Anuj Yadav

University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith School of Business

“Systems thinker working to shape the future of global supply chains.”

Hometown: Bina-Etawa, India

Fun fact about yourself: I built my first business before I fully understood what “working capital” meant.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Madhav Institute of Technology and Science (MITS), Bachelor’s in Computer Science and Engineering

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Angles and Curves, Founder & Operations Lead

Where did you intern during the summer of 2025? Amazon, Operations Manager Intern, Logistics (Los Angeles)

Where will you be working after graduation? I will be returning to Amazon as a Pathways Operations Manager, leading last-mile delivery operations.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• Executive Vice President, MBA Association (MBAA), 2025–2026
• Smith Fellowship Recipient
• Smith Companion Awardee
• Graduate Assistant, Management & Organization Department
• Teaching Assistant: Strategic Management; Systems Thinking and Design
• Member, Supply Chain & Operations Club

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school?
I am most proud of earning the Overall Silver Award and 1st Place in the whole Americas Region at the UN-sponsored Global Sustainability Supply Chain Student Competition (GS3), competing against 113 teams from 24 countries, and receiving the award at the Geneva International Conference Centre, Switzerland.

GS3 stands out because it extended beyond campus. Presenting our work on a global stage was a meaningful moment for our team and the University of Maryland, and it reinforced for me how much more there is to learn in building resilient and sustainable supply chains.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I am most proud of building a unified operations system across three marketplaces and our direct-to-consumer platform in my entrepreneurial venture. When I launched the business, our billing and inventory systems were fragmented, creating inefficiencies and limiting our ability to scale. Rather than expanding through additional manpower, I restructured the architecture by separating billing from the ERP system and implementing a centralized solution that synchronized inventory in real time across all channels.

The result was sustained quarterly growth and a tripling of revenue within two years, while reducing operational complexity. I value this experience most because it required earning stakeholder trust, aligning technical and business teams, and building systems that allowed the company to grow with structure instead of improvisation.

Why did you choose this business school? I chose Smith because I wanted to be around people who were serious about building something meaningful. I was looking for classmates who think independently, challenge ideas, and are not afraid to discuss what could be better. The alumni network also stood out to me. In every conversation, I felt genuine support and openness.

What I did not expect was how strong the MBA and Supply Chain programs were. The coursework pushed me to look at operations from a more strategic lens rather than just solving immediate problems. Over time, I realized I was becoming more structured and deliberate in my thinking. That made Smith the right fit for me.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Professor Humberto Carlos Coronado has been a defining mentor in my MBA journey. Long before I formally enrolled in his class, he took the time to introduce me to the world of supply chain and helped me understand how operations connect to long-term strategy. That early guidance played a significant role in shaping my academic focus.

What makes him exceptional is not only his ability to explain complex concepts clearly, but the genuine care he shows for each student. He is always willing to listen, offer perspective, and challenge ideas thoughtfully. His relationships with students extend well beyond the classroom; the fact that he remains connected with alumni years later speaks to the depth of his commitment. His impact on student success is not transactional, but lasting.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? Financial Management with Professor Rich Mathews gave me a much stronger understanding of finance and how financial markets actually work. The course helped me build that foundation in a practical and structured way. It changed how I think about capital allocation, valuation, and risk, and helped me better connect financial decisions to broader business outcomes. For me, it filled an important gap and gave me confidence in an area that once felt unfamiliar.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? Looking back on my MBA experience, I would have been more intentional about slowing down and building deeper one-on-one relationships earlier in the program. The pace of business school moves quickly, and I was often focused on execution, competitions, and responsibilities.

Over time, I realized that some of the most meaningful growth came from conversations outside structured settings. If I could do it again, I would invest earlier in those smaller, more deliberate interactions. The experience taught me that leadership is not only about delivering outcomes, but also about creating space to listen and connect.

