2016 MBAs To Watch: Kenny Kuo, Georgetown (McDonough)

Kenny Kuo-Georgetown-PoetsAndQuants_MBAsToWatch2016

Kan-Ying (Kenny) Kuo

 

Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business

Age: 29

Hometown: Taipei, Taiwan

Undergraduate School and Degree: Boston University, Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration

Where did you work before enrolling in business school?

Investment Associate, China Venture Management

Consultant, Ernst & Young Financial Advisory Services

Audit Analyst, Deloitte

Where did you intern during the summer of 2015? Morgan Stanley, Hong Kong

Where will you be working after graduation? Morgan Stanley, IBD Associate

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

Honors: Core Honors

VP of Finance, MBA Finance Club

Peer adviser, MBA Career Center

Graduate Research Assistant

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am most proud to be a peer adviser at the MBA Career Center. With my career search success and international background, I was able to give back and help first-year MBA students achieve their career goals in finance in different parts of the world by sharing my experience and providing advice.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I am most proud of my continuous success in making career changes in both location and function while achieving high performance at different roles. I learned critical transferrable skills at each position to help me reach career goals.

Who is your favorite professor? Professor David Roux. As the founder of Silver Lake with extensive successful private equity deal experience, Professor Roux delivered the core essence and complex insights of private equity investing to students in the most structured and practical manner.

Favorite MBA Courses? Private Equity, Mergers and Acquisitions, Real Estate Private Equity, Entrepreneurial Finance & Venture Capital, Global Business Experience

Why did you choose this business school? I chose Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business for its location in Washington, D.C., reputation in quality education, and emphasis on developing a global mindset.

What did you enjoy most about business school? Learning from both knowledgeable professors and talented peers with very diverse backgrounds

What is the biggest lesson you gained from business school? Importance of building a professional network and developing leadership skills to succeed in the business world.

What was the most surprising thing about business school? It was the strong support from alumni during the career search.

What was the hardest part of business school? It was balancing social activities, academic success, and career development at school.

What’s your best advice to an applicant to your school? Try to demonstrate the potential to become a business leader with a global mindset in the application package.

“I knew I wanted to go to business school when… I found most of the professionals who developed the career I desire earned an MBA degree. The training and education they received during MBA study helped them achieve their career goals.”

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would… have stayed at where I already was working for a longer period. Then I would find alternative ways that may take longer or have greater uncertainties to help me achieve my career goals.”

Which executive or entrepreneur do you most admire? Bill Gates. I highly admire not only Mr. Gates’s success in shaping and defining the PC industry, but also his support for making the world a better place through his foundation.

What are your long-term professional goals? To be a leader in improving people’s lives through business activities.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I would certainly thank my family because their endless support of my career choices significantly contributed to my success.

Fun fact about yourself: I have worked and studied in seven cities in three different countries.

Favorite book: The Big Short by Michael Lewis

Favorite movie: 12 Angry Men

Favorite musical performer: I do not have one.

Favorite television show: “Game of Thrones”

Favorite vacation spot: Cancun, Mexico

Hobbies? Golf and reading

What made Kenny such an invaluable addition to the class of 2016?

“Kenny Kuo is an invaluable addition to the class of 2016. As an international student from China, he thrived at Georgetown McDonough and made significant contributions to student life overall.

“Kenny was heavily engaged in student clubs. He was a member of the Finance Club, Asia Business Consortium, Wine Society, Gourmet Society, and Adventure Club. He served as the VP for the Finance Club, taking on the monumental task of managing the funds for the biggest MBA club at Georgetown McDonough.

“Further, Kenny served both faculty and students as a graduate assistant and peer adviser. He supported a professor on research focused on value creation by private equity firms, and mentored other students on their career search as a peer adviser.

“In addition to his involvement in student clubs, leadership positions, graduate assistantships, and peer mentoring, Kenny was one of our top students, earning Core Honors (top 10% of core classes).

“Kenny also was very successful in his career search. In the summer of 2015, he served as an investment banking summer associate at Morgan Stanley in Hong Kong and will be returning to Morgan Stanley as an investment banking associate after graduation.”

Brian Cain

Senior Assistant Director, MBA Programs

Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business

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