Simón Cormack

Rice University, Jones Graduate School of Business

“Above all, I love spending time with friends and family (preferably on a beach somewhere).”

Hometown: Houston, Texas

Fun fact about yourself: My namesake is Simón Bolívar, one of the great liberators of the Americas. Promoting enlightenment ideals of freedom and equality, Simón Bolívar led the military campaigns that freed much of South America from Spanish colonial rule. My parents, however, chose my name because it sounds nice.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Texas A&M University, Bachelor of Science in economics

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? PetroLedger Financial Services, Division Order Analyst

Where did you intern during the summer of 2024? Bain & Company, Houston office

Where will you be working after graduation? Bain & Company, Houston office

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• Consortium Fellow
• Advocates for Immigrant Survivors, Board Member
• Case Mentor
• Rice Business Admissions Ambassador
• Beer Club Member
• Veterans Business Battle Judge

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I had the privilege of serving as a student judge for the Rice Business Veterans Business Battle (VBB), a multistage competition where veteran-owned and -founded companies compete for equity-free funding. The finalists pitch at Rice University before an audience of 200+ private equity, venture capital and finance professionals, often unlocking further funding opportunities.

Entirely student- and alumni-run — primarily by veterans — VBB’s fundraising, operations and marketing are led by second-year MBAs. I was honored to help evaluate firms and select the finalists, a process filled with passionate, late-night debates. Seeing my friends take on leadership roles and excel made me especially proud.

Beyond the competition, VBB fostered deep camaraderie. As a non-veteran from Argentina, I hadn’t known many veterans before business school — now, they make up more than half my friends. VBB wasn’t just a rewarding experience; it was also a chance to spend meaningful time with them before graduation.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? This past summer, I had the opportunity to intern at Bain & Company in Houston, where I worked in the energy consulting practice. The experience was both challenging and rewarding, pushing me to think critically, collaborate with talented colleagues, and tackle complex industry problems. Despite the difficulties, I truly enjoyed my time with the firm and the dynamic environment it offered. At the end of the internship, I received a full-time offer, which I accepted.

Although it was just an internship, I consider it my biggest professional achievement to date. The work we did was more creative, engaging, and challenging than in any other job I’ve held.

Why did you choose this business school? My decision to attend Rice Business was an easy one. Both my mom and my sister work at Rice Business and were the ones who pushed me to pursue my MBA — I truly think they would have disowned me if I attended another program. Spending the last two years seeing them on a near-daily basis has been one of the best parts of the whole experience.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Janet Moore, director of the communication program. At Rice Business, all MBAs take a set schedule of classes in their first semester, which includes “hard skills” like accounting, finance and statistics, as well as “soft skills” like communication, organizational behavior, and leadership. As an incoming first-year, I was ready to advance my hard skills, and never gave the soft skills much thought. Suffice to say, I was not exactly looking forward to classes like communication. I did not know how wrong I was. It quickly became clear to me that soft skills were going to be an area of focus for me over the next two years.

In the first week of class with Janet Moore, we had to record ourselves delivering a five-minute speech to the entire class. The assignment included a self-reflection that required us to rewatch the recording many times over. Most assignments were humbling, and I dreaded them. I did not enjoy the course at the moment, but it was extremely valuable to me because of the sincerity with which the professor, Janet Moore, treated each student. She had a genuine interest in helping us improve. Her presence and energy encouraged me to become more confident in my communication skills. Week after week, standing up and delivering long speeches became more bearable, and towards the end of the course, not all that scary.

The following semester, we had yet another communication credit that required signing up for three half-day workshops — one writing workshop and two additional workshops of our choice. Being a fan of Prof. Moore, I selected one of her workshops. When I arrived at the Saturday workshop weeks later, I didn’t notice I was the only man in the room. In fact, I didn’t realize it until a good friend of mine also arrived and asked me why I had chosen this seminar — I had unknowingly signed up for “Executive Presence for Women.” I immediately began to worry that I was imposing on a space specifically set up for women. Men weren’t barred from attending, though none had signed up. The workshop covered research about communicating executive presence as a woman in a business environment. When I informed Janet about the mistake, she dismissed it and insisted on my participation — yet another testament to her sincerity as a professor.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? My favorite course was The Information Economy: Theory and Applications. This class reminded me a lot of my undergraduate economics courses. It wasn’t just a “toolkit” MBA course — it really made you take a position on how things work. Professor Thomas Hemmer opened every topic up to interpretation and encouraged critical discussion. The emphasis was on thought, and less on skills, which gave me a new perspective on a topic I thought I had perfected.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? Partio (a blend of “party” and “patio”) is a beloved social tradition at Rice Business, and definitely my favorite. It’s a regular networking and community-building event where students, faculty, staff, and alumni gather on the school’s outdoor patio to unwind, socialize and enjoy a beer or glass of wine.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? If there’s one thing I could have done differently, I would have been smarter about the way I allocated my time. Balancing coursework and personal commitments were challenging, and at times I found myself spread too thin across too many activities. Being more disciplined about prioritizing the things most important to me, rather than trying to do everything, could have deepened my learning in key areas and helped me build even stronger relationships with peers and mentors.

