In Closing

If you have come this far, I hope that you enjoyed reading these notes as much I did writing them down. I guess one of the key takeaway is MBA is not a destination, it’s a journey – each with this unique memories, pleasures, and at times, nervousness. Though the program lasts for two years, these experiences and associations, will stay for the lifetime. No matter where your journey takes you, I wish you the very best in whatever choice you make!

PS: Feel free to drop me a note if you have any questions, and check these pages again for more updates from my side.

 

 

Post Graduation

By far the most significant engagement in this semester was focusing on the post-graduation career plans. Unlike good times, wherein one can choose from numerous options, the situation this time around was ugly. With thinning number of prospective employers on the campus, companies deferring or rescinding offers, some of key post-graduation sectors (read: financial services) under severe stress; it caused many to go back to the drawing board. Though recruiting was tough, I believe it was a fantastic opportunity for one to reevaluate their interests, value-add, and what they stand for and want in the long term. An activity seldom looked at during good times, when more than likely going with the flow supersedes, I believe an in-depth self introspection can be critical for making successful leaders and happier individuals. More than any time in the recent past, to be MBA graduates, are discussing the moral and social responsibilities of their actions.  

What does it mean for me?

Through my varied experiences at MIT Sloan and previous work, I was clear about aspects of different career choices I liked and what I didn’t. More importantly, I was further able to iron out my long-term career plan, and able to put together what gives and takes in different short- and medium-term with different careers. For me it came down to being able to leverage my GE experiences, be in position to grow / evaluate business opportunities on a global footprint, and be closer to sectors where I can add value. I’m planning to pursue global Business Development & Strategy role with Celanese, to develop new materials to serve industries from clean-tech to water purification. 

Beyond Academics

The semester also presented opportunity to welcome the potential student of MIT Sloan Class of 2011, wherein I was co-chair of Career committee at AdMIT weekends. The energy and curiosity during those weekends were amazing. The series of questions around – “How has your experience been like?”, “I want to go into consulting, how does school prepare me for that?”, or “How is the social life on MIT Sloan campus?”, were a constant theme. It hard to imagine that just 2 years back we were in similar shoes, and now we’re experts about MIT Sloan. A rapid learning curve! Another initiative that we kicked off was laying the ground of inaugural MIT China-India conference. The first event of its type, this event is envisioned to bring leaders from both China and India and participants to discuss economic, social, and political issues facing both of these countries. A unique event of its type, and the world focusing on Asian dragon and tiger, this should be a fantastic opportunity for anyone with interest on this subject. Though we ran into hiccups to launch this event in Spring 2009, stay tuned for more details on this in Spring 2010. The travel highlight was an amazing trip to Turkey with 60 other Sloanies and their significant others. From discussions with some of the most successful businessmen in the country, meeting leaders from the office of the Prime Minister, and experiencing unique Turkish culture in Istanbul and Cappadocia, left me wanting for more and come back to this amazing country again!

Academic Journey

The academic journey within the classroom continued with further building on courses in finance, global businesses, and general management. Some of my favorites were – Entrepreneurial Finance, Global Economic Challenges, and Business Law. E Finance provided further insights into the financial structures pertinent in VC and PE industry, dynamics of interplay various involved parties, particularly LPs and GPs, and good line-up of speakers from lawyers, fund managers, to entrepreneurs. Highly recommended for anyone with aspirations towards entrepreneurship in a private or corporate setting. Global economic challenges, taught by rock-star faculty, Kristin Forbes, exceeded the expectations! Beyond discussions on previous significant economic crisis, policy issues and implications; the real-time discussions of the current economic crisis and actions of various countries, made 8:30 am classes to be something to look forward to. To top it off, Kristin’s personal anecdotes of inner working of the White House, including one special session to it, was humorous, enlightening, and very educational! (Kristin was one of the economic advisors to the President George HW Bush). The MIT Sloan experience in incomplete without this course! The Business Law course by John Akula, I believe is a must for any business leader. Starting off with basic premise of the US law, the course rapidly went into details of bankruptcy law and general corporate law. A fantastic overview! Additionally, a fantastic line-up of more than a dozen lawyers, explained how these are practiced in real life; presenting both the government and company’s viewpoints (especially when GM and Chrysler about to file for bankruptcy, incompletion of several high profile M&As).

