Saran Diakite Kaba spent three years as a field engineer in the oil & gas sector before pursuing her MBA at Emory Goizueta, with plans to level-up her strategy and analytical skills. Drawn to Goizueta’s emphasis on principled leadership, Saran earned an MBA that fueled her transition to investment banking at Morgan Stanley. In this Real Humans: Alumni, Saran shares her journey from Africa to Atlanta, engineering to investment banking, and all the lessons in between.
Saran Diakite Kaba, Emory Goizueta MBA ’24, Investment Banking Associate at Morgan Stanley
Age: 30
Hometowns: Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire), Kankan (Guinea), Libreville (Gabon)
Undergraduate Institution and Major: University of Southern California, Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (Petroleum Emphasis)
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Field Engineer, Schlumberger, 3 years, Oil & Gas
Post-MBA Work Experience: Associate, Investment Banking, 8 months
Why did you choose to attend business school?
After spending several years working as a field engineer in the oil and gas industry, I realized that I wanted leverage my technical experience into a more strategic and analytical capacity. I decided to attend business school because I wanted to acquire the necessary skills to make that transition.
Why Emory Goizueta? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
I wanted to attend a school with a small class setting and still hold a strong reputation for its academic program and focus on principled leadership. This value still follows me today as in my current role, but also in life, I act with honesty, integrity, and transparency, which are critical skills to establish a long-term relationship with a client as well as with your team members. Additionally, the sense of community was a key factor because it reassured me that I would receive the support necessary to grow personally and academically.
What was your internship during business school? How did that inform your post-MBA career choice?
I interned at Morgan Stanley in their investment banking division in New York City. Being able to get exposed to live transactions, hold meetings with various companies’ leaders and working closely with the full-time bankers, including seniors reinforced my decision in pursuing investment banking after graduation.
Why did you choose your current company? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to work?
I come from West Africa where we have a very strong sense of community and I always end up seeking for a similar feeling of family everywhere I go. From the recruiting process to the end of the internship, I felt supported while being challenged and put outside of my comfort zone. Additionally, Morgan Stanley had a generalist program allowing me to rotate through various groups before being placed in a permanent one.
Advice to current MBA students:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of the job search?
Networking. I am a natural introvert and I had to put myself outside of my comfort zone to land these opportunities.
–One thing you would change or do differently as part of the job search?
I wish I took care of myself more. Prioritizing physical activities and meditation.
–Were there any surprises regarding your current employer’s recruiting process?
I was surprised on how the whole recruiting process was and structure of it. It was something I had to readjust and adapt myself to especially coming from a non-core school. Networking was essential in order to understand the process better and capitalize on it as well.
–What piece of advice do you wish you had been given during your MBA?
Let your morals and attitude speak for yourself.
