Meet the MBA Class of 2023: Jose Pablo Pecho-Chaves, University of Toronto (Rotman)

Jose Pablo (JP) Pecho-Chaves

Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto

“Entrepreneurial spirited person that believes in solving the impossible through creative problem-solving.”

Hometown: Alajuela, Costa Rica

Fun Fact About Yourself: During the pandemic I picked up surfing and skateboarding in a matter of months.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Georgia, International Business.

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: AirHost, Founder and General Manager

Integrative thinking is one of the cornerstones of the Rotman MBA experience. What does integrative thinking mean to you and how have you been able to apply it thus far? To me, Integrative Thinking means a toolkit to tackle ambiguous problems in a rigorously structured way.

What has been your favorite part of Toronto so far? What has made it such a great place to earn an MBA? I live in Harbord Village, which has grown to be my favorite part of Toronto. I love the look and feel of neighborhood. It’s been surprisingly easy to walk around, meet and greet strangers at the neighborhood bakery and community parks. In that sense, Toronto feels like a big city with a small-town soul.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of the Rotman MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I chose Rotman because of its rigorous academic standards. I wanted to join a program where I would feel intellectually challenged. The school delivers just that with a fast-paced, top-notch courses.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Rotman?  My favorite course has been Foundations of Strategic Management taught by Professor Silverman. Coming from an empirical strategical background, the course enabled me to solidify the theoretical foundation that I required to approach strategic challenges in a more rigorous way.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Designing and running my own business model has been my biggest professional accomplishment.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: I was part of the winning team of the Business Design Case Competition.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into the Rotman MBA program? Don’t be afraid to be yourself during the admissions process. The breadth of profiles at Rotman is large and everyone is welcome.

DON’T MISS: MEET TORONTO ROTMAN’S MBA CLASS OF 2023

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