Meet the MBA Class of 2023: Negar Jeyrani, University of Toronto (Rotman)

Negar Jeyrani

Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto

“A curious leader who appreciates a good challenge, good wine, and a good laugh.”

Hometown: Ottawa, Ontario

Fun Fact About Yourself: My passion for business started in makeup artistry. I used to work as a professional makeup artist and started my own business at 19 which sparked my interest in entrepreneurship and client services. That experience was the foundation of my career and helped me identify many of my strengths which still serve me tremendously today.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Ottawa – Bachelor of Commerce with a Specialization in Management

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Deloitte, Senior Consultant

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? Integrative thinking to me is directly correlated with solving the most challenging business problems we face today. It is grounded in creativity and analytical skills as well as the ability to find synergies among various solutions. Rotman’s courses are designed in a way that allows us to apply integrative thinking across all our classes. There are so many opportunities to apply core concepts of what we have learned in one class to another to come up with innovative solutions, in ways I never would have thought possible. This has helped me create a powerful toolbox of capabilities that I can carry with me into the next phase of my career.

What has been your favorite part of Toronto so far? What has made it such a great place to earn an MBA? I love the diversity! There is something for everyone here, whether you are an academic, an artist, a sports-fanatic, and just about everything else in between. I am particularly happy I chose to do my MBA here as there is always plenty of things to do and places to explore in the city when I am not in class or studying. As a self-declared foodie, I have especially enjoyed exploring Toronto’s diverse food scene and markets.

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? The Flexible Internship program played a big role in helping me decide to join Rotman’s MBA program. After working in consulting for many years, I was curious to explore what else is out there without necessarily making a permanent commitment. Rotman has an impressive network of employers I have been fortunate enough to engage with and learn from.  I was also particularly keen to join a 2-year program that allows for versatility in exploring new fields and a more comprehensive curriculum.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Rotman? I have really enjoyed being part of the Women in Management Association (WIMA) as a first-year executive member. Diversity and inclusion have always been on the forefront for me, and I was highly involved in several DE&I initiatives during my career. I wanted to join a club that emphasized the same values and would allow me to contribute to the Rotman community in a meaningful way. I was also very fortunate to be selected as a Forté Fellow, which further demonstrates Rotman’s commitment to supporting women in business. The Forté network has exposed me to so many inspirational women and I truly find myself in awe being surrounded by such a diverse and strong group of female leaders.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: The biggest accomplishment of my career so far would have to be leading a key workstream for a major project associated with helping Canada roll-out the COVID-19 vaccination program. During such a critical time in our history, I felt I was making a valuable contribution that not only directly affected all Canadians but also the global healthcare community at large. I am very fortunate to have been given an opportunity to help make a positive impact on tackling the greatest healthcare crisis of our time.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: While it is still early days and I am hopeful there will be many more accomplishments to come, I am particularly proud to have placed first in my first case competition. Working with an awesome team, we were able to design a unique go-to-market marketing strategy for a Canadian digital healthcare company. This was a great opportunity for me to work very closely with a new team and flex my creativity and team-building skills. In fact, our team is now exploring an opportunity to work directly with the sponsoring company to help them bring our proposed strategy to life which I am very much looking forward to.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into the Rotman MBA program? This is pretty cliché but just be yourself. It is not only about whether you are the right fit for Rotman but also if Rotman is the right fit for you. It is a big commitment and a formative part of your career, so you want to make sure you are somewhere that not only challenges you but also helps you bring out the best in yourself. I would spend time doing a lot of honest soul searching to understand what your objectives are and making sure they are aligned with all Rotman has to offer. It is much easier to stand out in the applicant pool when you are staying true to who you are than if you are trying to portray what you think the school is looking for. You also owe it to yourself to be unapologetically you – that will take you the extra mile!

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

Questions about this article? Email us or leave a comment below.