Ignacio Martos Jimenez

Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management

“Curious, entrepreneurial leader blending tech, travel, and creativity to inspire community and growth.”

Hometown: Malaga, Spain (Where Picasso was born)

Fun Fact About Yourself: I love board games and for five years I ran a board game club in Boston.

Undergraduate School and Major: Rochester Institute of Technology, B.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering & M.E. Engineering Management

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: PTC, Customer Marketing Manager

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Northwestern Kellogg’s MBA curriculum or programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? My target field post-MBA is consulting. With a wide range of technical and functional expertise, my career so far has been an exploratory journey—switching directions often but always building depth in software and product development. While this path gave me strong specialization, I recognized the need to broaden my scope of industry understanding and sharpen my core business skillset.

Kellogg’s curriculum stood out for the breadth of opportunity to both focus and expand. Courses like Venture Lab allow me to apply theory directly to practice by working with venture capital firms and start-ups for a full quarter, turning experiential learning into deeper understanding and tangible projects. Similarly, Global Initiatives in Management (GIM) offers global exposure and cross-cultural perspective, which are essential for a consultant navigating diverse industries. Beyond these, Kellogg’s emphasis on experiential learning and analytical rigor provides the perfect environment to develop crucial skills in financial management, strategy, and global operations.

When evaluating schools, I prioritized programs that combined strong quantitative training with applied, real-world learning. Kellogg not only checked this box; it exceeded it, offering a platform where I can tie together my varied experiences into a coherent foundation for consulting. That combination of structured skill-building and exploratory opportunity is why Kellogg felt like the clear choice.

What makes Chicago such a great place to earn an MBA? Evanston offers a refreshing retreat from my previous life in the city. During my first visit at DAK (Day at Kellogg), I realized that being surrounded by Evanston’s trees and right next to Lake Michigan creates the perfect environment to shift gears for two years. The quieter setting, away from the bustle of city life, naturally fosters deeper relationship-building with other Kellogg students.

We also enjoy access to incredible sports facilities, the beach, and a scenic bike path—huge advantages for someone as active as I am. Students at Kellogg take pride in building community here, whether through social events or study groups, making Evanston feel like home away from home.

At the same time, Chicago is just a stone’s throw away and provides unmatched opportunities, resources, and connections. While the idea of a Chicago winter was initially intimidating, I’m confident the strong Kellogg community will make it every bit as fun and memorable as summer.

Kellogg is known for a team-driven culture. What quality do you bring as a teammate and why will it be so important to the success of MBA class? My career shifted when I realized that winning as a team creates better results and opportunities for everyone. At Kellogg, where collaboration is central, this mindset will allow me to fully embrace the privilege of learning alongside multifaceted and ambitious classmates.

I bring a strong technical background and extensive experience managing complex client implementations—skills that help teams solve problems under pressure and translate big ideas into results. Just as important, I bring a genuine desire to see my teammates succeed—celebrating collective wins and supporting them through challenges. I am excited to be part of Kellogg’s culture of collaboration, ensuring that our shared success is greater than any individual achievement.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Northwestern Kellogg? Kellogg Worldwide Exploration Student Trips (KWEST) are the experiences that excited me most coming into Kellogg. I chose the Amazing Race, which took 30 of us across Lithuania solving clues and challenges. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bond with my peers, and it blew my expectations out of the water, creating community before classes began.

At a professional level, the Consulting Club is my top priority. It offers unrivaled access to industry professionals and a community of peers dedicated to practicing together. For someone targeting consulting, that combination of resources is invaluable.

What has been your first impression of the Kellogg MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far. Tell us your best Kellogg story so far.  One thing every Kellogg alum told me while I was applying—without exception—was, “Attending Kellogg is the best decision I made for my career.” That consistency struck me. People who come here don’t just value the professional impact; they genuinely love the community.

My first impression is that everyone at Kellogg is not only incredibly smart but also deeply empathetic. I joked with my roommate that the hardest part of this MBA is wanting to be friends with everyone but knowing you can’t get to know 500 people in two years.

If I had to pick one highlight, it would be meeting my friend Zhuoli. He was so excited about KWEST that he could barely contain himself—sharing that The Amazing Race had been his favorite show since childhood and that joining our trip was a dream come true. That kind of passion and authenticity is what makes Kellogg feel so special to me.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I took a risk by switching into marketing, a functional area outside my expertise. Tasked with restructuring a product marketing department, I assumed responsibility for redefining strategy and guiding my team through uncertainty. Within six months, we reversed declining performance and put the team back on a rapid growth trajectory. The experience taught me the value of embracing ambiguity and leading beyond my comfort zone, ultimately inspiring my decision to pursue an MBA at Kellogg.

Looking ahead two years, what would make your MBA experience successful? At the core of success is personal and professional development, but at Kellogg I feel these are almost guaranteed. What will truly define success for me are the relationships we build and the communities we form. If I graduate with a stronger skillset and a stronger network of friends and peers, I’ll know my Kellogg experience was a success.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Northwestern Kellogg’s MBA program? The best advice I received early in the process was simple, “get it done.” Standardized tests can feel overwhelming but focusing on nothing else until you achieve the score you need sets the foundation for everything that follows. That singular focus increases the chance of success.

Equally important is studying yourself. Take time to reflect, whether through journaling or other methods, so you can articulate your story with authenticity. Your essays and interviews will shine when you are the true expert on you.

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