Meet The HEC Paris MBA Class Of 2027

The Olympics are considered the ultimate test of athleticism and skill. Behind the heroics and pageantry, the Olympics reflect something more profound: self-discipline, toughness, consistency, and attention to detail. It is the best of us on the world stage – indelible moments that connect cultures and generations.

In two years, the Summer Olympics will be hosted in Los Angeles. In May, MBAs hold their own Olympics in Jouy-en-Josas, France – home of HEC Paris. Covering three days and nights, the MBAT – the MBA Tournament – brings together 1,400 students from 16 schools to compete (and party) together. Started in the early-1990s, the MBAT now features 36 events. Among physical sports, you’ll find beach volleyball, cricket, pickleball, rowing, running, rugby, and even sumo wrestling. At the same time, students can compete in chess, pool, poker, foosball, UNO, and video games. The MBAT even includes a cultural parade and dance competition, with the event capped off by a gala and battle of the bands.

Sound like a blast? It is – but it’s a lot of work too. After all, HEC Paris hosts the events – and that involves MBAs handling everything from budgets to logistics to hospitality. That creates an opportunity for HEC Paris students to sharpen their leadership skills. Such activities – and the school’s long-standing commitment to hands-on learning – may be one reason HEC Paris has been dubbed Europe’s “cradle of leadership.” Another may be its illustrious alumni roll, which includes graduates who’ve helmed industry titans like AstraZeneca, Best Buy, Biogen, BNP Paribus, Danone, L’Oréal, Michelin, Schlumberger – and many more! At MBAT, HEC Paris MBAs experience leadership in trenches: strategy, planning, and execution – at a huge scale, no less.

LEARNING TO LEAD

Nicolette Gopaul, a ’25 grad and Poets&Quants Best & Brightest MBA, frames MBAT as a time for student volunteers to step out of their comfort zones and show their full capabilities. “MBAT really pushes students to develop leadership qualities that translate outside of the classroom,” she continues. “The MBAT truly embodied the spirit of HEC. It proved that HEC is a business school that values team work, leadership, and diversity and promotes excellence. It indicates that HEC values tradition, holistic development, cultivating a global network, and mirrors the school’s culture of innovation, inclusivity and ambition.”

Gopaul’s classmate, Wangari Muchau, describes the event as “intense, chaotic, and ridiculously fun as it sounds.” Along with running the CrossFit games, she also competed in three different sports. Not only did the events provide much-needed entertainment, but enabled students to network with counterparts from across the globe.

“What I love about MBAT is how it brings people together in a way that’s competitive but also just pure fun. It’s not about being the best athlete—it’s about the team spirit, the energy, and the post-game celebrations where everyone forgets who won anyway. Organizing CrossFit was a challenge (herding competitive MBAs is no joke), but seeing people push themselves and hype each other up made it all worth it.”

Among the Class of 2027, the MBAT is an event that is more than must-attend. Instead, it is a call to serve and grow in the process. “The MBAT captures the collaborative and spirited side of HEC’s culture,” says Akshay Agarwal, a finance manager from India. “Bringing together students from top European business schools, it’s more than just a sports tournament; it’s a celebration of teamwork, leadership, and global community.”

“Supporting such a massive event will help me develop planning, coordination, and leadership skills,” adds Karl-Edouard Charles, an accounting systems administrator from Haiti via the United States. “On a personal note, I also look forward to competing in soccer and track—two passions I’ve carried for years.”

FINDING SUCCESS IN FINANCE & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Charles joins the Class of 2027 from the Boston Consulting Group, where he once helped an IT leadership team save nearly $2-million. Indeed, the class boasts experience from a wide-range of industries. Australia’s Lachie Cairns, for example, spent four years growing an asset management firm’s agricultural portfolio by 187%. In contrast, India’s Meghna Gandhi oversaw risk management for over 3,500 dormant trade books at Macquarie.

“This is a pivotal control to prevent the risk of unauthorized trades across various business lines in Commodity & Global markets business, including Equities and Derivative trading, Commodities, Financial markets and Asset Finance,” she tells P&Q. “I exceeded the year’s targeted closures by an unprecedented 50% directly contributing to the cyclical release of €400mn+ capital across 25+ currencies for reinvestment to alternate trading strategies.”

Neeharika Hemrajani has already followed a path that many MBAs only dream of pursuing. After successful stints at TD and Publicis Sapient, she stepped away from the “stable” corporate world to start a business.

“I earned a spot in a competitive accelerator in Palo Alto, the heart of startup culture, where I’ve been building my company from the ground up. That alone was a milestone; being surrounded by world-class founders, advisors, and investors pushed me to level up fast. But the real work happens every day: testing ideas, hearing no, pivoting, pitching again, and figuring things out in real time. There’s no comfort zone, just constant urgency and the pressure to grow before you’re ready.”

For Hemrajani, this choice turned out to be her defining experience – one that enabled to make the jump to business school. “It’s prepared me for the pace and intensity of business school; juggling classes, navigating uncertainty, and collaborating with peers from around the world. I’ve developed the grit, curiosity, and adaptability to thrive in an environment where you’re expected to learn fast and lead faster.”

