Ramakrishnan Krishna Moorthy

The Ohio State University, Fisher College of Business

“Engineer-turned-MBA servant leader building technology, strategy, and communities that create measurable societal impact.”

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario

Fun fact about yourself: I trained in Carnatic classical music as a vocalist for nearly a decade and have performed before audiences of over 1,000 people. Before my MBA, I also spent most weekends volunteering with AYUDH Americas on community and environmental projects aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science and Engineering, Amrita University, India

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Design Engineer, Evertz Technologies Ltd., Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Where did you intern during the summer of 2025? Business Development & Commercial Strategy Intern, Power to Hydrogen – Columbus, Ohio

Where will you be working after graduation? Currently interviewing for strategic leadership roles in technology, healthcare, and industrial AI commercialization.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• President, Fisher MBA Student Council
• President, Fisher Follies
• Treasurer, Association of Marketing Professionals
• MBA Student Ambassador
• Graduate Teaching Associate – Business Skills & Environment, Principles of Marketing

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? Serving as President of the Fisher MBA Student Council has been the most meaningful leadership experience of my MBA. In this role, I focused on strengthening the sense of community across the program by institutionalizing mentorship initiatives, expanding alumni engagement, and creating programming that ensured every student felt represented and supported. I also worked with fellow student leaders to ensure that MBA students had opportunities to participate in community service initiatives every semester, reinforcing the importance of staying connected to the Columbus community that supports us.

One initiative that grew out of this effort was helping bring to life the Graduate Student Ball, a cross-program fundraising event that brought together graduate students from across the Fisher College of Business. Partnering with leaders from multiple programs, we created a shared space for collaboration, celebration, and philanthropy. That experience reinforced a belief that continues to shape my leadership approach: Institutions become stronger when leaders intentionally build bridges across communities.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? During my MBA internship at Power to Hydrogen, I had the opportunity to contribute to several initiatives that directly supported the company’s commercialization and fundraising efforts in the emerging hydrogen economy.

In just a few months, I worked on financial modeling for the company’s Series B funding efforts, built market sizing and customer segmentation models for a $25B hydrogen market opportunity, helped structure go-to-market strategies, and supported cross-functional collaboration on a $2M low-carbon project deployment. The pace and breadth of the work required moving quickly between strategy, finance, and operations.

What made this experience especially meaningful was seeing how analytical work could translate into real-world momentum for a climate technology company working to accelerate the energy transition.

Why did you choose this business school? I chose Fisher because it combines a collaborative leadership culture with strong experiential learning opportunities.

Programs such as the Business Lab Challenge, Global Business Expedition, Global Applied Projects, and Six Sigma consulting projects allow students to apply classroom learning directly to real business challenges. I was particularly drawn to the opportunity to work with real clients, international markets, and cross-functional teams throughout the program.

Fisher’s culture also stood out to me. From the first conversations I had with students and alumni, it was clear that the community values humility, teamwork, and lifting others up – qualities that continue to shape my MBA experience today.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? It is difficult to choose just one professor because Fisher has an incredible faculty. If I had to pick one, I would highlight Professor Roger Bailey, who taught our Economics core course and later worked with us during the Global Business Expedition through Marketing Research and Analytics. His ability to connect economic theory with real-world business decision-making made his classes particularly engaging.

Beyond the classroom, what truly sets him apart is how deeply invested he is in his students’ success. He is an avid advocate for his students and maintains strong relationships long after the course ends. Professor Bailey frequently makes himself available to mentor students and even offers consulting-style guidance on their projects, helping them think through strategic and analytical challenges. His willingness to invest time and energy into supporting students reflects the kind of mentorship that defines the Fisher experience.

I have also been fortunate to learn from several other outstanding professors including Professor Lori Kendall (Business Lab Challenge), Professor Jay Anand (Corporate M&A), Professor George Pinteris (Corporate Financing and Valuation), Professor Mi Kyong Newsom (Six Sigma), Professor Stephanie Wapner (Professional Development), Professor James Hill (Matching Supply and Demand), Professor Jon Quinn (Marketing), and Professor Charles Buchanan (Organizational Behavior and Leadership). Each of them contributed meaningfully to shaping my MBA experience.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? My favorite course was Corporate M&A with Professor Jay Anand. The course was heavily case-driven and encouraged us to analyze major mergers and acquisitions beyond the syllabus. Instead of simply studying financial models, we explored the strategic motivations, negotiation dynamics, and long-term consequences behind major deals.

