Meet Georgia Tech Scheller’s MBA Class Of 2021

Vivek Girreddy 

Georgia Institute of Technology’s Scheller College of Business

“An economist with a love for technology and innovation.”

Hometown: Mumbai, India

Fun Facts About Yourself:  I volunteered in my ancestral village in rural India and taught underprivileged students English and Mathematics.

  • At the London School of Economics, I was awarded the ‘Student of Best Behaviour’ for my courteous and professional conduct.
  • My favourite actor is Jim Carrey and favourite movie is Ace Ventura.
  • I am an avid hiker, salsa enthusiast, and love to listen to classic rock music.
  • My favourite books are Passport to Profits by Mark Mobius and Elusive Quest for Economic Growth by William Easterly.
  • I consider myself a beer connoisseur.
  • Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) had sponsored me to attend their Annual Conference at Paris and a training program in Global Economics at Washington DC
  • I like to cook and make delicious Quinoa salad.
  • I grew up in the city of Mumbai, the financial capital of India.
  • I walked 100 kilometers as part of the Oxfam Trailwalker Charity event.
  • I have picked up many Canadian mannerisms such as finishing sentences with “.. eh?” and saying ‘Sorry’ quite often.

Undergraduate School and Major: McGill University, Economics and Finance, First-year of studies at London School of Economics International Programme

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Soroco – Business Development Analyst, and Goldman Sachs – Investment Banking Analyst

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: It was working closely with the founder on client negotiations with FORTUNE 500 companies. During these calls, I worked closely with the top management of large companies on pricing strategies.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Collaborative and cohesive. During the first week of orientation, I had the opportunity to get to know my cohort very closely. The collaborative spirit of everyone from my class surprised me. It was a very humbling experience to hear their stories and learn from them what real team spirit means.

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 key factor that led to me choose Georgia Tech – Scheller is the intersection of “Business and Technology.” The practicum tracks at Scheller provide students with a unique and unparalleled exposure to technology strategies. In particular, the TI:GER program, short for Technology Innovation and Generating Economic Returns, is a two-year-long practicum that teaches the students how to take to technology from an inception stage to the market. The availability of scholarships and Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) were also key factors that led me to choose Scheller.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I look forward to being a part of the Graduate Business Council. I hope to host events featuring key industry professional and industry experts who can share their experiences with the class.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process?  What have I done to promote Diversity in my organizations?

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? After working as an Investment banking analyst with Goldman Sachs and later working in business development at a Business Automation technology startup, I felt that I was at a critical juncture where I should combine my education and professional experience in a structured environment. I intend to pursue product management careers post-MBA and I felt that now I had the right professional experience to pursue the MBA program.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? USC – Marshall, Cornell, Tuc,k

What made you select Scheller?  ‘The intersection of Business and Technology.’ Apart from being an MBA program with a strong technology presence, the Scheller College of Business has the best career services team. After working with my career advisor over the summer months, I have come to appreciate the effort and passion of the entire Scheller team. Moreover, I was fortunate to enter Scheller with a full scholarship.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I used the following three pointers to determine my fit at various schools: Career Services, Program, and Culture.

It was important to me for the business school to have a strong career services department that helped the students in finding the right career opportunities. As I intend to pursue a career in Technology, I was looking for schools that offered strong programs in technology. Lastly, I was looking for schools that have a collaborative and close-knit community.

Being an international student, I couldn’t travel to the US and make in-person visits to the schools. I reached out to current students via LinkedIn and learned about their schools and careers. Poets & Quants provided me with an outside perspective of the schools and their offerings. GMAT Club was a great resource to connect with other fellow applicants and to hear their experiences about various schools.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? Working as an Investment Banking Analyst in Goldman Sachs. Goldman Sachs was a great foundational organization for me to work at right after my undergrad in Economics and Finance. I developed a very strong foundation in financial and investment analysis. I had the opportunity to work on multiple company valuations and conduct in-depth financial analysis. I had the privilege to work with and support a great team.

It was an amazing experience to be a part of Goldman Sachs, its culture, and to learn from its leadership.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? Post-MBA, I intend to start my career as a Product Manager. In ten years, I see myself leading a product team or strategic initiatives in a large technology company.

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