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Hanna Barczyk

My Course Correction Connecting the Dots

Ankit Jaini, MBA ’20, MPCS ’20, went from investment banking to entrepreneurship and product management, and reveals how to bring diverse skills and experiences together to create lasting career success.

  • By Scott Steinberg
  • September 28, 2023
  • Technology

Growing up in India, Ankit Jaini, MBA ’20, MPCS ’20, had a wandering spirit. He loved hiking the local wilderness, and his family moved often to follow his father’s career as a mechanical engineer. This energy of exploration and curiosity would later characterize his career journey, which jumped from investment banking to an adventure travel startup to product management before he settled into a role focusing on product integrity for WhatsApp at technology giant Meta. Chicago Booth Magazine talked to Jaini about his winding career journey.

How did you end up in investment banking?

I was an undergrad in economics at IIT Kanpur and pursued courses in math and finance that grew my interest in banking. I’ve always been mentally inclined toward working with numbers, and to persevering, fiddling, and tinkering with hard problems and not giving up. That put me in good stead for a job in investment banking. In hindsight, it was a great place to start my career, with lots of learning, opportunities for growth, and a challenging environment.

How did an adventure travel startup become your next step?

I was longing to do something different. In India in 2014, startups were booming. I was an avid adventure travel customer and saw firsthand the problems many travelers face—so my cofounders and I wanted to solve some. I was 24, had some savings in the bank, and working at the intersection of sports and technology combined my two childhood passions. It was the perfect opportunity. We worked hard on the project for around three years, served thousands of customers, and learned a ton about building a business. But we struggled to scale as we had initially envisioned and decided to shut down after some hard introspection. 

“I’ve always been mentally inclined toward working with numbers, and to persevering, fiddling, and tinkering with hard problems and not giving up.”

— Ankit Jaini

Why get an MBA—and why at Booth?

I really enjoyed the feeling of going from an idea in my head to building a tangible product that real people loved and used. I wanted to continue doing that. But I needed a foundational knowledge of computer systems—and the ability to pair it with a business perspective. Booth was one of the only schools that offered a joint program where I could do an MBA and a masters in computer science, and where I also had the flexibility to choose my own curriculum. 

You recently made the leap to Meta. How do all these learnings and experiences serve you in your role today?

I work on the WhatsApp business at Meta, focusing on product integrity: protecting users from unwanted contact such as spam or scams while helping to sustainably grow business messaging on the platform. It’s a challenge that draws on my background understanding user experiences across geographies and industries, being comfortable with data, and knowing how to best leverage technology to build a working solution. 

WhatsApp is a product that I, like billions of others, use to stay connected with family, friends, and business contacts every day. Getting to work on a product used by so many people, and in such meaningful ways, is a privilege and a humbling experience.

What advice would you give new graduates?

One underrated skill is having high agency—a mindset of ownership and initiative. Being proactive and resourceful, figuring out creative ways to get stuff done and showing up on the hardest days goes a long way in your career and life.

Also, say no to more things! At my first job as a new graduate, I felt I could outwork others. But I’ve since realized that not all work is equally impactful, and having a mindset to say no to things lets you focus more on things you enjoy. This becomes all the more important when you take on more responsibilities—whether it’s accepting a senior leadership role or becoming a parent. 

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