What I found particularly valuable was how the course pushed us to think like decision-makers rather than analysts. Evaluating real transactions forced us to consider not only valuation, but also leadership judgment, integration risks, and strategic fit. The experience was both intellectually challenging and highly engaging, and it has made me seriously consider pursuing a career in mergers and acquisitions in the future.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? One of my favorite MBA traditions was the Orientation Week Treasure Hunt. This activity brought together our core teams during the very first week of the program and forced us to collaborate, problem-solve, and explore the campus and city together. What seemed like a fun game at the time ended up becoming a powerful team-building experience that helped establish trust and camaraderie within our cohort. Those early relationships were carried forward throughout the program.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? Looking back, I would try to document and reflect more intentionally on the many conversations and experiences that happen throughout an MBA program.

Some of the most valuable learning moments come from informal discussions with classmates, professors, and industry leaders. Taking more time to capture those insights would have helped me preserve lessons that continue to shape how I think about leadership and business.

What was the most impactful case study you had in business school and what was the biggest lesson you learned from it? One case that stood out to me was the Timken transfer pricing case, which explored how multinational companies determine internal pricing between divisions operating in different countries. A key analytical takeaway was the importance of opportunity cost. When divisions transfer products internally, the true economic cost is not just the production cost, but the value of the next best alternative use of those resources. Understanding this concept helped clarify how pricing decisions should reflect the broader economic value being created across the firm.

The deeper lesson, however, was about organizational design. Transfer pricing decisions affect divisional incentives, tax outcomes, and collaboration between business units. The case illustrated that even when a pricing structure is financially logical at the corporate level, it can create tension if divisional managers feel disadvantaged by the system. The biggest lesson I took away is that management systems shape behavior. Effective leaders must design structures where incentives for individual divisions align with the broader goals of the organization so that local decisions contribute to enterprise-wide value creation.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? Columbus is a city that is constantly evolving. It has the energy of a growing innovation hub while maintaining a welcoming community feel. The presence of major companies, startups, and a large university ecosystem creates countless opportunities for students to engage with industry leaders while still feeling connected to the community.

What business leader do you admire most? I admire Paul Polman, the former CEO of Unilever. During his leadership, Polman demonstrated that companies can pursue long-term financial success while also prioritizing sustainability and social responsibility. Through the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan, he pushed the organization to align business performance with environmental and societal impact. His leadership showed that sustainability and profitability are not mutually exclusive – they can reinforce one another when approached strategically.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? AI tools are increasingly being integrated into coursework for research, data analysis, and decision support.

One insight I gained is that AI works best when paired with structured thinking. The quality of output often depends on how well a problem is framed. Learning how to craft precise prompts, verify outputs, and apply human judgment has been an important skill as AI becomes more embedded in business decision-making.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? One classmate I greatly admire is Lauren Springer. Lauren consistently demonstrates a leadership style grounded in empathy, curiosity, and cultural awareness. In classroom discussions and team settings, she is thoughtful about how different perspectives shape the way people approach problems, and she makes a genuine effort to ensure everyone’s voice is heard. Her ability to navigate cultural differences and create inclusive team environments elevates the quality of collaboration and discussion around her.

What stands out most about Lauren is that her leadership is not driven by visibility but by impact. She asks thoughtful questions, challenges assumptions respectfully, and encourages teams to think more deeply about the implications of their decisions. Working with her has reinforced for me how powerful empathetic leadership can be in bringing out the best ideas from a group.

I would also like to recognize Namit Mishra, whose enthusiasm and commitment to the Fisher community helped bring people together across countless events and activities throughout the program.

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

1. Lead a product or technology from ideation to commercialization that creates meaningful impact at scale.

2. Lead a sustainability initiative within a multinational organization that demonstrates how responsible business practices can drive both economic value and positive global change.

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

Ram is described by faculty as a “stellar student” who brings a steady, practical intellect and a quietly persuasive presence that consistently strengthens classroom conversations. In class he offers rigorous, well‑grounded analysis while prioritizing clarity and collaboration – elevating discussion through incisive questions and helping peers translate theory into actionable insight. Ram is principled and dependable; as Dr. Jon Quinn observed, “Ram adds value wherever he sees an opportunity to do so, and he’s a truly good person with high integrity and strong values. He is one of the very best students and GAs I’ve had.”

Across a range of leadership roles, Ram volunteers for essential work and then executes it with discipline, accountability, and a focus on inclusion. He helped develop and write the case for the Fisher Invitational Case Competition, working closely with Dr. Quinn and our case competition partner to shape a real-world, pedagogically rich challenge that tested teams’ strategic and analytical skills. Ram also spearheaded the organization of the end‑of‑year Grad Ball and re‑established Fisher Follies, a student organization focused on supporting students in need through fundraising and outreach initiatives. Ram has been a steady contributor to mentorship initiatives, helped broaden cross‑cohort connections, and supported collaborative events that deepen peer belonging across Fisher’s graduate programs.

Ram leads with integrity, has invested in cultivating an inclusive community, and is deeply empathetic. He models the values of a Fisher MBA making him one of Fisher’s MBA Class of 2026 Best & Brightest.”

Leanda Rix
Managing Director
Full-Time MBA Program

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