Hear from Columbia Students and Alumni

Yogesh Deshmukh ’08
Vice President, Planning and Analysis
American Express
New York, N.Y.

Yogesh Deshmukh worked for Unilever in his native India and spent more than 10 years with American Express in different countries before moving to New York and applying to the Columbia Executive MBA Program. A vice president of planning and analysis, he manages a team that provides finance decision support to the company’s chief information officer and the technologies CFO.

“I was able to formulate a recommendation and a cost-benefit analysis for our technologies division based on concepts from my very first classes at the School,” Yogesh says. “Everything I’m learning helps me understand how to be a smarter and better manager. And the professors are outstanding.

“I have learned a whole lot from my peers. The students who get into this program are driven and motivated and on a career fast track in very diverse fields. We help and inspire each other. The program is very relevant and teaches tools and techniques that are vital to success, whether as an executive or as a future entrepreneur. It takes intense discipline, study and resilience. Our experience at Columbia will shape our lives, both personally and professionally.”

Marie Haguel ’08
Program Manager, Boeing 787 Program
Hamilton Sundstrand Corp.
Windsor Locks, Conn.

After earning two engineering degrees and beginning her career in Canada, Marie Haguel moved to the United States in 2002. Her employer, Hamilton Sundstrand, manufactures and services advanced-technology aerospace and industrial systems.

Not long after Marie started the Executive MBA Program, one of her former bosses invited her to manage the development phase of the Boeing 787:

“Although I can only be there 75 percent of the time, my supervisor knows the value of Columbia’s Executive MBA. He knows that for people who have gone through it, problems are not problems; they are ways to find a solution. You get to find out what you can become through this experience.”

“I’m learning how to be an advocate for both the customer and the company. I need to influence the business to do what the customer wants, and influence the customer to do what the organization wants. With the skills this program builds, you know what buttons to push to achieve certain outcomes. The result is more responsibility and incredible opportunities as other parts of the organization become interested in you.”

Marcus Brooks ’07
Neighborhood Mortgage Officer
Community Preservation Corp.
Brooklyn, N.Y.

Harlem native and Columbia College graduate Marcus Brooks is a mortgage officer in the Brooklyn office of the Community Preservation Corp., a private nonprofit sponsored by more than 90 commercial banks, savings institutions and insurance companies that works to strengthen low- and mixed-income communities. Marcus provides construction and permanent financing for residential developments.

“The program has changed my whole perspective of networking,” Marcus says. “It’s a 24-hour process of keeping people on your radar, but much more subtle than I originally expected. Here you have access to a huge network of people who are more than willing to help out with any challenge you have.”

“The professors are also very accessible and willing to help. An independent study I did with a fellow classmate and Professor Eric Abrahamson on what motivates employees in the nonprofit sector will ultimately help me set up a program that will enable us to gain systemic feedback from employees about the company. The research will enable us to build a stronger and more accountable company.”

Izabela Hawken ’07
East Coast Senior Account Manager, Travel
Google, Inc.
New York, N.Y.

After several years as a director of global sales operations at StarMedia Network, Izabela Hawken joined Google as a client services specialist. A senior account manager, she’s responsible for the optimization of Fortune 1000 clients’ marketing campaigns. Izabela also comanages the staff of the Northeast Travel Google Team and guides staffing decisions related to Google’s expansion to Latin America.

“When I started the program, my view of the network was limited,” Izabela says. “I thought it would be great for when I was looking for my next job. But it goes far beyond that. It’s about cross-leveraging ideas, knowledge and insights that may be specific to a particular organization or may cross industries. My classmates and I leverage one another to become better-informed professionals and more valuable to our companies.”

Gaurav Chhabra ’08
Vice President, GE Corporate Finance
Stamford, Conn.

Gaurav Chhabra had been with GE for more than 10 years — working in India, Japan and the United States — when he enrolled in the School’s Executive MBA Program. As a vice president with GE Corporate Finance, he manages nearly 80 associates and handles operations for a multibillion dollar portfolio.

