Vicente Aguirre Pischedda

Fordham University, Gabelli School of Business

“Curious, empathetic product leader who turns stories and data into meaningful impact.”

Hometown: Santiago, Chile

Fun fact about yourself: During my study abroad in Illinois, I was part of the cast of Legally Blonde: The Musical

Undergraduate School and Degree: Industrial & Mechanical Engineer – Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school?
Falabella – Digital Product Manager

Where did you intern during the summer of 2025? Microsoft – Redmond, WA.

Where will you be working after graduation? Microsoft, Product Marketing Manager

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• President – Gabelli School of Business Product Manager Club
• Vice-President – Gabelli School of Business Pride Club
• Dean’s Scholarship
• Jeffrey T. Growney, Gabelli ‘86 MBA Continuing Scholarship
• Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and Alpha Sigma Nu Honor Society Invitations

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? The achievement I am most proud of during business school is serving as president of the Product Management Club and building the first formal space for product management at Fordham. Because we do not have a dedicated product concentration, many students interested in product lacked both structure and community.

To address this, my team and I designed and launched a three-day “PM 101” experience, introducing students to the field. Day one explored what it means to be a product manager (PM) – and the many hats they wear – through an interactive Product Masterclass with a Disney professional. Day two focused on how AI is reshaping product development and the tools modern PMs must master. Day three connected our community with more than 10 product leaders across industries to discuss frameworks, best practices, and career paths.

We organized the entire initiative using a Kanban system and squad-based structure, intentionally applying product management principles to how we built the experience itself. What makes me most proud is not just the event’s success, but that we created a sustainable platform where future students can explore and pursue product careers with clarity and confidence.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career?

The professional achievement I am most proud of is developing an AI-driven customer feedback agent during my time at Microsoft. While working with the Microsoft 365 Copilot Consumer Marketing team, I saw how overwhelming and fragmented customer feedback had become in the era of AI-powered products. The volume of signals was growing faster than our ability to meaningfully interpret them.

Rather than seeing AI as another layer of complexity, I saw it as the solution. I designed an AI agent that synthesized large-scale qualitative feedback into clear themes, strategic priorities, and actionable insights. More importantly, I built a framework that connected those insights to concrete education and onboarding initiatives, helping teams focus on improving user confidence and adoption.

What makes this achievement meaningful to me is the mindset shift it represents. AI is often framed as a threat to how we work. Through this project, I experienced how AI can instead amplify human judgment, reduce noise, and empower better decision-making at scale. It reinforced my belief that the future of leadership is not about competing with AI, but learning how to partner with it thoughtfully and responsibly.

Why did you choose this business school? I chose Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business because of its commitment to values-driven leadership. In an era defined by rapid technological change and global uncertainty, I wanted an MBA program that emphasized not only performance but responsibility.

The Gabelli School’s focus on ethics, sustainability, and long-term impact resonated deeply with me. I was drawn to a school that believes business should create value not just for shareholders, but for society. That perspective has shaped how I think about innovation, especially now with AI, where leadership requires both ambition and accountability.

As an international student, I’m also inspired by how genuinely the Gabelli School community embraces global talent. From faculty members to student organizations like the Gabelli Black and Latinx Graduate Association or the Gabelli Pride Club, I found spaces where diverse perspectives are not only welcomed but celebrated. That sense of inclusion and purpose confirmed that Fordham was the right place for me to grow, not just as a professional, but as a person and leader.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? My favorite professor at Fordham Gabelli has been Santiago Mejia, who taught Markets, Business, and Society. His course on ethics was not simply academic; it was deeply human.

Professor Mejia brought extraordinary intentionality to every class. From the syllabus structure to the case discussions, it was clear he poured his heart into designing an experience that challenged us to think critically about the moral dimensions of business. He did not teach ethics as a checklist or compliance exercise; he taught it as a responsibility.

Beyond the classroom, he was always generous with his time and guidance. As a fellow Latin American, I deeply appreciated his perspective and mentorship. Whether discussing career decisions or complex professional dilemmas, he consistently pushed me toward the most thoughtful path, one grounded not just in ambition but in integrity.

His influence has shaped how I approach leadership: with reflection, accountability, and the understanding that business decisions are always human decisions.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? Strategic Branding was my favorite course because it reshaped how I understand value creation. Before the class, I thought of brands primarily as positioning and visual identity. The course revealed the deeper architecture behind them, from consumer psychology to cultural relevance to long-term strategic coherence.