What was the most impactful case study you had in business school and what was the biggest lesson you learned from it? The most impactful case study was in Corporate Finance, where we evaluated companies amid uncertain market conditions. What made it powerful was not the spreadsheet itself, but the assumptions behind it. Small changes to growth rates, discount rates, or market outlook materially shifted valuation outcomes, revealing how much judgment influences financial decisions.

The core lesson was that valuation is not about finding a single “correct” number. It requires making disciplined, context-driven assumptions shaped by time, risk, and constraints. Even rigorous analysis cannot eliminate uncertainty. Ultimately, the case reinforced that leadership lies in exercising sound judgment, taking ownership of assumptions, and making informed decisions despite ambiguity.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? What I loved most about College Park was how balanced it felt. Coming from a small town, moving to a new country could have been overwhelming, but being in the suburbs allowed me to adjust and grow at my own pace.

At the same time, I was only minutes away from Washington, D.C., a city rich in history, culture, and global institutions. As someone with a deep interest in history, that proximity added meaning to my experience. It gave me perspective while still allowing me the space to find my footing.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? One way my business school integrated AI into the program was by encouraging its responsible use in coursework, particularly in data analysis, case preparation, and idea generation. Rather than treating AI as a shortcut, faculty emphasized it as a tool to enhance thinking. We were often challenged to validate outputs, question assumptions, and refine prompts to improve clarity and accuracy.

The biggest insight I gained was that AI amplifies the quality of your thinking. It is only as strong as the questions you ask and the judgment you apply. Used thoughtfully, it can accelerate analysis and broaden perspectives. Used passively, it can limit critical reasoning. The experience reinforced that leadership still depends on human judgment, context, and accountability, even in an AI-enabled environment.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? The MBA classmate I most admire is Aniketh Metpalli, and I am confident many of my classmates would agree. What stands out most about him is his generosity and what I often think of as his DQ, or Decency Quotient. In leadership, decency is just as important as intelligence or emotional awareness.

I have seen Aniketh handle pressure with composure and approach disagreement with kindness rather than ego. That combination of competence and humility is rare. More than achievements, it is the reliability and integrity he demonstrates in small moments that leave a lasting impression. Having worked alongside him as fellow Vice Presidents of the MBA Association, I saw firsthand the amount of effort he invested behind the scenes to ensure major MBA events ran smoothly.

Working with Aniketh reminded me that leadership is often quiet. It is built on trust, consistency, and a willingness to support others without seeking recognition.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

1. One of my professional goals is to build a venture that integrates operational excellence with long-term sustainability.

2. Reach a C-suite leadership role, ideally in operations or supply chain, where I can take ownership of strategy and drive impact at scale.

What made Anuj such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2026?

“I first met Anuj nearly a year before he enrolled in my Global Supply Chain Management course. He stopped by my office simply to introduce himself and learn about Supply Chain Management. Over the years, I have found that this kind of initiative consistently marks long-term thinkers — individuals who approach their careers strategically and pursue understanding with discipline.

When he joined my classroom, he brought meaningful entrepreneurial and operational experience. In my experience, students with comparable backgrounds often feel compelled to demonstrate it. Anuj chose a different path. He prioritized clarity over visibility and inquiry over performance.

What soon became clear to me was that he was not simply completing MBA requirements — he was deliberately investing in the capabilities necessary to lead change. His effort extended way beyond the classroom as he consistently engaged with industry podcasts and followed supply chain developments to deepen his understanding. This self-directed engagement mirrors the habits I observe in seasoned supply chain leaders.

His class contributions were measured yet impactful. He reframed complex operational challenges in ways that clarified issues for less experienced classmates while offering structural nuance that more experienced peers appreciated, strengthening the collective learning environment.

Beyond his analytical strengths, Anuj demonstrates exceptional interpersonal maturity. He communicates with quiet confidence and openness, collaborates effectively, and naturally draws others in.

Anuj possesses executive-level capability, distinguished by intellectual rigor anchored in humility. He consistently elevates the thinking of those around him. I feel both proud — and fortunate — to count him among my students.”

Humberto Coronado
Senior Lecturer
Academic Director of the Master of Science in Supply Chain Management Program

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