The Favorite MBA Professors Of The Class Of 2026

“Professor David Teeters, our Corporate Finance professor. Coming from a background with limited formal financial training, his teaching style was fast-paced, intense, and exactly what I needed. Teeters is incredibly tough, engaging and funny all at once. On the very first day, he cold-called me with a question I genuinely didn’t know how to answer. I braced for the worst, but he just gave a sly smile and told me to review some more and give it a go next time. That small moment gave me the confidence to go back, study the technical notes, and really commit to the cases. When he called on me the next class, I was ready, and by the end of the term I was actively participating rather than waiting to be called on. When he later learned about my background in film and acting, he was excited and encouraging, saying that business needs more people with unconventional paths. That confidence carried directly into my M&A work at ON over the summer.”
Timothy Hoffmann, IESE Business School

“Scott Laughner, who leads Kelley’s Consulting Academy, had the biggest impact on me during my MBA. His coaching fundamentally changed how I think, communicate, and problem‑solve. Scott has a rare ability to push students to their full potential while making them feel supported every step of the way. I’ll never forget preparing for a case competition when he spent several hours on a Sunday morning with my teammate and me on Teams, walking through our approach, challenging our assumptions, and offering thoughtful guidance. He consistently goes above-and-beyond for students who take initiative, and his influence shaped not only my recruiting journey but also the kind of consultant and leader I want to be. I will always be grateful for his mentorship, encouragement, and guidance.”
Sarah Wales, Indiana University (Kelley)

“Professor Massimiliano Bonacchi (taught Financial Accounting). What stood out to me was the clarity and intentionality he brought to every class. He did not just teach accounting as a technical subject. He taught it as a language for understanding how businesses really work. Even though I studied accounting as an undergraduate, his classes helped me appreciate financial statements in a much deeper and more practical way. He made the subject feel both rigorous and alive.”
Oluwatoyosi Onabanjo, INSEAD

“This is a tough choice because I had so many exceptional professors at Ivey. If I had to choose one, it would be Professor Romel Mostafa, who taught Macroeconomics for Business Decisions. It was the first economics course I had ever taken, and it sparked a real fascination with the subject. His energy in the classroom was incredible and the discussions were always dynamic. We explored current events, debated real business decisions, and connected them back to economic theory. Since that class, I rarely read the news without thinking about the economic forces behind what’s happening.”
May El Damatty, Ivey Business School

“My favourite professor is Rajesh Chandy, Professor of Marketing and Academic Director for the Wheeler Institute for Business and Development, who co-led our Global Experience course in Johannesburg on entrepreneurship and economic growth. What made him stand out was not just his expertise, but the way he showed up.

We spent the week working directly with micro entrepreneurs in Alexandra township. Rajesh approached the experience with energy and intellectual rigor, but also with humility and deep respect for context. He challenged us to apply our frameworks, yet consistently reminded us that understanding culture, lived realities and trust comes before offering solutions. He did not treat the work as an academic exercise. He treated it as a responsibility. What resonated most with me was his authenticity. His passion for impact was not performative. It was grounded in genuine care for the people we were working with and for. He demonstrated that ambition and humility can coexist, and that effective leadership requires both conviction and listening. That week strengthened my interest in using business skills in the service of broader impact. More importantly, it reinforced a principle I value deeply: meaningful change starts with understanding before advising. Rajesh did not just teach us about entrepreneurial growth. He modelled a way of engaging with the world.”
Tania F. Davila Masciopinto, London Business School

“Choosing just one is pretty tough, but if I had to choose, I’d say it’s Professor Michael Jensen, who teaches The Power of Prestige. While the class is interesting in and of itself, what really makes it shine is how Michael teaches. He clearly cares about the material and about us as students. You can see it in the way he exudes energy with everything he says, brings anecdotes from his personal life, cracks jokes like he’s with his buddies at the pub, and jumps around the room after a student gives a particularly salient answer. Even when admonishing students for the “wrong” answers, he’s not afraid to joke around and say things like “no, that’s just stupid,” in the same way that you would joke around with a friend. It made the class so much more enjoyable and unique when compared to any other I’ve been in.”
Rahul Narain, University of Michigan (Ross)

“My favorite professor thus far is Marcus Collins, who teaches Brand Management. Professor Collins is incredible not just for his real-world experience and robust network, but for his unique ability to engage every student and foster complex dialogue. Professor Collins made every student feel heard and met them where they were. We discussed socially relevant topics and how they impact brand perceptions and meaning, and he did so without alienating those who might disagree with his perspective on the cultural zeitgeist. His class taught me how to be a brand manager in today’s society and how to understand conflicting viewpoints to facilitate meaning and connection with people.”
Jack May, University of Michigan (Ross)

“My favorite MBA professor is Helen Moser, also known as H-Mo. What makes her exceptional is her ability to cut through the noise and get to what constitutes value in finance. She makes the fundamental principles and concepts accessible to anyone regardless of background while never lowering the bar. Helen demands that students put in the work, but she matches that expectation by taking the time to walk through every concept in detail until it clicks. There is no ambiguity in her classroom. She is direct, thorough, and genuinely invested in making sure no one falls behind. Her energy is contagious, and her passion for finance and investing makes even the most foundational topics feel relevant and engaging. Every MBA class should have a professor like H-Mo.
Doğukan Günaydın, University of Minnesota (Carlson)

