Guy Gutfarb

Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University

“An Israeli / A techie / A father. Passionate about innovation and creative work of all kinds.”

Hometown: Rehovot, Israel

Fun Fact About Yourself:  I enjoy traveling and have had a chance to visit more than 25 countries. My favorite place was Iceland, seeing the northern lights and the raw images of nature it had to offer.

Undergraduate School and Major: Technion – Israel Institute of Technology; Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering & Management

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Head of Software Development for Silo kitchen Inc., a food-tech startup.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Northwestern Kellogg’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I considered pursuing an MBA program for several years but wasn’t sure of how I would apply it based on my professional experience in software engineering. I weighed the time commitment, and my development in my career for a long time.  However, when Kellogg announced their MBAi program, I knew this was a program designed for someone with my background in tech. A top-rated school, a program with a clear value proposition for tomorrow’s tech leaders, with a focus on innovation & data driven solutions — that was everything I could have hoped for.

As access to data becomes ubiquitous, it’s important for us all to utilize this resource wisely. Acquiring practical tools, while thinking and imaging the economics, tech, and social impacts of the AI era is inspiring and eye-opening.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Northwestern Kellogg? It is hard to pick just one. However, I think it’s the activities that provide the extra motivation to fully embrace the MBA experience, and demonstrate the potential it holds to grow as a leader. One of my favorites was CIM (Complete Immersion in Management), an intensive week of lectures and activities that showcased Kellogg’s own unique culture and values right before the Fall quarter starts.

Also, MBAi classes such as Ai Leaders and Seminar Series give students the opportunity to hear from industry leaders how AI and analytics have assisted them in becoming more effective business leaders.

What word best describes the Kellogg MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far and why? Motivated. Through many interactions with fellow students and while getting to know them in and outside the classroom, the one common thread is the desire to become a better version of themselves and to work hard until that goal is accomplished. My classmates are definitely another source of inspiration for me.

What makes Chicago such a great place to earn an MBA? I love Chicago and Evanston! On the one hand, Chicago offers a fantastic food scene and many opportunities for socializing with my classmates. Moreover, the city offers great career opportunities and has one of the strongest tech scenes in the country.

On the other hand, I moved here with my family and Evanston provides the peaceful atmosphere that we need. There are many parks and playgrounds around Northwestern University, and living near Lake Michigan provides many activities such as hiking, picnicking, and even beaches, that make us feel a little like we are still in Tel Aviv.

Kellogg is known for a team-driven culture. What quality do you bring as a teammate and why is it so important to success? While working in teams, my goal is to make the team better mainly through enhancing communication and collaboration by creating an open and supportive environment that brings out the best in everyone. In my experience, the best teams were the ones where people felt safe to express themselves and strong relationships were formed.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:

What I am most proud of is my constant drive to improve and grow, explore new opportunities, and always learn.  From new technological skills, through challenging leadership positions to new industries, I enjoy the growth! Starting an MBA program at a relatively late stage of my life is the ultimate proof of that.

How did COVID-19 change your perspective on your career and your life in general? If mankind had one lesson to learn from this pandemic, it is that the only constant thing is change. New challenges and opportunities will present themselves whether we like it or not, and we all need to be ready to embrace them. An MBA is a great tool to prepare for these challenges and to help redefine professional priorities

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? Following a packed career in a variety of software development positions, including many leadership ones, I realized that exposing myself to the business side is the best way to accelerate my growth. MBA provides the surest and quickest way to accomplish this, as it will provide me with the business acumen I need to steer quality products in the market.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Cornell Tech MBA, NYU Tech MBA

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Northwestern Kellogg’s MBA program? Kellogg is a great place for candidates who enjoy teamwork and are willing to work hard to become extraordinary. If you believe that’s something you possess, be sure to highlight it in your application.

DON’T MISS: MEET NORTHWESTERN KELLOGG’S MBA CLASS OF 2023