What fascinated me most was realizing how many invisible decisions shape what customers ultimately experience. A brand is not just a logo or campaign; it is a system of choices, signals, and promises that must align across every touchpoint.

As a product leader, this perspective has enriched my way of thinking. Building meaningful products requires more than functionality; it requires understanding perception, trust, and emotional resonance. Strategic Branding taught me that great products win not only because they work, but because they mean something.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? My favorite MBA tradition was the Business Immersion trip to London at the start of the program, which happens every year. In the very first weeks of the program, our cohort traveled abroad to work on sustainability-focused projects and see the London Campus.

What made the experience powerful was not just the global exposure, but the perspective shift. Engaging with leaders and organizations in London highlighted that sustainability is not a mere badge in companies’ books; it is increasingly central to competitive strategy, regulatory alignment, and long-term value creation. The trip pushed us to think more critically about accountability and global responsibility in business.

Equally important, the trip shaped our cohort identity. Collaborating intensely on real-world sustainability challenges so early in the program created a foundation of trust, intellectual curiosity, and shared purpose that carried into the rest of our MBA experience. It set the tone for the values that the school wants to share with us, not only from textbooks, but from the world.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? Looking back, the one thing I would do differently is engage more intentionally with the broader MBA community beyond my own program.

I was deeply involved in my school, both academically and professionally, and in student leadership, building meaningful relationships within that ecosystem. However, I realized how valuable cross-program dialogue can be during experiences like the ROMBA Conference and interactions with MBA peers during my internship.

Engaging with students from different schools, industries, and global contexts exposed me to new ways of thinking about leadership, strategy, and career design. Those conversations stretched my assumptions and expanded my perspective, complementing what I was learning in the classroom.

If I could revisit my MBA experience, I would more proactively create sustained spaces for collaboration across MBA programs, not just as networking opportunities, but as forums for shared learning. The diversity of thought across business schools is a powerful asset, and I would lean into that even earlier and more intentionally.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? What I loved most about New York City is that it is the first place where I have felt entirely myself.

After my first year of the MBA, I got married. Walking through the city with my husband, openly and without hesitation, was really something my 21-year-old me could never have dreamed of doing. New York gave me something invaluable: the freedom to belong without fear. That sense of safety and authenticity shaped not only my personal life, but my confidence as a leader.

At the same time, New York is a city defined by possibility. It gathers people from everywhere, different cultures, industries, and ambitions, creating a space where global perspectives collide daily. The energy of the city mirrors that of every new generation seeking a fast, diverse, resilient, and opportunity-driven world.

New York did not just host my MBA experience; it expanded it. It reminded me that leadership begins with being comfortable in who you are, and then using that confidence to contribute meaningfully to a larger community.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? One meaningful way my business school integrated AI into the program was by positioning it not as a replacement for learning, but as a tool to enhance it. Professors encouraged us to use AI thoughtfully—to accelerate research, test ideas, and build prototypes—while still requiring us to demonstrate independent thinking and critical analysis.

In some courses, AI integration led to real, tangible outputs. We built agents, developed small-scale programs, and created marketing and analytical tools that would have been nearly impossible to complete within a single semester without AI. Rather than lowering the bar, AI raised it: we were expected to move beyond execution and focus on interpretation, strategy, and judgment.

The school also offered courses dedicated specifically to AI, from programming with AI tools to applying AI in marketing and visual strategy, ensuring we understood both the technical capabilities and the strategic implications.

The biggest insight I gained is that AI is most powerful when paired with human intention. It can amplify creativity, accelerate problem-solving, and reduce friction, but it cannot replace curiosity, ethics, or leadership. Learning to work alongside AI, rather than compete with it, reshaped how I think about innovation and the future of business.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? The MBA classmate I most admire is Claire Bohrer.

Claire made the courageous decision to pivot her career despite already having a strong and successful professional foundation. Reinvention is easy to romanticize, but difficult to execute. She approached it with clarity, discipline, and intentionality, building the skills and network necessary to move toward exactly what she wanted.

Beyond her personal goals, Claire consistently stepped into leadership roles that strengthened our community. As a cohort representative and president of the Gabelli School’s Women in Business, she led with both confidence and empathy. She is the kind of leader who knows where she is going, yet always takes the time to elevate others along the way.

