Tamir Guy

Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business

“Multi-cultural Israeli/South African that loves taking on new challenges and learning new things.”

Hometown: Ra’anana, Israel

Fun Fact About Yourself:  I once was a ball boy for John McEnroe in an exhibition tennis match.

Undergraduate School and Major: IDC Herzliya, Accounting and Business Administration

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Taro Management, Senior Financial Consultant

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: At Taro Management, I facilitated a process that decreased a retail company’s cash conversion cycle. I tied the sales team’s compensation to the collection on sales, which in turn enabled the company to manage its working capital more efficiently and grow its business substantially.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? The quality that best describes Fuqua students is how down-to-earth they are. While each has his or her own unique background and accomplishments, they are all supportive and humble. It’s a great community that I’m thrilled to be a part of.

Aside from your classmates, 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? The culture! The interaction with students and alumni sealed the deal. I would generally reach out to five people from each school. With Fuqua, I ended up reaching out to nine people, and each conversation led to an additional opportunity to meet new students or alumni. Once I received the invite to interview with the school, a student offered to help me with the interview process. I was immediately made part of the community even before I was admitted to the school, which is something very unique to Fuqua.

The MBA program is renowned for its “Team Fuqua” culture, which is predicated on six paired principles: Authentic Engagement, Supportive Ambition, Collective Diversity, Impactful Stewardship, Loyal Community, and Uncompromising Integrity. Which of these resonates most with you – and what does that principle demand of you as a Fuqua MBA?  Supportive Ambition. In modern culture we like to praise the individual for his or her accomplishments, but behind every individual lies a great team that contributed to that person’s success. Fuqua embodies these values and emphasizes the team: “We support each other to achieve great things because your success is my success.”

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school?  For me, it’s iTrek, a trip to Israel led by second-year Israeli Fuqua students. I’m looking forward to sharing Israel’s culture, diversity, and heritage with my fellow classmates.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? I was asked about my experiences managing up and down. I truly believe in idea meritocracy and adapting your leadership style to those around you. Different things work with different people.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I felt that a top MBA would give me the tools and network to accomplish my career goals. Benefiting from leadership training, honing my soft skills, and receiving constant feedback in a risk-free environment from classmates who come from different backgrounds and professions seems very valuable to me in becoming a better leader.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? NYU Stern and UCLA Anderson.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I spoke to quite a few students and alumni from the various schools where I applied. My objective was to get a wide perspective on the school from different standpoints: culture, social life, network, and academics. Ultimately my decision boiled down to seeing myself as an active and contributing member of the community.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? My military service in the Israeli Defense Forces’ Special Forces unit helped define my character and life perspectives. It taught me the importance of perseverance, teamwork, and leadership, which have all influenced my career and life decisions.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? In a leadership role influencing innovation at the intersection of finance and tech.