The 11th annual Best & Brightest MBAs feature by Poets&Quants has been unveiled, spotlighting 100 of the most accomplished full-time MBA graduates from the Class of 2025. This prestigious list celebrates a diverse group of professionals who have shown remarkable achievements and the potential for innovative leadership. The 2025 class stands out for its diversity, with women comprising 60% of the honorees and 54 students hailing from international backgrounds.
Jeff Schmitt, a senior writer at Poets&Quants, highlighted the entrepreneurial spirit and ability to forge new opportunities as defining characteristics of this year's honorees. Among the notable graduates are Simi Shah from the Wharton School, recognized in Forbes' 2025 '30 Under 30' in Media and invited twice to the White House, and Mark O'Connell from the University of Michigan's Ross School, who played a pivotal role in revising the U.S. Marines combat training curriculum. Amanda Golden's transition from covering presidential elections for NBC News to venture capitalism also underscores the diverse paths these graduates have taken.
The selection process was rigorous, involving nominations from 82 leading graduate business schools worldwide, with 220 candidates considered. Evaluations were based on extracurricular engagement, academic and professional accomplishments, thoughtful responses to queries, and recommendations from faculty. The Boston Consulting Group stands out as the top employer among this elite group, having hired eight of the Best & Brightest MBAs from this year's class.
Each selected student will be featured in an in-depth profile that delves into their backgrounds, achievements, and perspectives. This feature is part of Poets&Quants' ongoing effort to recognize exceptional business students, complementing their recent spotlight on top undergraduate business majors and upcoming features on Executive and Online MBA programs.
