Nikhil Dudani    

Rice University – Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business

“Indian version of Peter Parker catering to the world of technology and consulting.” 

Hometown: Mumbai, Maharashtra

Fun Fact About Yourself: The first novel I read was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and it is a book I can read multiple times over.

Undergraduate School and Major: D.J. Sanghvi College of Engineering (Mumbai University), Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Ernst & Young, Senior Consultant – Performance Improvement

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: While working on one of the business transformation engagements for a global technology giant, I helped develop a refreshed ‘Key Account Management’ model, which helps businesses manage their key accounts from various perspectives such as competition, relationship management, revenues, etc. I was glad to learn that the same became a standard operating practice that can be leveraged for other businesses and win additional opportunities in the market.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? They are an incredibly diverse group of accomplished individuals who are extremely humble, approachable and supportive. In today’s fast-paced environments, it is often hard to find individuals with this unique set of qualities. The fact that Rice provides a close-knit environment gives you an excellent opportunity to get to know your classmates really well and learn from their rich experiences.

What makes Houston a great place to live and earn your MBA? Houston is a great place to do your MBA since it is a large diverse city with a lot of Fortune 500 companies. I look forward to seeing how ‘The Ion’ project shapes up and adds to Houston’s innovation economy. Also, if you are a foodie, you will never fall short of the amazing food options available at the restaurants in Houston!

Aside from your classmates and location, 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? At EY, I enjoyed the opportunity to receive personalized feedback from small teams often consisting of accomplished individuals with an MBA degree from prestigious universities. I felt that the small class size at Rice would give me similar opportunities to receive personalized feedback and mentorship from professors and peers that would help me grow as an individual.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I am looking forward to playing an active role in the Consulting Club, Technology Club, Jones Student Association and Indo-American Association among other clubs. I want to take part in the Action Learning Projects to get the opportunity to implement some of my learnings in the Houston business environment. I also plan to learn about the latest technological innovations at the Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and learn new ways to develop an entrepreneurial mindset.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? The scale and scope of my consulting engagements began to grow from a local (India) to a global level, which required me to interact with stakeholders and teams across continents. I thought that this would be the right time to build interpersonal skills that would help me communicate more effectively in globally diverse environments and enhance my leadership skills. Additionally, I had never had any formal business training before, and I felt that the program would help me bridge this gap.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Tepper School of Business (Carnegie Mellon University), McCombs School of Business (UT Austin)

How did you determine your fit at various schools? Some of the key factors I considered were school location, class size, school culture, and suitability for my career goals. I spoke to several current students and alumni and attended multiple school events to meet with representatives of the school to understand how I could be a potential fit for the school and how the school could help me achieve my career goals. I also checked out school websites and online reviews. After consolidating the pieces of information, I received from various sources and assigning weights to each of the above factors, I was able to identify the right fit.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? Though I was not the most experienced person in the team, I was given the opportunity to organize a first-of-its-kind experiential marketing event for the firm. Adequately branded as ‘Dialogues on Delight: Customer Experience Trends in India’, the event required interviewing industry stalwarts, publishing a thought leadership report, and organizing a conference inviting leaders to share their viewpoints. This experience was a tipping point for me as a professional where I had to overcome self-doubt look, beyond the scope of my immediate client deliverables and contribute to the macro story of the organization. I felt more confident about interacting with C-suite executives and shouldering additional responsibilities for the firm.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? I see myself working at the intersection of business and technology, to help businesses leverage emerging technologies to not just improve operations but also unlock new opportunities.