Jay Pandit

Duke University, Fuqua School of Business

“Teacher at heart, consultant by day, hiker on weekends, and a party-thrower at every chance possible!”

Hometown: Mumbai, India

Fun Fact About Yourself: I completed multiple high-altitude treks (12K+ feet) in the Himalayas just before starting my MBA at Fuqua.

Undergraduate School and Major: Chemical Engineering at BITS Pilani (India)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Project Leader at Bain & Company (India)

The MBA program is renowned for its “Team Fuqua” culture, which is predicated on six paired principles: Authentic Engagement, Supportive Ambition, Collective Diversity, Impactful Stewardship, Loyal Community, and Uncompromising Integrity. Which of these resonates most with you – and what does that principle demand of you as a Fuqua MBA? Team Fuqua’s Supportive Ambition principle drew me to the program. Back in India, I graduated from BITS Pilani, which is known to have the most supportive college community in India. It was ingrained in all ‘BITSian’ to support another BITSian and the community around us.

Over the course of roughly 5 years in management consulting before I came to Fuqua, I supported nearly 75-100 college students achieve their goal of breaking into management consulting. I thoroughly enjoy mentoring young college students, discussing the plan to achieve their career goals, and supporting them with my experience and expertise. There is no greater joy for me than to help someone achieve their goals.

Fuqua has the same principle — and it takes it seriously! Team Fuqua is known to be one big family where the team supports each other to achieve great things, because your success is my success. The success of each individual member of Team Fuqua makes the whole team better.

Aside from your classmates and school culture, what was the key part of Duke Fuqua’s MBA curriculum programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? When people ask me, “Why Duke?”, my answer goes beyond just its academic excellence. Duke University has a big brand recognition in Asia. I plan to return to Asia after my studies, and Duke’s strong footprint in the region makes it an ideal fit for my goals.

Duke’s extensive alumni network — with active chapters in cities like Singapore, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, and support from groups like the Duke Asian Alumni Alliance — offers powerful opportunities for mentorship, career connections, and community. Student organizations such as the Duke MBA Asian Business Club make it easy to tap into these networks, both as a student and later as a professional.

For someone like me, who is focused on building a meaningful career back in India while staying globally connected, Duke doesn’t just open doors — it opens the right ones.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Duke Fuqua? Fuqua’s Center for Health Sector Management (HSM), which offers an HSM certificate, deeply excites me because it offers a front-row seat to the transformation of healthcare. With Duke’s world-class reputation in medical education and hospital excellence, the HSM program stands out as a unique opportunity to learn directly from industry leaders. The chance to explore the dynamic interplay between providers, payers, and patients is invaluable for anyone serious about driving impact in healthcare.

During the recent HSM Bootcamp, I was especially inspired by how Duke Health strategically operates its hospitals at peak efficiency — delivering high-quality care while expanding access and maintaining affordability.

What do you like most about North Carolina so far? The greenery! As my flight descended into North Carolina, I was stunned by the endless stretch of lush, vibrant green below me. I had never seen a landscape so richly alive. Since arriving, evening walks have become my favorite ritual — I go out on walks every evening and can’t stop myself from clicking pictures of beautiful trees and lush green forests.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career? When ChatGPT exploded onto the scene in late 2022, it wasn’t just a tech moment — it was a wake-up call for the world’s biggest investors. One of the largest global private equity firms turned to Bain to answer a critical question: how will AI reshape industries, and where should they bet big? I was part of a global team entrusted with building that thesis from the ground up.

Over the next 6-9 months, we dove deep into sector after sector, looking at each through the dual lens of AI opportunity and disruption risk. It wasn’t just research; we were building conviction. We worked shoulder-to-shoulder with the investor, helping shape a roadmap for AI-driven value creation.

Over the following year, that thesis turned into action: we identified a pipeline of disruptive software companies across industries and ultimately helped deploy investments to fuel the next wave of the AI revolution. Being at the heart of that journey, where strategy met bold investment, was one of the most thrilling and transformative experiences of my career.

Looking ahead two years, what would make your MBA experience successful?

I would define success of my MBA on 2 big criteria: 1) knowing the unknown, 2) building a global network.

1) Being a management consultant focused on private equity advisory for the tech sector, I have a good understanding of the tech and AI world. At the same time, I do understand that my experience with other industries is quite limited. Earning an MBA at Fuqua would give me a chance to explore various industries — from healthcare and financial services, to environment and energy. The breadth of electives that Fuqua offers would be extremely helpful to achieve my goal. Learning from industry-leading professors and industry veterans during guest lectures would be the best way to learn for me.

2) Duke and Fuqua are more than just top-tier institutions — they’re a true melting pot of cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives. For me, success at Fuqua would mean more than academic achievement; it would mean forming at least one deep, meaningful connection with a classmate from every nationality represented in the program. That’s how I envision becoming a true global citizen — by not just learning about different cultures, but living and sharing experiences with people from all over the world. It’s this diverse, tight-knit community that drew me to Duke, and it’s the kind of global network I’ve always dreamed of building through an MBA.

© 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.