Will Tan

Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management

“I live to strive for excellence—and then make it contagious.”

Hometown: Manila, Philippines

Fun fact about yourself: I’ve been to 57 countries and stayed in places as unique as a historic castle and a bomb shelter. 9 of 57 were with Kellogg friends during school breaks.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Ateneo de Manila University, BS in Communications Technology Management

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? I served as a Product Leader at Meta.

Where did you intern during the summer of 2024? I interned at TikTok (ByteDance).

Where will you be working after graduation? I will lead an AI-powered software platform as a Product Leader at Amazon.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• Career Peer, Career Management Center
• Careers Director, K-Tech (Technology Club)
• Teaching Assistant, Negotiation Fundamentals
• Teaching Assistant, Advanced Negotiations
• Orchestra Conductor, Special K! (Kellogg’s Theater Club)
• Southeast Asia Club Member
• Kellogg Christian Fellowship Member
• Kellogg AI Club Member
• Tinker Program Member, The Garage (Startup Incubator)
• 1871 Independent Innovation Hub Member
• Degree Honor: with Distinction, Beta Gamma Sigma membership

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? My role as a career coach at the Career Management Center was transformative. Helping fellow students fine-tune their recruitment strategies and navigate their career journeys was incredibly fulfilling. Every time a peer updated me with a success story or expressed gratitude for my guidance, it reinforced my joy and passion for mentorship. This passion for mentorship extends beyond my time at Kellogg; I continue to offer my expertise and support as a paid mentor and coach for individuals aspiring to break into the field of tech product management.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? During my time at Meta, I am most proud of leading a Facebook Live Fundraiser during the COVID-19 pandemic which raised $2.4 million dollars within 3 months. This initiative provided critical relief to 170 communities and supported 90,000 families during an unprecedented crisis. By harnessing the power of social platforms, I helped build a product that not only mobilized immediate financial aid, but also redefined how technology can be leveraged for social impact. This achievement is meaningful to me because it combined my technical expertise with a deep commitment to social good, demonstrating that business success and social responsibility can, and should, go hand-in-hand. It continues to inspire my professional journey as I strive to create innovative solutions that drive positive change in the world.

Why did you choose this business school? I chose Kellogg because I resonated with its commitment to develop transformational leaders in the age of AI. I believe that effective leadership in today’s AI-driven economy requires fluency in both technical systems and strategic vision—a duality my program (MBAi) uniquely embodies. As someone passionate about bridging the gap between engineering teams and executive decision-making, I was drawn to MBAi’s co-designed curriculum with McCormick, which allowed me to dissect business challenges through computational frameworks while maintaining a focus on organizational impact. It had courses in AI ethics and product management, which sharpened leaders’ capacity to balance innovation with responsibility. Being a tech leader, I wanted to get my MBA in a school where I can be surrounded by peers and faculty who can challenge me to rethink how AI can humanize industries rather than disrupt them. This alignment of technical rigor, collaborative culture, and Kellogg’s legacy in shaping agile leaders made it the clear catalyst for my ambition to build innovative products to steer businesses through the next wave of transformation.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? I really enjoyed Advanced Negotiations, taught by Professor Nour Kteily. This course was instrumental in honing my negotiation skills under high-stakes conditions (and for bargaining for the best deals in marketplaces). It taught me how to secure resources, align cross-cultural teams, and navigate complex multi-party negotiations with confidence. Today, whether aligning with engineers and business stakeholders on project timelines or advocating for my team’s resources, I carry Professor Kteily’s mantra: “Negotiation isn’t about winning, it’s about designing outcomes where everyone leaves believing they’ve won.”

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why?
Looking back on my MBA journey, I wish I had embraced uncertainty even more boldly. While my structured approach yielded many successes, my most transformative lessons emerged from unplanned, out-of-the-box experiences. For instance, I once volunteered to be a consultant with a tech startup in a product I knew little about; despite the initial discomfort, it sparked innovative ideas and taught me to adapt quickly. On the flip side, I regret not joining an improvisational theater workshop organized by my peers. It is an experience that, although unrelated to traditional business, would have enhanced my ability to think on my feet and navigate unexpected challenges. Embracing these ambiguous opportunities would have further honed my resilience, creativity, and leadership skills. Ultimately, I now see that venturing into the unknown can open personal and professional growth.