“Professor of the Practice Bill Aulet has made it his life’s mission to make entrepreneurship more accessible to those who would otherwise never think it possible. He wrote Disciplined Entrepreneurship, a concise, easy-to-follow format that anyone can understand. He has lived the dream and lowered the ladder down behind him to help the rest of us live the dream, too – working for yourself, doing something meaningful. He truly wants what’s best for his students. Any student of his who works hard and builds something with passion knows that Bill will go to bat and do everything he can to help.”
Michael Autery, MIT (Sloan)

“I’ve learned from some truly remarkable MIT Sloan educators here, and a favorite has been Professor of the Practice Rama Ramakrishnan. Prof. Ramakrishnan added a new dimension to my perception of good teaching: kindness. He teaches Hands-On Deep Learning to a largely non-technical audience of MBAs, but does so uncompromisingly — without stripping away critical detail or rigor — and with kindness. No question is too small and no challenge too big in his class. I’ve always wanted to be an educator myself, and I’ve learned from Prof. Ramakrishnan — in addition to the meaning of stochastic gradient descent — that the most powerful, thoughtful teaching doesn’t allow room for excuses. Instead, it sets a high bar, gives you the tools to clear it, and cheers you on when you do.”
Aditi Ramakrishnan, MIT (Sloan)

“Hands down, Adam Alter left the biggest impression on me. I took his Marketing class my first semester, and it completely changed how I see marketing. I can’t walk through a store or watch a commercial without analyzing the psychology behind it. What made his class special was how relatable and engaging it was. I still reference his insights in conversations and interviews, and that early exposure reshaped how I think about consumers, storytelling, and decision-making.”
Alisha Agrawal, New York University (Stern)

“My favorite MBA professor was Markus Saba, professor of the practice of marketing and executive in residence for the Center for the Business of Health. I traveled with Marcus on a two-week Global Immersion Experience (GIE) during the spring break of my first year that focused on the business of healthcare in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). I had very limited prior experience in the sector, but Marcus made the material approachable and engaging. Through his extensive experience as a healthcare executive, he shared stories that brought the themes we were learning about to life and made them feel tangible.

Marcus’s energy is also infectious. Throughout the trip, he encouraged our group to make the most of our time in the UAE and fully embrace opportunities for cultural immersion. One of my favorite memories was when Marcus joined a few classmates and me on a horseback riding excursion we had booked. We got to gallop our horses through the desert, which was such a unique experience to share with a professor.

Marcus created an incredible learning experience for our group — through the meetings he arranged with UAE-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, the projects he designed for us, and the cultural experiences that created lasting memories for everyone on the trip.”
Victoria Leigh Peace, University of North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler)

“My favorite MBA professor is Paul Corona. He led the popular Kellogg course, Personal Leadership Insights (PLI). In this course, 16 students engage in one-on-one coaching and small group discussions to better understand our leadership strengths and growth areas. Professor Corona drew upon his deep expertise in professional coaching to help us connect our career goals to the deeper motivations behind them. He provided clarity and shared personal career stories to help us explore our career motivations. I appreciated his personal stories, courageous vulnerability, and creation of a space where others felt comfortable doing the same. Ultimately, he helped each of us leave with a stronger understanding of ourselves and each other.”
Corey King, Northwestern University (Kellogg)

“My favorite MBA professor has been Professor James Otteson, an expert on moral philosophy and the work of Adam Smith. Professor Otteson is an amazing professor and inspiring mentor for several reasons. For one, he sacrifices a great deal in devotion to his students, caring deeply about each one’s academic and personal growth. Second, he is endlessly engaging in his areas of expertise—namely, the study of what constitutes “honorable” business. Third, he challenges and inspires me to become a better man through deeper work, consistent prayer, and self-sacrifice. I did not expect a professor to have this much impact on my life, and I am truly grateful to have met Professor Otteson, let alone be his student and teaching assistant.”
Diab “Dody” Eid, Notre Dame (Mendoza)

“Professor Kelly Rubey has had the most lasting impact on my MBA experience. Through Business on the Frontlines and Business on the Frontlines: Local Impact, she challenged us to approach complex problems with both analytical rigor and empathy.

She consistently emphasized that our role as consultants was not simply to deliver answers, but to build trust and truly understand the context in which our clients operate. One idea that has stayed with me is her belief that our goal is often to “shift trajectories.” In many of the environments we worked in, systemic challenges could not be solved in a semester. But if we helped clients see their problems differently, ask better questions, or consider new strategic paths, we were creating meaningful impact.

She reinforced that business can and should be a force for good. More importantly, she modeled what that looks like in practice.”
James Smart, Notre Dame (Mendoza)

“Michael Gill, who teaches Organizational Behavior, was my favorite professor.

Each session felt like the gold standard of what an MBA class should be: engaging, thoughtful, and memorable. His classes combined literature, case discussions, and carefully-designed role-play exercises.

