As co-chair of the Latin American Business Group, Ricardo shares what makes Booth a great place to pursue your MBA from a professional and social standpoint.
- By
- October 15, 2026
- Full-Time MBA - Community
Full-Time MBA Student Profile Inside Life at Booth: Ricardo Haneine Tame Talks Community, Career, and Impact
Key Takeaways
- The pay-it-forward culture is one distinguishing factor about Booth that helped Ricardo realize pursuing an MBA at Booth was the right fit. Now, Ricardo appreciates being able to embody Booth’s pay-it-forward culture himself as a second year student and co-chair of the Latin American Business Group (LABG).
- For Ricardo, LABG has been more than just a student group. It serves as a place where he, and other Boothies, can find a support system from day one and form a tight-knit community with people who feel like family.
- Ricardo’s biggest piece of advice for applicants is to be proactive. He attributes reaching out to Boothies, coming to visit campus, even sitting in on a class as being effective ways to determine if Booth is the right fit for you.
The Latin American Business Group (LABG) is a professional and cultural student-run club for Full-Time MBA students at Chicago Booth. LABG is committed to providing its members with opportunities and support through professional activities, mentorship, speaker series, and social events. From holding business conferences and recruiting events to hosting lively parties and celebrating Latin Culture and cuisines, members of LABG rave about the student group becoming an integral part of their everyday life at Booth. In this blog, Ricardo shares what he enjoys most about pursuing his MBA at Booth and provides more insight on building community at Booth with the Latin American Business Group.
About Ricardo and Why He Chose to Pursue His MBA at Chicago Booth
Ricardo was born and raised in Mexico City, and before Booth he spent over four years in investment banking at Santander Mexico, working on infrastructure deals across Latin America. Ricardo ultimately decided to pursue an MBA to help make the jump to the US market. Ricardo researched and visited several schools, but after speaking with Booth students and spending time on campus, he knew Booth was the right fit. Ricardo appreciated how Boothies were incredibly open with their time, and he could feel the “pay-it-forward” culture from his very first conversation. As a second-year student, paying-it-forward is now something Ricardo works to replicate to keep the tradition going.
About Ricardo and Why He Chose to Pursue His MBA at Chicago BoothMore Insight on Pursuing a Full-Time MBA and Building Community at Booth with Ricardo:
Pursuing Private Equity at Booth and Helpful Courses to Take
I’m recruiting for private equity, and I spent this past summer interning at a PE fund, which confirmed it’s where I want to build my career. Three courses have been especially valuable: Professor Chris McGowan’s PE/VC Lab, Professor Laura Born’s Cases in Financial Management, and Professor Guy Rolnik’s Storytelling and Narrative in Business. Together they sharpened my technical toolkit, gave me a real investor’s lens, and taught me how to communicate an investment thesis clearly. These courses have also given me substance to bring to every conversation I have with PE firms, which has been incredibly helpful.
Pursuing Private Equity at Booth and Helpful Courses to TakeHow the Booth Network Shows a Clear Return on Investment
For me, the biggest ROI has been the people. I’ve had the chance to learn from and work alongside classmates from industries, countries, and perspectives I would never have crossed paths with otherwise. Many of them started as study group partners or club co-organizers and have become close friends. That has been the most rewarding surprise of the program.
Advice for Applicants Considering Chicago Booth
Be proactive. During the application process, reach out to as many Boothies as you can and, if possible, visit campus and sit in on a class to see if this is the environment you want to be in for two years. Once school starts, the first few months move very fast between recruiting, classes, and building new friendships. Coming in with a clear sense of your goals will help you prioritize and make the most of every opportunity.
Building Community at Booth with the Latin American Business Group (LABG)
About LABG and Why Ricardo Joined
LABG brings together students from Latin America and anyone interested in the region through professional, cultural, and social events. For me, it was an easy decision: moving from Mexico City to Chicago, LABG gave me a community and a sense of home from day one. It connected me with second-years who had walked the same path and were generous with their advice, both on recruiting and on settling into Chicago. I joined as a member and later stepped up as co-chair to give back the same support I received.
What Future Members of LABG Can Look Forward to
A community that feels like family from the moment you arrive. Members get access to a strong network of students and alumni across Latin America and the US, plus support from second-years that feels more like mentorship. On the social side, there is always something going on, from padel tournaments to our flagship event, the LatAm BBQ.
About LABG and Why Ricardo Joined
How LABG Community Adds to Overall MBA Experience
LABG has shaped my MBA experience well beyond the club itself. It gave me a support system during a demanding first year, helped me build friendships across my classes, and gave me a platform to lead. As co-chair, I’ve learned how to rally a large group of busy people around a shared goal, which is a skill I’ll carry into my career. Most importantly, it lets me pay forward the help I received when I arrived.
Most Rewarding Initiative for Ricardo as LABG Co-Chair
Welcoming the incoming class was especially meaningful to me. This summer we launched a Buddy Program that paired every second-year member with a few incoming first-years from LatAm students, so they had someone to turn to with any question before arriving. I was a buddy to three first-years, and sharing what I wish I had known felt like the most direct way to pay-it-forward. We then kicked off the year with the LatAm Welcome Party on the first Saturday of the term, and more than 200 people came. Seeing the new class settle in and have fun from day one was incredibly rewarding.
How LABG Community Adds to Overall MBA Experience
Ricardo’s Favorite LABG Event
Our flagship LatAm BBQ. Every fall and spring we gather at Promontory Point and cook food from across Latin America: Argentinians and Brazilians on the steaks, Colombians on the arepas, and a few of us Mexicans on the tacos. It’s a great way to spend a day with fellow Boothies in a unique spot right on Lake Michigan.
Ricardo’s Fondest Booth Memory
This summer, my wife Roberta and I joined 70 other Boothies on a week-long trip to Turkey, where we rented three boats and sailed along the Turkish coast. It was the perfect way to recharge after our internships and before second year. Most of us hadn’t seen each other in three months, so we spent the week swapping internship stories and catching up. It hit me how much of a family we had become. I’d met these people only a year earlier, and they already felt like home.
Ricardo’s Favorite LABG Event
Fun Facts about Ricardo
- Ricardo loves running and has completed more than 15 half marathons (a full marathon is still on his list!).
- Ricardo is also an open water swimmer and completed the 10K Cancún to Isla Mujeres swim three times!
- Ricardo picked up golf a year before Booth and enjoys exploring new courses around Illinois.
- Lastly, Ricardo has a twin sister who recently graduated with her MBA from Haas and is living in NYC.
Connect with Chicago Booth
Ricardo’s story is a testament to the value seen behind building a tight-knit community during your MBA experience. If his story resonates with you, we encourage you to connect with us to learn more about what an MBA from Chicago Booth has to offer you.
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