Alumnus Kausik Ghosh (’17 MBA) has made the most of the skills he gained in the Moore School’s full-time MBA program. Formerly an engineer, Ghosh is now able to take on roles that combine core aspects of chemical engineering with broader business management strategies.
Ghosh accepted a new opportunity in February 2022 with Google as an indirect procurement sourcing manager. He had been a sourcing manager for Eastman Chemical Company and previously a strategic sourcing leader for Honeywell.
As part of Google's Global Procurement Organization, Ghosh develops processes for cost-effective procurement and material exports, working closely with suppliers, contract manufacturers and internal efficiency teams. He leads continuous improvement processes in purchasing, delivery and shortage management in a multi-tier supply chain; he partners with Google’s business and leadership teams to accelerate innovation. To prepare him for such responsibilities, Ghosh chose Global Supply Chain and Operations Management as his functional specialization in the one-year MBA program.
Khosh credits the specialization with teaching him sourcing strategies, strategic management, supply chain optimization and principles of the Sonoco Lean-Six-Sigma Green Belt certification, a highly sought-after credential in the supply chain industry.
Along with his specialization and Lean-Six Sigma certification, Ghosh completed the Business Analytics Graduate Certificate. Ghosh wanted to combine his undergraduate Chemical Engineering degree with business principles to help him assume leadership roles like the one he’s taken on with Google.
Before entering the MBA program, Ghosh applied his engineering skills at SAP, the world’s leading enterprise software company, for close to six years in quality governance and software life-cycle management roles. While with SAP, he began researching the opportunities an MBA would afford him.
“I wanted to venture out and learn aspects of international business, operations and supply chain management and experience complex business challenges that modern or Fortune 500 companies face across the globe,” Ghosh said.
When he discovered the Moore School’s full-time MBA program, he knew that it was the right fit for him as it provided a unique combination of international business perspectives, strategy-related courses and real-world consulting projects.
“It was 11 months of a high-octane, high-adrenaline program. I loved every moment of it,” he said. “I completed two major capstone consulting projects in year one, led a team for MBA case competitions and finished the business analytics certificate and completed the Lean-Six-Sigma Green Belt industry certification.”
Ghosh said the full-time MBA program also helped him understand how to lead cross-functional teams from different geographies that helped transform him into a seasoned business manager.
“I feel the Moore MBA program is a unique amalgamation of diverse, cross-functional and collaborative teamwork combined with strategic leadership principles,” he said. “It allows every individual to take ownership and to be ready to step up when things are not going in your company's favor, or business conditions are very challenging.”
This unique, multidisciplinary experience in the MBA program prepared Ghosh to navigate organizational structures and influence with or without authority, he said.
Although leaving the comfort and security of his steady job at SAP was daunting, Ghosh said that it was worth it because he was able to accelerate his career to a new level. While at the Moore School, he was able to develop both as a professional and as a person meeting and networking with friends from all over the globe.
“It was a huge change, going back to a student life from a corporate world where I was growing, but change is the only constant, and to accelerate further, I think people need to take some challenges, take some risks, and I took that risk,” he said. “For me, the Moore School was an ideal-fit and solid one-year MBA program that is well-reputed, well-ranked and had all the ingredients to transform me into a business manager for future leadership opportunities and set me up for success in an ever-evolving global business ecosystem.”
Ghosh said he looks forward to continue sharpening his skills and making his mark on Fortune 500 companies like Google and Honeywell.
-Claire McGrath