Talgat Kopzhanov

Indiana University, Kelley School of Business

“From an engineering background, I am a leader who strives for continuous improvements and achieving results.”

Hometown: Taraz, Kazakhstan

Fun Fact About Yourself:  I have lived and worked in nine different cities in the last eight years. Had two transatlantic moves in the last six months

Undergraduate School and Major: Purdue University, Electrical Engineering

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: ExxonMobil, Joint Venture Asset Advisor

In the second half of the year, you will be completing an Academy devoted to areas like Marketing, Finance, Operations, Digital Enterprises and more. Which Academy interests you the most and why? Currently, the Supply Chain and Digital Enterprise Academy appeals to me the most. I think that my past work experiences in project management and operations will be challenged and expanded. Industries’ ongoing search for opportunities to increase operational efficiency makes this a perfect time to rethink traditional operation methods and learn about new products that are diverse, technologically advanced and capable of providing effective and efficient solutions. I believe that my involvement in this academy will help me better understand current challenges influencing supply chains and operations and develop a vision for innovative strategies

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Indiana Kelley’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? The opportunity to be part of one of the largest, if not the largest, global networks at Kelley, which gives you access to professionals you may not have otherwise had a chance to connect with.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Indiana Kelley? There is a great selection of student organizations and clubs at Kelley, and most of their agendas and offerings are exciting and overlap with my personal and professional interests. I believe that the priority will be a key here in the selection of the right one to effectively utilize my time at Kelley. At this point in time, the High-Tech Club and System & Operations Management Association excite me the most as they represent my interests and have missions that are consistent with my goals in pursuing the MBA

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:  Receiving the VP Capital Efficiency Award for contribution in cost savings initiatives and achieving excellence in capital stewardship

How did COVID-19 change your perspective on your career and your life in general? In my recent role, I was involved in both the business continuity plan and cost optimization program to minimize the impacts of the pandemic on the workforce and the performance of the company. We had to make critical decisions in the absence of information and came up with new and creative solutions to the conventional tasks and processes. Most of the roles had suddenly become obsolete and the parameters of the working environment had changed overnight. There are many aspects that I have learned from this experience, but one key thing that COVID-19 has influenced my perspective is to be pragmatic when it comes to the boundaries of my career plan. With nearly every industry having been disrupted in some form, I have to come to realize that certain skills that worked well before the pandemic might not be as effective during or after the crisis   

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? Despite having a successful and promising career at my previous job, I came to the point where I had to break out of my comfort zone and expand my knowledge in different businesses and build a professional network in other industries. It didn’t take long for me to realize that the most effective way of achieving this goal is to pursue an MBA at a renowned university. Rather than narrowing myself to a specific field, I would like to keep my options open. Regardless of what I do after graduation, I believe that my leadership and technical skills acquired at previous jobs and Kelley will help me to effectively tackle with real business problems that companies are facing now,

What other MBA programs did you apply to?  None. The Kelley MBA was the only program where I applied.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Indiana Kelley’s MBA program? Everything starts with defining your career goals and priorities and with identifying how and where an MBA from Kelley fits in there. If you believe that you have a convincing case that you can present to the admission office, I think the remaining steps (GMAT, essays, interviews) will be easy.

DON’T MISS: MEET INDIANA KELLEY’S MBA CLASS OF 2023