Alexis Gantous

Ivey Business School at Western University

“Adaptable, curious and passionate project manager with a background in tech and sustainable energy.”

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario

Fun Fact About Yourself: I’ve been practicing martial arts from a young age and obtained my 3rd Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo at age 17.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Guelph, Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering – Sustainable Energy Systems Design

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Project Manager, Psiphon Inc.

How has the case method enriched your learning?  I don’t think there’s anything more valuable than learning through real life experience. And the case-based learning at Ivey is the best method of simulating this that I’ve ever experienced. With a mixture of old and new case settings, students get to put themselves in the shoes of the managers in the case and through discussion and debate explore the decisions that real business leaders face every day.

Aside from classmates and cases, what part of the school’s MBA programming led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Ivey has offered all the rigor and benefit of a traditional two-year program condensed into a one-year term, which was a big differentiator for me. Add in the extensive and supportive alumni network, and it was a no-brainer from my perspective. Taking a break from your career to go back to school is a risk we are all taking. Some have plans to return to their previous employer and some are looking to pivot their careers. As someone looking to pivot, this made the one-year timeframe very important to me. Plus, the alumni network members, who are ready to donate their time and advice, really helped make my decision to come to Ivey.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:
One of my favorite career accomplishments happened during my first month on the job. I created a presentation about massive protests in Iran and the subsequent exponential growth in use of my company’s apps. This presentation was delivered at the U.S. State Department for congressional aides, State Department staff and even representatives from the CIA. It helped to share the extent of the internet censorship that citizens of Iran were being subjected to at the time and how it could be combatted.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: In the first weeks of the program, I did something out of character for me: I ran for an elected position. Thankfully, my classmates trusted me, and I was elected as a Section Representative for my section of 75 students. Taking a chance on yourself and trying something scary is why many of us took the leap to pursue an MBA in the first place. I think that everyone that ran for any MBAA position felt the same way, excited to contribute to everyone’s experience and push ourselves outside of our comfort zones.

What has been your most memorable experience as an Ivey MBA thus far?
My most memorable experience, thus far, has been the culturally themed potlucks and BBQs that our MBAA have organized. It’s been a lot of fun to connect with my classmates outside of class and learn about all of our different cultures through food!

Where is your favorite hang-out in London (Ontario)? Why do you (or your classmates) gravitate there? With summer weather in full swing, there’s nothing better than meeting classmates at the end of the week at Barney’s patio to decompress after an exam or 24-Hour Report.

What do you hope to do after graduation (at this point)?  At this point in the program, my focus is on transitioning into management consulting, but I also hope to explore opportunities in the tech and renewable energy industries whether through consulting or back in industry.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE MBA CLASS OF 2026: THE ‘DO ANYTHING, BE ANYONE’ COHORT