Miguel Ferreyra de Bone

Washington University in St. Louis, Olin Business School

“A charismatic guy who speaks up and gets things done.”

Hometown: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Fun fact about yourself: When I was a teenager I wanted to be a marine biologist and study orcas in the wild. At some point, I decided that I was never going to meet a partner while freezing to death on a kayak in Antarctica. Now every time I have the chance, I hang out with orcas and dolphins in the wild—but as a nerdy tourist instead.

Undergraduate school and degree: Universidad del Salvador in Buenos Aires, BA in Commerce

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Acrux Partners, Head of Business Development and Operations

Where did you intern during the summer of 2019? I was an M&A Associate at HBM Holdings.

Where will you be working after graduation? I’m planning to work in private equity or corporate development.

Community work and leadership roles in business school: I am president of the Graduate Business Student Association at WashU, a student ambassador, a ROMBA Fellow, and a Finance Practicum team lead.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? When I came to WashU, I knew I would be challenged. But the classroom was not enough for me—I wanted to stretch my leadership muscles in a different way. Being the president of the Business School Association taught me that you can create a great impact if you build a good team and delegate, say no when appropriate, and understand that no matter what you do, somebody will criticize your work. I am confident that one day I will be a successful CEO, and these same lessons will apply then as well. The important thing is that now, after Olin, I am comfortable with it.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I was published by McKinsey & Co. while I was in business school. It was fun to see my name pop up next to theirs.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Professor Minyuan Zhao, who recently joined Olin and teaches corporate strategy, generated phenomenal conversations in the classroom and challenged everyone in ways that we haven’t seen in the classroom before. Also, I personally love that we have a woman teaching such key content!

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? This year we wanted to make sure that both MBA classes got to know each other very well. We hosted a Welcome Home party to welcome the class of 2021, and we had a blast. The event was co-hosted with BranchOut (our LGBTQ club), and we had two phenomenal drag queens as MCs. It was also a great way to introduce American culture to all of our international students!

Why did you choose this business school? I think that WashU Olin’s global platform is the best one in America. Our MBAs are well-rounded professionals with an international mindset. That is because now 100% of our students study abroad and work with clients based outside of the United States. I am convinced that these experiential engagements will have a long-lasting impact on our careers, no matter where we go next.

What is your best advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? Olin is a small school, and here we all know each other by name and story. As an applicant, make sure that we all know who you are and your personal story. After people know a bit about you, don’t be afraid to show them how you plan to leave a mark here.

What is the biggest myth about your school? The biggest myth is that St. Louis is not a friendly place for diverse candidates. As a gay immigrant, I can say that this community is ready to embrace you and that the city of St. Louis is the place to watch in the next decade.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? I am confident to say that I got everything I wanted out this experience. Looking back, if I could change one thing I would probably try to be kinder with myself and also delegate more work. Being a perfectionist doesn’t get you far in business, but managing situations well does.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I’ve had the chance to see how Kendra Kelly works, and I am blown away by her skills and talent. She is curious and always asks the right questions, and her days seem to have more than 24 hours. She represents all the greatness that our women MBA students have to offer at Olin. I am convinced that she will be a force of nature in business, and I can’t wait to see what she does at her internship at L’Oreal this summer.

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? My husband Ian pushed me to pursue an MBA because he believed in my capacity to lead and he knew that I was going to make the most out of these years. He knew that moving to America for me wasn’t going to be easy. I am so thankful for his support as now I have the toolkit I need to do what I love.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?  I want to start a luxury goods company and I would like to become an investor in women-led businesses.

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? I would like my peers to remember me as someone who always had a “consider-it-done” attitude.

Hobbies? I play polo and squash. I also collect art, specifically works on paper.

What made Miguel Ferreyra de Bone such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2020?

Miguel Ferreyra de Bone is a role model MBA student. He is diplomatic, tough-minded, and collegial with a superior intellect. Through his confident, positive methods of interacting, Miguel is both professional and personable. He is not intimated by the hard work it takes to succeed. In fact, he welcomes it. Over the course of this academic year, Miguel has served as the president of the MBA student government and the Graduate Business Student Association (GBSA). During his tenure, Miguel spearheaded an effort to reform the GBSA Constitution in conjunction with Olin’s new, customized MBA curriculum. It was paramount to Miguel that all students have the opportunity to further Olin’s strategic vision and participate in shaping class leadership whether they graduated in August, December, or May. Miguel’s inclusive way of thinking is illustrative of our values (integrity, collaboration, diversity, excellence, leadership) and a model for how the initiatives of a few can lead to a significant, positive impact for the many. Miguel led his peers through a smooth transition process and demonstrated that he had the respect and admiration of his fellow classmates when the measure passed successfully by an overwhelming margin. Miguel is a leader by example, and students of his caliber are rare.”

Ashley Macrander, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean and Director Student Affairs, Graduate Programs

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