Agustin Ossa

University of Chicago, Booth School of Business

“Chilean committed and eager to learn about many topics while enjoying life along the way.”

Hometown: Santiago, Chile

Fun Fact About Yourself: I worked at IKEA before my MBA. Now in Chicago, it’s fun experiencing IKEA as a customer, understanding firsthand what it’s like to enjoy—or struggle with—assembling their furniture.

Undergraduate School and Major: Ingenería Comercial, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (B.A. in Business and Economics, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Regional Strategy Project Leader at IKEA for the Falabella Franchisee for Chile, Colombia & Peru

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Chicago Booth’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Booth’s flexibility stood out to me, as it allows pursuing a wide range of courses with greater freedom. I was also impressed by the faculty’s academic excellence, including its history of Nobel laureates, and by the school’s lasting influence in Chile.

The Booth MBA is also known for being highly data-driven. Why does the program’s focus on quantitative analysis and decision-making appeal to you? How have been able to leverage this approach in your career so far? Booth’s data-driven approach appeals to me because leaders often need to make critical decisions without perfect information, and strong analytical tools increase the chances of success. In my last role, I saw how essential it is for executives to rely on structured analysis in complex situations. What excites me about Booth is that this mindset runs across the curriculum, not only in economics or statistics, which makes it a core part of the school’s culture. I’m enthusiastic about the many tools Booth can give me for my future.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Chicago Booth? I’m excited by Booth’s variety of clubs and activities. I look forward to joining the Golf and Soccer Clubs, where the Chilean community is active, and competing in interbusiness school championships. I also hope to engage with Corporate Management and Booth Technology Group to learn from peers and explore future opportunities. Finally, the Latin American Group and Parents of Little Ones (POLO) Group will let me enjoy this stage academically and personally with my family.

What has been your first impression of the Booth MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far? Tell us your best Booth story so far. My closest influence was my brother, who also studied at Booth. Also, visiting campus and attending events in Chile confirmed that Booth is a community of highly capable yet approachable and collaborative people. Everyone I met was willing to help if they saw genuine interest in Booth, which made me confident in my decision to come here. I was also fortunate to interact with alumni from different generations and saw a consistent hallmark of excellence and collaboration—one I hope to live up to.

What makes Chicago such a great place to earn an MBA?  I think Booth has an environment where a strong desire to learn is palpable, which makes it challenging and exciting. It’s evident in the profile and mindset of the faculty. This applies equally to students and professors, and it helps explain why the school is so highly regarded. Doing an MBA here is not just about earning a degree from a top-ranked school—it’s about intellectually challenging yourself alongside highly capable peers. That’s unique and extremely appealing.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: One of my biggest accomplishments was being part of a team in a strategy role at IKEA during the launch of a new franchise in Latin America—the first new franchise in over 10 years. The team contributed to key decisions and successfully opened in two countries in just two years (Chile and Colombia), which was an incredible and challenging experience that will stay with me throughout my career. Additionally, working at the intersection of two major holdings, Falabella and IKEA, made the experience even more interesting and rewarding.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Chicago Booth’s MBA program? I would tell them to give it their all—nothing beats genuine motivation to join Booth. Perform your best on the tests, but that alone is not enough. Engage with the school, its members, and alumni in every way possible; this will both motivate you and help you submit your strongest application. In my case, I attended all the events I could and even traveled to visit the campus before applying. You never know exactly what will secure admission, but what matters most is making sure you leave no effort undone.

DON’T MISS: MEET CHICAGO BOOTH’S MBA CLASS OF 2027

© Copyright 2026 Poets & Quants. All rights reserved. This article may not be republished, rewritten or otherwise distributed without written permission. To reprint or license this article or any content from Poets & Quants, please submit your request HERE.