Outside classroom, I continued my field study with Staley Capital, wherein I was involved with developing investment thesis focusing on the healthcare sector, in particular focusing Custom Research and Manufacturing Organizations (CROs & CMOs).  After my initial foray into healthcare, during my first semester, this was a fantastic opportunity to gain more insights into this and put learning the classroom into practice. With new Obama administration, and uphill challenges in healthcare – thin product pipeline, ageing population, and slim hit rate, coupled with huge cost to develop next blockbuster drug; this sector presents unique set of challenges and opportunities. Our focus, was therefore to analyze CRO and CMO landscape globally, evaluating companies that might benefit significantly from these trends. The work ultimately led to healthcare being one of the key sectors for the firm in 2009 and beyond. 

The last semester at MIT Sloan

After 2 years and 392 unique experiences, my journey at MIT Sloan came to an end in June 2009. Amid the world that has changed significantly – with the first African American President in the US, economic meltdown of a lifetime, and renewed focus on the environment; one is humbled by the challenges and opportunities these events present. The keynote speaker for the graduation at MIT, Deval Patrick, Governor of MA, reiterated that there is so much one can plan for, and then there is a dose of hard work and making the best of opportunities. So true, for 2 years back, none of us could have foreseen, let go plan, for what was about to unfold. The career plans were reevaluated, “Who am I?” was revisited, and “What do I stand for?” re-answered. Another positive outcome from this turmoil was resurgence in b-school applications, which MIT Sloan witnessing a record surge, with 11 vying for 1 spot.     

During my last semester at MIT Sloan, I continued my academic pursuits both inside and outside classroom, got involved with some fantastic events, and ironed out my post graduation plans. 

Beyond classes and recruiting…

This semester provided me ample of opportunities to become more active in the General Management (GM) and South Asian Business clubs, while still being involved in VC/PE and Finance club activities. For the GM club, ‘10s came on-board and we launched an inaugural careers in GM career panel for both summer and full-time opportunities. A few of us are working behind the scenes for an inaugural China India conference to be held at MIT Sloan in April’09. Significant event details are being finalized as speak, stay tuned for more! The activities for search fund have also kicked in the VC/PE club. Though still on the fence on this, I will be thinking more about this in coming weeks.

So long from me. I will be heading to India for winter break to spend time with family and friends and plan to get back on this space in early next semester. Until then, wish you all the very best of the holiday season and a terrific 2009!

What about that recruiting thing?

The conditions, both for employers and students at b-schools, have significantly worsened before we ventured out for our summers. MIT Sloan’s career office has been diligent in getting as many recruiters as possible on campus, helping student prepare for interviews / job search, and also providing candid communication of what they are hearing from recruiters.

Personally, I have not been very active with on-campus job opportunities. My summer at Deutsche Bank and GE experience prior to MIT Sloan taught me a good bit about myself. Some of the things – with a good blend of operational and financial knowledge, I am interested in traditionally aren’t available on campus. On good note, it (hopefully) will get me what I am really interested in. On the other side, it means lot of work, reaching out into my network, and having numerous discussions for me. Coming weeks / months will help me crystallize my thoughts and help find something that’s interesting both for me and my prospective employer.

This semester I was further able to pursue my in-semester company projects. I worked with Staley Capital, a Boston area growth equity firm, and developed an investment thesis for pharmaceutical sub-sector. One of the sectors that is poised to see a relatively robust growth, this study further opened my eyes further on the magnitude of scope and opportunities in this area (there’s got to be a reason that I am handling this sector the third time during my time at MIT Sloan!).