Jeffery Obiagu

University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler Business School

“Team-oriented, passionate and goal driven, adaptable to any situation and fun to be around.”

Hometown: Abuja, Nigeria

Fun Fact About Yourself: I played Division I basketball (one year at Florida State University and three years at Seton Hall). I currently hold the record for the most career blocks in Seton Hall history (humble brag).

Undergraduate School and Major: I received my BS in Business Administration with a major in Accounting and a MS in Professional Accounting from Seton Hall University.

Most Recent Employer and Job Title:

Deals – Senior Associate: EY-Parthenon (2025)

Assurance Senior Associate: EY (2024-2025)

Assurance Associate: EY (2023 – 2024)

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Kenan-Flagler’s MBA curriculum or programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? As someone who is undergoing a career pivot from accounting to investment banking, a major deciding factor for me is the ability to customize my courses to align with my post-MBA goals. I have some knowledge of M&A and deal executions from my six-month stint in working on buy-side deals at EY-Parthenon. However, I lack experience in sell-side and other necessary M&A and valuation knowledge to make this career switch. The Corporate Finance concentration at UNC Kenan-Flagler, which offers courses like Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Deal Structures, and Investment Banking, teaches the core skills in M&A and financial modeling to help me gain a better understanding of how finance works in the real world.

What are some advantages you’ve seen in earning your MBA in Chapel Hill? UNC Kenan-Flagler is well-known for having a strong and active alumni network. Having that strong group of support of people who have been in the position I am today able to give me mentorship and guidance when needed is invaluable. The program is also known for having students from diverse backgrounds, which will also give me the opportunity to see things from different perspectives and point of views. Based on the interactions I have had with second-year students and faculty, it is also a close-knit community which fosters collaboration; everyone is willing to offer a helping hand if needed and build relationships with one another.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Kenan-Flagler? I am excited the most about the Investment Banking Club. The IB Club at UNC Kenan-Flagler has a proven record of helping students whose post-MBA goal is to pivot into Investment Banking prepare for the recruiting process and lay a solid foundation to succeed in their new roles. I also plan to join the Soccer Club as that is also my passion and my favorite sport, which is ironic considering I played college basketball.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishment has been passing all four of my CPA exams in my first year of working and then obtaining my CPA license. This was not an easy feat as it needed a great amount of dedication and sheer focus. It is also a testament of my time management skills, as I started studying and taking the exams in my first audit busy season which required me to work 80+ hours a week. As a result, I had to wake up extra early to study before work, study during any work breaks, after work, and throughout the weekends. Due to the time and effort put in, the day I passed my fourth exam is still one of the best days of my life.

Describe the best memory of your life so far? Why does that moment resonate with you? My best memory was earning a high school basketball scholarship to move to the U.S from Nigeria. It was a tough decision because it meant I had to leave my family back home and move to a different continent. Still, it was one I knew I had to make. This moment resonates with me because that is when I realized that I had no other choice but to succeed in life. I was not just working hard for myself, but also for my family and for the people that took a chance on me and gave me the opportunity to come to the U.S. and school for free.

What do you hope to do after graduation (at this point)? My post-MBA goal is to be an investment banker. I have experience working on deals (financial due diligence) on the buy-side in my short stint at EY-Parthenon, and I want to use the skills and experience in my new role. I also want to be able to see a deal from start to finish and be involved in all areas of the deal and not just due diligence.

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