Toggle navigation
MBA Watch Logo
MBA Watch Sponsor
Rice Business | Mr. Doesn’t Know When To Quit
GRE 331, GPA 3
Stanford GSB | Mr. Anti W2
GRE 331, GPA 3.0
MIT Sloan | Ms. Sassy
GRE 329, GPA 3.46
MBA Watch Sponsor
Kellogg SOM | Mr. HealthAI
GMAT 700, GPA 3
Harvard | Mr. Global Consultant Leader
GMAT GMAT FE 705, GPA 7
INSEAD | Mr. SE To PM
GMAT 675, GPA 3.0
MBA Watch Sponsor
Harvard | Mr. Data Econ
GMAT 750, GPA 4
Harvard | Mr. Energetic Indian
GMAT 760, GPA 9
Stanford GSB | Ms. Multifaceted Desi
GRE 309, GPA 4
MBA Watch Sponsor
Tepper | Ms. MRI Gal
GRE N/A, GPA 3.3
Columbia | Ms. Big4 CPA To MBA
GMAT 730, GPA 3.69
Cornell Johnson | Ms. Indonesian Tech
GMAT 740, GPA 3.02
MBA Watch Sponsor
Stanford GSB | Mr. IB To TFA
GMAT 750, GPA 3.4
NYU Stern | Ms. CA – Controller
GRE 321, GPA 8
Chicago Booth | Ms. Low GPA High Impact Care
GMAT 685, GPA 2.56
MBA Watch Sponsor
PQ Logo
Featured Schools
University of Cambridge Judge Business School logo
NYU Color (440 x 200 px)
Rice Logo
IESE Business School logo 440 x 200
University of Pittsburgh Katz
MBA Full time event
Today's Featured Schools
Featured Schools
University of Cambridge Judge Business School logo
NYU Color (440 x 200 px)
Rice Logo
IESE Business School logo 440 x 200
University of Pittsburgh Katz
MBA Full time event
  • Home
  • Main Menu
  • Most Recent
  • This Week’s Most Viewed
  • GMAT Master
  • Videos
  • Podcasts
  • Events
  • Study In UK
  • Special Reports
Rankings
  • MBA
  • Online MBA
  • Specialized Masters
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Executive MBA
  • Undergraduate Business Schools
News & Features
  • All Business School News
  • MBA
  • International MBA News
  • Online MBA
  • Specialized Masters
  • Admissions
Inside Business Education
  • THE Register
  • Thought Leadership
MBA
  • School Profiles
  • Rankings
  • News
  • Jobs
  • Faculty & Leadership
  • Best 40 Under 40 Professors
  • Events
Students
  • News & Features
  • Meet The Class
  • Best & Brightest MBAs
  • Best & Brightest Online MBAs
  • Women In Business School
Careers & Pay
  • News, Advice, & Trends
Online MBA
  • News & Advice
  • School Profiles
  • Rankings
  • Events
  • Pursuing Purpose At Gies
Masters Degrees in Business
  • News & Advice
  • Specialized Masters Directory
  • Rankings
  • Business Analytics
  • Master's In Management
  • Events
Financing
  • Financing Your Degree
Study IN Series
  • Study In France
  • Study In UK
Admissions
  • News & Advice
  • Admissions Consultant Directory
  • Your MBA Game Plan
  • Admissions Gateway
  • Getting Into HBS, GSB, & Wharton
  • Handicapping Your MBA Odds
  • MBA Watch
  • Events
GMAT & GRE
  • News & Advice
  • GMAT Master
More Resources
  • FREE: Insider Guides
  • FREE: Successful Essays To The GSB & HBS
  • Special Reports
Events
Videos
Podcasts
Executive MBA
Undergrad
Full Archive

About | Privacy Policy | Advertising| Editorial | Contact Us

Follow Us

Subscribe | Login

  1. Home
  2. Masters
  3. Specialized Masters News
  4. Meet The 2021 CentreCourt Distinguished Masters Alumni

Meet The 2021 CentreCourt Distinguished Masters Alumni

by: Matt Symonds on March 08, 2021 | 1,083 Views
March 8, 2021
    • Copy Link
    • Share on Facebook
    • Share on Twitter
    • Email
    • Share on LinkedIn
    • Share on WhatsApp
    • Share on Reddit

What’s in a name? Research shows that people named Dennis or Denise tend to become dentists at a higher rate than others. Does your name really determine aspects of your life?