Guillaume Guegan experienced entrepreneurship from a different vantage point. At a fintech startup, he served on the executive team as the Chief Legal Officer. Here, his portfolio included working with authorities like Frances’s Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) and Autorité de contrôle prudentiel et de résolution (ACPR). Like early hires in many startups, Guegan adopted roles beyond his job description.

“I led initiatives well beyond the legal domain: shaping the business model, structuring partnerships, driving marketing efforts, and supporting investor outreach. I helped position the company as a credible player in the emerging digital finance ecosystem by aligning legal robustness with business innovation. This experience pushed me far outside the traditional legal silo. It taught me how to lead under uncertainty, think across disciplines, and communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical teams.”

Despite these daunting responsibilities, Guegan points to a different moment that shaped him. “One of the most defining experiences in my life was conducting my Ph.D. research on “The recognition of robots as legal entities” across two countries—France and Japan. This experience was not only intellectually demanding, but also culturally and personally transformative. Navigating distinct academic traditions, mastering legal systems from both civil and tech-forward jurisdictions, and presenting at conferences in Osaka and Tokyo taught me how to adapt rapidly, communicate complex ideas clearly, and engage with stakeholders from diverse perspectives. This period shaped my capacity to thrive under pressure, synthesize abstract legal and technical concepts, and lead long-term projects independently. It also sparked my deep interest in the intersection of law, technology, and innovation.”

FROM MOVIE SETS TO SQUASH COURTS

At 18, Asaf Hadar spent a year running a youth center, exposing him to roles like leadership and fund-raising. Later on, he would find himself volunteering in a remote Nepalese village. At KPMG, Akshay Agarwal was among the three employees in his cohort to pass the Chartered Accountants (CA) exam on the first attempt. At the same time, Sabrina Fajardo Gallegos made the transition from healthcare – an industry where her parents are both doctors – to consulting.

“I joined Egon Zehnder as the youngest in the office, with no prior experience in consulting, in an environment undergoing many internal changes. It was a leap into the unknown. At first, I struggled with confidence and felt like I had to prove myself constantly. But over time, through feedback, learning, and perseverance, I found my voice. I grew into someone who not only understands the complexity of leadership across industries and Latin America, but also knows when to speak up, and when to hold space for others.”

The class is equally intriguing outside of their career paths. Asaf Hadar plays jazz drums, something he has done since he was eight years old. Lachie Cairns is a backpacker who has visited 40 countries. Guillaume Guegan once worked on the set of Alien: Covenant as a carpenter. And Todd Harrity is a professional squash player and member of the USA National Team.

“The biggest and most enjoyable accomplishment of my career so far is winning two gold medals at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. It was particularly special because I shared this experience with my team mates at the time. There is no greater feeling than representing your country, and being able to celebrate a great victory with teammates.”

A LOOK TO THE FUTURE

In strategy sessions, team members are often asked: What does success look like? Looking ahead to graduation, the Class of 2027 defines a successful MBA experience in different ways. To Sabrina Fajardo Gallegos, it means embracing every opportunity and treasuring every moment.

“My MBA experience will be successful if I say yes — to experimenting, to learning new things, both simple and complex, and to stepping out of my comfort zone. It will be a success if I leave with a strong group of friends who challenge me, support me, and let me do the same for them – a true community that makes each other better. I also hope to grow into the leader I want to become: one who remains humble, curious, and always willing to learn regardless of title, experience, or setting.”

For Guillaume Guegan, success could be reduced to building a strong network who can challenge and improve him. Along the way, he wants to take a step up and prepare for even bigger roles ahead.

“A successful MBA experience, for me, would mean leaving HEC Paris with a sharper strategic mindset, a solid command of financial decision-making, and the ability to lead cross-functional teams in high-stakes, innovation-driven environments. I aim to transition from being a legal expert operating within business strategy to becoming a business leader with legal, financial, and operational fluency.”

A CLASS PROFILE

As a whole, the class boasts 255 students, with 42% being women. True to HEC Paris’s global nature, 95% of the class hails from outside France and represent 60 nationalities. This makes HEC Paris one of the most international Full-Time MBA programs in the world. Even more, it carries a sense of diversity that extends beyond the classroom, says alum Paul-Emeric Willette.

“Combined with the fact that most of us lived on campus, this created a strong multicultural community that remains active and supportive even five years after graduation. I also had the opportunity to spend a term on exchange at NYU Stern, which added a global academic perspective.”

Professionally, the class averages 30 years of age and 6 years of work experience. The largest segment of the class – 24% – last worked in Financial Services. Another 19% held positions in Consulting, followed by Technology, Telecom and Commerce (14%), Consumer Packaged Goods (8%), and Manufacturing and Construction (7%).

As undergraduates, the majority of the class earned degrees in either Engineering and Business and Commerce. Here, you’ll find a 30%-to-26% split respectively, followed by the Sciences (11%), Economics (11%), and Accounting (7%).

Next Page: An Interview with Brad Harris, Associate Dean for MBA Programs

Page 3: Profiles of 12 Members of the MBA Class of 2027

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