Federico Muyshondt

Federico acknowledged that a Rice MBA prepares you for many things, not one function in particular, but that it’s up to you to take advantage of that. 

“Exploring your biggest strengths can be a good thing. Always be open to the possibilities. Don’t limit your view of the Jones School as a place for professionals interested in pursuing a specific career, but as a place that will make you a well-rounded professional. It will give you all the tools and open up many doors... then it’s up to each individual to make it happen.” 

After two years at Dell, Federico started to see the difference between the people with an MBA and those without. He also noticed the way their careers were panning out, as well as their respective leadership skills. “I understood that to hone my overall professional skills an MBA was going to take me to the next level professionally and convert me from a “doer” to a leader. I knew deep down that I wanted to go into consumer products eventually, and an MBA was also that viable avenue that would take my career in that direction.” 

When looking for an MBA program, Federico knew he wanted a more intimate setting where he could have a one-on-one connection with professors and peers. As he drilled down in his search, the Jones School rose to the top. “Rice University carries a lot of weight around the world. When it came to comparing the programs I was considering, it was obvious to me that Rice offered the best value across the board — not only from the standpoint of scholarship and financial aid but also in terms of Houston’s relatively low cost of living. All of this made the price/value equation of the program very good.” 

Earning an MBA was a transformative experience for Federico, both personally and professionally. “I can honestly say that the Jones School changed my life dramatically. My business school experience at Rice was as much an academic experience as it was a social and personal learning experience. Learning how to speak in public, mastering my interview skills, learning how to make small talk with recruiters at Partio every Thursday... there are countless things I learned that together with the academic content, made my experience an incredible one.” 

"After my MBA I started doing the traditional brand marketing role for Frito-Lay (Pepsico). I had rotations in innovation and shopper marketing, beyond traditional brand management. When I moved to Dannon, I came here in more of a hybrid role - marketing, sales and finance - on the strategy team, where knowing the basics of marketing is necessary by understanding the ins and outs of trade and profit and loss management is a huge part of it. The Rice MBA prepared me with the all-around knowledge to be able to have a productive conversation with multiple functions in the organization that my team touches without having to be necessarily in an expert in every field."

Facts:

• ­Hometown: San Salvador, El Salvador
• Texas A&M University, B.S. Marketing ’03
• Rice University, MBA ’07
• Pre-MBA Job: Marketing Operations & Pricing, Dell Inc.
• Internship: Brand Marketing – Beauty Care, Procter & Gamble
• Co-Founder of Chicken Kitchen
• Current Job: Vice President, Sales Strategy, The Dannon Company (Danone)