When you write an email to Presiyana Karatoyanova, her name auto-corrects to President so she gets a lot of messages every week that begins “Dear President”. Does a career in politics beckon?

Presiyana Karatoyanova, Imperial

Presiyana has relied on education rather than the dictionary to determine her fate. While still in high school in Bulgaria she secured a scholarship to study in the UK and after completing her Economics degree she joined Nomura as an investment banking analyst. After 18 months she was ready for a new challenge and headed to Imperial College Business School to pursue an MSc in Finance.  She was offered the Women in Finance Scholarship, and describes her journey at one of Europe’s top business schools that has now led to a position at McKinsey.

“Imperial gave me an immense pool of opportunities to develop strong leadership skills (I was the VP of the Finance Club), to build strong connections with others (as a Student Ambassador), and expand my professional network. A highlight was our trip to Dubai.”

Her advice is to show up and say yes to things. “I always tried to get involved with as many things as possible – and some days you might not feel like it – but still go. You never know when a great idea, a new connection, or the perfect opportunity might come to you – usually hits you when you least expect it.”

MEET SPECIALIZED MASTERS ALUMNI WHO ARE CREATING THEIR DESTINY

Presiyana will be joining Poets & Quants on March 9 & 10 at the CentreCourt Specialized Masters Festival. Along with graduates from LBS, INSEAD, ESMT, Vlerick,

Anoop Mettu, Georgetown

Georgetown, UCLA, and other top business schools will share their MiM, MFin, and MBiz Analytics experiences to inform and inspire the next generation of Masters applicants.

The decision to chart your own course in life and invest in a Specialized Master’s business degree was also on the mind of Anoop Mettu, who had studied Engineering at a prestigious IIT in Kanpur. He was working for a nonprofit, focused on educating kids in India. Through his time at the organization, he realized the importance of effective management, market-need, and supportive leadership. It fueled his desire to get into business and he initially considered an MBA. But after thorough research, he concluded specialized master’s programs were a better fit for me.

THE VALUE PROPOSITION OF A MASTERS DEGREE

So how did Anoop decide if a Masters was worth the investment? “This was a question I asked myself before embarking on the journey to a new country, investing significant time and money into the idea. While one could get the knowledge from books or videos, for me the value proposition was a bit more than that.”

The design of the master’s program was key. “Georgetown’s MIM is designed to simulate a real-world work environment. Most, if not all, courses were done in groups including assignments and projects. Second, a Masters in the United States would give me an opportunity to experience the biggest economy in the world, firsthand, from D.C. no less. These two factors led me to say yes to a master’s degree.”

Shruti Vasudev, ESMT

THE LIMITLESS POWER OF DIVERSITY

Shruti Vasudev wanted to make the switch from an engineering or technical career to a management one sooner rather than later, and a Masters in Management at leading German business school ESMT Berlin looked like the best way to gain those learnings and skills first hand. “Due to my academic achievements in my bachelor’s degree I was awarded a sizeable merit-based scholarship that made the masters even more worth the investment.”

Shruti loved the flexibility and resilience of her ESMT classmates. “We were a bunch of unique individuals from very diverse backgrounds and walks of life that came together to learn, develop and impact and we were able to get along with each other so well, in all kinds of team constructs, overcome all kinds of situations and challenges together and are now all on really great trajectories.”

She has put her MiM to good use, rapidly rising up the ranks at Merck Healthcare to her role as Chief of Staff for Global Business Development.  “Be open to opportunities that do not necessarily fit your pre-defined five-year plan”, she urges, “and seize them as soon as they show up to challenge yourself and learn from something unexpected and new. Linear career trajectories are a thing of the past!”

STANDING OUT IN THE JOB MARKET

Cameron Mennis, University of San Diego

But what if the job market is very weak? That was the case for Cameron Mennis when he came was a senior in college and he knew he needed a way to compete for better jobs. “Doing a Masters was a childhood goal, and at the time a Masters in Finance was rare. I knew I wanted to be more focused than a general MBA.”