“When I went to information sessions at Columbia, I met several alumni who talked to me about their experiences at the School. One thing that everybody emphasized was how Columbia made them think differently; it changed their outlook. I was very impressed — when you’ve been in an industry for 13 years and have lived in several countries like I have, you sometimes think, ‘How much more can an MBA teach me at this point?’”

“During orientation, a management professor walked us through a case study that involved a midlevel manager facing an ethical dilemma. The professor asked us, ‘How many of you think the manager has any avenues open to him?’ Not a hand was raised. Then, as the professor explained the case, he started to open our eyes. We discovered the opportunities this manager had to extricate himself and still come out a winner. ‘Now how many of you think he has options?’ the professor asked. Every single one of us raised our hands.”

“Here were 120 very smart people who have each been in business an average of 10 years, and in one hour Columbia made us think differently! I went home and I told my wife, ‘My God, this is going to be worth it.’”

Susan Popper ’07
Internal Business Consultant
Tiffany & Co.
New York, N.Y.

Susan Popper began her career as a consultant in Accenture’s Chicago office, where she assisted financial services clients with the development and implementation of large-scale process changes. Passionate about luxury goods, in 2001 Susan joined Tiffany & Co., where she leads all planning, reporting and process-improvement functions in support of global product development.

“Luxury goods is an exciting and dynamic industry that has grown significantly over the past several years,” Susan says. “My department touches on all aspects of the development of luxury goods: we take products from concept to launch in a store.”

“When I was thinking about MBA programs, Columbia stood out because it commands instant recognition in Europe, where top luxury brands are based. I chose the Munich seminar, knowing it would play well if I wanted to work overseas in the future — plus the professor, Bernd Schmitt, is an internationally known expert in branding. Additionally, I’m interested in taking classes at London Business School, our partner in the EMBA-Global program. The administration has worked with me outside of the standard program to make that opportunity available.”

Monisha Agrawal ’07
Manager, Investor Relations
Alcoa
New York, N.Y.

A manager of investor relations with Alcoa, Monisha Agrawal Brimfield advises investors seeking strategic or financial answers and makes sure that all internal parties understand market expectations. Although Monisha didn’t have any formal financial training before starting Columbia, she found she was up to the challenge:

“I thought my first accounting course would be dry and functional, but Professor Nahum Melumad made the subject very relevant and exciting. He did a fantastic job of teaching us the basics, but also integrating theory and practice. Time flew in that class, which says a lot for accounting on Friday night and Saturday morning! Thanks to his class and to the program, I now feel better equipped to challenge anything that I encounter in my professional life.”

“Being an alum signals a high level of aptitude — people know you have what it takes to excel in even the most challenging of professional situations. One of the School’s many strengths is its international reputation. I work at a global company so we have very few conversations with investors in which the impact of China isn’t discussed. By participating in the School’s China seminar, I’ve gained a valuable perspective on the unique conditions you need to consider when operating in China.”

Graeme Daykin ’08
Vice President,
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
New York, N.Y.

A member of Goldman Sachs’s capital introduction team, Graeme Daykin helps the firm’s European hedge fund clients raise capital from U.S. investors. Not long after he moved from London to New York, Graeme decided that an MBA would allow him to approach business from a broader and more nuanced perspective. One of his supervisors, a graduate of the School, recommended Columbia:

“Columbia has a history of producing very effective finance people, from Warren Buffett, MS ’51, to Henry Kravis ’69, the founder of KKR. It’s one of the best programs in the world, and the School really strikes strikes an effective balance between providing essential core courses and a broad range of elective options. Besides offering the best blend of technical and management skills, and a wide-ranging perspective on business issues, it equips you with a way of analyzing the world — and that arms you with the tools to maximize the opportunities that change turns up.”
 
