Ann C. Ukadike

University of California-Berkeley, Haas School of Business

“A visionary leader bridging technology, business and cross-border opportunities to drive impact in emerging markets.”

Hometown: I am from Delta State in Nigeria. Grew up in Lagos, Nigeria.

Fun fact about yourself: I turned my love for travel into a YouTube channel, documenting my experiences around the world—without ever showing my face! My channel, @Chyfum, lets me relive my adventures while keeping an air of mystery.

Undergraduate School and Degree: University of Benin, BA in Philosophy; University of Lagos, MA in Public Administration

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? I was the Chief Operating Officer of Terragon Limited, a leading data and marketing technology company that specializes in leveraging artificial intelligence, big data, and consumer insights to drive digital transformation across Africa. With a strong presence in Nigeria, Kenya, India and South Africa, the company provides AI-powered customer engagement solutions that help businesses optimize their marketing strategies and enhance customer experiences. Backed by $14 million in venture capital funding from investors such as Orange Ventures, TLcom Capital and VestedWorld, Terragon is at the forefront of Africa’s data-driven marketing revolution.

What makes Terragon stand out is its ability to harness data to create hyper-personalized customer experiences at scale. The company’s flagship solutions, including its Customer Data Platform (CDP) and Communication Platform as a Service (CPaaS), empower businesses—particularly in financial services, telecom and FMCG sectors—to engage their customers in more meaningful and data-driven ways. By combining cutting-edge technology with deep market insights, Terragon is reshaping digital marketing and commerce in emerging markets.

Where did you intern during the summer of 2024? Amazon Web Services in Seattle, WA

Where will you be working after graduation? Amazon Web Services

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• Co-president, Haas Africa Business Club
• International Student Representative
• VP of Community, Haas Women in Leadership Club
• VP of Careers, Haas Berkeley Black Students Association
• Africa’s 100 Most Influential Women in Business 2024: recognition by The Business Executive.
• 100 Women Shaping the Future 2025: recognition by Techeconomy.
• Forte Foundation Scholar, 2023-25
• K. Kim Fellowship (International Students), 2024-25
• Berkeley Haas Scholarship, 2023-25
• Jim Fahey Safe Homes for Women Fellowship Award 2024: Based on the nomination of Lecturer Mallika Kaur of Berkeley Law.
• Advisory Board Member, Mary Elizabeth Inn: a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing safe, affordable housing and supportive services for women in need in San Francisco.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? It was working with a diverse team spanning 14 countries to launch the Africa Gate to Growth (AGG) Forum, a first-of-its-kind platform connecting African startups with Silicon Valley’s tech and venture capital ecosystem.

I curated 60 high-potential startups, provided 25 companies with pitch assessment sessions and ultimately enabled 14 African startups from Cote d’Ivoire to travel to California for a final immersion program. These founders engaged directly with investors, industry leaders and business mentors, gaining funding insights, strategic guidance, and access to global market opportunities. The programming addressed key sectors including education, healthcare, banking and tourism through fintech solutions, ensuring that innovation was solving real-world problems.

This initiative went beyond funding—it was a fully immersive program designed to break systemic barriers for African entrepreneurs. Startups like Push, Trenderz, Digitech (Hyperion), SellArts, La Ruche Health, Africharger, Leya, My Opinion, Skan Technologies and Blok benefited from this program, with 22% being women-led startups. We collaborated with minority business owners, women-led ventures, media professionals and industry experts to create a dynamic and inclusive learning experience.

Seeing African entrepreneurs refine their pitches, secure key investor meetings and form tangible business relationships has been incredibly rewarding. AGG is more than an event; it is laying the foundation for a stronger, more interconnected business ecosystem where African startups can thrive on a global scale.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? The professional achievement I am most proud of is leading the launch of the Customer Platform as a Service (CPaaS) at Terragon as its first female COO, a pivotal solution that helped secure a major deal and introduced a new revenue line for the business.

Faced with a critical bottleneck that threatened to stall the deal, I worked closely with my CEO and CTO to align the engineering, product, and business development teams, ensuring we could meet the client’s needs while maintaining our strategic vision. This involved refining our go-to-market approach, optimizing platform functionality, and driving stakeholder alignment to successfully close the deal. By launching CPaaS, we not only unlocked a new revenue stream but also strengthened Terragon’s position in the market by integrating the solution into our Customer Data Platform (CDP).