The MFin at the University of San Diego was a great way to stand out from the crowd and helped secure a position at tech giant, Qualcomm. “This is a great way to differentiate yourself and acquire a deeper level of understanding. The more knowledge you gather, the more novel your insights will be.“

Clémentine Bouju, London Business School

A business school’s employment statistics are a key part of choosing your target schools, and the London Business School has a great story to share.  The school’s prime position in London and proximity to recruiters was a key factor for Clémentine Bouju, who wanted to make sure to maximize her chances of getting into a top investment bank by pursuing this Masters. Now an analyst at J.P. Morgan, she recognizes LBS played a big part to open the door.

A NETWORK OF CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND SUPPORT

The Masters in Financial Analysis also provides a valuable network for the next steps of her career. “Having so many friends in the same industry (thanks to the Masters) has proven to be very helpful in terms of helping me make career decisions. The advice we share between us is invaluable.”

For John Allie, the ability to help others achieve their dreams is one of his biggest accomplishments. Since completing a Masters in Human Resource Management at Purdue University he has worked with Rolls-Royce and Texas Instruments in strategic HR roles and is now a senior HR Business Partner at Tesla.

John Allie, Purdue

“Letting things go is the #1 skill that I have developed in my professional career. You can’t sweat the small stuff, or you’ll miss out on all the big stuff.”  As a manager of a large team supporting a manufacturing environment, there is some spillage.  John says that leading is not about knowing everything, it’s about knowing enough and having those around you that know more. “Keep your people motivated, let them be themselves, set the target, and provide support. In my role, I also live by one, incredibly important rule.  “We can’t read thoughts; we can only read action.” 

Want to learn more about MiM, MFin, and MBiz Analytics graduates like Presiyana, Anoop, Shruti, Cameron, John, and Clémentine before you meet them at CentreCourt? Hoping to get some insights on the best classes, favorite moments, and biggest surprises at business school? Click on their alumni profiles below.

To reserve your free spot in P&Q’s CentreCourt Specialized Masters Festival on March 9-10, click here.

Trending

Liverpool’s Continued Push Into Sports Business Innovation

IESE Unveils Fast-Track Master In Finance With NYC & London Immersions

Best Business Schools For Supply Chain MBAs & Specialized Master’s

This Florida B-School Is Partnering With A French ‘Grand École’ To Launch Its First-Ever Dual Degree Program

Notre Dame’s New Digital Marketing Master’s Is Unique In One Big Way

Can Accounting Innovate?

Grads Of This Unique Program Leave With A Master’s — And A Startup

Are These The Best Business Programs For Managers? 

Tagged: ESMT, Georgetown, Imperial, lbs, Purdue, University of San Diego

Post navigation

Previous Article: Cornell Won’t Make STEM Retroactive For Its 2020 MBAs, Leaving Many In The Lurch
Next Article: A Dismal MBA Jobs Report For Notre Dame, But Cause For Optimism
  • Stay Informed. Sign Up! Login
    Logout
    Search for:
  • What Matters? And What More? 50 Successful Essays To The GSB & HBS
  • Online MBA Hub Specialized Masters Directory Business Analytics Hub MBA Admissions Consultants Assess My MBA Odds
  • This Weeks Most Viewed
    • 2025 Best & Brightest Online MBA: Tenzin Dadul, University of Michigan (Ross) (36,001 views)
    • Amid DEI Backlash, UT Austin’s McCombs Quietly Ends 40-Year Partnership With The Consortium (16,387 views)
    • Poets&Quant’s 2024-2025 MBA Ranking: For The First Time Ever, Kellogg Takes First (2,688 views)
    • Rotman Enters Acceleration Race With Two New One-Year Business Degrees (2,251 views)
    • Meet Notre Dame Mendoza’s MBA Class Of 2026 (2,099 views)
  • PQ Consultant Directory PQ Consultant Directory

Our Partner Sites: Poets&Quants for Execs | Poets&Quants for Undergrads | Tipping the Scales | We See Genius

About Poets&Quants | P&Q News Archives | Privacy Policy | Advertising & Partnerships | Editorial | Contact Us | Sign In / Register

Copyright© 2025 C Change Media, LLC All Rights Reserved.

Website Design By: Yellowfarmstudios.com