“In finance, you work in a pretty homogeneous environment. This program has brought me into contact with a wide variety of business people — those who own their own businesses, technologists, and others from different fields who challenge my assumptions about business. I’ll see the most value from the program five to 10 years from now. The skills you develop here integrate your thinking and enhance your ability to think strategically — the skills used most by senior managers.”

Sue J. Park ’05
Senior Manager, American Express
New York, N.Y.

Sue Park was working at McKinsey when she enrolled in the School’s Executive MBA Program. Inspired by her peers, she says, she opened her own restaurant while she was in school. As a senior manager in OPEN Savings at American Express, Sue focuses on providing products to small businesses.

“One of the reasons I chose Columbia is the diversity of its student population,” Sue says. “The students aren’t all geared towards finance. In my group, we had a lot of entrepreneurs and marketers. There’s also a balance in terms of gender. It was important to me to be in a supportive environment, and supporting women is very much integrated into Columbia’s culture.”

“I was a member of Columbia Women in Business, which is a phenomenal organization. I still go to the annual conference when I can, although it’s hard to get tickets since it’s usually sold-out in a day! I love the topics and speakers. The workshops and panels are very relevant to the workplace and home; there are always insights and takeaways that are applicable to my own life.”

Henry Hu ’05
Americas Plan Coordinator,
IBM
Somers, N.Y.

Henry Hu had already earned a graduate degree in engineering from Stanford and worked in consulting, business analysis and planning for 10 years when he applied to the School’s Executive MBA Program. As the Americas plan coordinator at IBM, he manages the budget for global business services in the United States, Canada and Latin America.

“I chose Columbia for its global orientation and broad curriculum,” Henry says. “The School is renowned not just in the United States but also in Asia and Europe. Having a global credential — and a global network — is important today but will be even more important in tomorrow’s economy.”

“I wasn’t interested in just studying finance; I wanted a well-rounded experience that also focused on leadership, management, marketing and operations. In retrospect, Columbia’s leadership training outside the classroom was just as valuable as the course work. The group projects were really useful — I learned how to work effectively with people who have very different backgrounds and experiences, and I’m still friends with many of my classmates.”

Vrinda Dabke ’07
Head of Finance, Medical and eHealth Products,
Aetna
Guilford, Conn.

Vrinda Dabke had been working as a financial planning and analysis consultant at Pfizer for more than five years when she applied to the School’s Executive MBA Program. Having transferred from information technology to finance, she wanted to deepen her business knowledge, but only if the course work would translate to her job.

“I had significant work experience; I was hesitant to go back and learn something that would be purely theoretical and academic,” Vrinda says. “I did a lot of research on business schools, and the biggest thing that drew me to Columbia was the consistent feedback and review that students coming out of the School hit the ground running. It was very clear that Columbia’s curriculum would be relevant.”

“I never felt that even one course was disconnected from the real world. What I learned helped me do my job at least 10 times better. Fundamentally, Columbia’s fully rounded set of courses made me understand how what I do relates to the company and how I can align myself with the industry. It’s an empowering experience.”

Maureen Musselman ’07
Vice President, Planning & Analysis, Business-to-Business Finance
American Express
New York, N.Y.

Maureen Musselman had worked for American Express for more than 15 years when she enrolled in the School’s Executive MBA Program. As vice president of planning and analysis at American Express, she develops and implements business plans for legal entities and the company’s business-to-business organization.

“I learned so much from my peers,” Maureen says. “It was a very diverse group — in age, background and perspective. I had classmates who worked in microfinance in third world countries in addition to people from investment banking and hedge funds. Working together on different projects, we learned from each other and were able to play on each person’s individual strengths. This diversity truly enhanced the whole experience.”

“You definitely don’t go through this program alone. One of the benefits is that you are with a close-knit and supportive group; you see each other every other weekend. We all have jobs, so we can just focus on everyone learning and succeeding. You feel like you’re all in it together, and the faculty and administration are always looking for ways to create community — and this lasts beyond school.”