Michal is currently working for TikTok where she is leading a Monetisation Strategy & Operations team. Prior to that, she spent over a decade in banking and consulting, driving strategy and transformation on some of the largest cross-border M&A transactions. Having lived around the world, she is committed to driving growth and innovation in complex, fast-paced, and multicultural environments.
Current job title and description of what this role entails:
In my current role, I lead one of the Monetisation Strategy & Operations teams at TikTok. On one side, this involves shaping our go-to-market strategy, conducting market research, and driving key strategic initiatives to accelerate revenue growth. On the other, I focus on ensuring the business is operationally set up for success - from optimising operating models and defining team roles and responsibilities, to developing KPIs and analytical tools that track performance. It’s an incredibly rewarding position, working with a multicultural, high-performing team, tackling complex challenges, and learning every day.
Tell us about your career journey since graduating from LSE?
After graduating from LSE, I started my career as an Analyst at Merrill Lynch, in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis. It was a fascinating time to be in the industry, as I had the chance to work on major transformation projects, including the integration following the acquisition of Merrill Lynch by Bank of America, which gave me an early glimpse into the large-scale, high-stakes M&A world.
I then moved into management consulting at PwC, where I explored a range of industries and projects before finding myself in the M&A Strategy and Operations team. That experience led to a secondment in Singapore, where I helped build and scale the local practice. During my time there, I worked on some of the region’s largest banking deals and collaborated with clients across Hong Kong, Vietnam, the UAE, and other markets, gaining invaluable exposure to diverse business cultures and regulatory environments.
After several years, I decided to relocate to Tel Aviv on another secondment in consulting, which turned into a longer-term chapter in my career. Immersed in the vibrant tech ecosystem there, I decided to join a tech startup to lead strategic operations (a company that was recently acquired by Workday). Not long after, I joined TikTok, where I’ve now been for nearly five years, gaining experience working in global teams at the fastest growing tech company in the world.
How has the programme you studied helped your career since you graduated?
One of the most valuable takeaways from my degree, which balanced economics and social psychology theories, was learning that business and people can’t be decoupled - you need to understand both to make meaningful impact. The programme gave me the tools to think critically about how economic systems function, whilst also exploring how individuals and teams behave within them. That intersection, between macro forces and human dynamics, has shaped the way I approach challenges and opportunities in my career. Whether it's leading through change, aligning teams around a strategy, being able to navigate both the commercial logic and the human element has been essential.
What's the best piece of career advice you've received?
“You don’t need authority in order to lead.” - I learned early on that the most effective people in complex organisations are those who can influence, align, and inspire others, regardless of title. When you act with integrity and focus on doing the right thing, you naturally bring people along on the journey. This mindset has deeply shaped how I operate in cross-functional roles and global teams, where trust and reliability are key to driving impact.
What's the greatest challenge you've had to overcome?
One of the greatest challenges I’ve faced is repeatedly starting over in new countries, new companies, and entirely new ecosystems. Whether it was moving from London to Singapore, or transitioning across industries and roles, each move meant rebuilding my networks, learning new cultures and re-establishing credibility from the ground up. It forced me to develop a sense of resilience, curiosity, and humility. I learned how to listen deeply, adapt quickly, and find common ground across cultures and functions.
Share with us your fondest memory of the Department of Management.
Being part of the opening ceremony of the New Building in 2008, marked by the Queen’s visit and inauguration! Beyond that, I remember LSE as a playground for discovery - through student societies, thought-provoking lectures, and the incredible diversity of people I met from around the world. It was a place that opened my eyes and ignited a lasting curiosity and hunger to explore.
If you would like to be our Alum of the Month or if you would like to nominate a Department of Management alumni, please email dom.alumni@lse.ac.uk.