Gilles (Gil) Katz, HEC Paris MBA Class of 2024
Age: 36
Hometown: Born and raised in Tel Aviv, Israel, and spent the last 10 years in Paris
Undergraduate Institution and Major: I completed my BSc (double diploma in Electrical Engineering and Physics) and MSc (Electrical Engineering) In the Technion, Israel’s Institute of Technology. I then completed my PhD (Electrical Engineering, doing research in Information Theory) in CentraleSupéléc Paris.
Pre-MBA Work Experience (years, industry): After completing my PhD in Supéléc I pivoted slightly to the machine learning and artificial intelligence field. I worked for several start-ups and one multinational group (SAP), starting as a data scientist before I got the opportunity to lead technical teams in the machine learning field, in roles such as Lead Data Scientist or Head of Machine Learning.
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
After several years in technical leadership roles in different organizations, I felt that now would be a good time to add other aspects to my profile. I believe that going through the MBA program of one of the best institutions in the world would help me grow, both in terms of hard skills and soft skills.
I see the MBA program of HEC as the perfect way to outgrow the box everybody may at one point in their career be put into. In my case, my credibility as a leader was strongly based on my technical knowledge and experience. This fact influenced the types of roles and responsibilities I was willing to take on, as well as the ones my surrounding was willing to give me. As I was getting older and more experienced, I thought that the time for a big change was now or never.
Finally, while I can already see that hard work will be necessary to complete the program and take as much experience as possible from it, I also feel like now was a good time for me to take a break from my previous professional life and experience something completely different.
Why did you choose HEC Paris? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
As a Parisian for almost a decade before going to HEC, I feel lucky that the Paris region hosts some of the most prestigious institutions for MBA programs in the world. Although I did also consider the aspect of discovering a new culture at the same time by doing my MBA someplace else, I eventually decided that I prefer to stay close to the place I call home.
Looking into different programs, the HEC offering seemed to be the most in phase with my personal and professional goals. Mostly, I appreciated the fact that the length and diversity of content of the program allows its participants to make big career changes after graduating. In addition, I found the diversity of student profiles very appealing, both in terms of national origins as well as in terms of previous work experience.
Knowing several HEC MBA alumni, including some that I consider good friends, who shared their experiences with me, also helped convince me that HEC would be the right place for me to pursue my career goals.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2024?
As someone who comes from the tech industry, I think I have a lot to contribute to my classmates who see this industry as their goal after graduation. Also, as a local, my classmates already know that they can always ask me for recommendations for restaurants in Paris or for help with French bureaucracy.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
During the COVID pandemic, I fell in love with bike-packing – the practice of travelling long distances on bicycles, taking the time to travel slow, visiting local gems on the way and enjoying the road. In the long vacation I took this summer before joining the program, I had the opportunity to do two of my wish-list trips: Paris to London (arriving for the first day of Wimbledon) and Vienna to Budapest. I have some more trips on my list, which I hope to do with some of my new friends from HEC.
Post-MBA career interests:
Post-MBA, I would like to combine my previous experience with my new-found tools in business. While I am sure that the tech industry itself would be a great place to do that, I am also very interested in the finance industry. I think the FinTech industry can be a good match for me, and I would love to be involved in any way in the financing of tech initiatives, such as through venture capital funds, private equity, or any other way.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Prepare well for the GMAT. I was lucky enough to be able to take it just once and I think investing in the preparation process is worthwhile, in order to ace it the first time.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
I would make up my mind about doing an MBA sooner – I wish I started a year or two ago.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
I wouldn’t skip any of it. Writing essays for the application takes a lot of time but I think that they helped me focus on my goals and ambitions in pursuing this MBA. Getting to talk with HEC alumni was also very valuable and interesting.
What is your initial impression of the HEC students/culture/community?
I love the diversity of our cohort. I feel like I have something of value to learn from every person I meet here. I am also excited to integrate the alumni network, which is one of the strongest in the world.
What is one thing you have learned about HEC that has surprised you?
While I knew from researching MBA programs before applying that the offering at HEC is vast, I was still surprised by the number of activities that are on offer every day. From academic activities to guest speakers, club offerings, and social events like parties, there is always an abundance of things to do. Choosing which activities to participate in might just be one of the most difficult tasks during the MBA.
What is one thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
They say that the second semester is the hardest one, at least in terms of workload, so I am looking forward to seeing what that’s like.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
Other than learning many new things, of course, I am very excited about the many travel opportunities. I look forward to professional trips such as the upcoming career treks planned for October, as well as opportunities to travel all around France, Europe, and the world with my new MBA friends.