Why did you choose this business school? Attending a business school was integral to my growth because it offered unparalleled access to a network of industry professionals, collaborative resources, and thought leaders. Throughout my career, I’ve thrived in environments where I could lead cross-functional teams and drive innovation through real-world challenges. These experiences have underscored the importance of surrounding myself with peers and mentors who can provide diverse perspectives, foster creative problem-solving, and inspire continuous improvement.

I chose Haas for several reasons. One of these reasons is its emphasis on experiential learning directly aligns with my hands-on approach. The program’s immersive projects, industry mentorship, and collaborative initiatives are exactly what I need to build on my practical experience and strategic vision. I am confident that Haas has equipped me with the innovative mindset essential for navigating complex challenges.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? I have met so many insightful professors during my MBA journey, including Jon Metzler, Francesco Trebi, Vince Law, and Erica Bailey. However, Jan Simon stands out as my favorite MBA professor at Haas at the moment because of his dynamic approach to teaching search funds, private equity, and entrepreneurial finance. His class was not just about theoretical frameworks, but a master class in real-world investment strategy, business acquisition, and value creation. What made Professor Simon truly exceptional was his ability to connect financial models to human decisions. He challenged us to think like investors, operators, and problem-solvers simultaneously, providing a well-rounded perspective on business acquisitions and scaling companies. His class refined my ability to assess business opportunities, evaluate risk, and apply financial acumen to real-world scenarios—all critical skills as I continue to help African startups navigate global investment landscapes through the Africa Gate to Growth Forum.

Professor Simon’s teachings will continue to influence my approach to scaling businesses, leveraging capital efficiently and driving sustainable economic impact in emerging markets.

What was your favourite course as an MBA? My favourite course was International Business Development (IBD). In this course, I had the unique opportunity to immerse myself in Thailand, working with a Japanese company aiming to improve its market penetration using an omnichannel approach. This hands-on experience not only deepened my understanding of cross-cultural business dynamics, but also allowed me to witness firsthand how global strategies are tailored to local markets. Each course module is rich with great command on experiential learning. The immersive program enriched my appreciation for Thai culture and its distinct business practices, providing invaluable insights into international market nuances.

Beyond the experiential learning aspect, the IBD course became a platform for me to broaden the program’s diversity. Noticing the absence of African companies during my year, I took the initiative to introduce two promising African businesses into the discussion. One of these companies eventually became part of the IBD program the following year, reinforcing my belief in the importance of diverse perspectives in global business. This experience underscored my commitment to bridging cultural and geographic gaps, and it further fueled my passion for leveraging international business development as a tool for inclusive growth.

What was your favourite MBA event or tradition at your business school? It would be the student-led treks—a tradition that goes beyond travel to become a deeply personal and immersive cultural exchange. These treks are entirely student-organized, with classmates dedicating their time, energy and networks to curating experiences that showcase their home countries and communities. It’s not just about visiting new places; it’s about seeing the world through the eyes of those who call it home.

During my time, I had the privilege of visiting Kyoto, Hiroshima, Tokyo, Atami, Rio, and Sao Paulo (among others). The care, thoughtfulness, and pride with which my classmates organized these treks made them more than just trips; they were a gift of perspective and belonging.

What is the biggest myth about your school? Haas has a smaller class size, which might suggest a lack of the breadth of opportunities found in larger MBA programs. Before arriving, I wondered whether its size would limit my ability to explore diverse industries or build a global network. However, my experience proved the opposite—Haas thrives on its intimate, high-impact environment, where students take ownership of their learning and actively create opportunities for one another.

Beyond the Full-time MBA cohort, we seamlessly collaborate with Evening & Weekend MBA students, effectively doubling our network, while the Executive MBA program further expands our reach through shared events and engagements across campus. Coupled with access to the broader Berkeley ecosystem, I was able to take courses across different disciplines and participate in cross-program initiatives that enriched my learning experience. The tight-knit Haas community fosters deep, meaningful relationships, and its highly engaged alumni network has been both powerful and accessible.

Far from being limiting, the size of Haas made my experience more personal, dynamic and globally expansive than I ever expected.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? What I love most about Berkeley and the Bay Area is the constant energy of innovation, creativity and reinvention. It’s a place where people take risks, think big and challenge the status quo—whether in startups, academia, or the arts. Berkeley thrives on intellectual curiosity and interdisciplinary collaboration, while San Francisco blends history, artistic culture, and the fast-paced world of entrepreneurship. With hiking trails, creative hubs and venture capital firms just minutes apart, the Bay Area offers the perfect ecosystem for bold ideas to take shape and thrive.

