Georges Batoussi, Harvard Business School MBA Class of 2025
Age: 26
Hometown: I moved around quite a bit as a child, but would say Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, as the city where I’ve lived longest.
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Cornell University, Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Labor Relations with minors in Africana Studies and Business
Pre-MBA Work Experience (role, company, years): Four years total; one plus year as an investment banking analyst at J.P. Morgan in the real estate, gaming, and lodging group in New York City, followed by around three years at CrossBoundary as a senior investment associate and Africa chief of staff in Washington, D.C., and Lagos, Nigeria.
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
First, I have been working in the finance/investment space for several years and knew it would be helpful for me to supplement my on-the-job training with additional learning in order to refine my investor acumen. Second, I sought to build both my professional and personal networks and to make lifelong friendships.
After four years of working post-undergrad, I knew the next several years in my career would be an inflection point in which I move into more middle-management roles. As a result, I wanted to further hone my leadership skills before advancing into more senior roles and I felt now was the best time to take that leap.
Why did you choose HBS? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
I attended the Summer Venture in Management Program in 2018, which immediately sold me on the value of an MBA and on Harvard Business School, in particular. SVMP is a weeklong experience during the summer before your senior year of university in which you take a week of courses at HBS. The stimulating classroom debates stirred up an energy in me that I knew I wanted to get more of. Prior to this experience, I had very little concept of what an MBA was and SVMP allowed me to get a glimpse into its value-add.
I was especially drawn to HBS because of the global nature of its program. Having grown up across several countries as a child, I greatly appreciated the opportunity to learn from peers with various global experiences and differing perspectives. HBS regularly highlights its large international student population by fostering events such as Flag Day, which is often one of the most memorable events of the first semester. During this ceremony, students present histories and anecdotes about their home countries to educate peers in their section, and the event culminates in the raising of each nation’s flag. It was a proud moment for me and my family to have my Togolese flag raised.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2025?
Having working experience across several continents, I aim to bring a unique global perspective to many classroom discussions through comparing and contrasting business norms from various regions and bridging gaps when parallels to other countries’ norms may otherwise be missed.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I have a Black Belt in Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Karate.
Post-MBA career interests:
In the short-to-medium term, I would like to work in infrastructure private equity, investing in critical assets that are driving change in the world, particularly within the digital infrastructure, renewable energy, and transportation sectors.
In the long term, I would like to raise my own investment fund focused on Africa and the global Black Diaspora. I aim to have a core focus on portfolio company collaboration to foster a sense of communal, Black empowerment, ultimately progressing towards the goal of improving economic conditions for the Diaspora globally.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
For minority applicants within the U.S., I would highly recommend the Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT)’s MBA Prep program. The curriculum helps prospective students prepare for various aspects of the application process, from essay writing to GMAT/GRE Prep and mock interviews. More than anything else, I have built a strong community of friends that are at HBS as well as many other top MBA programs.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
One piece of advice I got from mentors who went through the MBA process before me would be to only have a select handful of people provide essay reviews. The issue with having too many reviewers is that sometimes the feedback is conflicting, and your voice becomes diluted. I would say oftentimes, the sweet spot is three to four essay reviewers; less is often more in this process.
What is your initial impression of the HBS students/culture/community?
Every HBS student comes in with extensive CVs from a variety of impressive career paths, however, everyone you meet is very kind and down to earth.
What is one thing you have learned about HBS that has surprised you?
It is quite surprising that many HBS students have accomplished truly incredible feats throughout their careers. However, many still deal with imposter syndrome from time to time.
What is one thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
I am moderately anxious about finding a summer internship that I will learn a lot from and enjoy; this seems to be a common sentiment given the current job market in many industries. Students appear to be less anxious about full-time opportunities.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I am very excited to travel with my classmates on treks and with a school-sponsored curriculum such as the Field Global Immersion (FGI) class at HBS. Treks, in particular, are student favorites as they are often led by students from the respective countries, which provides a unique opportunity to become closer as classmates.
