Meet Georgetown’s MBA Class of 2018

Zhamilya Gafur

Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Hustler and doer with international background in journalism, brand management, and business development

Hometown: Almaty, Kazakhstan

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am the daughter of a shepherd and my childhood dream was to own the biggest meat stand in the neighborhood. Fortunately, my dreams are now bigger than I ever thought possible!

Undergraduate School and Major:

American University, M.A. in Public Communication

Kazakh University of International Affairs and Foreign Languages, B.A. in International Affairs

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

Voice of America, correspondent for Central Asia; Noblet Media CIS (Edelman Affiliate) Account Manager for HP in Kazakhstan; AB Restaurants, largest multi-brand restaurant chain in Kazakhstan, Director of Marketing and PR;  Vaynermedia, NY, global intern; Uber, Marketing Manager for Kazakhstan.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I most recently worked at Uber, where I was a part of a very small team that launched the service in the two biggest cities in Kazakhstan and introduced Uber to the country. We did it with limited resources and on a short deadline, but the launch was smooth and successful. It was great to be part of a big moment in my country’s commercial development right before permanently moving back to the U.S.

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to future business school applicants? Visit all the schools you are considering applying to – sometimes the vibe of the community tells you more than all facts and figures on the internet.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? Georgetown McDonough makes a point about being international. For me, learning business is a lot about knowing how people make decisions in different parts of the world, in different roles and circumstances. I also love D.C.!

Tell us about your dream job or dream employer at this point in your life? Upon graduation, I plan to serve as a brand manager in a consumer goods company operating across international markets. Having worked mostly in entrepreneurial settings, I want to join an elite global marketing team and gain broad exposure to the challenges they face and the institutional approach to solving such complex problems.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program?  “You are a fun person to hang out with. I hope one day we can repeat this experience in the workplace!”