What is the biggest myth about your school? The biggest myth about Kellogg is that it is primarily a marketing school. While Kellogg does have a strong reputation for marketing and offers exceptional programs in this area, it is also equally exceptional in many other areas. For example, Kellogg has invested heavily in data science and artificial intelligence, offering cutting-edge courses and research opportunities in these fields. Through my experiences at Kellogg, I witnessed firsthand how the school continually evolves to meet the demands of a rapidly changing landscape. Rather than rejecting the realities of AI, Kellogg is adapting its use to augment learning without diminishing critical thinking. In several of my classes, we were encouraged to use AI tools for brainstorming and even used AI as a teaching assistant to deepen our understanding of complex concepts. Kellogg’s comprehensive and adaptive curriculum created by forward-looking professors truly sets it apart as a business school that prepares its students for the future.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? Evanston, fondly referred to as “Heavenston” by students, quickly became my second home. Being in a student town far from family and friends, we naturally forged tight bonds, creating a supportive and inclusive community. At the same time, Evanston’s proximity to Chicago provided effortless access to a vibrant cultural and professional scene. This unique blend of a nurturing, close-knit environment and the opportunity to tap into the energy of a major metropolitan area made it the perfect setting for building lasting relationships and a fulfilling MBA experience.

What movie or television show best reflects the realities of business and what did you learn from it? I find Wonka to be an incredibly insightful film that reveals business success begins by recognizing your core strengths, crafting a unique value proposition, and capturing that value effectively. It offers a full view of business realities—from the exhilaration of breakthrough innovation, to the challenges of maintaining high standards amid intense competition, to the dangers of greed and unethical shortcuts. This film has taught me to challenge convention, lead with a clear vision, and (most of all) uphold ethical leadership. This reinforced my belief that sustainable growth is only possible when innovation is paired with integrity. In the words of Wonka himself, “We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams,” a timeless reminder that true visionaries create boldly and purposefully.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? At Kellogg, the integration of AI into our curriculum was seamless and comprehensive. It was embedded in our core subjects like marketing, strategy, and business analytics, providing a comprehensive view of how technology drives business success. In the MBAi program specifically, Kellogg goes even further by offering an innovative capstone project where MBAi students collaborate with MSAI peers to build an actual AI product that addresses a real-world business challenge of a partner company. We established the business goals of our partner company (media tech startup), analyzed extensive datasets, engaged with key industry stakeholders, and built a sophisticated taxonomy for content categorization that balances the nuanced needs of their clients. This hands-on, interdisciplinary experience not only sharpened my technical and managerial skills, but also deepened my understanding of emerging technologies. This empowered me to transform innovative ideas into practical, scalable solutions and stay ahead in today’s dynamic digital landscape.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Igor Alfimov’s courage and commitment to speaking up for those who might otherwise be overlooked have made a lasting impression on me. His leadership, which is marked by genuine empathy and a passion for collaboration, has elevated our projects and enriched my entire MBA experience. I’m incredibly grateful for his willingness to be the voice for many, always advocating for fairness even when it isn’t the easiest path. He consistently reminds me that the strength of our community lies in our willingness to support each other. For these reasons, I see him as a true Kellogg leader. I’m grateful that this leader is also my capstone teammate, Special K! creative director, MBAi academic chair, section mate, yacht week crew, and a lifelong brother.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

1. Lead a company setting the standard for ethical, responsible, and transformative AI innovation.

2. Establish a foundation to discover and cultivate innovators within underrepresented communities.

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

“I’m delighted to recommend Will Tan for this honor. Will was a standout student throughout his time at MBAi, both in the classroom and as a vibrant and supportive member of the community.

Of particular note was his work in my capstone course with a media startup. This project was especially challenging because the company consisted of media veterans with very high expectations and a complex business model that demanded considerable sophistication from the students.

Will’s experience with Meta led him to challenge some of the startup’s assumptions. His collaborative nature combined with his drive to succeed enabled Will and his team to engage with the company about these questions productively, ultimately leading to a successful outcome.

This capstone project is one of the few where the company is not only directly using the deliverables but also planning to build on it with a team next year. Not every student has the background and self-confidence to challenge a company’s approach, along with the humility and commitment to listen and adapt based on what they learn.

These are essential qualities that will serve Will well throughout his career and exemplify what we expect from MBAi graduates.”

Andrew Fano
McCormick Director, Kellogg-McCormick MBAi

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