Nassim Kefi

Professionals - Weekend
Current Industry/Job: Oil & Gas
From: Czech Republic

Favorite quote and why:

"My country is the world, and my religion is to do good." 

This quote by Thomas Pain, one of the United States' Founding Fathers, accurately reflects my perspective of what it means to belong. Born to parents from different continents, growing up in all corners of the world, and working in a diverse multinational company have given me an appreciation of inclusion and diversity in our globalized world.

If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor and why?

Mahtma Gandhi, who has taken down the "empire on which the sun never sets" by using non-violent methods. His teachings subsequently inspired numerous great leaders such as Martin Luther King or Nelson Mandela, to name just a few.

Best memory from your first year in the MBA program:

Immersion was like drinking from a fire hose, but despite the radical change in pace, the fatigue and the long nights, I cherish fond memories of laughter and fun with my team!

What story does your family always tell about you?

When I was 10 years old, I started an environmental club in school and collected hundreds of signatures that I sent to then-French president Jacques Chirac to stop nuclear tests in the South Pacific. To everyone's surprise, the Elysee Palace sent me a hand-written response with a long explanation as to why these tests were necessary.

What advice would you like to provide incoming students?

Be ready to study numerous hours every single day, be ready for the change of pace, but remember to have some fun along the way: this is school after all, not life and death.