Student and Alumni Stories

Gaurav Chhabra ’08
Vice President, GE Corporate Finance
Stamford, CT

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.’”

Monisha Agrawal ’07
Manager, Investor Relations, Alcoa
New York, NY

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.”

Henry Hu ’05
Americas Plan Coordinator, IBM
Somers, NY

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.”