What I admire most is her balance of ambition and kindness. She is driven and strategic, but also deeply thoughtful in how she shows up for classmates. Watching her define her own path and then earn opportunities aligned with her vision has been inspiring. She reminds me that strong leadership is not loud; it is intentional, disciplined, and grounded in integrity.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? One of the top items on my professional bucket list is to lead a full end-to-end product release in the United States. I have had the opportunity to do this in my home country, owning strategy, cross-functional alignment, launch, and iteration, but doing it within the U.S. market represents a new level of complexity and scale. I want to deeply understand how products are built, positioned, and adopted in this ecosystem, while also proving to myself that my background, training, and leadership experience translate across borders. For me, this goal is both about growth and validation, confirming that the competencies I have built can create impact anywhere.

Equally important to me is becoming a long-term mentor and advocate for diverse talent, particularly for LGBTQ+ and international professionals navigating career transitions. As someone who has pivoted industries and countries, I know how powerful visibility and guidance can be. I aspire to actively support others in building confidence, accessing opportunities, and feeling represented in spaces where they may not always see themselves reflected. Leadership, to me, is not only about business goals but also about building pathways for others to thrive.

What made Vincente such an invaluable member of the MBA Class of 2026?

“It is my great privilege to recommend Vicente Aguirre Pischedda for Poets & Quants’ Best & Brightest MBA distinction. I have known Vicente for nearly two years in my role as his academic advisor at the Gabelli School of Business, and during that time I have had the opportunity to witness his growth, character, and leadership up close.

Vicente embodies the rare combination of intellectual depth, principled leadership, and forward-looking innovation that defines the very best of MBA talent today. A product leader at heart, he describes himself as a “curious, empathetic product leader turning stories and data into meaningful impact” and throughout his time at the Gabelli School of Business, he has consistently brought that identity to life.

Before business school, Vicente built a strong foundation as a Digital Product/Project Manager at Falabella and Sky Airlines in Chile. During his MBA, he further sharpened his leadership trajectory through a highly competitive summer internship at Microsoft in Redmond, WA, where he developed an AI-driven customer feedback agent that transformed how qualitative insights were synthesized and translated into actionable strategy. His work did not simply apply AI as a technical tool; it reframed AI as a partner to human judgment — amplifying clarity, improving adoption, and driving better decision-making at scale. After graduation, Vicente will return to Microsoft as a Product Marketing Manager, a testament to both his capability and long-term leadership potential.

Within the Gabelli community, Vicente’s impact has been equally transformative. As President of the Product Management Club, he built the school’s first formal platform for aspiring product leaders. Recognizing the absence of a structured product management concentration, he designed and launched a three-day “PM 101” experience that combined industry masterclasses, AI-forward product development, and direct engagement with more than ten product leaders. Notably, he organized the initiative using product management principles — Kanban systems and squad-based structures — modeling the very discipline he sought to be taught. What distinguishes Vicente is not only executional excellence, but systems thinking: he does not create one-off events; he builds sustainable platforms.

Vicente’s leadership extends beyond professional ambition. As Vice President of the Gabelli Pride Club, he has been a visible advocate for inclusion and belonging. His reflections on finding authenticity and freedom in New York City — where he married during his MBA journey — reveal a leader whose personal courage shapes his professional empathy. He aspires not only to lead high-impact product initiatives, but to mentor and advocate for LGBTQ+ and international professionals navigating complex transitions. For Vicente, leadership is measured not solely by market outcomes, but by the pathways created for others.

Academically, Vicente has distinguished himself as a Dean’s Scholar and recipient of the Jeffrey T. Growney Gabelli ’86 MBA Scholarship, along with invitations to Phi Kappa Phi and Alpha Sigma Nu honor societies. Yet what stands out most is his intellectual integrity. Deeply influenced by the Gabelli school’s ethics, sustainability, tech and marketing courses, Vicente consistently integrates performance with purpose.

Vicente represents the future of business leadership: globally minded, technologically fluent, ethically grounded, and above all, profoundly human. He does not see AI as a disruption to fear, but as a responsibility to steward. He does not pursue leadership as status, but as service. And he does not measure success solely in outputs, but in meaning. For these reasons, I give Vicente Aguirre Pischedda my strongest possible endorsement for Poets & Quants’ Best & Brightest MBA recognition. He is not only among the best and brightest at Gabelli — he is among the most thoughtful and promising leaders of his generation.

Ilze Frierson
Assistant Dean and Lead Academic Advisor
Gabelli School of Business
Fordham University

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