Lakshya Agrawal originally pursued engineering, but took a position in consulting to explore multiple industries and functions in an effort to find a career path. He learned from his mentors how valuable business school would be in strengthening and expanding his skills and providing new opportunities. In this Real Humans: Alumni, Agrawal explains how the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania’s culture of team-based learning, the meaningful connections he made there, and other opportunities enabled him to pursue his passion for the automotive industry at Tesla.
Lakshya Agrawal, Wharton MBA ’23, Finance & Business Operations Manager at Tesla
Age: 33
Hometown: New Delhi, India
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology, Delhi University, Manufacturing & Automation Engineering
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Associate, Bain & Company, 3 years, Management Consulting;
Associate, Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), 3 years, Public Health Advisory; Founders’ Office, Openhouse Technologies, 6 months, Education-Tech
Post-MBA Work Experience: Manager, Finance & Business Operations, Tesla, 3 years, Manufacturing / Energy
Why did you choose to attend business school?
Though I pursued engineering for my undergraduate degree, I didn’t have conviction on one clear industry or ladder to target in the long-term. Bain & Company offered the ideal opportunity to build a strong problem-solving foundation while exploring multiple industries and functions. It was there that I first learned from mentors how business school could sharpen my business intuition, expand my skillset, and open doors to diverse, exciting career paths.
During my subsequent role at CHAI in South Africa, I worked closely with senior leaders across global healthcare and public sector organizations. I became increasingly aware of the need to strengthen my stakeholder engagement skills. At the same time, I was deeply inspired by the challenge and fulfillment of leading diverse, cross-cultural teams.
These experiences solidified my desire to pursue an MBA at a globally recognized institution, where I could learn alongside driven peers and grow both professionally and personally.
Why Wharton? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
I knew several Wharton alumni who spoke passionately about their experience. They highlighted the school’s culture – emphasizing team-based learning, meaningful connections in and beyond the classroom, and rich opportunities through practical projects, immersions, treks, and student-run clubs.
As someone uncertain about my post-MBA goals, the breadth of courses at Wharton and across the broader Penn ecosystem was incredibly appealing. While the large class size initially felt overwhelming, the vast and diverse alumni network across industries and geographies reassured me that Wharton was the right fit.
What about your MBA experience prepared you for your current career? How do you feel that your MBA has been an asset when it comes to navigating new challenges, such as AI?
Wharton’s emphasis on team-based, experiential learning taught me how to collaborate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and motivations. Discussing case studies with peers and then hearing directly from the same business leaders how they approached the problem revealed that complex challenges rarely have a single correct answer, and success lies in evaluating trade-offs thoughtfully. Access to both functional and industry-specific courses, taught by world-class faculty and enriched by peers with real-world experience, provided a holistic and multidimensional education.
This foundation has been invaluable in navigating fast-evolving domains – not only AI, but more directly in my experience cells and batteries – where quickly developing a level of technical depth, strategic thinking, and cross-functional coordination are essential.
Why did you choose your current company? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to work?
A lifelong passion for the automotive industry and innovation led me to pursue engineering and lead my university’s Formula Student racecar team. Over time, I developed an interest in creating impact through sustainability and climate-tech. At Wharton, I deepened this interest through courses on Energy Markets and by engaging with industry leaders via conferences hosted by the Future Mobility and Energy Clubs.
Speaking with friends who worked at Tesla, I quickly realized it was the ideal intersection of my interests: the chance to drive real-world impact, collaborate with brilliant minds united by a mission in sustainability and innovation, and work at a global leader in electric vehicles with a rapidly growing energy storage business and bold ambitions in batteries, AI, and robotics.
I’m glad my instincts were right. My time at Tesla has been transformative, accelerating my learning and growth, and I remain deeply energized by our mission and future.
Advice to current MBA students:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of the job search?
Be intentional about networking. Focus on the industries and companies you’re interested in, research them thoroughly using public sources, identify people in relevant roles, and ask thoughtful, specific questions of them. This not only deepens your understanding of organizational culture and strategy but also helps build authentic, meaningful relationships.
–One thing you would change or do differently as part of the job search?
Not specific to the job search, but generally: I would have explored more during my time at Wharton, across industry clubs and courses in the broader Penn ecosystem. I took one class in Integrated Product Design in my final semester and truly enjoyed the interdisciplinary blend of business, design, and product development. I also picked up tennis and skiing but missed out on other activities I’d have loved to try in a low-risk, low-cost setting.
–What piece of advice do you wish you had been given during your MBA?
Go in with intentionality around your professional and personal goals, and stay grounded in who you are, so you can make thoughtful choices about how you spend your time. That said, remain open to exploration and surprise. Some of my most meaningful friendships emerged from experiences I was initially hesitant about. Re-calibrate regularly, and keep striving for balance between diving deeper into what you know and stepping into the unknown with curiosity.
