Meet Arizona State’s MBA Class Of 2019

Jacky Leybman 

 W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: I dream; I think. I plan; I execute.

Hometown: Tel-Aviv, Israel

Fun Fact About Yourself: Avid fitness enthusiast, including biking, running, and power lifting

Undergraduate School and Major: Holon Institute of Technology (H.I.T), Bachelor of Science, Electrical and Electronics Engineering

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: XpoLog (big data log analysis platform), Israel

• Account Manager and Pre-Sales Engineer
• Customer Support and Testing Engineer

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: When I joined XpoLog four years ago, it was in its early stages as a startup that provides a big data analysis platform. I helped it grow from six to 50 employees. I undertook multiple parallel roles, some of which were well outside my discipline. At the same time, I took responsibility for developing and managing all customer support and QA functions, and eventually leveraged my army experience focused on team-oriented work style and people leadership skills to replace our vice president of operations, who was dealing with a significant health condition, postponing my MBA dream to help the company. Working tirelessly to fill in my knowledge gaps, I successfully stabilized the system under intense pressure while continuing the company’s growth. I’m proud to say that my contributions played a major role in the company’s transition from startup to a profitable company.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Although (initially) the GMAT seems to be an insurmountable challenge – which indeed it is – you should keep in mind that it is only the first step in the MBA journey. Allocating enough time to prepare for the GMAT is important, but not more important than any other step in the application process. Understanding which business school fits you the best is a crucial part of the process, and thus I’d recommend conducting deep research about the business schools to which you’re considering applying. In addition, hold discussions with current students and alumni to understand how each school works. Once you believe that you have found your best fit, ensure that your essays and the application focus on how you benefit from and contribute to the school.

What was the key factor t-at led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? My long term goal is to become a CEO of a large tech organization in the big data domain, and to achieve this goal it was necessary for me to obtain an MBA from a top-notch program. I knew that ASU’s W. P. Carey School, with its unique teamwork and collaborative learning ecosystem, would not only provide me with the proper CEO toolkit, but also prepare me to become a better leader in the technology industry. In addition, I’m not a big fan of cold, and therefore W. P. Carey, with its location in the heart of Tempe, a warm and lively city, was a natural choice for me.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school?  Experiencing a global corporate environment and learning different management styles and methods from a wide variety of cultures and people would be a success for me, and I plan on applying these skills acquired at the W. P. Carey School in my internship.