What movie or television show (e.g. The Big Short, The Founder, Mad Men, House of Lies) best reflects the realities of business and what did you learn from it? The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley (2019) is a powerful lesson in transparency, ethics and the dangers of hype-driven entrepreneurship. Elizabeth Holmes built Theranos on a compelling vision but lacked the technology to back it up, proving that storytelling alone cannot sustain a business.

The film highlights how unchecked ambition, secrecy and fear-based leadership can lead to catastrophic consequences. It reinforced for me that true innovation requires honesty, accountability and real value—not just a vision and marketing. It’s a cautionary tale about the risks of Silicon Valley’s “fake it till you make it” culture and the necessity of building businesses on integrity, not illusion.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? One way Haas has integrated AI into its programming is through courses and workshops that explore AI’s impact on business strategy, decision-making and innovation. In particular, classes like Data-Driven Decision Making and AI & Business Strategy provide hands-on experience with AI-powered analytics, automation and predictive modeling, helping students understand how AI can drive efficiency and competitive advantage.

Through these experiences, I gained valuable insights into AI’s ability to enhance decision-making while also presenting ethical and strategic challenges. AI can process vast amounts of data faster than humans, revealing patterns and insights that might otherwise go unnoticed. However, I also learned that human judgment remains essential in interpreting AI-driven recommendations—data alone doesn’t guarantee the right decision. The key takeaway? AI is a powerful tool, but its effectiveness depends on how we integrate it with human intuition, strategic thinking and ethical considerations.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I wish I could highlight all of my classmates especially Brittany Jacob, Ruth Mbanali, Shilpa Gopal and Kwamena Aurthur, but given the limitation to speak about just one individual, I am highlighting Aleksandre Natchkebia. He truly lives by the Haas principle of Beyond Yourself. He seamlessly balances academics, career, recruiting, and exploring the Bay Area while always making time to support and uplift his classmates. Whether organizing tutorial events, offering guidance, or simply being a source of encouragement, Aleksandre creates a healthy, inclusive environment where everyone thrives.

I feel blessed to have been connected to these friends in unique ways, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for them.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? As a spinoff from my New Product Development class last fall, I am working to build a group travel product powered by AI. Organizing group travel can be complex, from coordinating logistics to managing payments, and I want to develop a tech-driven platform that simplifies the process, enhances collaboration and makes travel more seamless and enjoyable. Beyond this venture, I am passionate about creating innovative solutions that transform industries —whether in travel, fintech or data-driven consumer solutions — and leveraging technology to reshape how people connect and experience the world.

Beyond building a successful startup, I aspire to lead or work as part of a team driving high-growth, mission-driven priorities and innovation that leads to long-term impact. Whether as a founder, executive, collaborator, contributor, or investor, I want to be at the helm of a company that not only drives business success but also creates lasting social and economic impact. A place where bold ideas thrive, diverse teams innovate and success is measured beyond just financial returns—one that challenges the status quo and fosters industry-wide transformation.

Both goals align with my passion for leveraging technology, leadership and global connectivity to create a lasting impact. My MBA journey has reinforced this ambition, equipping me with the skills, network and mindset to turn these aspirations into reality.

What made Ann such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2025?

“I first met Ann Chifum Ukadike during international student orientation before her first-year fall semester. It was a record year for international students, but even in a large group of bright, motivated international MBAs, she stuck out immediately as someone who asked thoughtful, even piercing, questions, someone who could distinguish signal from noise. I then had Ann in Core Strategy in spring 2024, and again in Opportunity Recognition in fall 2024—my initial “spider-sense” was thus confirmed. Ann came prepared to engage and consistently shaped our class discussions for the better. I had the great pleasure of seeing Ann as a leader and connector in her role as co-president of the Haas Africa Business Club. Twice—first in October 2024 (Africa 360: A Perspective on Africa’s Future), and again in February 2025 (Africa Gate to Growth Forum)—she helped bring leaders driving Africa’s future to the Haas School of Business. I am simultaneously filled with joy and lament that Ann will graduate in May—she has made Haas, and the campus community, better by her presence, and I look forward to seeing her back on stage at Haas in the near future.  She truly embodies our Haas Defining Leadership Principles.”

Jon Metzler
Continuing Lecturer
Business & Public Policy

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