David Buisson

Consultant Bio

David is a dynamic mentor and consultant renowned for driving innovation and people development across diverse sectors—business, engineering, chemistry and technology. He holds an MBA from MIT and a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Auckland. As a Platinum Consultant at Crimson Education, David draws on decades of leadership experience, having served as CEO of Clovely Estate, board member at EmSolutions, and Dean of External Relations at Queensland University of Technology.

Originally from New Zealand, David’s academic career at the University of Otago encompassed roles as Pro‑Vice‑Chancellor (Business), Dean of the School of Business, Dean of the Faculty of Consumer and Applied Science, Professor and Head of the Department of Marketing, and Professor of Food Science. A Harkness Fellow (Commonwealth Fund of New York) and elected Fellow of both the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry and the New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology, he has consistently bridged the gap between academia and industry.

David is a strong advocate for the key role of ‘design’ as a powerhouse for innovation and people development across academia and businesses and cites examples from around the world of design taking the lead in both these worlds. He teaches Design Thinking, at postgraduate level globally including in France, China, and the UK.

David specializes in mentoring students and professionals, helping them expand their leadership skills and creativity. He’s guided candidates into Ivy League schools such as Harvard, Columbia, UPenn, Cornell, and Brown; and other US Universities – Stanford, Georgia Tech, University of Michigan and UC Berkeley— into Europe’s top institutions including INSEAD, London Business School, HEC Paris, ESADE, Imperial College London, and LSE.

Primary Expertise: MBA admissions, Masters Admissions and PhD Admissions Business, General Management, Design, European University admissions, Asian University Admissions

Complimentary Expertise: STEM (Engineering, Chemistry, Technology, Mathematics/Data Science, Bioengineering, Business Analytics)

Company Information

Crimson Education empowers MBA applicants with end-to-end support for their US, UK, or European business school applications — from strategic school selection, test preparation, to personal branding, essays, extracurricular mentoring, and rigorous interview coaching.

Crimson MBA’s results speak for themselves: since 2018, over 90% of our M7 applicants have secured at least one offer, with more than 65% receiving multiple offers. We also maintain an exceptional 98% placement rate at top European programs such as INSEAD, LBS, Oxford, and Cambridge.

With dedicated Crimson MBA teams across the US and globally, we specialize in helping both domestic and international candidates navigate the complex and often opaque admissions landscape. Many of our international applicants arrive having been told “aren’t M7 material”- and we take pride in consistently proving that narrative wrong. Crimson Education’s global perspective, combined with deep local insights, empowers our clients to stand out at the world’s most competitive business schools.

By blending data-driven strategy, insider insights, and unparalleled mentorship, Crimson Education transforms ambitious candidates into standout admits at the world’s most competitive business schools.

Menu of Services and Associated Costs

Free Candidacy Assessment

Begin your journey with a complimentary, expert-led evaluation of your profile and candidacy potential.

Business School Launchpad

Enjoy boundless coaching sessions, receive bespoke, expert guidance, and let us manage your entire application roadmap. Our Launchpad packages are meticulously designed to transform your business schools aspirations into reality, providing you with an all-encompassing suite of services tailored to elevate every aspect of your application.