EPS.20 - From EY Tashkent to VP in USA: MBA Loan, Networking &AlixPartners | Bakho Muratov | FinEcon

Описание: Welcome to FinEcon Episode 20! Today, we are hosting Bakho Muratov, a Vice President at AlixPartners (USA) in Turnaround and Restructuring.

Bakho’s journey is incredible—he spent 5 years at EY Uzbekistan, pivoted to industry, and then took a massive leap of faith to pursue his MBA at the University of Michigan (Ross School of Business).

In this episode, Bakho gets brutally honest about the cost of an MBA (and taking out loans), the reality of recruiting in the US as an international student during a downturn, and why certifications like ACCA are good but not a "golden ticket."

In this episode, we discuss:

The American Dream: Moving from Tashkent to Ann Arbour, Michigan.

The MBA Investment: Why he took a loan to fund his studies and the ROI calculation.

Turnaround & Restructuring: What does a VP at AlixPartners actually do?

School Selection: Why you shouldn't just look at Harvard/Stanford rankings.

Certifications: ACCA vs. CPA vs. CFA—which one actually matters?

AI in Consulting: How AI is used for reporting and research in the US.

If you are planning to study in the US or pivot from Audit to Consulting, this episode is a must-watch!

Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro: Bakho Muratov
00:48 - Background: From Uzbekistan to EY
05:00 - Why EY & Audit? (The early career choice)
07:30 - Lessons from Big 4: Exposure to C-Suite at 22
09:30 - Work-Life Balance in Audit vs. Consulting
11:10 - The decision to pursue an MBA
13:40 - MBA Application Strategy: Rankings vs. Career Goals
15:45 - Rejections and choosing Michigan Ross
20:40 - The Financials: Taking a Loan for an MBA
24:20 - The #1 Mistake Uzbek students make regarding MBAs
27:40 - How Ross Career Services helps (and doesn't help)
29:00 - Recruiting as an International Student in a tough market
30:30 - Transition to AlixPartners: Networking is key
32:00 - What is Turnaround & Restructuring Consulting?
35:50 - Is ACCA a "Golden Ticket"? (The Truth)
38:00 - Why choose CPA over CFA?
39:40 - Using AI in US Consulting (Perplexity, Reporting)
42:40 - Final Advice: Start early and reverse engineer your path

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