Anish Ranjan Jal

ESSEC Business School

“Versatile professional with experience in operations, software testing, entrepreneurship, and HR, committed to continuous learning.”

Hometown: Khariar, Odisha

Fun fact about yourself: I have represented India in a dance competition.

Undergraduate School and Degree: My undergraduate degree was in Bachelors of Science, Zoology at Madras Christian College

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? I worked at Deloitte in the Human Resources department. In my last project, I supported the merger of Deloitte’s Consulting and Risk & Financial Advisory functions. I played a key role in ensuring a smooth transition for both teams and their leadership during this integration.

Where did you intern during the summer of 2025? I was working at Deloitte

Where will you be working after graduation? I’m currently awaiting responses from a few companies and exploring opportunities in people consulting, particularly in change management and workforce transformation.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:
I am one of the class representatives, a role that allows me to collaborate closely with the program team to enhance our MBA experience. I am also an ESSEC Ambassador: I enjoy connecting with prospective students and guiding them through the application journey, just as others once did for me.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? One experience I’m really proud of is taking part in the three-day Deloitte Consulting Challenge at our school. It was intense but a lot of fun. We had to design a post-merger strategy for a company. I hadn’t worked on anything like that before, but learning from my teammates who had relevant experience and diving into real merger case studies made it a really enriching and eye‑opening experience.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? One achievement I’m particularly proud of was during my time in Deloitte’s Human Resources team. Every year, we managed year-end reviews for around 45,000 practitioners in just three weeks. It was an intense process that required both speed and accuracy. The audit team used to manually validate feedback across performance outcomes, which took about two days each cycle. I took the initiative to automate this task, cutting the turnaround time from two days to about four hours. This improvement made the review process far more efficient and helped everyone make faster, more accurate evaluation decisions.

Why did you choose this business school? One of the main reasons I chose this business school was its boutique cohort size. Coming from a diverse professional background, I knew I’d benefit most in an environment where I could actively engage with professors, ask questions freely, and learn through meaningful discussions rather than in large, impersonal classes.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? My favorite professor was Maria Allayioti, who taught Data Science. My undergraduate degree was in Zoology, but I’ve always been fascinated by data. During COVID, I even took it upon myself to get certified in SQL and Python. Professor Maria was teaching this course to the MBA cohort for the first time, and she had a real gift for making one of the most intimidating subjects both approachable and engaging. What stood out most was how she connected data to leadership and decision-making, helping us see its power beyond just numbers.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? My favorite MBA course was Decision Making & Negotiations. It was an intense one‑week module filled with hands‑on activities where we could apply theory through real negotiation exercises. We worked with partners, groups, and even cross‑cultural roleplay scenarios, which made every session dynamic and memorable. This course really set the tone for my MBA journey. It sharpened my approach to problem‑solving, teamwork, and even day‑to‑day interactions outside the classroom.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? My favorite MBA event is the recurring alumni connect sessions hosted by the program team. They give us the chance to interact with people who were once in our shoes and have gone on to build meaningful careers. I always find those conversations inspiring. They remind me that while the MBA and job search can be intense, continuous learning and self‑improvement never lose their value. These events also show how deeply the school invests in our growth and success, creating real opportunities for us to learn from those who’ve already walked the path.

What was the most impactful case study you had in business school and what was the biggest lesson you learned from it? One of the most impactful case studies for me was in Financial Management, where we analyzed the launch strategy for a new perfume brand. We had two potential options and had to conduct a full financial analysis for each. Coming from a non-finance background, this was definitely a challenge. However, it turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences. The case covered every major aspect of financial decision-making. By the end, I felt genuinely confident that if I ever had to interpret financial statements or make finance-driven decisions, I wouldn’t feel lost.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? My business school is in Paris and where do I even begin? The city has completely filled my art, architecture, and fashion-loving soul. From the elegant Haussmann-style buildings to the countless museums and effortlessly stylish people, Paris is an endless source of inspiration.

What business leader do you admire most? Jim Hemerling, a BCG transformation leader, is the business leader I admire most.

He champions “people-first” change management, proving that focusing on employee empowerment during transformations leads to sustainable success unlike fear-based approaches. This aligns perfectly with my Deloitte HR experience smoothing a major merger through process automation and communication, and my current pursuit of change management certifications. His TED talk on leading through constant change inspires me as I transition into workforce transformation consulting.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? ESSEC integrates AI thoughtfully into the MBA curriculum through dedicated courses like Digital Transformation.

These subjects equip us future leaders to understand AI’s workforce impact and prepare for rapid changes. In Digital Transformation, we explored AI adoption strategies, gaining insights on embracing tech shifts proactively.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? The classmate I most admire is Sebastian Garcia Tapia. He’s one of the most knowledgeable people in our class, with a genuine passion for learning that shines through. What stands out is how his rich professional and personal experiences make him so well-rounded. He’s always eager to help and guide others when we’re stuck, making him a true team player.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? My top two professional bucket list items reflect my immediate and long-term passions. First, I want to secure a change management role to lead end-to-end transformations, building directly on my Deloitte project experience. Second, I want to someday found a free, high-quality school in my paternal village to bring quality education where it’s currently limited and expensive.

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

“We are grateful to have Anish as part of the Class of 2026! In his role as a class representative, we get to witness his kindness, empathy, and people skills in action. Coming from a human resources background, we can see how he works hard to foster a culture of inclusivity amongst his peers and we value his thoughtful contributions and collaborative spirit. After graduation, Anish aims to work in people consulting and change management. We can clearly see that he has a bright and successful future ahead of him in this field!”

Aminah NASSIFF
Global MBA Alumni Engagement Manager

DON’T MISS: MBAS TO WATCH: CLASS OF 2026

© Copyright 2026 Poets & Quants. All rights reserved. This article may not be republished, rewritten or otherwise distributed without written permission. To reprint or license this article or any content from Poets & Quants, please submit your request HERE.