Meet Cornell Johnson’s MBA Class Of 2019

Alexei Viarruel 

Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: An ambitious optimist with eyes set on the future.

Hometown: St. Joseph, Trinidad and Tobago

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am obsessed with being physically active, so I have run several long-distance races, triathlons, and adventure races and will play basically any sport involving a ball.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of the West Indies, BSc Management Studies, CFA Charterholder

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

British Petroleum, Commercial Analyst, JV and Negotiations

RBC Asset Management, Senior Investment Analyst

RBC Asset Management, Risk Analyst

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My home country relies heavily on hydrocarbons with BP being the biggest producer on the island. Naturally, many of its projects take on national importance and none more so than the last one I worked on, which required unprecedented cooperation and intense negotiation among oil majors across the value chain. I was faced with some of the most challenging modeling and scenario analysis of my career but, fortunately, we were able to come together to develop creative solutions that worked for all parties involved. In the end, we saved jobs and helped to soften an already deep economic decline caused by low oil prices.

The accomplishment that I am most proud of, however, is my contribution to a white paper outlining how we as a country can move away from oil and gas dependence through the skillful maximization of our renewable energy resources. The presentations we gave to various arms of government were very encouraging, and I hope that this foundational work moves us in the right direction.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? I would say be sure to take the time up front to truly reflect on your life and the direction in which you want to take it. Having a clear picture in your mind of what you want to achieve, and how business school gets you closer to that, pays huge dividends when you begin drafting essays. It will also help you decide which school you want to go to (beyond what the rankings might dictate) as each program has its unique strengths.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? Johnson has a unique competency among business schools in sustainability education, and that’s why I chose them. I already had a strong academic grounding in finance, and I wanted a program that would broaden my skill set. In contrast to the more nonprofit mindset that most programs have, at Johnson the focus is on “developing competitive, profitable solutions built on rigorous business analysis of social and environmental sustainability challenges.”

I really view these challenges around sustainability as core to being successful in business in the future. As my career progressed I found myself more and more interested in how I could apply my skills to address some of these issues. Being a “finance guy,” Johnson’s results-oriented and practical approach appealed to me, and I felt an immediate draw to the program. Not only could Johnson strength my finance core, but it could enlighten me in areas that are, in my opinion, critical to any career.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? After my first year, I hope to have a much stronger grasp of the most impactful role I can play in shaping the way business is done in the future. I also hope to have formed strong bonds with my classmates and keep the Johnson culture of collaboration and camaraderie alive!

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