give students the choice to find a topic that they care about. It could be women’s empowerment, climate, societal issues, or nature and animals. When students find that spark, the final result is always better.”
Katya’s classes are interactive and reflective of real-world practice. She integrates workshops, group projects, and case studies, encouraging students to apply communications strategies to issues they are passionate about. “The students work on campaigns that allow them to explore global topics, but also reflect on their personal values. This makes the learning more collaborative, engaging, and meaningful,” she says.
She also shares her professional insights with students. “I bring examples from my work with startups, accelerators, and global events to show students how communications campaigns are executed in the real world. It is about seeing patterns, finding opportunities for growth, and connecting strategy with action.”
Adapting to a Changing World
Katya ensures her teaching evolves with both student feedback and industry trends. She is particularly thoughtful about the rise of AI in communications. “The antidote to AI is to go back to foundations. Human psychology, collaboration, soft skills, history, these are what remain constant. The tools may change, but understanding the core principles makes it easier to adapt,” she explains.
While the tools and tactical methods in PR may change, Katya emphasises the enduring importance of strategy, creativity, and human-centred thinking. She encourages students to explore current trends, such as how AI is being applied in large-scale international events or creative production, while grounding their work in the fundamentals of communications and public relations.
Advice for Students
Katya ensures her teaching evolves with both student feedback and industry trends. She is particularly thoughtful about the rise of AI in communications. “The antidote to AI is to go back to foundations. Human psychology, collaboration, soft skills, history, these are what remain constant. The tools may change, but understanding the core principles makes it easier to adapt,” she explains.
While the tools and tactical methods in PR may change, Katya emphasises the enduring importance of strategy, creativity, and human-centred thinking. She encourages students to explore current trends, such as how AI is being applied in large-scale international events or creative production, while grounding their work in the fundamentals of communications and public relations.
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