Their destinations may differ, but they all began at the same place. A look at alumni stories of success that started at Ivey.
With a Bachelor's degree in Engineering from BITS Pilani, Dubai, an MBA from Ivey, and a professional journey that enabled me to work across multiple divisions in industrial and health care companies – working with people from more than 25 countries in the EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) and North American region – I’ve learned that the only way to thrive is to keep an open mind and adapt to your environment. Constant observation and learning helped me do just that. I can confidently say Ivey fast-tracked my acclimatization to the North American professional landscape.
What led you to your career and how has it evolved over time?
I will admit – my professional journey was not a pre-decided quest from day one. I found my expertise along the way, tested myself over time, and leaned into my strengths, eventually finding a niche field that suited my capabilities. What started as an internship at Merck & Co. snowballed into a career that spanned regulatory affairs, pharmacovigilance, supply chain, operations, and then finally landed me in the continuous improvement (CI) field.
I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to explore and work with incredibly talented people, delve into wildly different subjects, and forge my own path. At the heart of it all, I realized it was most important for me to always be a “student,” never let my curiosity die, and question everything. Analyzing historical data, spotting patterns, deep-diving into processes, and resolving hidden bottlenecks all drew me toward CI – a field I thoroughly enjoy working in. Additionally, it requires me to interact in-depth with people working in different functions, which, as a social person, is a big bonus for me.
Who inspired you?
I will give you the most clichéd immigrant answer – my parents. They taught me to push myself out of my comfort zone as much and as many times as I could. I saw them live far away from family, sacrifice a lot to create opportunities for me, be brave, and then migrate internationally in their late 40s – a time when change is harder to adapt to – with the end goal being a better life for all of us.
I always figured, if they could do it with what was available to them, I had to go miles beyond them, given the relatively ample resources and opportunities available to me. They instilled in me a mindset that views all changes as an opportunity to grow and take things in stride – that it is OK to be different from the crowd as long as you are true to yourself.
How did Ivey play a role?
Getting an MBA was always part of the plan, but the “when” and “where” shifted after the pandemic. While a North American education was always on my mind, the COVID-19 crisis made me reassess my priorities. As an international student, you have a lot at stake – from your physical safety to the significant financial investment you hope will have a lucrative ROI – all riding on your experience at a school that is beyond reproach and makes it all worth it.
Canada’s reputation as a safe haven has always been appealing to international students. On top of that, I heard raving reviews from friends who themselves were Ivey alumni. Multiple in-depth discussions about the benefits of Ivey’s case study method, Ivey’s amazing faculty, and the state-of-the-art facilities were a huge draw for me. All of these factors, in addition to an extremely diverse cohort, the School’s initiative to make us more sociable and bolder through various collaborations, pulled me out of my COVID-work-from-home limbo really quickly. I truly believe Ivey got me back on track and gave me immense confidence in marketing my abilities, something I always fell short of and shied away from.
Why did you choose the MBA program specifically?
An MBA degree, specifically at Ivey, was appealing for multiple reasons, one being the one-year format. It gives you enough time to learn essential hard and soft skills while allowing a timely re-introduction to the corporate world, in comparison to a two-year program. The program’s focus is to give you a well-rounded education while imbuing strong business ethics, making the candidate equipped to make morally/financially/operationally vital decisions. The confidence to be in those shoes and to do the right thing, in my case, came from this experience.
What personal or professional accomplishment are you most proud of?
Looking back, it seems like my best personal accomplishment was being able to live in four countries by age 27. Despite every move being emotionally draining and operationally exhausting, I survived. I was lucky to meet so many supportive people along the way and establish lifelong relationships with them. Sometimes I cannot believe I was able to pull this off by myself, but it was worth it.
Professionally, my greatest accomplishment was that, while working for three different departments in Merck & Co., I was able to lead a process improvement project for our entire cluster. With no experience in the said field on hand and only in-depth knowledge of internal processes aiding me, I took on the responsibility and reshaped practices that were affecting the global supply chain during the pandemic – a situation none of us were equipped to handle at the time. While it was a huge undertaking, it made me learn a lot in a very short time.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
I have always been into music, so I spend a lot of my free time listening to music or singing. I am also a huge cinephile, and I have a list of movies that I need to catch up on every weekend. Fitness is a huge passion of mine. I believe mental health is strongly tied to physical well-being, so I try to stay on top of it as much as I can.
What might someone be surprised to know about you?
I am a trained singer and have quite a few videos on social media – a passion I wish to get back to in the future. I am also an avid reader and love writing, in addition to painting once in a while. Recently, I’ve gotten into baking too; my friends and colleagues have definitely had some benefits from this one, so it might not be a well-hidden interest of mine.
What is your favourite memory from your time at Ivey?
I think it would be unfair to pick just one from the big pool of great memories I made with my friends at Ivey, but one in particular that stands out was an assignment for Leading People and Organizations with Assistant Professor David Loree. We were supposed to work with actors playing different employee roles and had to handle them as managers. I still remember the wave of excitement among the cohort and how we were so surprised by the seriousness of the simulation – it was more realistic than we anticipated. A lot of quick thinking, advice, and laughs were shared that day. An honourable mention would be the Leadership Under Fire course – it lived up to its reputation and was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me.
Related: Leadership Under Fire: Lessons in resilience and character
What is the most important takeaway from your Ivey experience?
Working with people from all over the world, who majored in subjects completely different from mine, and had experiences I could only have read about, allowed me to interact with extremely distinct personalities. I learned the phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover” quite literally in business school. The first month was a huge adjustment for all of us, but as we got deeper into the program and spent the majority of the day doing projects, assignments, or case prep with one another, you realize there is a lot more to most people than meets the eye – all you have to do is be patient and let people open up.
I cannot overstate the fact that you go through a life-altering experience during the MBA, so keeping your friends close is essential. It helps you navigate the multiple challenges that come your way, the shared experience makes it a little easier, and you get to learn so much along the way, too.
Are you still connected to the School in any way?
I signed up to be an International Ambassador while at Ivey, a role I still unofficially work towards when I get the opportunity. I like to think that incoming or interested students would have the same questions I had when I was signing up for this adventure, so I try my level best to share my experiences with them to help them adapt to the new lifestyle. Sometimes, that is all you need when making a huge change. I aim to get more involved in activities organized by the Toronto Chapter in the coming months.
On a personal level, our cohort has always been very close-knit. We still stay active on our WhatsApp groups and try to meet up in major cities where many of us now live. The program forged strong bonds between a lot of people that we will carry for a lifetime. We recently established the Ronald Edward Memorial Cup in remembrance of one of our classmates. This will now be an annual event – a chance for us to meet, play soccer, and catch up with our mates.
Inside the Ivey MBA: What makes the experience exceptional
From international perspectives to career impact and inclusive leadership, these four podcast episodes explore what truly sets the Ivey MBA apart. Hear directly from students and alumni as they discuss the value of the Ivey experience – from navigating the program as an international student, to the strength of the community, to the unique opportunities it creates for women in business. Whether you're curious about academic culture, personal growth, or long-term return on investment, these conversations offer an authentic look at what it means to be part of the Ivey MBA.