One particularly memorable exercise involved a scenario modeled after the Challenger disaster, disguised as a racing team deciding whether to proceed with a race despite potential technical concerns. The exercise highlighted how organizational pressures and incomplete information can shape decisions.

As someone with a data-oriented background, it was a powerful reminder that good decision-making requires both strong analysis and the willingness to question assumptions.”
Kosi Aroh, University of Oxford (Saïd)

“My favorite MBA professor is Utpal Dholakia from the Marketing faculty. He brings a passion and enthusiasm to teaching that is unrivaled by any course I’ve taken in undergrad or grad school. More importantly, he makes customer insight feel like a competitive weapon rather than a soft concept.

One thing about Professor Dholakia is that he does not accept surface-level answers. He consistently challenges you to look for the “hidden insight” behind surface-level data, whether that’s in customer behavior, pricing decisions or competitive positioning. His classes demand both intellectual rigor and humility. Instinct alone is not enough. You must test assumptions, and conclusions must be earned. His courses go beyond abstract discussions on strategy and help students focus on strategies to make better decisions today.

What I appreciated the most was his insistence that empathy and economics are inseparable. Understanding the customer is incomplete unless you can translate that into a viable, disciplined strategy. The balance of caring deeply about the end user while aligning incentives and business fundamentals has permanently shifted how I think about business problems.”
Felix Joseph, Rice University (Jones)

“Professor Elena Nescio was my favorite professor during my MBA journey. There is something contagious about a professor who truly loves what they teach, and she brought that passion to every class session. I had the privilege of taking Advanced Marketing Strategy toward the end of my program, and it became one of the most formative academic experiences for me.

The course combined a competitive company simulation with case-based discussions. In the simulation, I served as CEO of our team’s “company,” making cross-functional decisions and experiencing firsthand how strategy, finance, operations, and marketing intersect. It was the closest I’ve come to running a real business. I was able to apply the tools from my summer internship alongside the leadership lessons I had developed at Simon, bringing both analytical rigor and team alignment into each decision.

The case discussions were just as impactful. We explored everything from brand repositioning to crisis management, and I began to see marketing not just as communication, but as a strategic ecosystem that shapes how organizations connect with consumers. More than anything, Professor Nescio challenged us to think holistically and lead with intention.

I fell in love with the class not only because of the content, but because of the way it was taught, with rigor, energy, and an unwavering belief in the power of strategic thinking.”
Karla Camarillo Huitron, University of Rochester (Simon)

“Professor Stefano Pogutz. What stood out was his ability to bridge sustainability and business strategy without reducing it to a narrative or trend. His teaching consistently challenged us to think in systems: understanding how environmental, social, and economic dimensions interact and shape long-term value creation. Beyond the content, what made his impact particularly strong was his approach to people. He consistently placed students at the center of the learning experience, creating an environment where everyone felt heard, challenged, and included.

His role as MBA Director reinforced this even further. He embodies the same principles he teaches, setting a tone of responsibility and intellectual rigor across the program. That coherence between thinking and action is rare. He pushed me to look beyond short-term performance and consider how businesses can be designed to be both competitive and sustainable over time, a perspective that is now central to how I approach building ventures.”
Nicholas Dellai, SDA Bocconi

“My favorite MBA professor is Dr. Shane Goodwin. I had the chance to take two courses with him: Global Mergers & Acquisitions and the Global Leadership Program. What stood out immediately is that Professor Goodwin teaches from real-world, proven business experience. Before joining SMU, he spent decades advising companies on mergers, acquisitions and corporate strategy, and that experience clearly shows in the classroom. Discussions about deal structure, valuation, and corporate decision-making always felt grounded in how business functions rather than just how it’s described in textbooks.

What I valued most, though, was Professor Goodwin’s mentorship. During our Global Leadership Program, my team worked on a consulting project for Ronald McDonald House Charities in Argentina. He actively helped us navigate the project, especially the dynamics of working with clients. Professor Godwin encouraged us to challenge our assumptions, ask better questions to understand the client’s real needs, and focus our recommendations on what would be both impactful and practical for the organization. His guidance enabled our team to deliver a final recommendation we were proud of, and it showed me that truly great professors are also thoughtful advisors and mentors.”
Gavin Livingston, Southern Methodist University (Cox)

“My favorite MBA professor was Professor Tom Shively. I had the privilege of taking two courses with him—Statistics and Time Series Forecasting. What stood out most was his extraordinary passion for teaching. Even after more than four decades in the classroom, he approaches every lecture with genuine excitement and intellectual curiosity. Professor Shively has a rare ability to make complex statistical concepts feel intuitive. Through clear explanations, thoughtful graphical analysis, and real-world business applications, he transforms abstract mathematical models into tools that feel both practical and powerful. What impressed me most was how deeply he cared about whether students truly understood the material. He constantly read the room, revisited difficult concepts, and patiently answered questions until the ideas clicked. His comprehensive notes and enthusiasm made statistics not just understandable, but genuinely enjoyable. Because of his teaching, I left his classes with a far deeper appreciation for data-driven decision-making and confidence in statistical modeling that I did not have before.”
Soham Mukherjee, University of Texas (McCombs)

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