Mihir A. Desai
Harvard University
San Francisco, CA USA
"We underestimate the significance of geography. Go to where you want to be as fast as you can. You’re going to meet people, you’re going to be around things. Opportunities will open up."
Career Roadmap
Mihir A.'s work combines: Business, Law, and Teaching / Mentoring
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
When I finally left school, I had so much debt it was definitely concerning. I have always believed that investments in education are hugely important. At the time, I wasn't just focused on what the degrees could do for me financially, but what they could do for me personally. Luckily, I also had personal safety nets where I wasn't really worried about financial ruin. I just had to accept that I wouldn't always have debt and push forward.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
History, General
Brown University
Bachelor's Degree
Economics, General
Brown University
Graduate Degree
Business Administration and Management, General
Harvard University
Doctorate
Political Economy
Harvard University
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
Was born in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, raised in Hong Kong, and later moved to New Jersey as a teenager.
2.
Attended Brown University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history.
3.
After graduation, he “fell into the job market” and interviewed for a wide variety of positions—ended up working for an investment bank in New York for two years.
4.
Decided to go to Harvard University for business school and earned an MBA.
5.
While trying to decide whether to pursue consulting or banking for his career, he had an epiphany that told him neither was the right choice.
6.
Moved to India for a year to figure things out—when he returned to the U.S., he went back to Harvard University to get his Ph.D. in political economy.
7.
He’s now a professor of finance and law at Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School, respectively.
8.
He’s also a renowned economist with expertise in tax policy, international finance, and corporate finance, and has authored publications on topics like tax policy and globalization.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
I'm spending so much money on higher education. This will never be of benefit to me.
How I responded:
When I finally left school, I had so much debt it was definitely concerning. I have always believed that investments in education are hugely important. At the time, I wasn't just focused on what the degrees could do for me financially, but what they could do for me personally. Luckily, I also had personal safety nets where I wasn't really worried about financial ruin. I just had to accept that I wouldn't always have debt and push forward.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I had to work hard and borrow my way through graduate school - but it was worth it to me. My parents always instilled in me that money was never an excuse not to do something.
I moved around a lot as a kid and grew up in wildly different areas. It was a challenge, but gave me a unique lens through which to view the world.