What is the biggest myth about your school? I think the biggest myth about an MBA from Rice Business is that it is only for people going into the energy sector or Houston-based organizations. There are a variety of industries represented in our program. While the myth is not entirely true, there’s certainly a bias toward staying in Texas.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? As a Houston native, I’ve always appreciated the city’s rich diversity, but my MBA at Rice has given me an even deeper appreciation of it. I saw how special the city truly is from working alongside classmates from all over the world, engaging with professionals across energy, healthcare, tech and finance, and immersing myself in thought-provoking discussions. Beyond the classroom, I’ve loved deepening my connection to Houston’s incredible food scene, thriving arts community and global business landscape. Rice has given me a new lens through which to view my hometown — as both a place I know well and as a city full of endless opportunities and perspectives that continue to shape me.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? One way Rice Business has integrated AI into programming is through AI-assisted financial analysis courses, such as the one utilizing Julius AI. This course provided hands-on experience in leveraging large language models like ChatGPT, along with Python plug-ins, to perform financial analysis beyond traditional spreadsheet capabilities. By using AI to acquire data, generate insights, create visualizations, and automate reporting, the course demonstrated how AI can streamline complex financial tasks and enhance decision-making.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? The MBA classmate I most admire is Daniel Maxwell. As a former artillery officer and U.S. Army Veteran, Daniel brought a unique blend of leadership, discipline, and problem-solving to our MBA program. Prior to attending business school, he transitioned into medical device sales, where he honed his ability to drive efficiency and growth in a highly competitive industry. Now, as he transitions into private equity, he’ll be helping portfolio companies streamline operations and improve performance — leveraging both his military and business experience to create real impact.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? One of my biggest professional goals is to be impactful in my career and create meaningful change in whichever industry or role I pursue. Whether by leading in the energy industry, financial strategy, or business transformation, I want my work to drive real results — helping companies grow, improving efficiency and making a lasting difference. Leveraging my experience, I aim to contribute to organizations in a way that leaves them better than I found them. Success, to me, isn’t just about personal achievement, but about creating value for businesses, teams and the broader community.

Ultimately, I have a dream of owning a coffee shop that will bring people together in a more personal, tangible way. Coffee shops are more than just places to grab a drink; they foster conversation, creativity and community. I envision creating a welcoming space with great coffee, an inviting atmosphere and a business model that supports both customers and employees. After years of working in high-level strategy and operations, I want to take those lessons and apply them to something I can truly call my own — creating a business that not only thrives, but also enriches the lives of those who walk through its doors.

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

“Simon was a student in my strategic business communication course last fall, and since then he has continued to impress me with his bright mind and excellent communication skills. Simon’s academic achievements and professional capabilities distinguish him. Before joining Rice Business, he earned his Bachelor of Science in economics from Texas A&M University. Last summer, he excelled during his summer internship with Bain & Company’s Energy Consulting practice in Houston, where he received a permanent offer. Throughout his academic and professional career, Simon has proven to be a strategic thinker with outstanding analytical skills. His ability to quickly integrate into high-performing teams and tackle complex business challenges sets him apart. During his internship, Simon directly influenced multi-million-dollar investment decisions by evaluating capital projects’ economic viability and optimizing asset performance.

In addition to his professional achievements, Simon is an engaged leader in Rice Business student organizations, showcasing his potential as a future leader. Simon’s advocacy work with nonprofits like Children at Risk and Advocates for Immigrant Survivors demonstrates his commitment to improving the broader community. His intellectual rigor, passion for meaningful impact and strategic mindset make him worthy of recognition. I enthusiastically recommend Simon for this honor, knowing he will continue to make exceptional contributions to business and the community.”

Janet H. Moore
Senior Lecturer and Director, Management – Communication
Rice Business, Rice University

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